considering. I mean he’s bemused and was wondering if it was some kind of scam, but what she knew about Elsie added up, and she sent him a screenshot of the letter that was written in Elsie’s handwriting.’
‘So he believes it’s really her. What did she say to him? Is she nice?’
‘He said it’s a really lovely, friendly message; obviously it’s been a shock for her as well, because she had no idea. Apparently Elsie originally decided it was best to just leave things as they were, but when she knew she was sick, she felt she had to try to find Flora.’
‘Strange, you’d have thought she’d have done that before.’
‘Yes you would. I can’t imagine how awful it must have been to give up a child.’
‘Things were different then though weren’t they?’ I ask. ‘Maybe she had to, maybe her family didn’t approve.’
‘That’s what Flora wrote in her email. She believed until fairly recently her adopted parents were her real mum and dad.’
‘Phew that’s heavy,’ I say. ‘So what’s Bertie going to do?’
‘Well, Flora lives in France with her French husband, but she wants to set up a Zoom call to speak to him.’
‘Is he going to?’
‘Apparently he’s up for it.’
‘But before that we need to give him the letter. Have you told him about it?’
‘Yes, I did. I felt terrible that we’ve kept this a secret. I said we’d only just found it and hadn’t wanted to upset him. He seemed to understand but obviously I felt awkward about the whole thing.’
‘Yeah it is pretty bad, but we did only just find the letter and we were going to tell him; we were just waiting for the right time. So have you given it to him?’
‘No not yet, but I wanted to surprise him with the box and I thought I’d put the letter in, so he could read it himself as it was meant to be seen.’
‘You think Elsie wanted him to read it then?’
‘I do, otherwise she would never have written it.’
‘But she never gave it to him,’ he points out, ‘although someone sent Flora a letter and it can’t have been Elsie.’
‘Yes.’ Her voice sounds a bit anxious. ‘Even though it was in Elsie’s handwriting, she can’t have sent it. It can’t have taken that long in the post. I think I’ll have another whisky.’
This seems a good idea and I pour another measure. Just as I thought things couldn’t get any more confusing, they have, and it’s not just with Bertie’s dilemma. Sophia hasn’t mentioned Ryan once since her conversation with him the other day and neither have I, but his presence hovers in the air, as unfathomable and unspoken between us as the puzzle over who sent Elsie’s letter.
Chapter 37
Sophia
‘What about this one? Don’t you think it’s a brilliant one of Mum and Mark?’ enthuses Jess. We’re on a Zoom call, looking through pictures of her wedding.
‘Yes, they look so happy. I can’t believe how many great images you’ve got,’ I say.
‘I know. That’s the good thing about it all being online – there’s plenty of opportunity for photos to save.’
‘Your dress was beautiful,’ I say.
‘Be your turn next,’ says Jess matter-of-factly. ‘You caught the bouquet, so there’s no escaping it.’
‘You sent the bouquet. Who else could have caught it? And anyway who believes in that stuff?’
‘I do, actually,’ she sniffs, ‘and I happen to know a certain someone might be missing you and hoping you feel the same way too.’
‘I can’t imagine who you mean. Uncle Jim looks smart in this one doesn’t he?’
‘Don’t change the subject, Soph.’ Man, Jess can be persistent when she gets going.
‘If you mean Ryan, I know. He phoned the other night,’ I say.
‘Oh that’s wonderful, Soph, I’m so happy for you,’ she gushes. ‘He messaged me the other day and said he just can’t live without you. Isn’t that the most romantic thing you ever heard?’
‘It would have been if he had said that a year ago,’ I say.
‘Well I know,’ Jess says, brushing this off, ‘but maybe he needed this lockdown to really think about how he feels. Perhaps it’s done us all good to have time at home, to work stuff out.’
‘Whatever his reasons, I’m confused, Jess. I just don’t know whether I want to give him another chance.’
‘It’s not exactly starting again is it? You’ve been together for years. It will be like riding a bike,’ she says confidently.
‘Even though you remember how to pedal, you can still fall off,’ I point out.