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know me better. I should love more than anything in the whole world to get to know the two of you.
     
    I suggest you come to stay for a few days at half-term. It would be just the three of us. What an exciting time we would have, learning all about each other and sharing our lives! Just think of it!
     
    My address and email address are at the top of this letter. Believe me, it would be the most wonderful thing in my life for you to come to stay. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
     
    All my love,
your mother
     
     
    Beth broke the silence. ‘All about her, isn’t it? That’s what strikes me. All about her. No mention of whether or not my mum will find it wonderful. Or my dad. Oh, no! Well, as far as I’m concerned, I am not going. Full stop. I can’t speak for Alex. We’re not joined at the hip, so he can decide for himself.’ Beth snatched the letter from Peter and tore it into shreds. ‘There, that’s that.’ She concentrated on spooning the cream from the top of her hot chocolate into her mouth and refused to look at her dad.
     
    Peter didn’t know what to say. This letter was so unexpected! He’d have to tread carefully. Maybe Alex would want to go.
     
    To Alex, the bit about her loving his dad had been the biggest shock. Two husbands and still loved him ? Was it reciprocated? he wondered suddenly. No, of course not. Mum and Dad were crazy about each other. He knew every day of his life how much in love they were. Didn’t he? A terrible doubt invaded Alex’s being.
     
    ‘Well, Alex, how do you feel about it? Are you going to see her?’
     
    Alex looked Peter full in the face, an unasked question in his eyes, but Peter couldn’t read what the question was. ‘I shall write a polite letter on behalf of the two of us and say we’re not going. She gave us to you and that’s where it ends. Her chance has gone.’ Alex hadn’t brought his own letter with him, so he couldn’t make Beth’s dramatic gesture. ‘When I get home I shall write one letter and tear mine up the minute I’ve done it.’
     
    ‘I see. Shall I tell your mum, then?’
     
    ‘No, Dad. We will.’
     
    Beth protested. ‘I’d rather she didn’t know.’
     
    Alex said, ‘It was you who said the secrecy had to end, so let’s do that. Mum must know and then we can all lay a ghost to rest.’ But he promised himself that one day when he found the right words, he would ask his father about Suzy and whether he had ever felt love for her, and if he still did.
     

Chapter 3
     
    ‘Do you think we’d better tell them at the Rectory that Suzy’s Michael is dead? They perhaps ought to know in the circumstances? ’ Jimbo’s voice was muffled as he bent down behind the TV, wondering why on earth they suddenly had no picture at all.
     
    ‘Honestly,’ said Harriet, ‘I haven’t the faintest idea what to do for the best, Jimbo. I suppose eventually it’ll get round to them on the village grapevine.’
     
    ‘But will it? Pass me the torch. After all, we’re every one of us acutely aware that we’re talking dynamite, aren’t we? Thanks.’
     
    Unaware that Fran had come in, Harriet replied, ‘The next time Caroline comes in the Store I shall corner her and tell her. She should know, and the twins should, too. How’s that for a promise? There’s still no picture.’
     
    ‘Blast.’
     
    Fran suggested, ‘It’s Dottie. She’ll have caught a cable again when she was vacuuming. Here, let me see.’
     
    Jimbo emerged, tousled and hot, reluctantly admitting to himself that she would most likely solve the problem in no time at all.
     
    Fran tinkered about with the wires at the back and then said, ‘There we are. What’s the picture like, Mum?’
     
    ‘Excellent. What it is to have a qualified TV engineer in the house!’
     
    Jimbo grunted. ‘Hmm! Luck, that’s what, pure luck.’
     
    ‘Dad! It was me put it right the last time you couldn’t get a picture.’
     
    Jimbo feigned memory loss. ‘Maybe it