Back The Dead Wife Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter Two
  5. Chapter Three
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Chapter Eleven
  14. Chapter Twelve
  15. Chapter Thirteen
  16. Chapter Fourteen
  17. Chapter Fifteen
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Chapter Twenty-One
  24. Chapter Twenty-Two
  25. Chapter Twenty-Three
  26. Chapter Twenty-Four
  27. Chapter Twenty-Five
  28. Chapter Twenty-Six
  29. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  30. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  31. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  32. Chapter Thirty
  33. Chapter Thirty-One
  34. Chapter Thirty-Two
  35. Chapter Thirty-Three
  36. Chapter Thirty-Four
  37. Chapter Thirty-Five
  38. Chapter Thirty-Six
  39. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  40. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  41. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  42. Chapter Forty
  43. Chapter Forty-One
  44. Chapter Forty-Two
  45. Chapter Forty-Three
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. About the Author
  48. Also by Sue Fortin
  49. About the Publisher

‘That’s what I thought, especially as I found it first thing in the morning after the cleaners had been in last thing the night before.’

Harry met his mother’s gaze. No words were needed. Harry understood the implication perfectly. ‘What have you done with the earring?’

‘I’ve given it back to her.’ She continued to hold his gaze. ‘Maybe Dominic has got reason to dislike her.’

The idea troubled Harry as much as it irritated him. ‘Dominic doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He needs to calm himself down.’

‘He’s only looking out for you.’

‘No, he’s not minding his own business,’ snapped Harry. ‘And you wonder why I moved to France.’

He regretted the words as soon as they had left his lips and he saw the hurt in his mother’s eyes that followed.

‘I don’t want to argue,’ she said.

‘Neither do I. I’m sorry,’ said Harry. She smiled and patted his arm in a conciliatory way, which made him feel a complete shit.

‘Let’s not, then,’ said Pru. ‘Life’s too short for petty squabbles.’

Her words knocked the air from him. Such a loaded expression. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked, wanting not only to change the subject but also to try to coax his mother into telling him about her health.

‘Me? Yes. Couldn’t be better. I was just heading up to bed,’ she said. ‘Not that I’m tired; I was watching the news, but it’s all doom and gloom – far too depressing for me.’

He put his arm around his mother’s shoulders and shepherded her out of the office and into the hall. ‘Do you want me to take you to your room?’

She gave a tut and a small chuckle. ‘I’m not that old and frail yet,’ she said. ‘Next you’ll be bringing me cocoa and a shawl for my shoulders.’ She gave him a peck on the cheek. ‘I’m fine. I’m going to read my book for a while, and I have the girls to keep me company.’

Harry looked at the three bichon frises which had appeared from the living room to find their mistress. ‘Fair enough. Sleep well.’ He watched as the dogs trotted off up the stairs and reflected on how the outside world didn’t matter to his mother. As long as everything in her own Conmere House world was all right, she was happy.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Kendalton, Thursday, 16 May, 3.10 p.m.