Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Praise for The House of Whispers
- Title Page
- Note to Readers
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Twelve
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Twenty-Five
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Forty-Two
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Forty-Eight
- Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Priory Hospital North London: 20 December 2019
- Acknowledgements
- About the Publisher
Only the occasional car passed me now, one or two throwing out the startling thwump of a Euro-beat from open windows; the others hermetically sealed, locking in the air-conditioning as they swished silently past on tyres pliant with heat. I skirted the edges of the buildings, seeking what little shade there was until I found myself outside the window of one of London’s best-known estate agent’s. I stopped abruptly, as if that had always been my plan, and searched the ‘for rent’ ads, just wondering what sort of thing Grace might be able to afford, should she decide to live in my neck of the woods. It was all so expensive. There was a movement inside the shop; I looked past the ads and caught the eye of a woman at a desk. She smiled and tilted her head and, before I knew it, I was pushing through the door into the cool interior.
‘Is there something I can help you with?’ the woman asked, rising and holding out her hand. ‘I’m Katie.’
She was wearing a sleeveless cream-coloured dress that had creased across her hips. Her tan spoke of summer weekends spent lounging in the garden. Her hair was blonde, her lipstick a bright pink. I shook her hand and her tricep wobbled.
‘I was just trying to get an idea of ballpark prices for a friend.’
‘To rent or to buy?’
‘To rent. Just something small. For her. One bedroom. But she’s not here yet. I was just looking.’
‘Do you know what her budget is?’
‘No. I just wanted to get a sense,’ I said, but Katie was already rummaging in her filing cabinet. She pulled out some papers. ‘These are all the one-beds we have for rent at the moment. Hmm. Whereabouts are you looking?’
‘As close to here – and the station – as possible, I suppose. She’d like to be reasonably close to me. I’m in Albert Road.’
‘Oh?’ A barely noticeable nod told me she was impressed. ‘Nice… Which house is it, if you don’t mind me asking?’
‘Semi on the corner. Fifty-nine.’
Katie’s chin lifted and fell in another nod. ‘Oh yes. I remember that one.’
‘One person’s misfortune is another’s good luck, right?’ I said brightly and Katie exhaled through her nose.
‘Sad story, though, wasn’t it?’ She tapped her nails on the desk.
I nodded. ‘And they just upped and left the house as it was. As you would, I guess.’ I shrugged. ‘It was untouched for nine years and then… well.’ I shrugged again. ‘Anyway, it was a blank canvas for us. We’ve done lots.’