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Back The Cliff House Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Booklist
  3. Title Page
  4. Praise
  5. Dedication
  6. Prologue
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  62. Epilogue
  63. Acknowledgements
  64. About the Publisher

‘I suppose so,’ I said. ‘He has friends his own age though.’

Again, she ignored what I’d said, which I had begun to find annoying.

‘I was thinking we should do your tattoo, too.’

‘I can’t. But thank you. I really did mean it when I said Mum wouldn’t let me.’

‘You’re sixteen, Tamsyn. You don’t have to do what your mother tells you to anymore. Anyway, we’ll do it somewhere it’ll be covered, so she won’t even see it.’

‘Edith!’ Eleanor was standing at the back door. ‘Did you remind Tamsyn about the party?’

‘She’s sitting right here, Eleanor. She can hear you.’

But Eleanor had disappeared indoors.

‘I need to remind you about the party. Can you still make it?’

‘Yes! Definitely. I can’t wait.’

‘I wouldn’t get too excited. My parents’ friends are vile. You’ll need to wear something smart. A skirt, maybe?’

Every time I thought of the party it made my stomach fizz. My mother didn’t seem to share my excitement when I told her. Rather than be interested or happy for me, she’d come over all suspicious again.

But why?

Why what?

Why would she invite you?

So I gave her a hard stare and asked why she shouldn’t invite me. Mum had given a vague shrug and tried to smile. Which had made me angry, so I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes.

I hate that you can’t just be happy for me!

She then reached out to lay a palm against my cheek, which I batted away before running upstairs to my box room.

I’d no idea what was wrong with her. My invitation to the Davenports’ party was the most thrilling thing that had happened to me and, whatever Mum thought, I knew I was going to have the best time.

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY

Angie

August 1986

They sat at a table in the corner of the Moon and Stars. A couple of men played darts beside them. Serious faces. Pints of ale on the mantelpiece and bellies protesting against their waistbands. At the window hung a greyed net curtain with a pretty star pattern on it. There were a few tiny holes in the top right corner which Angie recognised as moths. The net fluttered every now and then as the wind pushed itself through a small gap in the frame. Pictures hung on the beige textured wallpaper: the pub in years gone by, black and white streets, fishing boats stranded by the tide, fishermen in thick sweaters with tousled hair and toothless grins.