about you, Carrie? Don’t you deserve something nice in your life as well?’
My mouth twists doubtfully.
‘I mean, how will you feel if Adam and Krystle actually get together?’ she asks gently.
Panic flutters within, just thinking about that, but I paste on a smile. ‘The thing is, if they’re meant to be together, who am I to object? I’d be relieved for Krystle, knowing she was happy at last.’ I shrug. ‘I’m the “big sister”, even though it’s only by eight minutes. I’ve always looked after her.’
Anita looks unconvinced.
‘I’ll be fine, Anita. Honestly.’
She sighs. ‘Love, eh? Such a bastard.’
‘Oh, yes. And what about you? It must be awful having to see Jeff all the time when he comes to collect Rufus.’
‘It’s weird. I want to hate him, but seeing him at the house, the way he is with Rufus, makes my heart just…overflow with emotion. I thought he was the perfect man, Carrie. Perfect for me, anyway. And he’s the most brilliant dad. But…’ She shrugs helplessly. ‘I was coming out of the doctors with Rufus and we were walking past the pub, and I saw him with this woman in the doorway. She was leaning back against the wall and he was facing her, and he had his hands around her waist. And then he kissed her. Right there in front of me. Of course, he leapt away as soon as he caught sight of me and Rufus. And he swears nothing actually happened. But I saw them kissing, Carrie. I saw them with my own eyes.’ She stares bleakly into the distance. Then before I have a chance to say anything, she gives her head a quick shake. ‘Never mind. I’ve got chocolate brownies so how can I not be fine?’ She waves the bag in the air with a smile.
Her mobile rings and she pulls it out of her pocket. ‘Bella?…Oh, that’s fantastic news. I’m so pleased. Where was he?…Really?…Still, you must be just so relieved to have him back.’
She ends the call and beams at me. ‘Jamie’s back home. Apparently, he got the bus to Hadlington, and a mate of his smuggled him into his bedroom and he spent the night there. The parents knew nothing about it till this morning when Jamie was desperate for the loo, and met the dad coming out of the bathroom.’
I smile. ‘Thank goodness for that.’
She opens the front door and I walk with her to the gate. ‘So my suspicions of Jamie hiding next-door were a complete red herring. I let my imagination run away with me.’
‘You wouldn’t be the first person to be spooked by a deserted house.’
We both glance over at Moon Cottage.
Anita shivers. ‘It sort of gives me the creeps, that place, if I’m honest.’ She grins. ‘Not that I’d ever admit that to Maud, of course.’
I laugh. ‘Maud seems to have a very active imagination. Was Reenie Lennox’s husband as bad as Maud describes, do you think?’
‘Reenie would never talk about him. But I once heard Sally, her best friend in the village, say that he was really horrible to her.’ She smiles sadly. ‘I liked Reenie a lot. Some people had her down as a bit snobby because she was always so smart and elegantly dressed, even just to pop down to the shops. Her blonde hair was always immaculate. She used to go into Chichester as regularly as clockwork to have her highlights done. But I always got the feeling she was playing a part.’
‘What do you mean?’
She shrugs. ‘The rumours were that she finally escaped from an abusive marriage, and I think that when she came here, she was determined to put the past behind her. To show people she wasn’t going to let an abusive man destroy her life. And that meant showing she was strong, even if she didn’t always feel it.’
I nod. ‘Act as if you’re fine and one day, you will be.’
‘Exactly. I do know she wasn’t in the least bit snobby when you got to know her. Reenie Lennox had a really wicked sense of humour.’
‘I like the sound of her.’
‘She was a character, all right.’ Anita smiles fondly. ‘Right, I’d better be going.’ She starts off along the garden path and turns at the gate. ‘Maud will be wanting her People’s Friend magazine and I’m in the doghouse already for failing to tell her the Rich Tea biscuits were on special offer last week.’
‘Watch you don’t slip.’
‘Maybe I’ll slide instead. Remember in the playground when you were