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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

The sun beat down on my head and shoulders and the track was stony; my shoes slipped on the pebbles as I descended. I picked up a stick and swiped it at the weeds that grew in the clefts in the rocks. The path was deserted except for tiny, basking green lizards. I was alone, the world was almost silent, the heat weighed heavy above me.

At its end, the path dropped down into the sand. This far corner of the beach was empty; all the families and sunseekers were congregated further up. I took off my trainers, hooked my fingers into the heels and walked on the hot sand. The sea was pale blue today, the light silvering the tips of the waves, a heat haze shimmering around the headland making the villa appear as if it was floating. A bird rose up from the trees. A red-sailed boat drifted close to the horizon. Teenagers were jumping off the floating dock – the dock from which Valentina had once jumped. I scuffed my toes in the sand. Was this where Joe brought her and lay her down? Was this where he leaned over his sweetheart to give her the kiss of life? Was she wearing that pretty red bikini with the frill around the waist? Did he look at her then in the same way he was looking at her in the photograph? What was he thinking when he kissed her?

I kicked over the sand and walked on until I reached the halfway point and then I stood and looked back at the villa on its hazy headland, I saw a movement on the far side of the water, a distant figure coming towards the sea. I watched, my hand shielding my eyes from the sun, as the figure came to the top of the steps at the edge of the decking; I watched the figure dive into the sea.

Joe. On his own, the same as me.

25

I found a spot by the rough dunes that backed up against the road where there was a little shade. I spread out my towel, covered my skin in sunscreen, lay down and slept. I would have slept for longer, but I was woken by the phone alert to an incoming text.

Matilde Romano here. You haven’t sent me the valuation yet. I’m eager to proceed. Please send at once.

I drafted several texts in response but couldn’t find the right words to explain why I hadn’t been in touch, so in the end, I turned off the phone without replying to her.