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Back The Woman in the Wood Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by M.K. Hill
  3. THE WOMAN IN THE WOOD
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Epigraph
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. Acknowledgements
  61. About the Author
  62. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Thank you.’ She kissed him. ‘All of you.’

His nostrils twitched. ‘You’ve been smoking.’

‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘I was very naughty, but it was just one drag.’

49

‘Jez,’ said Abs, slurring. ‘What’s going on, mate?’

But Jez ignored him as his mother stood on tiptoes to kiss her son on the cheek. She touched his damp clothes. ‘Look at you, you’ll catch your death.’

‘She’s your mum?’ Abs was shocked. ‘And she’s been working here the whole time?’

Jez stood against the kitchen counter with his head lowered, unable to look Abs in the eye.

‘Well,’ corrected Rachel, ‘not the whole time, but for a few months. It’s taken us a lifetime to be reunited, hasn’t it, Jeremy? But here we are, mother and son, back together. I always tried to keep a watchful eye out for my boy, but it was hard when I was in prison. In that place, surrounded by common criminals, degenerates, it was easy to despair. I was grateful to see from a distance how happy he was, and when I was released I plucked up the courage to approach him, and because Jeremy is a good boy, he agreed to see me. It was a blessing to discover that all these years later…’ Emotional, she placed her hands on her chest. ‘Our special bond was still intact. He asked me to come and work here, because he could see how I was struggling. Jeremy is kind and considerate, even if the lady of the house can sometimes be fierce.’

Abs gave Jez a sharp look. ‘Does Bethany know?’

When his friend shook his head at the floor, Abs couldn’t help but laugh dismally at the thought of Bethany’s reaction if she knew who she was unwittingly harbouring in her house.

‘Jeremy has made something of himself here,’ said Rachel proudly. ‘He has a beautiful home, full of fine things, and the love of a sophisticated woman. And I just know he’s going to be a wonderful, doting parent. I’ve so enjoyed the chats we’ve had in the months I’ve been here. I know my little man, I feel his pain, and I could see he was hurting. It has been my great privilege that he unburdened himself to me about… his hobby. One night when the lady of the house was out, we sat at that kitchen table and he spoke about what happened at the cottage the night that little tart died.’

‘When Jez killed her, you mean, you sick old bat?’

‘Abs, please.’ Jez winced. ‘Don’t talk to my mum like that.’