Page 32 of The Summer Swap

The girl lifted the dressing a little and checked the wound. “Are you still feeling light-headed? Could you stand up? I want to check this wound properly and irrigate it. We need to make sure there’s no glass in it.”

Cecilia noticed that the girl’s shirt was creased and there was a smudge of makeup under her eyes as if she hadn’t removed it properly. And didn’t cleaning staff usually wear a uniform?

“There’s no glass in it. I cut myself on a large piece.” But she scrambled to her feet with the girl’s help and walked on shaking legs to the kitchen. She stood with her arm above the sink and her head turned away as the girl prodded and examined, then cleansed it.

“I don’t think it needs stitches. I’ve pulled the edges together with paper stitches so that should do for now.” The girl swiftly and skillfully dressed the wound and bound it tightly. Then she helped Cecilia wash the blood from her other arm. “I’m going to make you a hot drink and we’ll sit for a while. Are you still feeling light-headed? I’m Lily, by the way.”

Cecilia felt herself wobble. Being in this place had left her feeling emotionally vulnerable and Lily’s kindness threatened to snip through the remaining threads of her self-control.

“I feel guilty for taking up your time. I’m sure you’re very busy.”

“I have plenty of time. I’ll make you more coffee. You should sit down. You’re probably in shock.” She moved around the kitchen confidently and in no time Cecilia found herself seated on the sofa with a mug of coffee in her hand.

Cecilia put the coffee down on the table. She didn’t know if it was lack of food, or the shock of the blood, or the shock of being in the cottage after all these years but she really did feel strange. “You’re a good first aider. Do you have medical training?”

Lily froze. “Not exactly.”

Not exactly?

There was obviously a story there, but Cecilia knew when someone didn’t want to talk.

“Well, it was lucky for me that you were close by.”

Lily relaxed again and while Cecilia was drinking her coffee, the girl cleaned up the mess on the floor.

She brushed, she wiped, she polished and in no time the cottage was restored to its former state of cleanliness.

Unfortunately, it didn’t make Cecilia feel any better about the place.

What had possessed her to come here?

“Thank you.” She watched as Lily disposed of broken glass. “You’re a wonder. You’ve been looking after this place?”

“Yes. I work for a management company. I clean a number of properties, but this one is easily the best. The position is incredible. How are you feeling now? Dizzy?”

“A little. I’ll just sit here for a while and I’ll be fine. You have work to do, I’m sure.”

“My next job is to clean a beach house about fifteen minutes from here. The family won’t be checking out until ten, so there is no rush. And, anyway, I can’t leave you,” the girl said. “Knowing that you’re this upset. Whatever happened, however hopeless things seem now, there is always a way through. Is there someone you can talk to?”

It seemed like an odd question, and then she realized that Lily thought Cecilia had done this intentionally. She thought she had tried to cut her wrists with the glass.

Cecilia had been upset, that was true. But although there had been a few occasions during their marriage when Cecilia had contemplated dispatching Cameron, at no point had she ever considered such a fate for herself.

“It was an accident. I was clearing up the glass.”

The girl sat down next to her and took her hand. “The glass that came from the smashed paintings. You were upset.”

How did she know that?

She would have seen that the paintings were no longer on the wall, but how would she have known Cecilia had been upset?

Questions started to form in her head. The lemonade in the fridge. The floral scent in the shower.

“When I screamed this morning, you were quick to reach me. Lucky for me you were on the beach so early.”

“I’m an early riser.”

Cecilia nudged a little harder. “You must live nearby.”

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