Chapters (78)
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Prologue
- 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
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Remarkable Praise for Nicci French
- Also by Nicci French
- About the Publisher
“Come over here,” she said, and she led Jude to the side where there was a low garden wall. Jude put her plate of food down on the top of the wall with some regret. She was ravenous.
“I thought you might have gone.”
“I got myself something to eat first,” Jude said, pointing at her plate. “Then I’m going. I’m not really sure why I’m still here. It’s like the place won’t let me out.”
“I’m glad you’re still here. I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” said Erika. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a proper conversation.”
Jude mumbled something about how it was an emotional day for everyone.
“You’ve known Liam longer than any of us,” said Erika. “You knew him as a teenager.”
“We lost touch, of course.”
“But you were boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Jude groaned.
“Was he your first?”
Jude was utterly taken aback by the starkness of the question. There didn’t seem to be any room for ambiguity.
“It’s not something I want to talk about with you,” she said.
It sounded curt, but Erika didn’t seem to mind. She filled her glass with wine and took a gulp.
“I remember the intensity of those teenage relationships,” she said. “I sometimes wonder if you ever feel anything as strongly as you do when you’re sixteen, seventeen.”
“It was quite brief.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. After all these years, you’re the one he thinks of. You’re the one he turns to.”
“I don’t quite know why he did that.”
Erika looked round. “God, I could do with a cigarette. I gave up a few years ago but at times like this I really miss it. Shall I go in and cadge a couple for us?”
“I don’t smoke.”
Erika smiled knowingly. “That’s right, you’re a doctor.”
“Actually, quite a lot of my doctor friends smoke,” said Jude. “And my nurse friends.”
“But not you. You’re sensible.”
Jude wasn’t sure she liked being described as sensible. Erika took another gulp of her wine. She seemed well on the way to being drunk, and the party had only just begun.
“Anyway, I’m so glad you’re here,” Erika said fervently, to Jude’s confusion. “I’m so glad you’ve become part of the household. It’s such a strange, difficult time. I feel like you’re someone I can talk to. You’re a doctor. You must be used to people feeling they can tell you things that they can’t tell other people.”
Jude was certainly used to strangers finding out that she was a doctor and suddenly asking for an instant diagnosis about a pain in their back or a lump on their neck. She waited wearily to hear about Erika’s intimate symptoms.