Free Secrets of the Past by Wendy Backshall Page A

hair hung in ringlets, and her eyes were glistening, like glass.
    Just as I remember her. Surely not I thought this could not be her, as I sat thinking, the door opened it was David returning.
    I sat mesmerized by her beauty.
    He immediately said .
    “Oh wonderful, they have arrived, and I see you have found her . ”
    I answered.
    “David she is so beautiful.”
    H e agreed, holding it to the light.
    As he did, I noticed a locket around her neck, it was my locket, I knew at once.
    David then said.
    “Are you alright Amy ? ”
    I replied. “
    Yes of course, where did you get it? ”
    “Oh, Martin, had it stored at his gallery, Martin said, it had been there a many years with others, i t had got damaged in a fire years ago, m ainly the frame as you can see.”
    Then he added.
    “I bought it off him with a few others, you never know, we may be able to do something with it.
    I will get our framer to have a look at it and perhaps get it cleaned.”
    I sat staring at the locket, when David whispered.
    “Amy, what is wrong, I can see tears in your eyes, are you alright, has someone upset you.”
    I wiped a tear from my cheek .
    “David, I have something I have to tell you it’s very importa nt, can we meet somewhere else.”
    David answered .
    “T here is nothing to do here . That lot will wait. Come home with me, and you can tell me what has happened. ”
    I agreed and grabbed my coat and bag.
    He lived in a house in Borstal, it overlooked the River Medway, but I had never been there before, but new of the area. Such a gentle man as always, he held my hand as we arrived at his car and opened the door for me.
    On the way, I started to tell him about Zoë.
    He stopped me.
    “No more, wait till we get home and we can discuss it over dinner, I will cook us a lovely meal, do you like Chinese, I am very good at it you know”.
    We arrived at his house, it was stunning, not how I imagined very modern but with old bits here and there, very unusual. He ushered me into the door and said, “Right take a seat in the conservatory, and I will get cooking, would you like a drink”.
    I answered .
    “Just a coffee for me”, as I knew David was tea total, so did not want to embarrass myself, by drinking alcohol.
    I wanted to relish these moments, it had been a long time coming.
    I gazed over the river beyond the gardens, the boats looked so tiny f rom here, but what a view, he must enjoy living here so much. It was fantastic.
    Before I knew, about twenty minutes had flown by and he entered the room, with two plates.
    “Sorry forgot your coffee, I will fetch it.
    We sa t at a large glass table enjoying the lovely meal he had conjured up. I t was delicious.
    We moved to the sofa. H e told me he had lived there since his father had passed on, and he had no family to speak.
    Then he said .
    “Sorry, how rude of me, please tell me what was wrong earlier”.
    Therefore, my story began.
    I told him everything but hesitated about the going back in time, would he think me mad as a hatter?
    Never less, I decided to tell him all.
    I had held this secret for so long, it was time to share it, and who better than him.
    He sat not uttering a word, listening intently, I could feel myself getting warm wi th embarrassment, but jabbered on, talking fast, and so he never got a word in anyway.
    E ver y detail and I just could not stop. 
    I neared the end of my sto ry.
    David laid his hand upon mine, and said .
    “Why, did you not go to the police?
    I replied.
    “Because I did not think they would believe me and I had never spoken to the police, till the day I saw the body, and I was afraid, they would think I was a little mad, I have always been a little afraid of them.
    We sat discussing all I had told him, I could tell he cared, wondered why, as I did not think he was that interested in m e, so why would he want to hear a tale like this?
    He spoke of the painting, as he knew it had been in a fire, so could that have been when it happened when I was