Read The String Diaries for Free Online Page A

Sometimes when you live out here alone, you forget how to treat with people.’ He held out a hand, the skin around his eyes crinkling. ‘They call me Sebastien.’
    Hannah hesitated. She focused on steadying the shakes that tried to betray her. Reached out her hand.
    If he grabs me, I’ll scream. But it won’t matter. It’ll be too late. I will have failed them .
    She felt the old man’s fingers close on her hand. His skin felt like soft denim, dry and warm. He gripped her hand. Tight.
    And then he let go.
    Sebastien indicated the dog. ‘This here’s Moses. It’s been a time, but there used to be a diesel generator in your outhouse. If the motor hasn’t seized, I could try getting it started for you. Won’t give you any hot water but at least you’ll have light. Why don’t you get your little sprite inside while Moses and I go and take a look?’
    ‘You’re very kind. Thank you.’
    She didn’t know nearly enough about who he was and why he was here, and something about him unsettled her. But that would have to wait. Hannah watched as he whistled to his dog, pulled up the collar of his Barbour and turned away. He walked out of the candlelight towards the stone buildings.
    Whatever happens, don’t leave him alone with Nate .
    If she allowed that, she faced losing the one thing to which she could cling: the knowledge, the utter conviction, that the man lying on the sofa was the father of her child, the man she loved, her confidant, her friend. Hannah opened the kitchen door, ducked outside and ran towards the 4x4.
    The wind battered her, furious, and tried to push her back inside the house. Gusts flung squalls of stinging rain. She lifted an arm across her face, screwed up her eyes. Peering through the darkness at the car, she wondered what she would do if her daughter wasn’t inside. The thought nearly made her retch.
    Don’t think about it. Not yet .
    Moving to the Discovery’s rear door, she wrenched it open and found Leah illuminated in the milky glow of the overhead light.
    Relief. Joy. Anguish.
    What would you have done if she’d gone? What would you have done, Hannah?
    Trying not to wake the girl, she unfastened the seat belt, gathered her daughter into her arms and carried her across the driveway to the house. In one of the outbuildings, she saw torchlight and heard the clacking of a hand crank.
    Back inside Llyn Gwyr’skitchen, she lowered Leah into an armchair. The girl opened her eyes, blinked. Hannah hushed her, pressing a cushion into her arms. She smoothed her daughter’s hair until Leah closed her eyes again and curled up.
    She turned to Nate. Lifted back his blanket. Spots of blood had begun to stain the bandages that bound his dressings.
    The kitchen door banged open and before she could cry out to stop him, Sebastien walked inside, wiping his feet on the mat. He flicked the light switch. When the overhead bulb winked on, he nodded to himself. ‘Reckon you’ve got enough diesel to get you through two or three nights. Tomorrow you need to check your LP tank. You might have warmth now, but there’s not much wood in your store and with the roof blown in, what you’ve got is soaked. If there’s any left, the gas should give you hot water. If there isn’t, you need to order some. Not wise to be unprepared up in these mountains. Especially when there’s little folk around.’ He turned towards the door. ‘Moses, come. Let’s get this door shut.’
    Hannah rose to her feet as the dog trotted inside. When the old man closed the door, she felt her muscles tense. He opened his mouth to say something further, and then he seemed to notice her alarm. This time her eyes betrayed her. She glanced down at her husband.
    Sebastien leaned over the sofa. He stared down at Nate. At the blood dried to his milk-white face. At the oxygen tank. The regulator.
    Without a word, he reached out and laid two fingers against the pulse point on her husband’s neck.
    He looked up at Hannah. ‘Thought you