The Daughter's Choice
Page 1
THE DAUGHTER’S CHOICE
S.D. Robertson
Copyright
HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
www.harpercollins.co.uk
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2021
Copyright © S.D. Robertson 2021
Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers 2021
Cover photographs: Marie Carr/ Trevillion Images and Shutterstock.com
S.D. Robertson asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780008374792
Ebook Edition © September 2021 ISBN: 9780008374808
Version: 2021-06-23
Dedication
For Kirsten
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Praise for S.D. Robertson
Prologue
Part One – A Friendly Encounter
Chapter 1: Earlier that Day
Chapter 2: Rose
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Part Two – Rose’s Story
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12: Cassie
Chapter 13: Rose
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Part Three – Cassie’s Story
Chapter 20: Rose
Chapter 21: Cassie
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Part Four – The Truth
Chapter 34: Dave
Chapter 35: Rose
Chapter 36: Cassie
Chapter 37: Dave
Chapter 38: Rose – One Week Later
Chapter 39: Last Sunday
Chapter 40: Dave
Chapter 41: Rose
Epilogue: Two Months Later
Acknowledgements
Keep Reading …
About the Author
Also by S.D. Robertson
About the Publisher
PRAISE FOR S.D. ROBERTSON
‘A page-turning, emotional rollercoaster I found difficult to put down’
Samantha Tonge
‘Parts of this story will have touched most of our lives, and the sensitivity the author gives to it is wonderful. This is a real tear-jerker.’
The Sun
‘You don’t realise how quickly this story draws you in and then takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride.’
Welsh Country Magazine
‘Unputdownable. A real page-turner.’
Maria Felix Vas, BBC Radio Lancashire
‘Nobody writes about the tenderness and brutality of life like S.D. Robertson.’
Miranda Dickinson
‘A heart-warming and thought-provoking story of grief, redemption and reinvention.’
Imogen Clark
‘With great skill and humour, S.D. Robertson guides us through a minefield of family misunderstandings and discontent. I’m not sure I’ve seen such dynamics tackled better.’
Stewart Foster
‘A wonderfully told tale of devastation, grief and ultimately hope, with a narrative that grips from the start and doesn’t let go until the final page.’
Kathryn Hughes
‘A tender and beautifully told heart-tugging story.’
Caroline England
‘What’s really, really clever about this book is that you don’t realise you’ve been drawn in until it’s too late to stop. The story leaves you sliding down an emotional knife edge until you freefall. It’s soft, subtle, and engaging, then devastating.’
Helen Fields
‘Real. Emotional. Powerful. A must-read for anyone who loves to lose themselves completely in a book.’
Claudia Carroll
‘The author really has a talent of creating believable, realistic stories that create such a book hangover once I am done.’
Novel Kicks
‘Robertson’s writing draws you in so deeply that you form a real bond with the characters … a heart-wrenching story that will stay with you for a long time.’
A Novel Thought
‘The kind of book that touches you, deeply, even changes something in you. Utterly brilliant.’
The Book Lover’s Boudoir
‘A refreshing read that felt so different to many of the novels I have encountered recently.’
Mrs Brown’s Books
‘S.D. Robertson writes excellent books about messy lives and true emotions.’
Books of All Kinds
‘Such a powerful and emotional read … Had me hooked till the very end.’
Echoes in an Empty Room
‘A really fascinating study into the vagaries of family life.’
Jaffareadstoo
‘Sensitively and superbly written … I was under the book’s spell until the last word.’
Gingerbookgeek
‘Mind-blowing … I cannot express just how much this book has gripped me!’
Cara’s Book Boudoir
‘One of those unique books that once read will truly stay with you for a lifetime.’
Compelling Reads
‘A strong contender for my favourite book of the year … Emotional, heart-warming, tragic, bittersweet, charming and very, very satisfying.’
Silver Thistle
‘A sad, sweet, thought-provoking tale about the love and bond between parents and children.’
Lovereading
PROLOGUE
She runs out of the hotel lounge, gasping for fresh air, head spinning.
In the corridor, she almost collides with a waiter carrying a full tray of cups and saucers, but he deftly swings to one side to avoid her.
‘Is everything all right, madam?’ he asks, face creased with concern.
But she ploughs on past like he doesn’t exist, his voice fading into the distance.
She needs to get outside. Right now.
It’s stifling in this place.
She’ll suffocate if she doesn’t get away from the pair of them and their lies.
