Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
- Keep Reading …
- Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
- About the Author
- Books by Lisa Stone
- About the Publisher
‘Our baby was born very different to how nature intended,’ Camile continued. ‘He was a genetic throwback and didn’t live long. It was only by chance we discovered the truth after we saw someone in the garden here and gave chase. It was late at night and pitch black, but we found Anne in the woods locking what looked like a child in the back of her van. Chris blocked her path and demanded to know what was going on. She broke down and told us. Some children, including our son, were being born with a genetic condition, not because of the power station, but because our parents had received the same donor sperm from a local fertility clinic. Chris and I were obviously appalled, angry and upset, and wanted the man responsible arrested. Anne said he was no longer practising, she had seen to that, but begged us not to go to the police as it would jeopardize the safety of the little ones still being born – “outsiders”, she calls them. After much soul-searching, we agreed to keep quiet and do what we could to help Anne. Chris and I couldn’t continue our relationship as we were half brother and sister, so we parted but have remained friends.’ Camile stopped. Her eyes glistened with tears.
Jan looked from her to Chris and didn’t know what to say. Was she telling the truth? She could see pain in his eyes too.
‘Our son only lived ten days,’ Camile said. ‘But others with his condition have lived much longer, some for years. They mature quickly, not like human babies. There is a baby and two toddlers alive at present – the ones you’ve been seeing. When you met Anne with Chris they were trying to work out how to stop them coming into the garden here. Anne keeps them in her house all day, away from prying eyes, then at night she takes them into the woods for some exercise. The woods are thickest at the back of the cottage so it’s reasonably safe. There’s nowhere else for them to go around here. Some years back a woman heard a baby cry. She reported it to the police, but they searched the area and thankfully found nothing. But as you have discovered they can be very mischievous – undoing your hedge repair and teasing you by moving a ball of twine. They mean no harm. Usually they’re wary of strangers. They would probably have lost interest had you not started leaving food out. Anne feeds them well, but they can’t resist tempting treats.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Jan found herself saying.