Free Deceit of Angels by Julia Bell Page B

conversation that was all.      
     
    The day of the
funeral dawned and it seemed the weather was going to be kind.  Throughout the
next few hours, Hollie positioned herself between her father and Anna, holding
their hands firmly.  Her courage astonished Anna and it was only when the
curtain finally swished round the casket that Hollie needed a gentle hug from
her father.  
    While
they were standing outside the crematorium, Anna noticed an elegant woman,
sporting a large hat and sunglasses.  She wondered if she was a relative or
perhaps, a family friend.  Whoever she was, Jason would probably introduce her
when they all went back to the house.  Then Anna remembered Kiera’s lover,
Peter, and guessed he must be somewhere about.  Surely he would want to attend
the funeral, even if the situation might be a little awkward between him and
Jason.
    The
wake afterwards was pleasant and Anna helped Hollie to pass round the plates of
food.  Again, Anna searched for the woman she had seen outside the crematorium,
but she obviously had not wanted to come to the house.  Also, there didn’t seem
to be any sign of the mysterious Peter.  She sighed despondently.  Poor Kiera,
after everything she had been through, he couldn’t even be there for her. 
Thank goodness she had had Jason at the end.
     
    A few days
later, Jason collected Kiera’s ashes.  It was nearing the end of August and
Jason had made arrangements with his daughter’s headmistress that she should
accompany her grandparents back to Vancouver and spend a few weeks with them.
    It
was a cloudy day as they made their way up the hill to where they had spent the
picnic.  Since it was Hollie’s favourite place, it had been decided that that
was where they would scatter the ashes.  Anna, Mrs Wilby and Ben walked with
Jason, while Hollie and her grandparents went on ahead.  And it was these three
only that took part in the actual act of finally laying Kiera to rest.  Even Jason
stood back, knowing that this was a very private moment. 
    They
looked on from a distance as her grandparents took Hollie to the brow of the
hill and kneeling down they allowed her to lift the lid off the small silver
urn and then helped her shake the ashes into the wind.  Everyone watched as the
grey flakes drifted and danced in the light breeze to join the elements and
return at last to the earth.
    “Goodbye,
Mummy,” whispered Hollie.  “I hope you like living in heaven.”
    Anna
was standing next to Jason and she felt him suddenly tense.  She glanced at him
and noticed the muscles in his jaw tighten and realised that this was the
hardest part for him.  She knew it wasn’t sorrow for Kiera, but for his little
daughter who now was without her mother.  What made Anna do the next action she
couldn’t imagine, but suddenly she slipped her hand into his and was surprised
when he responded by clenching it tightly as if he never meant to let it go.
     
    Two days later,
Jason drove Hollie and her grandparents to Heathrow to board the flight for the
long journey to Vancouver.  After they had left, Anna joined Mrs Wilby in the
kitchen.
    “Well,
I suppose that’s that,” said the housekeeper taking a sip of her tea.
    “It
went well and I thought Hollie was so brave,” said Anna.
    “Yes,
such a determined little soul.  But now we have to think of the future,” said
Mrs Wilby.  “We’re going to the Grange soon for Mrs Harrington’s belated
birthday celebrations.  So, we must go into Bristol and buy you a lovely
evening dress for the party.”  All the conversation since the funeral had been
about the delayed visit to Jason’s boyhood home. 
    The
telephone started ringing in the office and Anna stood to answer it.  Yes, she
thought grimly, it was time to tell Jason about her husband and the dreadful
state of her marriage.  But how she would explain everything she couldn’t
imagine.

CHAPTER
FIVE
     
    A few
days after Hollie had left for Canada, they all piled into