Free Fear in the Sunlight by Nicola Upson

sat down opposite Josephine. ‘What issue’s that?’
    ‘Is he a genius or just a strange little man?’
    ‘Does it have to be one or the other?’ She shook her hair out and retied it while Ronnie considered what was obviously a new idea to her. ‘Sorry – I’ve only met him briefly, so I can’t really help, but his wife is very sane and very clever, and I doubt she’d settle for less in a husband.’
    ‘Mm,’ Ronnie muttered, unconvinced. ‘His family owns MacFisheries, though. That can’t be right.’
    Archie exchanged a weary look with Lydia. ‘Can I get you both a drink?’ he asked.
    ‘I’m dying for a gin and tonic, but don’t bother fetching it, Archie. Someone will come over.’
    ‘It’ll be quicker if I go to the bar. They’re very busy out here. Marta?’
    ‘Tea would be lovely.’
    ‘I’ll give you a hand,’ Josephine offered. ‘I could do with the exercise, and you’ve been back and forth so often they’ll think you’re trying for a job.’
    ‘No, you stay here – I can manage. It’ll give me a chance to see who else has turned up. Do you know Daniel Lascelles, Lydia?’ he asked casually.
    ‘Danny? Yes, he was with me in Close Quarters . He’s a sweetheart. Why? Is he here?’
    ‘Yes, I met him at the bar earlier. He’ll be pleased to see you – it looked like he could do with a friendly face and a bit of encouragement.’
    ‘Oh, I’ll come and say hello now. I haven’t spoken to him since he lost his father.’ Archie walked with her to the hotel, leaving Marta and Josephine alone. It had been subtly done, and Josephine hoped she was the only one who had noticed.
    They looked at each other for a long time without speaking. Eventually, Marta leant forward and removed Josephine’s glasses. ‘Hello again,’ she said quietly. ‘How are you?’
    ‘Pleased to see you.’
    ‘Are you? I thought with all the work you’d put into avoiding it that you might not be.’ Her voice was gentle, the words a genuine question rather than any sort of reproach.
    ‘It’s not that I didn’t want to see you. I just thought it would be better to wait a bit, that if we saw each other too soon . . .’
    ‘I might not be able to control myself?’
    Josephine flushed. ‘No, of course not. I only meant that you and Lydia needed time to sort yourselves out, find out how you feel.’ She stopped and bit her lip before she found something even more patronising to say. This wasn’t what she had intended, and she wondered what had happened to the wise, funny, eloquent woman who had held so many imaginary conversations with Marta since they had last seen each other. She tried to think of all the things she had wanted to say, but the reality of Marta unsettled her more than ever and her mind was completely blank. In the end, all she could manage was a simple confession. ‘I ran away,’ she admitted. ‘I’m sorry.’
    She had expected Marta to press the point further, but she only nodded. ‘And how has your birthday been so far?’
    The abrupt change of subject floored Josephine. She had taken it for granted that, left alone, they would discuss their relationship and its future – if it had a future – but she realised now that her constant reliance on Marta to articulate feelings for both of them was childish and unfair. For the first time, it occurred to her that of all the obstacles she had placed in their way – Lydia, Archie, family commitments and physical distance – the hardest to overcome was her own selfishness. Livid with herself, she tried to find a way back, but it was too late: the moment had been missed, and they talked about Portmeirion until Archie and Lydia returned with the drinks.

9
     
    David Franks ran lightly down the steps of the Bell Tower and emerged into the daylight, excited at the prospect of what the weekend held. The sun streaked the cobbles of Battery Square, and there were still plenty of visitors milling around at the outer limits of the village, making