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Back The Couple at Number 9: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part One
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. Part Two
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. Part Three
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. Part Four
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Acknowledgments
  68. About the Author
  69. Praise for Claire Douglas and The Couple at Number 9
  70. Also by Claire Douglas
  71. About the Publisher

He sighed. ‘But at least we would still have been friends. Or do you not want that either?’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘Does Rose see anybody apart from you?’

‘She’s always been reclusive. That’s not my fault.’

He shook his head. ‘Melissa told me Rose hardly ever does the bell-ringing at the church any more. Or the WI.’

‘That’s her decision. Not mine. We just want to spend all our time together. Can’t you remember what it’s like? That first flush of love when all you want is each other? Stop trying to make out it’s something else. I’d never stop Rose doing anything she wanted to do and vice versa.’

I couldn’t stand by and listen to any more of this. It didn’t feel right. I stepped out of the shadow of the tree and made my way to the back of the garden. I climbed over the wall and jumped down onto the grass. The shock on Daphne’s face was so comical I had to suppress a laugh.

‘What – what are you doing?’ she gasped, as I walked over to where they stood.

‘Sorry, I sometimes come back this way. I like walking alone in the woods. I thought you were supposed to be at work.’

Her face coloured a deep crimson. ‘I . . . Yes, I’m just going. Joel popped over.’ I could tell she was trying to work out if I’d heard their conversation. But I kept things light.

‘Is everything okay?’ I asked Joel.

‘It’s all good.’ He flashed me a warm smile. ‘Glad to see you’re looking well, Rose. If you ever need anything,’ he threw me a meaningful look, ‘anything at all, you know where to find me, right?’

‘Um, sure . . .’

‘Good. Then I’ll be off.’

We stood and watched as he strode across the lawn, disappearing around the side of the cottage.

‘What was all that about?’ I said, wondering if Daphne would tell me the truth.

But she reached up and kissed me deeply in response, pulling me against her. ‘I’ve got half an hour before I need to be in work. Let’s make the most of Lolly not being here,’ she replied, as she pulled away, taking my hand and leading me back towards the cottage. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that settled inside me. If Daphne had lied and manipulated me over Joel, what else hadn’t she been honest about?

47

Theo