‘When my mum was very ill, a long time ago, people expected me to leave her with carers and go to school.’
‘But you didn’t?’
‘I did, sometimes. But I was a serial truant in those days. I knew Mum didn’t have long and I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.’
‘How old were you when she died?’
‘Seventeen.’
Nessa found it hard to breathe as a wave of grief washed over her. Her mum had been gone a long time but the pain of her loss had never fully disappeared.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Gabriel gruffly.
‘What about your mum? You’ve never mentioned her.’
‘She and my father got divorced when I was a child and she left. She lives with a rich banker in a big house in the Cotswolds. I didn’t see much of her growing up.’
So they both had mothers who had left them, in different ways. Nessa wrinkled her nose in sympathy. ‘That must have been difficult.’
‘I got used to it. That’s all we can do, isn’t it? Get used to things and get on with life.’
Thicker cloud was building up over the sea and Nessa shivered. The wind had picked up and bigger waves were rolling towards the land.
It felt as if there was a storm in the air and the ghosts at Sorrel Cove were stirring.
Gabriel seemed to feel the shift in atmosphere too. He glanced at his watch and started walking again, towards the cottage.
‘I need to get back to Driftwood House and prepare for a Zoom meeting. Is it all right if I leave my painting here for now?’
‘Of course. I’ll leave it to dry.’
‘Thanks.’ He leaned the canvas and easel against the cottage wall. ‘I’ll see you at ten tonight.’
‘I’ll be here, making your life difficult.’
Gabriel stared at her for a moment, his eyes pale in his face that had caught the sun.
‘I know,’ was all he said before he turned and walked away.