Chapters (39)

The hole they have made waits, like an open grave, and there is a degree of reverence in the manner in which Greg places the bundle in it. Hilary watches him push some loose earth over the lip of the hole. And then he stands up and reaches for his spade while she carries the camellia forward, carefully manoeuvring the root-ball down into place.

She steps back while her husband fills in the hole around it. There is a rhythm to his movements, a gentle shush of earth joining earth. She watches as he puts aside the spade and, with the sole of his shoe, tamps the soil, firming it down. It is all done, sealed in place, by the time the rain begins to fall.

Acknowledgements

This book began as a conversation with my friend Lydia Dickson outside the school gates, and I must thank her for planting the seed of an idea. Others helped it to grow by providing me with space, time, encouragement, and a listening ear, as well as the occasional glass of wine, and for that I thank Kitty Martin, Catherine and Paul Sweeney, Rachel Conway, Tana French, Emma Murphy, Rowena Walsh, Alison Weatherby, and the ladies of the Exclusive EU Book Club. Thanks also to Ciara McGowan for giving me that extra-special push to find an ending! Huge thanks to my wonderful agent, Jonathan Lloyd, and all the team at Curtis Brown who take such good care of me, in particular Luke Speed and Melissa Pimentel. This book was a team effort in many ways and I am so grateful to my amazing publishers, Michael Joseph, for their talent, professionalism and support, in particular Maxine Hitchcock, Joel Richardson, Jennifer Porter, Beth Cockeram and Sarah Kennedy. Thanks to Hazel Orme for smoothing the edges, and thanks also to Cliona Lewis at Penguin Ireland. Special thanks to Matilda McDonald for her guidance and support while working closely with me on this book. Once again, I am grateful to the Tyrone Guthrie Centre for yet another fantastic residency where part of this book was written.

Biggest thanks of all and much love to my peeps: Conor, Rowan and Freya Sweeney.