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Back The Village Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. PROLOGUE
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

‘Oh . . . princess,’ her father murmured, his words soft with regret. ‘You look so tired. I didn’t realise just how tough this would be on you.’ A beat passed between them as he seemed to gather his thoughts. ‘But I did this for us,’ he continued. ‘The money from my job will go towards getting you cured. I promise. You’ll feel better soon.’ He shifted position, meeting her eye. ‘You and your mum are the most important people in the world to me. You know that, don’t you? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you both safe.’

As she nodded, Grace wanted to tell him about the pills she had to swallow, and the tablets Mummy stirred into her drinks. Medication that made her feel a hundred times worse. She took a breath to speak, then closed her mouth again. If Mummy and Daddy argued, Daddy might leave and never come back. Her stomach tightened as the sharp edge of a cramp made itself known. Every day she was feeling sicker. Would her father see what was going on in time?

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

‘Thanks for seeing me.’ Naomi gave Petunia a grateful smile as she gestured for her to take a seat.

They were in what Mrs Stevens called the parlour. It was a flowery affair, with vases of varying sizes and shapes gracing the windows and sideboards. But there was no scent from the flowers. They were as fake as the smile Mrs Stevens had greeted her with when she entered the brightly lit room. Closing the double doors, she left her and Petunia to it, along with a tray containing a pot of tea, milk, sugar and two china cups.

‘Will you have a cup?’ After taking a breath from her oxygen mask, Petunia tilted her head to one side. She was several years her sister’s senior. A floral scarf graced her neck, and long beaded necklaces added a splash of colour to her paper-thin skin. ‘It’s Lyons Tea,’ she continued. ‘I have it shipped from Ireland. I take it everywhere I go.’

‘That would be lovely, thanks.’

She watched as Petunia poured the tea, seeming to take pleasure in the ceremony as she added the tiniest drops of milk. Shaking her head, Naomi declined the offer of sugar lumps. Petunia drew a rasping breath as she stirred each cup with a small silver spoon. Naomi eyed the canister of oxygen next to her chair. Petunia had not aged well.

‘I don’t have the energy for long visits.’ Petunia placed Naomi’s cup on the lace doily before her. ‘I’m going home tomorrow. With my health, I doubt I’ll be back.’