Page 81 of Book People

‘Nothing,’ I say. ‘Quite frankly, I don’t care about him. He died in a car accident twenty years after the war ended, and I’m sure no one was unhappy about that.’

Lisa nods. ‘And then . . . Kathryn disappeared, you said?’

I’ve done a bit of research into that too, looking at old newspaper articles about the search for her. ‘She did. Around 1966, just after Rose turned twenty-one. She did leave Rose that note before she left.’

Lisa shuffles through the pile to find it. ‘Oh, yes, so she did.’ She frowns down at it and reads it again. ‘Hmm. It’s definitely a goodbye. Did the authorities ever come to a conclusion about what happened to her?’

‘There was a coronial inquiry when she was declared legally dead,’ I say. ‘But, no, there were no real conclusions. Suicide was suspected.’

Lisa’s frown deepens. ‘If so, it’s an awfully strange suicide note.’

Sebastian leans forward and studies it. ‘“Know that I will be loved . . . that I will be happy”,’ he reads out. ‘Perhaps she was talking about seeing her family on the other side. Or maybe God.’

I still find the note unbearably painful – I find all the notes my great-grandmother wrote unbearably painful – and I have to swallow the lump that’s risen in my throat. ‘Whatever happened to her,’ I say. ‘She thought she was going to a better place.’

Lisa nods solemnly and gives my great-grandmother a moment of silence. Then she glances at Sebastian. ‘And your great-grandfather, Sebastian. His body was never found?’

Sebastian has told her about his great-grandfather’s death.

‘Never,’ he says. ‘There was an inquest, though. And the coroner’s verdict was likely drowning, possibly suicide. He left no note, unfortunately.’

‘What about your grandfather? What was his name? Charles? Did he have anything to say about it?’

‘Other than being furious, no,’ Sebastian says. ‘He never talked about it, not to Dad and not to me.’

‘Furious?’ Lisa queries.

‘Oh, yes. He was livid. Whenever the subject came up, he’d get tight-lipped and tense. The bookshop was in a bit of financial trouble and there were a few debts that my great-grandfather left behind. I’m assuming Charles thought his father took the easy way out.’

‘How difficult,’ Lisa murmurs in sympathy. Then she glances at me. ‘What about Rose? Was she angry about her mother’s disappearance, do you know?’

I shake my head. ‘No. I never met her and Mum never talked about her. People in the village here have said she was a difficult woman. Then again, it can’t have been easy for her being orphaned at twenty-one.’

‘It must have been awful,’ Lisa agrees. ‘A troubled history on both sides, hmm? But now here you both are, descendants of the original Sebastian and Kathryn, and you’re together. It’s definitely fate.’

There are more similarities between me and my great-grandmother than I’d like – especially being with awful men – and talk of fate makes me uncomfortable.

‘We didn’t know our great-grandparents were having an affair,’ Sebastian points out coolly, as uncomfortable with that idea as I am. ‘We only found that out comparatively recently.’

‘If you’re trying to tell me that fate didn’t have anything to do with it,’ Lisa says, ‘you’re not making a convincing argument. You two not knowing a thing about each other and yet still finding love together.’

Love.

The word falls into the middle of the table like a rock dumped from a very great height, smashing through the easy atmosphere.

Sebastian’s expression shuts down.

My discomfort intensifies.

Lisa notices the tension in the air and says hurriedly, ‘Well, that’s been so helpful, Kate. You don’t mind if I do a bit of digging myself in the public library? I do love a library.’

‘No, of course not.’ I force a smile. ‘We’ll give you a tour of the village tomorrow so you know where everything is.’

‘Good.’ She gives me a smile back. ‘Oh, it’s so lovely seeing you. In fact, I’ve been wondering if I couldn’t tempt you back to editing.’

A little electric shock goes down my spine. ‘What?’

‘I know you’ve moved here and opened your bookshop, but . . . You were such a fantastic editor, and this is partly your family’s story. I’d love your input on it as I’m writing.’

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