Acknowledgements

 

 

 

I would like to thank my agent George Capel for her irrepressible enthusiasm, my editor Michael Fishwick for his constant encouragement and a stern ticking-off; Anna Simpson and Alexa von Hirschberg at Bloomsbury for their judicious attention, Laura Brooke for her energetic work in the publicity department and Kate Johnson, the copy editor, for her expertise and thoroughness.

I am enormously grateful to the Royal Society of Literature and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation for the generosity of an award which meant so much more than just the money – though I was delighted enough with that – and to my husband Will for his understanding, patience and undeviating support.

I would like to thank Josh, Alfie and Ella, for keeping me company along the banks of the Darent; my parents for taking care of me like the mad lady in the attic; Anna, Tid and Ben for bearing the brunt of my boring telephone calls; Catherine Milner for always managing to show me the bright side; Alice Miles for her laughter and late nights out drinking; Catherine Goodman for calming walks along the canal; Nancy Durrant at The Times for being accommodating; Gordon Cook of the Fine Art Society for his time and advice; and the artists David Inshaw, Emily Patrick and Tom Hammick for their painterly insights. Thank you, too, to the many residents of Shoreham – especially Ken Wilson – who would so kindly point me in the right direction as I poked about in their village; and also to the inhabitants of Palmer’s former home in Redhill.

I would particularly like to remember Sebastian whose life ended just before I had ended the book. He wouldn’t have read it anyway because it wasn’t about him.

I am also thankful to Flea and Bear for staying beside me all through the writing and finally to Katya for coming along right at the end like the last full stop.