a reconstruction to his lower face. Terrible mess altogether. It looked like it had been hacked with a blunt knife. The operating surgeon called it a Glasgow smile. It’s where a person’s mouth is cut from corners to ears so that they permanently wear the shape of a smile. Terrible thing to happen, don’t you think?’
He passed her leisurely, and at the door he stopped. ‘If you’re lying, Tess, you will be punished.’ Keeping his back towards her, he spoke again. ‘By the way, I’m out tonight so you might want to take a look at your “Improvements” book. You’re behind on quite a few chores. I’ve been updating it daily, Tess, but clearly you haven’t been checking.’
She sat there trembling, not daring to move. How, she wondered, had she not seen the man she was to marry four months ago? Were all people blind? Were they like her, programmed to believe that someone educated, charming, choosing a helping career, was someone to trust? The woman in the book had been warned of something similar. Her father had warned her not to mistake charm for grace. Tess understood how easy she must have been fooled. Daniel had grace in his movements and his manners, in his performance as a surgeon and as a lover. He had grace flowing out of him. What was not to trust? She hadn’t been blind. She had just been unable to see.
When the front door shut an hour later she felt free to finally breathe. It was amazing how tuned her ears were to the closing and opening of that door. It dictated the breath she breathed. Let out trapped air or gasp in needed air. She had a whole evening without him. The atmosphere in the house was lighter, less oppressive. She wanted to fling open all the windows and doors and let its history escape. If she could imagine a perfect life for this house it would be to fill it with the sound of happy children’s voices. Laughter would ring out from every room, replacing darkness with light. She hugged the thought of that life. She would take it into her dreams.
Climbing stairs with her tired clown’s face, she took off clothes and showered. She spurned the bottles of perfumes and lotions set out for her use, as a rejection of him. She dressed in clean jogging bottoms and loose T-shirt in an act of defiance. He was not there to see how she dressed or moved or sat or smiled. He was not there to witness this moment of freedom. She was dressed for action, not to be sat across a dining table. She intended to search this house while she had time alone for this woman’s name.
She stilled as she heard the doorbell ring. It was probably a delivery or some such thing. She could ignore it and pretend not to be home. It was after six, a time when most people were busy, having their tea, or bathing children, or just settling in for the evening, so not a convenient time. The bell sounded again and then a voice called out from the other side of the closed door. Tess startled. Her guard instantly went up, never imagining this caller coming to her door.
Anne Ferris smiled at her. ‘Impromptu visit, I know, and I would have called first if I had your number. I thought I’d take the opportunity while Ed and Daniel are having a working drink together. They’re discussing a difficult case coming up, I believe.’
Tess wondered if the ‘working drink’ was at Anne’s home or somewhere else. She felt sure her husband wouldn’t approve of this visit. She’d been surprised at him inviting Ed Ferris for dinner after knowing what his wife did for a living. She could dissect a mind with the same level of skill as he could repair a dissecting aneurysm, and well-qualified to deal with disturbed dark minds. Tess smiled at the woman as she let her into her home. She led the way to the kitchen and automatically switched on the kettle.
‘Would you like tea?’
‘Yes, please,’ Anne answered warmly. ‘Builder’s tea preferably, but without sugar. Builders all seem to like their sugar. The ones we have do. I have to remember to get it in for them.’
Tess’s mouth had gone dry. Why was she visiting? It seemed strange to just turn up like this.
‘What work are you having done?’
Anne sighed. ‘Endless projects Ed keeps starting and not finishing. We’ve had them