CHAPTER 38

 

Anna and her mum had been chatting on the phone for a long time before the signal faded, then cut them off. She had answered all Moira’s questions about her visit to Heather Cottage, and asked a few of her own. Anna was anxious to stay in touch with her parents as closely as she ever had, to make it clear that their relationship with her would not be threatened by what was happening in Mull.

Half an hour later, Anna received a text from her mum.

 

Your dad and I would like to meet Janet. Please invite her to come and stay here as soon as it can be arranged. I’m sure she’d like to see the home where you spent your childhood. Love, Mum xx

 

Anna tried to visualise Janet in her parents’ home: putting her things into the spare room, sitting at the table at meal times, saying hello to the neighbours. Maybe that was a step too far. If Janet accepted the invitation, she would deal with the visit in her own way.

About to snap her phone shut, Anna noticed an unread text message – from Roddie. Sensing that the battery was almost drained, she hastily plugged it in to recharge, then opened the message.

 

Hi Anna – I’m sure you’ve been trying to contact me (at least I hope you have), but things have been hectic here. The office on the floor above us at work sprang a leak from a burst pipe, and it flooded our main office, soaking our equipment and some of our files. We’ve been without water and mains electricity for the last few days. Our computer system, with all our data crashed. Of course, we have back-up for that, so no long-term worries.

 

Flo and I have been rushing around like scalded cats trying to sort out immediate problems, but we’re at the mercy of the tradesmen who are showing no signs of urgency. We’ve been working from the flat, sometimes till the early hours of the morning, so Flo’s had to stay the night.

 

Anna stopped reading. Why was her heart pounding? Surprised by her reaction, she tried to work out why she was more interested in Flo staying overnight at the flat than in how Roddie would sort out his problems. Of course, it made sense that they work together to maintain the momentum of their business in the circumstances. No reason why Flo should have to return home late at night to her home twenty miles away when it was possible for her to stay. But Anna didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all.

Still feeling unsettled, she read on:

 

Perhaps it’s as well you’re not here at the moment – the living room looks as if a bomb has struck it, with piles of paper, soaked files, and electric wires connecting up laptops and printers snaking round the furniture. It doesn’t smell too sweet, either.

 

I miss you, Anna. I can’t wait to sort out this mess and have you home again. I’ll try to call you soon.

Love,

R xx

 

The pendulum swing of her emotions left Anna feeling cold and limp, as if the power inside her had suddenly been turned off at the touch of a switch: from the warmth of her visit with Janet and the conversation with her mum, to the feeling of emptiness created by Roddie’s text message.

But why should she be so affected by Roddie’s news? After all, they were no more than flatmates to each other. Weren’t they?