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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

‘Yes, he’s definitely your son,’ Anne said. She paused and then asked, ‘Would you like to see him before you go? There is nothing to be frightened of and it might help give you closure. Show you he’s not the monster you imagine, but a child in need of love and affection, one who won’t be with us for much longer.’

Ian hesitated and then gave an imperceptible nod. ‘Yes,’ he replied quietly. ‘It might help.’

Anne stood and led the way upstairs. Ian followed, full of trepidation and misgivings. Was this really wise? Shouldn’t he do as Anne had first suggested and leave now and get on with his life as best he could? Would seeing David really help or make it worse? He honestly didn’t know.

They came to a halt outside a bedroom at the rear of the house. The door was bolted from the outside.

‘Is that necessary?’ Ian asked, concerned.

‘Yes. I daren’t give them the run of the house in case someone sees them at one of the windows. The glass in the window of this room is opaque, but the others aren’t. It would only take one sighting and that would be it.’

Ian watched, his heart thumping, as Anne slid the bolt and slowly opened the door. A small night light cast a pattern of stars and a moon on the ceiling. It was like the outside come in.

Ian followed Anne into the room. There were two small beds and a cot, a chest of drawers and a changing station, much as you’d find in any nursery, Ian thought. Only, of course, this wasn’t any nursery.

‘This is David,’ Anne said quietly, going to the cot.

Ian went over and stood beside Anne as she leant over the side of the cot and adjusted the cover. He looked at the sleeping form. Curled on his side, with a blanket loosely over his body, only his head was visible, and one little hand that clutched the corner of the blanket. The back of his hand was covered in a fine down. So was the top of his head, but there was none on his face or neck as there had been when he’d been born. His features were more like that of an ordinary child too now, as was the outline of his body. After a few moments, Ian found he wasn’t experiencing the repulsion he’d thought he would – as he had at the birth – but compassion. David stirred in his sleep, and then turned onto his back. His lips moved and his eyelids fluttered. Was he dreaming? Ian wondered. If so, about what?

‘Are you all right?’ Anne quietly asked him.