She races onwards. Barges through door after door in the twisting, never-ending passageway. Feels the alternate frowns and looks of pity from guests and staff as she rips past them on a torrent of tears, her face screwed into a tight red knot of anguish.
How the hell has today ended up such a disaster?
Where
did it all go so wrong?
She felt more or less on top of things when they arrived, just hours earlier.
Now that feels like a lifetime ago.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
How could she could ever have predicted today’s staggering events?
She’s been blindsided – trapped in a living nightmare – and all she wants to do is escape.
PART ONE – A FRIENDLY ENCOUNTER
CHAPTER 1
EARLIER THAT DAY
She watches from the small sofa as the two young women enter the hotel reception on cue, arm in arm and giggling at some previously uttered private joke. Striding past her with barely a second glance, each pulling a small trolley case, they look so happy – like neither has a care in the world. She clenches her jaw in the knowledge that this will not remain the case. Then she turns the page of her newspaper to sustain the illusion that she’s reading it.
Her deadpan expression hides a struggle to steady her breathing in the face of her racing heartbeat. Not long now, she thinks. Stay calm and play your role.
It’s already proving harder than expected, though: the reality of the situation, as compared to the theory. Sharing the same physical space as her – seeing her in the flesh, with her own eyes, instantly distinguishing her from the friend – is far more powerful than she imagined.
She finds herself fighting an unforeseen urge to walk up to her right now and say something, although she knows that can’t happen. Instead, she bites the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood. As the metallic taste spreads across her tongue, she tries not to be too obvious while watching the vibrant pair – both petite blondes, barely more than girls – approach the front desk.
‘Hello there,’ says the smiling, immaculately groomed receptionist. He looks even younger than they do, although his confidence and efficiency suggest otherwise. ‘Welcome to Hornby Lodge Spa Hotel. My name’s Clive. How can I help you today?’
‘Hello, I’m Rose Hughes and this is Cara Wilson. There should be a twin room booked for tonight, under my name. I know we’re a bit early to check in, but we’re planning to have some lunch soon. Could we leave our bags somewhere, or—’
‘No problem,’ Clive replies with a polite nod. ‘I can help you with that. If you could bear with me, I’ll check the system and see where we’re up to.’ After a few swift taps on his computer keyboard, he confirms the reservation, which has already been paid in full, before adding: ‘And you’re in luck: the room is ready right now.’
‘Oh, brilliant,’ Rose replies.
‘See,’ Cara says to her friend in a low voice, making her jump with a gentle dig in the ribs. ‘What did I tell you?’
Rose frowns playfully and whispers: ‘Behave, will you?’
Clive asks the pair to fill in the same brief check-in form that she – still discreetly observing them from the sidelines – had to complete on her arrival yesterday.
Once that’s done, he gives them all the necessary information about the spa facilities, treatment rooms and meal arrangements, before explaining how to get to their room. ‘Would you like any help carrying your bags?’ he asks next, to which they both reply no at the same time, setting them off giggling again.
‘I hope you have a wonderful stay,’ Clive adds, unfazed. ‘Do let us know here at reception if there’s anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable.’
‘Thanks, we definitely will,’ Cara says, nudging and winking at her friend as she does so, provoking yet more laughter as they walk off in search of their room.
Clive watches them for a few seconds, a puzzled look spreading across his face, before calling out: ‘Excuse me! Sorry, but you’re heading the wrong way. It’s left, not right, to get to your room.’
A couple of giddy snorts and screeches later, they head off in the correct direction. Soon the reception area is quiet again, although this lasts for barely a minute before the phone rings and Clive is back in action, sounding as calm and courteous as ever.
She tunes out and, still holding her unread newspaper, closes her eyes in a bid to steady her nerves and reflect. The idea of being here when they arrived was purely to prepare herself for later, like dipping a toe or two in cold water ahead of jumping in. She definitely hadn’t predicted feeling so much at this early stage, when all she had to do was observe, but at least she got through it without incident.
Will Rose or Cara recall seeing her here? She doubts that very much. Not consciously, anyway. If luck is on her side, she may have made a small dent in their subconscious minds, which could prove handy in the very near future. Feeling like you recognise someone can be a powerful thing – a good icebreaker – which was why she used the paper as a prop rather than to conceal herself. Her face was on display the whole time they were in the reception area.
She hides in plain sight again a short while later in the restaurant, where she arrives for lunch a few minutes after them and requests a table in full view but not right next to theirs. It’s no accident, although she does her best to make it look that way, when she knocks and smashes her full glass of red wine all over the table and the poor waiter’s white shirt, instantly drawing the attention of all of her fellow diners.
