Page 77

Chapter 77

October 2011

Four weeks after she had sent the enormous metal road sign, and three weeks after Georgia had been due to come home from France, Tess rounds the corner on her way back from the swimming pool on her bike, and stops.

Two people are walking towards 25 Library Terrace.

One has short pepper-and-salt hair and is carrying her trademark green backpack.

The other is white-haired and taller, wearing brown trousers and a red jacket, and he is pulling a small suitcase.

They are holding hands.

She watches them go through the gate.

The man touches the cherry tree in the front garden.

He puts his arms around the woman and leans in to kiss her.

And then they disappear around the side of the house.

Tess is suddenly reminded of The Railway Children , where Father comes home, but the reader doesn’t see what happens when he goes into the house because that part of the story is not for public consumption.

She wheels her yellow bicycle round a hundred and eighty degrees and decides to go to the library to see if there are any books she has missed in the vegetarian section.

Baxter is at home.

He will look after them.