Page 2 of The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea

She needed to leave Heaven’s Cove sharpish, for her own sake and also for Maisie, who would lose her mind if they were stuck here for much longer. Never an easy fifteen-year-old, she was furious about being dragged to Devon and was ready to explode.

Caitlin turned her key in the lock and stepped into the hallway. At least the will was being read tomorrow. Then this house could be sold, and all of the inconvenient memories it held would disappear.

2

ISLA

Isla stepped back behind the bedroom curtain and watched Caitlin standing at the garden gate. She didn’t seem keen to come inside. But then nothing changed. She’d never been keen on coming back to Heaven’s Cove since she’d left the village fifteen years ago. A fact that had broken their grandmother’s heart, though she’d tried to hide it.

‘Caitlin’s had a lot to cope with from a young age and she’s just trying to find her way,’ her grandmother had said, glancing up from the crosswords and riddles that had kept her brain active, right until the end. ‘I know that she loves you and me, and I know that she’ll come back to us one day.’

Isla fought back tears at the thought of her generous grandmother who had taken in her and Caitlin after their mother had died. She’d kept them together and had given them a home – but now that home would be sold because that was what Caitlin wanted. Even though she had quite enough money already. It wasn’t fair but, as Isla had learned in her relatively short life, fairness often didn’t come into it.

Isla had visited Caitlin in London a few times over the years. But the obvious differences in their lives simply widened the gulf between them, and Isla was always glad to return to the familiarity and security of Heaven’s Cove. She felt safe here.

She hadn’t been to her sister’s latest home at all, but she’d seen enough photos of it on Instagram to feel as if she’d had a tour of the place. It was roomy, uncluttered and bright, with a top-end kitchen, designer cushions artfully placed, and huge brass lamps that must have cost a fortune. Everything was for show, along with Caitlin herself, it seemed, who posted the occasional tasteful selfie, at a charity committee meeting or coffee morning. She acted like a fifty-year-old trophy wife when she’d only hit thirty-five a few months ago.

Isla jumped when the front door slammed. So Caitlin had decided to come indoors at last.

‘Who the hell’s that?’ grumbled Paul, who’d followed her into the bedroom.

‘It’s Caitlin.’

‘Huh. No wonder her stepdaughter’s so noisy too.’ He glanced at Isla’s open wardrobe. ‘Hey, I thought you’d got rid of this,’ he said, pulling out one of the only dresses Isla owned. ‘You said that the neckline was too low.’

‘Did I?’ Isla took it from her boyfriend, sure it was him who’d made that observation, and placed it back on the hanging rail. The beautiful, eye-catching dress, made of midnight-blue silk, had once belonged to her mother and she could never get rid of it. That would break her heart. But perhaps Paul had a point. She ran her finger along thesquare neckline that was edged in silver thread. She’d felt good in this dress at last year’s Christmas party in the village hall, but maybe it was too much for someone like her.

She carefully pushed the dress back amongst her jeans and sweatshirts and quietly closed the wardrobe door. ‘I’d better go and see how Caitlin is getting on.’

‘I guess so. Honestly, she’s very high maintenance. You’ll be pleased to see the back of her,’ said Paul, pulling her into an embrace, his beard tickling her forehead.

She breathed in his familiar scent of coal-tar soap and mint toothpaste and rested her head against his chest. She supposed she would be pleased to say goodbye to her sister, even though her emotions felt jumbled at the moment.

She sighed and stepped away from him. ‘She’ll be gone soon enough. Are you really going into the office today? It’s a Sunday.’

‘Afraid so.’ Paul pushed up the sleeve of his shirt and squinted at his watch. ‘I have a few things to catch up on, but one of the benefits of owning the business is that I can work when I want to and there’s no one to harangue me about it – except you, of course.’ A frown crossed his face and was gone. ‘Anyway, Fizz, my new receptionist, will hold the fort if I claw some time back later this week and bunk off early. Did I tell you that she fancies me something rotten?’

‘You have mentioned it,’ said Isla, wishing that he wouldn’t and wondering why any grown woman would choose to go by the name of Fizz.

‘Let’s go to the pub later.’

‘I’m not sure. I might treat myself to a bath and have a quiet evening in,’ said Isla, who was finding it hard to shake the lethargy that had settled over her since her grandmother’s death.

‘Oh. That’s a shame.’ Paul’s face fell, but then he breathed in and smiled brightly. ‘I’ll come over later then.’

‘You really don’t have to. I’ll be fine on my own,’ said Isla, who’d been quite looking forward to some peace. The house had been so noisy since Caitlin and Maisie had arrived.

‘I know I don’t have to.’ He laughed. ‘But you’re better with me around, aren’t you, sweetheart. You need me to look after you.’ Paul leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. ‘So, I’ll come round straight after work and we can eat together. I’ll bring steak.’

‘OK, great,’ said Isla, with as much enthusiasm as she could manage.

She followed Paul out of her bedroom and down the stairs, bracing herself to face Caitlin and strike up a conversation. She should make an effort, for their grandmother’s sake, to get to know this sister who felt like a stranger.

‘Did you have a wander and get some fresh air?’ she asked, walking into the hall and frowning. Caitlin’s feet had left damp footprints on the hall tiles and the denim of her jeans was darker below the knee. ‘Has it been raining?’

‘No, though it looks as if it might.’ Caitlin nodded at Paul as he went out of the front door, before slipping off her boots and her olive-green leather jacket. She followed Isla’s gaze and glanced down at her shins. ‘My jeans got wet when I was sitting on the sea wall at the quay.’

‘Ah.’ Isla suppressed a smile. Tourists sitting on the sea wall were often surprised by a rogue wave that swamped their legs. The locals knew better than to sit there on a day like today, when the wind was whipping at the water as the tide came in. Caitlin had known better, too, when she lived in Heaven’s Cove, but she’d seemingly forgotten since. ‘Would you like to borrow some different trousers?’

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