But regardless, I could never tell him, of course. To risk everything we – I – have would be insanity. It’s a chance I will never take.

And so you see, I can fully understand Joseph Barley. In a way, I even pity him, in spite of what he did. I wonder if he had any inkling of his parentage and whether it would have influenced his behaviour. Maybe we are all products of our childhood, our actions and reactions shaped by events over which we have had no control in our formative years. It has made me even more determined that Elodie should have the best, most stable childhood possible; that she should always feel loved and protected, clever and beautiful. It is my mission in life to ensure that she grows into the happiest, most confident and well-adjusted human being that she can possibly be. That she can fall asleep each night without a hint of regret, or a care in the world.

Those long nights when sleep evades me, I often think of the legend of the Flying Dutchman, the captain of a ghostly ship condemned to spend all eternity sailing the seas as punishment for daring to defy God, and bringing certain death to anyone who sees him and his spectral crew. I wonder if, never having paid for my wrongdoing, once I have passed from this life to the next, my restless soul, too, will roam the earth for years to come, in penitence for the terrible thing that I have done.

If you enjoyed Whisper Cottage, the author would love you to leave a review. And if you’d like to read more of Anne Wyn Clark’s twisty thrillers, order her new novel, The Last House on the Cliff!

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Keep Reading …

When a young widow’s little girl vanishes, could a dark family secret hold the answer?

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, huge and grateful thanks to my wonderful editor, Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks, who saw the potential in this story and has rooted for it all the way. Without her expert advice and input, this novel would never have come to fruition. Her support and guidance is greatly appreciated. Thanks also to Helena Newton for her meticulous copyedit. Many thanks to the lovely wider team at Avon. There is so much going on behind the scenes to bring the reader the final polished article and all credit to those unsung heroes working away in the background who help this happen.

Enormous gratitude to all the authors and bloggers who I have come to know over the past few years – it’s been a huge learning curve and your help and support have been invaluable. The Writers’ Community really are a brilliant bunch.