‘Oh my gosh!’ she says in a voice loud enough to be heard over the gasps echoing around the room. ‘I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I just did that. I’m so darn clumsy.’
‘Don’t worry, madam,’ the dazed but deferential waiter replies, making her feel bad for picking him as her target. ‘It’s fine, honestly. Please don’t worry.’
Nonetheless, she stands up with a serviette to offer her help, but it’s declined. As the clean-up takes place, she’s ushered to a new table, on the other side of the dining room, away from Rose and Cara.
This no longer matters. If they didn’t notice her before, they definitely have now.
CHAPTER 2
ROSE
She knows there’s something wrong when Cara’s expression changes after answering her mobile.
It rang while they were roaring with laughter at Cara’s bad but hilarious impression of an English teacher they’d both been taught by at secondary school. Now she’s deadly serious, which is unusual in itself.
Rose should know: they’ve been BFFs since they were tots. Rose’s dad and Cara’s parents were friends before the girls were born; the two families live within walking distance of each other’s homes. Cara is the eldest of three children, but her brother and sister are four and six years younger than her, so for a while at least, she too was an only child like Rose. The friendship went from strength to strength as they grew up, surviving all the stages of their lives so far, from Rose starting school a year earlier than Cara, to them attending universities in totally different parts of the UK.
Rose never even considered asking anyone else to be her maid of honour. They might not always be able to see each other in person as often as they used to, thanks to the logistics of their early twenties day-to-day lives, but they still message each other all the time and phone or video chat at least once a week. When they are together, like now, they pick up right where they left off.
‘Yes,’ Cara says into the phone, perched on the edge of her bed in the swanky hotel room, to which they just returned after a lovely lunch in the restaurant. ‘But can’t you at least—’
She tucks a strand of her long, wavy blonde hair behind one ear while whoever she’s talking to on the other end of the line continues speaking. Eventually, before hanging up, she adds: ‘Fine, I understand. I will. See you soon.’
‘Everything all right?’ Rose asks, moving to sit next to her friend and squeezing her hand. They’re both in their swimwear, ready to head down to the spa; Rose has covered her navy one-piece with the obligatory fluffy white bathrobe provided in the room, while Cara, thanks to the unexpected phone call, is still in just her floral bikini.
‘Not really, no,’ Cara replies. ‘That was Dad. There’s some kind of family emergency going on, apparently �
� although he wouldn’t tell me what it was, which is a bit weird and, um, slightly worrying. He needs me to head home.’
‘Straight away?’
‘I’m afraid so. Sorry, I—’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. It doesn’t matter. Family comes first. Let’s just go.’
‘No, you’re not going anywhere, Rose. You need to stay and enjoy this. Dad was categoric about that. He emphasised that while it was important for me to come home, everyone was okay and there was nothing you’d be able to do to help.’
‘What? That’s crazy. How can I stay here and let you go? We’re in my car, anyway. You’ll need me to drive.’
‘No, Dad’s coming to pick me up.’
‘But I’ll be worrying about you. Besides, it wouldn’t be the same on my own. Seriously, I’m coming too.’
Cara shakes her head and, placing both hands on Rose’s shoulders, looks her square in the eye. ‘Seriously, you’re not. Listen to me, bride-to-be. This is an order from your maid of honour and oldest friend: you’re staying, end of discussion. I’ll speak to you later to let you know what’s going on and, if I can, of course I’ll come back. Your dad has already paid for all of this so you can relax ahead of the wedding, and it’s not going to waste. You’re going to enjoy your treatments, go on the tranquillity tour, as planned, and make the most of this gorgeous hotel, all right?’
Rose continues to resist for a while longer, but Cara’s having none of it. She rebuffs all of her arguments and won’t take no for an answer. In a matter of minutes, Cara’s out of her bikini, dressed and packed, standing at the door of the hotel room, arms open, offering her friend a farewell hug.
‘At least let me see you off outside,’ Rose protests.
‘In your dressing gown?’
‘Oh right, yeah. Um, I can quickly throw on some clothes.’
‘Don’t be silly. We can say goodbye now and then I want you to forget about me, clear your mind and unwind. This time next week will be your big day! You deserve this chance to chill out and take a break from all the arrangements. Please make the most of it.’
As they embrace, Rose presses her cheek against Cara’s and whispers: ‘I love you so much. If you do need me for anything, let me know. I’ll be there in a flash.’