by Manda Scott
‘Don’t.’
‘But I—’
‘Just don’t.’
One hand came up to her shoulder. The fingers threaded through mine, her thumb pushing circles in the dip of my palm. We stayed like that for a long time, silent. Then eventually: ‘Thank you.’
‘You don’t have to say that.’
‘I know. But I want to.’ Her thumb moved and moved on my palm, the only bit of her hand that moved. Then her free hand strayed back to the keyboard, tapped a key and brought it back to life. ‘I have a present for you, too,’ she said. ‘We have an e-mail from Canada.’
‘Who do you know in Canada?’
‘Who do we know in Canada?’ The message opened on the screen. ‘Read it.’
From: [email protected]
Subject: Hello?
To: [email protected]
Reply-to: [email protected]
X-Mailer: Hotmail 3.0 for Mac sub 82
priority: urgent
Hi,
Checking to see if you’re there. I have use of University e-mail for a week (maybe longer) if you want to mail me back.
Take care
F
‘I mailed her while you were talking to Stewart. She’s in Toronto. She’s applying for a scholarship to study ceramic art at the university.’
‘Who is?’
‘Frances Doherty.’ Her head tilted the last fraction to rest on my collar bone. She smiled. ‘You knew her as Deirdre Fitzpatrick.’
Acknowledgements
Many thanks as ever to Jane for achieving the impossible on a regular basis and to Ane, Ros and the team at Headline for carrying it out. Thanks are due on this occasion to Chloë and Mike, both of whom read the early drafts and made invaluable comments; to Naziema, Debs, Tony and Christine, for keeping me grounded; and to Hester, who once again made space in her life for a frenetic writer. Special thanks are due to my father, the ultimate, ever-willing researcher, for hours spent on the phone in the library talking to colleagues and particularly for one long summer’s afternoon drive out to the Knapdale peninsula that started it all off.
The author wishes to thank the Arts Council of England for its generous financial assistance in the writing of this book.
About the Author
MANDA SCOTT is a veterinary surgeon, writer, and climber. Born and educated in Scotland, she trained at the Glasgow Vet School and now lives and works in Suffolk. She is the author of Hen’s Teeth, Night Mares, and Stronger Than Death.
