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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 stretched my back as she got up and went to her chest of drawers. She got hold of her make-up mirror then returned to me. She knelt behind me and held the mirror up at an angle so I could see it. The cross had a slight kink in the middle, but I didn’t care. I’d have it forever, a reminder of the house, always there, etched into my skin. ‘Oh I love it,’ I breathed. ‘Thank you so much.’

Edie opened the drawer of her bedside table and took out her cigarettes. She offered me one. I shook my head. She lit up and tapped the ash into her open pencil case. The room quickly filled with smoke and I prayed Eleanor had taken the yellows.

‘So what should I wear to the party?’

‘Oh,’ she said with a dismissive shrug. ‘Something smartish. Don’t worry too much.’

‘What are you wearing?’

‘A skirt but I’ll be maxing out the black make-up and going heavy on the jewellery. I like to give their friends something to gossip about on their way home. And the Davenports’ wayward daughter is always a popular subject.’

‘I’ve got a nice top and I can borrow a skirt from Mum.’

‘Eleanor might give us a few things to hand round.’

‘Things?’

‘Canapés.’

‘What are canapés?’

Edie looked at me quizzically and laughed. When she realised I wasn’t joking she said, ‘Tiny food.’

I nodded and my stomach fizzed with anticipation. Saturday couldn’t come quickly enough.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Tamsyn

August 1986

The tattoo was itchy and felt bruised to the touch. Edie told me that was normal and that it would be tender for at least a week. I regretted not asking Edie to do the tattoo in a more discreet place. To prevent Mum from seeing it, I covered it with a large plaster, one designed for grazed knees. When the ache got unbearable, I found I could relieve it a little by pressing the flat of my hand against it, but other than that I left it alone. It was too tender to interfere with and Edie assured me it was fine to leave it be.

As soon as I got back from Ted’s I went into the bathroom and locked the door. My tummy was a mush of excitement and nerves. I assessed myself in the mirror. There was lots to do. My skin was dull and a little grubby and my hair was a tangled mess in desperate need of a wash. I leant closer and stared at the unruly hairs between my eyebrows. Those would certainly have to go.