Free Secrets of the Past by Wendy Backshall

embarrassed.
    However, I it did not seem like he returned the compliments, so felt he was just being nice to me.
    The weeks began to fly by, I was very happy, I had told Tom my brother about him, not that I was in love with him, but he was my kind hearted boss, I told him about my job, how it was so different, Tom was very pleased for me.
    I had also told my friend Mel about him, and she had met him when we had lunch one day, and gave me her approval, she agreed he was quite a catch, Mel and I still had our chatty nights in and I would go to her mums for dinner occasionally on a Sunday.
    Life could not have been better for me, well until the day, I met James, he was heading towards me one Saturday, I tried to avoid him, but he was upon me before I could walk another step. He said
    “Hi how are you, I have missed you terribly, I know I made a terrible mistake, will you ever forgive me . ”
    I replied .
    “James please, I am very happy with my life, my new job, everything, yo u must just get on like I have.”
    He replied.
    “Can we meet sometime, perhaps I can buy you lunch or a drink , I would like to explain, and it was a misunderstanding I assure you. ”
    Before he could stutte r out another word, I stopped him.
    “No James, nice to meet you again, I must go now, and rushed passed him”.
    I left him with his mouth hanging ajar, unable to speak, but I did not care, my thoughts went back to that awful man Geoff, and James was part of that, and I would never forgive him, ever.
    I would never forget how awful that time was and James I trusted him, and he betrayed me. He knew Geoff all the time, but did not tell me.
    My only question was ‘Why when he had the locket in his possession to show his uncle, why he didn’t give it to Geoff then.
    I just carried on with no more thoughts of James or Geoff, got on with my daily chores, and was contented as anyone could be, just awaiting the day, maybe David would ask me for a date.
    There was a knock on my door one day when I was about to pop out, as I opened it there stood a man, youngish about thirty,
    He said .
    “May I speak with you, my name is Paul Davis, and I understand you have something belonging to me.
    I replied .
    “But I do not know you, who are you again ?
    He replied.
    “ I am Zoë’s broth er, can I come in for a minute.”
    He looked ok, so I let him in , and we made our way to th e lounge, where he sat and said.
    “You did know Zoë didn’t you?
    I replied.
        “Well not really, she was just an acquaintance, not a friend, why?
    He then said.
    “You know she died?
    I nodded yes.
    “W ell she gave you something I believe, and I have now come to collect it.”
    “But what is it” I asked.
    He then said.
    “The locket, do you still have it?
    I answered .
    “But I was told to keep it, and never give it to anyone, not even you, even Zoë’s mother told me I was to keep it . ”
    At this answer, he suddenly changed and said.
    “Go get it now, it is rightfully mine, and I want it now . ”
    “But I no longer have it, I lost it, or someon e stole it, as I had a robbery.”
    He did not look at all pleased with my answer again, immediately I finished speaking he jumped across the room , and pushed my head backwards.
    “You better not be lying to me bitch, who broke in the place then?
    I was sh aking, “It was that Geoff bloke. ”
    He then said .
    “If I find you been lying to me I will come back and kill you, he then hurried from the room, leaving me sat there. I went to the door and checked he was gone, just caught the back of him slamming the front door.
    As before, I put it to the back of my mind and got on.
    Will this nightmare ever end?
    Then I was working one day, at the gallery, we had a delivery, so was unwrapping some paintings, David had not arrived in to the off ice yet.
    As I had just got to a large painting, the woman in it was very familiar to me.
    It was Anastasia, as I unwrapped more, she had a velvet dress on, to the floor, her