Page 11 of The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea

‘Can you let me know how much it’ll cost before you go ahead with any repairs?’

Sean eyed her coolly. ‘Of course. Like I said, Jen will give you a call.’

‘OK, that’s fine. Thank you,’ she said, pushing the car keys into his hand. If all went to plan, she could be out of Devon by the weekend.

Caitlin had turned and started walking towards the taxi office when she caught Sean’s muttered aside: ‘That’s if you ever do come back for it.’

Her step faltered but she kept on walking. So Sean had recognised her, after all. It was hardly likely, really, that he would completely forget the woman who’d promised to come back for him, but never had.

Sean had been her first real boyfriend, her first real crush and she’d believed herself to be madly in love with him at the time. But she wasn’t. That was what she’d told herself when she hit the bright lights of London and her life in Heaven’s Cove began to fade away. It was simply adolescent infatuation and the ache she felt to see Sean, to laugh with him and kiss him, was simply an illusion.

Her new life, alone in busy London, had frightened her to death at first. But the fear of being dragged back to Heaven’s Cove was worse. It wasn’t the village itself she feared, or the people in it. The village was a peaceful haven from the chaos of her earlier life, and she loved Isla and Jessie with all of her heart.

But what made her throat tighten with panic was the prospect of stepping back into the life she’d once had. She’d been a carer for her mum for years – sometimes she felt that she’d hardly had a childhood at all. Then, after her mum’s death, she’d cared for Isla, who was so young and sad and lost.

There had been a brief respite when Jessie, their maternal grandmother, had taken them in – their father, who’d done a runner years before, was never going to step up to the plate. And Caitlin had enjoyed a few years of simply being a teenager, with no particular responsibilities, other than looking out for her younger sister. The peace of mind and freedom had been unfamiliar and wonderful.

But things had changed just before Caitlin went to university, when Jessie’s health began to go downhill. At first her slide into poor health was gradual – a condition diagnosed here, a mobility restriction there – but Caitlin could see it accelerating.

In the end, Jessie had lived a lot longer than Caitlin had feared she would. But back then, fifteen years ago, the writing was still on the wall: Jessie was getting older, and her health was failing, just as her mother’s had done. History was repeating itself and Caitlin couldn’t bear to go back to suffocating responsibility, not when a brighter life was beckoning.

So she’d left Heaven’s Cove, with promises to return as soon as university was finished, in order that Isla could have her own adventure. But she’d quickly realised that she could never return full-time. It was selfish, she knew it. But the thought of being trapped in the village for years as a carer once more made her physically shake. There was something wrong with her – maybe a therapist would pin it on childhood trauma – but she didn’t want to explore the past. And she didn’t want to go back to Heaven’s Cove.

So she’d made a new life for herself: she’d finished university, got a job, married Stuart, kept her distance from Jessie and Isla, and she’d shut out Sean.

Occasionally, she’d wondered what had happened to that handsome, earnest boy, after his increasingly desperate calls and emails to her at university had petered out. He was never mentioned by Isla or Jessie, and she’d never asked, because not knowing was better than remembering her bad behaviour.

Caitlin sighed and pushed open the door to the taxi office. A young woman, with short black hair, looked up from her phone and gave her a friendly smile.

‘Are you Jen?’

‘That’s me. Are you after a taxi?’

‘No, thanks. I’ve just come from the garage. I was told to leave my details with you, so I can be contacted about my car.’

‘Sure.’ Jen reached into her desk drawer and took out a bright pink notebook. ‘What car is it?’

‘The green Jaguar over there,’ said Caitlin, pointing out of the window.

Jen glanced up briefly, revising her initial opinion of the woman who’d just walked into her office. Caitlin saw it all the time. Driving a Jaguar gave you gravitas, which was why Stuart had insisted on buying it for her in the first place. Caitlin would have chosen something else, something less look how well I’m doing! But it was a lovely car to drive and she’d be glad to have it back.

‘Can you give me your contact details, then, and I’ll pass them on to the hubby.’

‘The hubby?’ asked Caitlin distractedly, searching her phone for her own number, which she could never remember.

‘Sean,’ said Jen. ‘He owns the garage. Oh, hold on a moment.’ She picked up the phone on her desk that had just started ringing. ‘Hello? I’m with a customer, Evie. Can I call you back in a minute?’

Caitlin studied the woman in front of her while she brought the phone call to a close. So, Jen had happened to Sean. She was striking, with her elfin haircut and pretty face, and she gave off kind vibes. The two of them probably lived an idyllic life in a whitewashed cottage, with a couple of adorable children running around. Sean had had a lucky escape when she’d dumped him so callously all those years ago.

‘Do you have your number?’ said Jen, looking at her strangely. It probably wasn’t the first time she’d asked.

Caitlin dragged herself away from her thoughts and read her number out from her mobile.

‘Great!’ Jen closed her notebook and pushed it back into the drawer. ‘Sean or one of the other guys will be in touch once they’ve had a look at your Jag. Are you new round here?’

‘Not really. I lived in the village a few years ago, with my grandmother, but she’s just died so I came back to help sort things out.’

‘Oh, you must be Jessie’s granddaughter.’

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