She walks along the garden path, looking towards the village; the whole of Llamroth is a muted pattern of shadows in the low light of the crescent moon.
The dog is snuffling and whining around the hedge at the top of the garden. Linda hopes he hasn’t found the hedgehog she saw venturing out from the field last evening. She tiptoes towards him, but before she’s even passed the greenhouse Gelert trots toward her and sits by her side.
Resting her hand on his head she gazes upwards, trying to identify the constellation of flickering stars against the blackness.
Clouds move across the sky, first leaving only a thin white streak of light around the edges and then covering the moon completely.
The dog pads away to the house.
Linda is alone in the darkness of the night. But she isn’t afraid.
Also by Judith Barrow
Pattern of Shadows
Mary is a nursing sister at a Lancashire prison camp for the housing and treatment of German POWs. Life at work is difficult but fulfilling; life at home a constant round of arguments. The only light on her horizon is a friendship with one of the German doctors. Then Frank – a guard at the camp – turns up at the house one night and won’t leave until she agrees to walk out with him. Now, not only Mary’s happiness but her very life is threatened by the most dangerous of wartime secrets…
‘Judith Barrow has not written an ordinary romance but a book that deals with important issues which are still relevant today … an excellent debut novel and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading.’
Fenella Miller, Historical Novels Review
‘Barrow beautifully evokes those raw and edgy days with this well-paced, gritty love story’
Steve Dube, Western Mail
Changing Patterns
In May 1950, Britain is struggling with the hardships of rationing and the aftermath of the Second World War. Although the war is over, Mary still has to keep the fact that Peter was a German ex-POW quiet. Her sister Ellen and best friend Jean expect Mary to fix their troubles, too. When tragedy strikes, Mary hopes it will unite her siblings, but it is only when a child disappears that the whole family pulls together to save one of their own from a common enemy.
Welsh Books Council Book of the Month for June 2013
‘…an excellent read which has been well researched, and the author obviously has a love for this period. It is well paced and grips its reader from the first few pages’
Historical Novel Society
About Judith
Judith Barrow has lived in Pembrokeshire for thirty years. She is the author of three novels, and has published poetry and short fiction, winning several poetry competitions, as well as writing three children’s books and a play performed at the Dylan Thomas Centre. Judith grew up in the Pennines, has degrees in literature and creative writing and makes regular appearances at literary festivals.
Read more about Judith’s books, workshops, and events as well as her blog devoted to conversations about writing and publishing at www.judithbarrow.co.uk or on twitter: twitter.com/barrow_judith
ABOUT HONNO
Honno Welsh Women’s Press was set up in 1986 by a group of women who felt strongly that women in Wales needed wider opportunities to see their writing in print and to become involved in the publishing process. Our aim is to develop the writing talents of women in Wales, give them new and exciting opportunities to see their work published and often to give them their first ‘break’ as a writer.
Honno is registered as a community co-operative. Any profit that Honno makes is invested in the publishing programme. Women from Wales and around the world have expressed their support for Honno. Each supporter has a vote at the Annual General Meeting.
For more information and to buy our publications, please write to Honno at the address below, or visit our website:
www.honno.co.uk
Honno
Unit 14, Creative Units
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3GL
Honno Friends
We are very grateful for the support of the Honno Friends: Gwyneth Tyson Roberts, Jenny Sabine, Beryl Thomas. For more information on how you can become a Honno Friend, see: http://www.honno.co.uk/friends.php
First published by Honno in 2015
‘Ailsa Craig’, Heol y Cawl, Dinas Powys, Wales, CF64 4AH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
© Judith Barrow, 2015
The right of Judith Barrow to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without clearance from the Publishers.
ISBN: 9781909983380
Published with the financial support of the Welsh Books Council.
Cover images: © Mary Evans Picture Library
Cover design: Jenks Design
Living in the Shadows Page 33
