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Back The House by the Sea Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. MORE FROM LOUISE DOUGLAS
  70. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  71. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

I glanced towards the building, basking in the sunlight, birds singing in the trees. I could see the top of the oleaster that spread its branches above the graves of the three babies. When she buried her children, Anna’s mother must have believed they would be safe in the garden forever; their graves undisturbed. ‘Even I would feel awful selling the villa to someone who was going to knock it down,’ I said. ‘She might be a bit odd, but at least by selling it to Signora Romano we know it’s going to be safe.’

Joe was unconvinced. ‘It’s none of our business what happens to it after we’ve sold it. Signora Romano might have told you she wants to keep it, but really she might be planning to sell the villa on to some other party or obtain a redevelopment grant for herself.’

He was right, of course, but I still didn’t think she would.

We walked on a little. Then I asked: ‘If the estate agent was right about the value, does that mean the sale won’t generate enough money for you to set up your scheme for young addicts.’

‘Probably not.’

‘Not at all?’

‘Maybe on a very small scale.’

‘That would still be something.’

‘Yes,’ said Joe, but he said it in a ‘no’ tone of voice.

He was gazing out towards the horizon and I could feel his disappointment.

I’d promised to let Matilde Romano know when the valuation had taken place, but Joe wasn’t in the right frame of mind for me to broach the subject now. I decided to let it drop for a few days. Once Joe had time to come to terms with what the estate agent had told him, I’d raise the subject and ask if he was ready for us to progress the sale. Then, at last, I could think about going home.

I walked up the hill and texted Fitz.

Have you heard of an artist called Guido Reni?

She replied with a thumbs-up emoji.

Is he famous?

Yes. Why?

One of his paintings is here somewhere.

A surprised face emoji.

We don’t know where it is, is the problem. We’ve looked everywhere.

Sad face emoji. Head scratching emoji. Chin in hand emoji.

You’d better look harder.

24

The next morning when I came down, Joe was already in the garden, clearing a path to the old outbuildings, a last-ditch attempt to locate the painting. This was the last section of the garden to be cleared, and also the most densely overgrown.