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Back The Scarlet Dress Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Dedication
  2. Prologue
  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. Friday
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. Saturday
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. Sunday
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. One Week Later
  77. 71
  78. Afterwards
  79. 72
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. Reading Group Questions
  82. More from Louise Douglas
  83. About the Author
  84. About Boldwood Books

Will stumbled. His feet sank; he’d lost a boot. He tried to put the dog down, but its legs buckled and he was afraid of it becoming trapped again, so he picked it up, his arms under its body, like the spokes of a forklift and turned to carry it higher up the bank, away from the incoming tide. He pulled the bootless foot out of the sludge, and reached as far forward as he could, and then he pulled the other foot forward, the stuff sucking and straining to hold him back. The dog was a dead weight in his arms, as much silt as animal. He lurched forward one step at a time and kept going until he reached the place where the grass was growing, where seaweed and plastic rope and drinks bottles thrown overboard by the sailors on the cargo ships were tangled amongst the tough old weeds. He collapsed on the grass, with the dog, cold and heavy, and lay back, gazing up into the darkening sky.

58

Marnie sent another message to Jenna.

I’m going out for a bit, Lucy’s here, pls let me know if any news.

She left Tessy with the girls but didn’t trust Mister so she put him back in the car and set off again with the tin on the seat beside her.

Gabriel was waiting at the entrance to the building site. He lifted the barrier so she could drive in, showed her where to park and opened the car door. Marnie, who wasn’t used to people doing things for her, was not sure if she liked the sensation.

‘You found the dog then?’ Gabriel asked when he saw Mister.

Marnie shook her head.

‘This wasn’t the one you’d lost?’

No.

‘I’ll keep my eyes open. You can wait in the office. Bring the dog with you – it’s fine.’

She followed him across the site, covered in puddles in the wake of the storm, to a Portakabin. Gabriel unlocked the door and held it open for Marnie. She wiped her feet on the mat and led Mister over the threshold.

Inside was a tidy space, plans stuck on the walls, papers and schedules on the table. There was a computer, a printer, a video screen showing CCTV footage. A tray, a kettle, mugs, a packet of chocolate digestives, the wrapping twisted tight.

Marnie wondered where Gabriel slept when he stayed here. Did he settle in the chair, or was there a camp-bed somewhere?

‘Have a seat,’ said Gabriel. ‘Make yourself at home. If you give me the tin, I’ll go and get it open. I won’t be long.’