GRACE WAS FROWNING. ‘ARE YOU … UM,’ SHE SAID slowly. ‘Are you and Douglas … Did you?’
Anna didn’t speak and Grace’s face fell.
‘Oh, Anna. You poor thing.’
‘What do you mean?’ The sympathy was false; Grace was jealous. ‘We’re lovers. He loves me.’
‘I’m sorry, but the only person Douglas Parr loves, other than himself, is Lottie.’
‘You don’t know anything about it.’
She felt threatened by Grace, by her assurance, by her grand house and expensive furnishings. She thought she knew it all, but she didn’t. She knew nothing. It was clear to Anna that Grace had never really got over Douglas. Anna should be the one feeling sorry for her.
‘When did it start?’ Grace asked. She was trying to sound casually interested. It wasn’t working.
‘That evening he came to pick up Lottie.’
‘Of course. I forgot about that. He fixed your plumbing.’
Anna smiled, remembering. ‘We just clicked.’
She was proud of this, proud to have fooled everyone, but it was such a relief to be able to tell, to say, you never guessed! Ha ha. Aren’t I clever? Childish, but immensely satisfying.
The moment was short-lived, spoilt by Grace’s look of pity. ‘You must have something he wants. He isn’t in love with you.’
‘Why the hell shouldn’t he love me?’
‘Sorry, that came out wrong. Why did neither of you say? It wouldn’t have bothered me.’
Anna paced over to the sink and bent to drink from the tap, raising her right arm automatically and crooking it over the back of her neck to scoop away hair that wasn’t there. She dropped her hand, embarrassed.
‘He didn’t want people to know.’
‘Didn’t you question why? You had nothing to be ashamed of.’
‘Unlike you.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Douglas told me you stabbed him.’ She had actually found out when Douglas had taunted Nick with it. She had asked him later on why he had lied, and he had shrugged and said it was none of her business.
Grace opened her mouth, grappling for words, her eyes full of hurt. ‘He told you that?’
‘He tells me everything. I know all about you attacking Cora. You’re still capable of violence, aren’t you? And look at poor Nick.’
‘What about Nick? He never knew what happened with Douglas. Did you say something when you met him?’
She wrinkled her nose. ‘No, it’s none of my business. But perhaps you should have come clean. Secrets have a habit of coming out.’
The doorbell rang, long and loud, and they both went still.
‘Are you expecting someone?’ Anna asked.
‘No.’ Grace grabbed Toffee’s collar and pressed her fingers on his muzzle, silencing him. ‘It’ll be a delivery.’
‘Wait. Don’t answer it until we know who it is.’ Anna ran into the front room and peeked between the slats of the wooden shutters.
‘Anna?’ Grace stood in the doorway, looking uncertain.
‘It’s the police,’ she whispered.
‘It’ll be about Angus Moody. I’m letting them in.’
‘Angus?’ Anna frowned. What the hell had Angus got to do with any of this? ‘No, don’t. Leave it.’ The sound of her blood ringing in her ears was deafening. ‘Why would they want to talk to you about Angus?’
‘Haven’t you seen the papers today?’
‘No, I’ve been too busy clearing the house.’
‘He’s been arrested for fraud. I think it might be connected with what happened to Nick. Let me open the door.’
‘No. Not yet. We need to talk first.’
‘For God’s sake.’ But she didn’t move.
Grace’s mobile phone started to ring, and Anna shook her head. They waited for it to stop, then Grace listened to Marsh’s voicemail. Afterwards, she put it on speaker and played it again, the phone on her knee between them. She held Anna’s gaze.
‘Grace. It’s DI Marsh. Call me back soon as you get this. Just one thing, if Anna Foreman comes round don’t let her in. Call me immediately.’
Grace’s expression became wary. ‘I want you to leave.’