The Shadow Child by Rachel Hancox

Author:Rachel Hancox [Hancox, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781529157314
Publisher: Cornerstone
Published: 2022-04-13T16:00:00+00:00

MARCH

Over the next few weeks, Emma goes with Penelope whenever she has errands to run. Taking the cat to the vet; sending a parcel to a woman who left Larkmore last year. It occurs to her, standing in the queue at the Post Office, how long it is since she last saw a man. She’s like a fairy princess shut away in a tower. The man behind the screen takes her money, unaware of his significance. There are male children at Larkmore, Emma reminds herself; it’s not such a step. But it feels like it.

She’s on the lookout for outings cooked up by Penelope just to get her out of the grounds, but if that’s what Penelope’s doing, she’s cunning about it. And each trip turns into a little treat: they go to a garden centre to buy seeds for the vegetable garden, and Emma chooses a little cactus for her room. They take the car to be serviced and have lunch in a café round the corner while the mechanics are working on it. Then one day Penelope asks her to come along to the chemist to collect a prescription, and they’re so busy talking about something else that Emma doesn’t notice at first that they’re going further than the village. When they pass a sign for Fulford, she swivels round.

‘What are you doing? Where are we going?’

‘To Boots,’ Penelope says.

‘There must be a chemist closer than this.’

‘I wanted to go to the big Boots. I thought we could have a look in some clothes shops, too. Buy you something, maybe?’

‘I don’t want any clothes.’ Emma can feel panic flaring. She hadn’t realised how close they were to Fulford. Ten miles, the sign said. ‘Are you going to leave me there?’

‘Of course not.’ Penelope glances at her. ‘I’m not leaving you anywhere, Emma. You can stay in the car if you want to.’

But when they arrive in Fulford, the lure of the place is too great to resist. It’s impossible to say what it makes Emma feel: something loud and bright, clanging in her head. As she walks down the High Street beside Penelope every step sparks a memory, and she has to fight to keep them out.

‘Here we are,’ says Penelope, as she turns into Boots. ‘Coming in? Or do you want to wander? There’ll be a wait, I expect.’

‘I’ll come in.’

Emma stays close behind Penelope, but she can’t help seeing the racks of cosmetics, exactly where they’ve always been. Can’t help hearing Julianne’s voice, just over her shoulder: What d’you reckon to silver sable? Shall I give it a whirl? Julianne laughing, posing. Try this one, Em – ice pink is perfect for you.

And then she stops sharp in front of the shelf of pregnancy tests.

‘I think I’ll go back to the car,’ she says. ‘I feel a bit …’

Penelope looks at her. ‘Do you want me to come with you?’

‘No,’ Emma says. ‘No, just – can I have the keys?’

‘Of course. I’ll be as quick as I can.

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