Beneath the Shadows

Grace hoped her grimace would pass for a smile. Why did everyone here seem obsessed with the snow? She was increasingly tempted to point out that she did know about snow – it fell in the south too, and people still managed to get things done. She contemplated keeping her life on hold for another six months while she waited for a summer that, in England, might never arrive, and knew that she couldn’t do it. But Emma saved her from having to explain. ‘Leave Grace alone, Carl. That’s her business.’ She turned to A

Grace listened with a deep pang of longing as her sister launched into an enthusiastic spiel about London. It was all there for her if she wanted it: the busyness, the bright lights, the never-ending movement of it all that wouldn’t be halted for any reason, great or small. Where only a short tube ride separated the huge global department stores that A

‘Are you ready for Christmas, Grace?’ she heard Emma asking.

‘To be honest, I haven’t thought about it too much,’ she admitted.

‘Not a bad idea,’ Carl said. ‘My sisters have it pla

Emma drained her glass then stood up, smiling at Grace. ‘Just let me know if you ever need me to mind Millie,’ she offered. ‘I know how hard it is without a babysitter in these parts.’

‘Thank you so much.’ Grace doubted she’d have a reason to take Emma up on the offer, but it was generous nonetheless.

They watched Emma and Carl leave, then A

Grace glanced over at Millie to check she was still sleeping.

‘Come on, Grace, I need to get a bit drunk so I can spend another night in your cottage after listening to ghost stories all afternoon.’

Before Grace could speak, A

Everyone’s head whipped around towards the noise. A man in his early thirties stood by the door, his coat collar pulled up so high around his neck that his head appeared half-buried within it. He approached the bar with a wariness that made Grace feel on edge, though his posture wasn’t particularly menacing, and she couldn’t imagine anyone bothering to hold up a pub that was probably lucky to get to three figures in the night’s takings. As he reached the bar and spoke to the old couple seated behind it, the woman shrank back, while her husband moved slowly forward and leaned his hands on the countertop. Glowering up through bushy brows, the publican said something short and sharp, but Grace was too far away to catch it. ‘No!’ the old man shouted a second later, and banged his hand down on the wooden bar-top with a force and speed that belied his age.

The younger man backed away with his hands held in the air as if in surrender, then turned on his heel and was gone. The couple retreated to their perches, muttering to one another, until their attention was gradually pulled back to the TV and they fell under its trance once more.

‘What the hell was that about?’ A

‘God knows,’ Grace replied, her heart hammering, one eye on the door.

‘Well, if that’s how they deal with potential robbers here it’s most effective.’ A

Grace smiled and gave responses where required as A

In the morning he would be coming to the cottage. And she knew absolutely nothing about him.

An hour later, Grace and A

There was a loud screech, and A

‘I heard it the other night too. It’s probably a bat or something.’

‘Oh for God’s sake.’ A

As they reached the cottage and Grace unlatched the gate, she automatically looked back down the road towards the pub. A man was standing outside, silhouetted by the light from the open door. She couldn’t see his face at all, only the outline of him, but she was sure he was watching them.

‘Look,’ she hissed at A

A moment later, the man wheeled around and they heard the distant creak and slam of the pub door.

‘That was odd,’ A

‘No idea.’

A

Grace didn’t want to dwell on that right now. ‘Emma and Carl were nice enough, though, weren’t they?’

‘Yes, thank goodness,’ A

Grace was about to say that she was tired, but before she could speak, A

By the time Grace had settled Millie into bed, A

‘What the hell …?’ A

Before Grace could even reply, there was another bang. She got up, opened the curtain a fraction and peered towards the door. She could make out a shadowy figure. A