Contents (57)
- 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
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sharon Gosling
‘Well,’ she said, ‘if the candles had been ordered by Mrs MacDonald, there’d be a link between them and the house burning down, wouldn’t there? I mean, I’m not sure what that link is exactly, but it’s too much of a coincidence, isn’t it? You only buy candles to set fire to them. And a hundred and fifty thousand—’
‘When did the candles arrive?’
‘Um—’ there came the rustle of papers from the other end of the line. ‘All the orders had been delivered by the end of December 1815.’
Toby leaned against the counter, staring out at the garden but not seeing it. Braecoille had burned down in January 1816.
‘Mr Hollingwood?’ Stephanie Warren said, after a minute of dead air down the line. ‘Are you still there?’
‘Yes, sorry,’ he said. ‘Just thinking. Have you got a scanner there? Could you scan the candle receipts and email them to me?’
‘Sure,’ she said. ‘I can do that.’
Forty-Three
‘I don’t understand,’ Edie said, ‘Gilly, you’re so close. You’re going to sit these exams and you’re going to pass with flying colours. I know you are. Ezra knows you are. You know you are. The deadline for college applications is coming up fast, so please, please tell me why you still haven’t filled in the forms?’
It was early evening and they were standing in the print room, Edie watching as Gilly cleaned the block she’d been working with until she’d come in to talk to her. The girl was turned away from her, shoulders hunched as she bent over the sink, as if they could provide a barrier between her and the rest of the world, or more specifically at this moment, Edie. Edie would be willing to bet that if she could see her face, Gilly’s mouth would be set into a tight, thin line, her forehead creased in a scowl.
‘I’ve changed my mind,’ Gilly said, over her shoulder. ‘I thought I wanted to go to college, but… I don’t anymore, that’s all. I’m sorry.’
‘But why? Is it the personal statement you’re having trouble with? If it is, I can help you with that. Or one of the others can. Whomever you feel comfortable talking about it with.’
Gilly said nothing. If she scrubs that block any harder, Edie thought, she’ll knock chunks out of it.
‘Gilly,’ Edie said. ‘I think I’ve earned the right to at least get a straight answer out of you.’
Gilly spun around. ‘I’ve given you one! I don’t want to go to college,’ she said. ‘Isn’t that enough?’
‘Of course it’s not!’ Edie told her. ‘This is what we’ve all been working towards!’
‘I can’t do it, all right?’ Gilly said, shortly. ‘I thought I could, I thought—’ she broke off.
‘You thought what?’
‘Nothing. It doesn’t matter.’
‘Gilly—’
‘Edie – please drop it, all right?’ Gilly said, her anger rising.
‘I can’t drop it,’ Edie told her. ‘This is your future, Gilly!’
‘Oh, give it a rest, for God’s sake!’