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Evan nodded understandingly, but when he opened his mouth to speak, Holly shook her head to stop him. The mood her parents were in, it would probably make things worse.

When they reached Northleach, Holly gave Evan the directions to her parents’ house. Once there, he jumped out and opened her door, before going to Wendy’s, only for her to snap the door open in front of him first. It was a wonder she didn’t hit him with it. Or with her suitcase, which she swung out of the boot on her own after refusing his help.

‘Thank you for the lift, but we were perfectly fine getting the bus,’ she said, in what was the most awkward and false display of gratitude Holly had ever heard. Wendy turned and pulled the suitcase up the path to the front door. ‘Holly, I will ring you later. I think we need a serious conversation.’

Holly’s skull was throbbing from the way she had ground her back teeth together the entire journey back from the station. This unpleasant side of her mother was nothing like the Wendy she was used to. Of course, Holly understood exactly where the protectiveness came from, but that didn’t excuse it. On the plus side, being mad at her mother was going to make having the conversation about the cottage a whole lot easier.

‘Actually, Mum, I was hoping you and I could go for a drink. There’s something I need to talk to you about.’

Her mother frowned. ‘Now? I’m very tired, love. Your father and I have been travelling all day.’

‘Now,’ Holly said. ‘This can’t wait. Evan is fine to wait around with Dad, isn’t that right?’

There Holly was, using that tone again. The tone implied she would not pander to them, and that even though she was their child, she wasn’t taking no for an answer in this matter – though she did feel a slight flicker of guilt at inflicting her father on Evan, given the mood her dad was in. When Evan had mentioned some bonding time, Holly was sure he hadn’t been imagining the evening would start like this.

Thankfully, her dad nodded his response.

‘I don’t know how long we’re going to be, but make sure he gets a cup of tea, Dad, okay?’ Holly added. ‘Mum and I have some things we need to discuss.’

54

Holly didn’t wait for her mother to reply. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked down the path and onto the pavement, heading towards the centre of the village. If she didn’t follow, then they would have it out here, outside her own home. Possibly in her front garden. Holly was a few strides down the road when her mother called out to her.

‘Can you at least slow down a bit?’ she asked, before muttering just loud enough for Holly to hear. ‘Honestly, I don’t know what’s got into you.’

It took all of Holly’s restraint to bite down on her tongue and not say anything, although she slowed her pace enough for her mum to catch her up.

‘Are you going to tell me what this is about?’

‘Not yet. I need a drink first.’

They walked to the Wheatsheaf. The iconic pub in the centre of the village had been there long before Wendy and Arthur moved from Bourton. Holly knew it was frequented by the locals, but she herself had never been.

‘Why don’t you get a seat, Mum? I’ll go get the drinks,’ Holly said. This time, her mother nodded and did what Holly had asked without an argument.

At the bar, Holly ordered two glasses of wine, a large one for her mother to drink, and a smaller one for her to swirl around in the glass while inhaling the aroma. It wasn’t the first time she had ordered wine in a pub and not drunk it. When she had been pregnant with Hope, Ben had banned alcohol in the house, not even allowing a single morsel to pass Holly’s lips. So instead, she would often use her time with Giles to sneak out to a pub somewhere outside Bourton, and simply sniff at a glass of red wine. That had been enough then, and hopefully it would be now, too.

She paid for the drinks, then sat down at the table, where her mother was sitting, her arms across her chest.

‘If you want me to apologise, I’m not going to. It was a completely irresponsible gift for him to give you.’

Holly sucked a deep breath in.

‘We’re not discussing the accident,’ Holly said. ‘Blaming Evan is simply churlish. I’m the one who was irresponsible for riding it when I wasn’t in a good place. But that’s not what I’m here to talk about. There’s something else you and I need to discuss.’

Holly paused, waiting to see her mother’s reaction. To most people, nothing had changed. She looked as cross and steadfast as always. But Holly noticed the way her mother swallowed more than normal, and how her lips pursed ever so slightly. She was worried.

‘Did you know that Maud was sick, Mum?’

Holly watched as a look of relief flashed across her mother’s face, only to be replaced by a look of deep sympathy.

‘Oh, Holly, darling, I’m so sorry.’

‘I don’t want your sympathy, Mum. I want to know if you knew.’

It was her mother’s turn for a deep inhale. Pinching the stem of her wineglass, she lifted the drink slightly off the table, before putting it down again without taking a sip.

‘I didn’t know for certain,’ she said quietly.