LITMIR.BIZ

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He crouched by the fireplace and held his palms up to the flames. ‘Makes me almost glad of the fog.’

      They all looked towards the wide French windows and to the white wall of mist that pressed against the glass. Hannah turned back to Mo. ‘How’s your dad this morning?’

      ‘Complaining as usual.’ Mo smiled. ‘He’s having a lie-in. Didn’t sleep well again.’ Someone else who’d been kept awake by the crying, Hannah guessed. Mo went on, ‘He’s pretty annoyed that we’re gonna have to stay another day.’

      Liam threw another log on the fire. ‘If it clears up, I thought I’d go into the village and buy some wine for anyone who wants it. Can’t have a dry holiday now, can we? I don’t drink when I’m at work, too busy you know, so I like to indulge a little when I’m away.’ He grinned up at Hannah. ‘Maybe we could find some board games and have a few drinks together later on.’

      Mo poked at the fire again, his back turned to them. As much as Hannah couldn’t stand Liam, she needed to get to the shop. ‘If you’re going, I need to get a packet of fags for Lucy. Reckon you could give me a lift?’

      ‘No, no, don’t worry about it. You stay and enjoy yourself.’ Liam turned back to the fire. ‘I’ll get cigarettes, plenty of wine and whatever spirits they have in the shop.’

      Hannah tried to protest, but he was adamant. She thanked him and felt her stomach rumble, reminding her she hadn’t eaten breakfast.

      Back in the kitchen Rosa stood at the sink, washing up, and Chloe sat at the table, still scowling at her plate. She’d probably been told to stay here until her food was finished. Hannah took a plate from the cupboard and made herself a couple of pieces of toast. Pulled up a chair next to Chloe and whispered, ‘Can I help you with that?’

      Chloe gave a tiny smile, a glance at her mother, and then nodded. Hannah scraped most of Chloe’s food onto her own plate and started to eat. ‘You look pretty tired. Did you have trouble sleeping, like me and Sandeep?’

      The girl nodded.

      ‘We all slept like logs,’ Rosa said, turning from the sink.

      They all fell silent and Hannah continued to eat. What had really happened last night? And why didn’t Rosa want to talk about it?

      She was clearing away their plates when Mo appeared at the door. ‘Who’s up for a tour?’ He smiled at Chloe. ‘I’m hoping for a secret passage.’

      ‘Come on, let’s go explore,’ Hannah said as she shepherded Chloe through the door.

      Rosa turned from the sink, a tea cloth in her hand. ‘Be careful.’

      ‘It’s all right. I’ll keep an eye on her.’ Hannah held Rosa’s gaze for a moment, then they all filed out into the hall.

      In the drawing room, Lucy sat curled in the leather armchair beside the fireplace, an open book on her lap. Her tiny shorts, fluffy socks and huge sweatshirt only made her look more beautiful. When she noticed them at the door, she put down her book and gave them a tired smile.

      ‘Nice fire, Mo. I’ll be snuggled up in here until this weather improves.’ A yawn. ‘I’m shattered. Need a duvet day, I think.’ She stretched out a slender leg, revealing an intricate tattoo on the side of her thigh. Mo seemed to be finding it hard to speak.

      Chloe was also staring and, when she spoke, it was in a quiet voice that made her sound younger than her years. ‘We’re going to look around the house, if you want to come too?’

      Lucy smiled and put down her book. ‘You know, I might just do that. An explore would be fun.’ She stood up and stretched. ‘Give me a minute to get changed.’

      ‘We’ll meet you outside your room,’ Mo said. ‘Might as well start upstairs.’

      When Lucy left the room, Mo, Chloe, and Hannah lapsed into silence, watching the fire crackling in the grate. Then the door banged open and Rosa burst in, making them jump.

      ‘For God’s sake, there you all are. Couldn’t you hear me calling?’ She didn’t wait for a response, but stood framed in the doorway, pointing out the window at the fog. ‘I tried to stop him, but Liam is insisting on going to the village. It’s madness. Completely stupid. He’ll get himself killed. Can someone please try and talk some sense into him?’

      Mo stepped forward. ‘I can try, but I doubt he’ll listen. Maybe we should see if Dad’s awake. He’d be able to do it.’ He noticed Hannah and Rosa exchange looks. ‘He doesn’t talk about it, but my dad was a copper for thirty years.’ A smile. ‘Knows how to talk someone round.’

      There was a pause and Hannah tried to imagine Sandeep as a policeman. He certainly knew the difference between right and wrong.

      Rosa too looked doubtful, but eventually she sighed. ‘OK, but please be quick.’ Chloe and Mo followed her from the room.

      Hannah picked up the book Lucy had left on the chair. Wild Swimming: The Best Hidden Dips in Ireland. She imagined Lucy hiking through the wilderness in her Doc Martens, tackling lakes and rivers, no doubt emerging from the water looking as gorgeous as ever.

      Just the thought of swimming was enough to make Hannah squirm. She couldn’t swim and had no desire to learn. Ben had tried several times to bring her along to the pool or tempt her into the water at the beach. She bit the inside of her mouth and forced thoughts of Ben from her mind.

      The fire flickered as a gust of cold air blew into the room from the hallway, and Hannah heard Mo running down the stairs. She poked her head out and saw Rosa standing at the open front door, pecking away at her phone with Chloe at her side.

      Mo reached the bottom of the stairs and ran a hand through his hair. He looked suddenly older. ‘Sorry, Rosa. I can’t get him up. He’s still not feeling well – it’s his cough.’

      ‘Too late.’ Rosa didn’t even bother to look up from the screen. ‘The selfish bastard wouldn’t listen.’ There was a surprising bitterness in her voice, as if the trip to the village was a personal attack. Chloe stood very still, her hands clenched. After a moment, Rosa caught Hannah’s eye and sighed. ‘I’m just worried about him. He can be incredibly stubborn.’

      ‘I’m sure he’ll be all right. It looks like it’s clearing up out there,’ Hannah said, her eyes on Chloe who – despite her obvious anxiety and embarrassment – hadn’t shown even a flicker of surprise at her mother’s outburst. The cracks were starting to show in Rosa’s perfect family, and Hannah couldn’t help but think that she might deserve it.

      Rosa closed the front door with a slam and stomped back into the kitchen. ‘I’m going to try Liam again. The signal’s terrible, but it sometimes works in here.’

      There was a moment of silence, then Mo pointed up the stairs. ‘Come on, Chloe, race you to the top.’ She was staring after her mother, a deep frown on her face.

      ‘OK, I’ll be the starter.’ Hannah stood at the bottom of the stairs, one arm raised.

      Mo took up a runner’s pose beside her. With a final look towards the kitchen, Chloe joined him with a small smile.

      Hannah shouted, ‘On your marks, get set, go.’ She dropped her arm and Mo ran halfway up the stairs, his long legs covering two steps at a time.

      Before the top he slammed to a stop and sprawled face first on the steps, clutching his side and panting. ‘Oh no. My side, my side. I’ve got a stitch.’

      Chloe thundered past him, laughing and whooping, and almost collided with Lucy on the landing.

      When Mo had limped his way up and reached them, Chloe slapped his arm. ‘You cheated. It wasn’t fair. You let me win.’

      Lucy laid her palm on Mo’s side and frowned. ‘Nope, that’s genuine. A nasty stitch.’

      As their laughter reached Hannah down in the hallway below them, she suddenly felt very alone. Her mind drifted

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