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Back When I Was Ten Save as PDF
Chapters (79)
  1. Cover
  2. WHEN I WAS TEN
  3. Dedication page
  4. Epigraph page
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. PART TWO
  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. PART THREE
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  78. WHEN I WAS TEN
  79. Also by Fiona Cummins

‘We don’t want a situation where you’re hounded from town to town,’ she said. ‘Obviously, it takes a bit of time to organize the paperwork and practicalities that are part of a new identity. You will go into the care of a dedicated Identity Protection team. And social services will need some involvement too.’

‘Honor isn’t a ward of court,’ said Catherine, a heat rising in her cheeks.

‘I know that,’ said Eliza. ‘But this affects her, and you must understand that social services have to be informed of any changes in circumstances and the potential impact they will have on her.’

‘What if Honor and I want to stay here?’ Edward didn’t look at Catherine when he said this. He put his mug on the table and rubbed a whorl in the wood with his thumb. ‘Will she be protected?’

Catherine’s world tipped off its axis. ‘What do you mean?’ She pushed back her chair, half rising. ‘You have to come with me. You’re my family.’

He turned on her, his tone curt. ‘We don’t have to do anything. You lied to us.’

‘I didn’t want to—’

‘But you did—’

‘Stop it!’ Honor’s distress was palpable. Catherine moved to comfort her, but she jerked out of reach, leaning into her father. He put an arm around her shoulder.

‘This isn’t helping anyone,’ said Eliza, no-nonsense and firm. Her hair had come loose and she pulled out the elastic and redid her ponytail. Then she put both her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands.

‘You’re under no obligation to come with us, Mr Allen, but it makes sense for us to keep the three of you together for now. These kind of important decisions don’t need to be made tonight. The priority is to get you away from the press.’ She touched Edward’s arm. ‘And Honor needs to get some sleep.’

The probation officer did not mention the budget constraints of protecting the family at separate addresses, but Catherine suspected that was what she’d meant.

Edward sat very still and then gave a sharp nod, his face folded in on itself. He didn’t look at his wife once.

Are you there? I need to talk to you.

. . .

Hero?

. . .

Hero?

49

The darkest hour of the night.

The Allen family stood at the bottom of the stairs with their suitcases and bags, trussed up in gloves and hats. A female police officer who’d arrived twenty minutes ago, slipping past the couple of journalists stationed by the back gate, was about the same height and colouring as Catherine. She buttoned up her coat and wrapped a scarf around her face. A male officer – drafted in to act as her escort – lingered nearby, checking his watch.