“Then talk to him.”
“I’ve tried. But he never answers his phone and I can’t say I blame him. I was spectacularly horrible. I’ve left messages saying I’m sorry, but he obviously isn’t interested anymore.”
Eunice shook her head.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Talk to him, not his phone. Find him and tell him to his face.”
Suddenly Eunice reached inside her bag and took out a small box.
“I almost forgot,” she said. “I brought you something for the website. I found it all those years ago on the way to my interview with Bomber. I’ve always kept it as a sort of lucky charm. I never really gave a thought to the person who must have lost it. But now it seems only fair that you should have it. I know it’s a long shot, but maybe you might be able to find whom it really belongs to.”
Laura smiled. “Of course, I’ll try. I just need to make a note of any details you can remember.”
Eunice didn’t even need to think about it. She rattled off the day, date, time, and location without hesitation. “You see,” she said, “it was one of the best days of my life.”
Laura took the box from Eunice.
“May I?” she asked.
“Of course.”
As Laura took the medallion from the box, she knew for just a moment what it felt like to be Sunshine. The object in her hand spoke to her just as surely as if it had a voice of its own.
“Are you all right?” Eunice sounded as though she was very far away, speaking down a bad phone line. Laura scrambled to her feet, unsteadily.
“Come with me,” she said to Eunice.
The door to Therese’s bedroom swung easily open and Laura placed the Communion medallion, with its tiny picture of St. Therese of the Roses framed in gold, on the dressing table next to the photograph of Anthony and Therese. The little blue clock, which had stopped, as usual, began ticking again of its own accord. Laura held her breath, and for a moment the two women stood in silence. And then downstairs, in the garden room, the music began, softly at first and then louder and louder.
The Very Thought of You.
Eunice watched in astonishment as Laura punched the air with joy, and through the open window there blew a swirling shower of rose petals.
As Laura walked Eunice to the garden gate, Freddy pulled up outside the house in his battered Land Rover and jumped out. He greeted Eunice politely and then looked to Laura.
“We need to talk.”
Eunice kissed Laura on the cheek and winked at Freddy.
“That’s exactly what I said.”
She closed the gate behind her and walked away smiling.
CHAPTER 50
The five of them walked together along the promenade; Eunice and Gavin arm in arm carrying Bomber, Douglas, and Baby Jane in a striped canvas shopping bag. Eunice had been going to go alone, but Gavin wouldn’t hear of it. When Bomber had first been forced into Happy Haven, he had asked Gavin to keep a friendly lookout for Eunice, but Gavin hadn’t known how to do so without offending Eunice’s notoriously independent spirit. However, since the memorial service, when Eunice had made her full and frank confession, Gavin had found a chink in her armor and was using it to keep his word to Bomber. It was a perfect seaside day; bright and breezy with a sky the color of blue cura?ao. Gavin had left the Audi at home and they had traveled by train so that they could both toast soon-to-be-absent friends thoroughly and with impunity.
Eunice wanted the entire day to be a proper memorial for Bomber, and so they were following the time-honored itinerary. As they strolled toward the pier they met a young couple walking a pair of miniature pugs wearing his-and-hers diamante collars. Eunice couldn’t resist stopping to admire them. The two little dogs submitted to appropriate fuss and compliments before trotting happily on their way. Gavin looked at Eunice’s downcast face and gave her arm a squeeze.
“Chin up, old girl. It won’t be long before Bill Bailey comes home.”