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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for The House of Whispers
  3. Title Page
  4. Note to Readers
  5. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  13. Seven
  14. Eight
  15. Nine
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  19. Twelve
  20. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  21. Thirteen
  22. Fourteen
  23. Fifteen
  24. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  25. Sixteen
  26. Seventeen
  27. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  32. Twenty-One
  33. Twenty-Two
  34. Twenty-Three
  35. Twenty-Four
  36. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  37. Twenty-Five
  38. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  39. Twenty-Six
  40. Twenty-Seven
  41. Twenty-Eight
  42. Twenty-Nine
  43. Thirty
  44. Thirty-One
  45. Thirty-Two
  46. Thirty-Three
  47. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  48. Thirty-Four
  49. Thirty-Five
  50. Thirty-Six
  51. Thirty-Seven
  52. Thirty-Eight
  53. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  54. Thirty-Nine
  55. Forty
  56. Forty-One
  57. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  58. Forty-Two
  59. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  60. Forty-Three
  61. Forty-Four
  62. Forty-Five
  63. Forty-Six
  64. Forty-Seven
  65. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  66. Forty-Eight
  67. Transcript of interview with Mr Rohan Allerton, husband of Abigail Allerton: 20 December 2019
  68. Forty-Nine
  69. Fifty
  70. Fifty-One
  71. Fifty-Two
  72. Fifty-Three
  73. Fifty-Four
  74. Fifty-Five
  75. Fifty-Six
  76. Fifty-Seven
  77. Fifty-Eight
  78. Fifty-Nine
  79. Sixty
  80. Priory Hospital North London: 20 December 2019
  81. Acknowledgements
  82. About the Publisher

And then there was Rohan. My husband. I loved him and I didn’t want him to worry. If he knew I was going to have a friend here, he wouldn’t feel so bad about leaving me. Because he didn’t know Grace, he’d picture me safe with my friend, the two of us cocooned together in the house reminiscing over old times, no doubt, and he’d stop worrying. He’d know there was someone here to look after me; to make sure I got up in the morning and went to bed at night; to make sure I bought the groceries and ate enough food; and – I shrank a little into myself as I thought this – to make sure I didn’t drink myself unconscious.

But I didn’t want to tell him about Grace until I’d decided for myself whether I was going to invite her to stay. If I mentioned the possibility, he’d insist that she came, and I needed that decision to be my own.

I swilled the water in the glass and sighed again. Having Grace around would certainly have its advantages. I shivered as the feeling of laying new colours on the paper earlier in the evening came back to me, thrilling me because I could feel that they were the start of something that could be immense. Was it a coincidence that I started to get my painting mojo back the very day that Grace’s name reappeared in my life? Could having her back here be the catalyst I needed to paint a new series? My exhibition was looming and so far I had nothing to show.

Outside, the wind rustled the leaves of the oak tree and rattled the cat-flap door. With a huge sigh, I picked up my phone and over-typed the previous email.

Dear Grace. What a surprise! Sounds like you had a wonderful time in Australia, and how exciting to be moving back to London. Yes, I live in North London now, with my husband. We’d love to offer you somewhere to stay while you get back on your feet over here. When are you planning to arrive? All the best, Abi

I read the email one more time then sent it before I started my nightly checks. You never knew what tiny thing could trigger a full-scale disaster. Cooker – off. Gas – off. Smoke detector – working. Front door – locked. Back door– locked. Blinds – closed. Key – in door. Escape routes – clear. Rohan had long ago stopped trying to do these things for me.