The Sleep of the Dead by Tom Bradby

Author:Tom Bradby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Transworld

CHAPTER TWELVE

THERE WAS NO gap in the hedge through to the de la Rue garden so, the following morning, Julia and Caroline walked round to lunch along Woodpecker Lane, past pink posters advertising the village fête, which were pinned to the telegraph poles along the line of the hedge. Ahead, the gate into one of the de la Rues’ fields was open, with a large sign saying ‘CAR-PARK’ directing traffic into it.

The de la Rues’ home was called Bell House, because it had once been a school and the old bell still hung above the big oak front door. It was a Victorian building, not an especially attractive one, but inside Henrietta had worked hard to make it homely, sparing no expense. The hall was lighter than Julia remembered, its carpet removed and the floorboards beneath polished, an Oriental rug laid over them.

There were three steps down into the kitchen, which had been extended, with a door open on the far side leading out to a conservatory. Julia could see Jessica de la Rue’s blonde hair, but the other guests were out of view.

There was an island in the middle, with a large bowl of fruit salad, several full of crisps and an open bottle of red wine.

There was a young shout of ‘No,’ and a blond-haired boy charged into the room, carrying an aeroplane, followed by Jessica. ‘Not on the table,’ she said to him, before catching sight of Julia and moving briskly across to kiss her. ‘Give me the plane, Danny. Not inside.’

Danny tried to duck past, but Jessica caught him and swung him underneath her arm as she mounted the steps to the door to the hall. She looked over her shoulder, mouthing an apology to Julia.

Jasper de la Rue came in and Julia was too close to the door to avoid having his arm draped over her shoulder. She was led through to the conservatory, where the table was laid. His annoyance over her presence at the meeting last night seemed to have been forgotten. There was a flagstone floor in the conservatory, the room to the right, now also with polished floorboards, transformed into a day-room, with comfortable sofas in dark, rich red and newspapers spread on large ottomans, the front page of The Times spilling on to the floor.

Outside, the garden was a hive of activity. The line of pennants on top of the tent still fluttered in the wind and the trestle tables that made up the stalls were up and, in most cases, already covered in produce. Julia watched Hattie Travers walk from one side of the lawn to the other carrying a pile of books.

‘The boys are playing tennis,’ Jasper said, and it took Julia a moment to comprehend that he was probably referring to Alan, among others.

Jasper was called back by his wife and Julia stepped out of the open doors on to the thin strip of gravel path then the lawn beyond it. She watched Hattie Travers reach the

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