Free A Question of Identity by Anthea Fraser Page B

intended.
    â€˜Sweetie, that’s not true! I know I’ve been extra busy these last few weeks, but this particular job won’t go on much longer, then I’ll be more or less back to nine-to-five.’
    She felt herself waver; yet if she stayed, she knew without doubt that she would sleep with Paul, and that really would be the end. Because even if Daniel never found out, she couldn’t lie to him for the rest of her life.
    Desperate now to end the discussion, she pushed back her chair and stood up. ‘Then I’ll come back when the job’s finished. I hate being alone night after night, especially when I spend half of it rocking Alice to sleep. The house rustles and creeks and I keep thinking I hear noises downstairs. I know I’m being silly, but it . . . frightens me.’
    He was staring at her, a line between his brows. ‘You’ve never mentioned that! Why didn’t you tell me?’
    â€˜It’s not only that – we just don’t seem close any more. When you
are
home
,
you’re tired all the time.’ Her eyes, full of tears, challenged him. ‘Can you even remember when we last made love?’
    He looked as though she’d struck him, made an instinctive move towards her, but she backed away.
    â€˜Please don’t try to stop me, Daniel. I
need
to go.’
    â€˜Jenny . . .’ He lifted his hands helplessly. ‘At least give me a chance to put things right. Why not invite your parents down here for a while? They’d be company for you, and I’m sure they’d love—’
    â€˜
No!
’ she cried desperately. ‘Please!’
    Already she was lying to him. Of course she was tired, of course the house was a bit creepy at night, but she could deal with that. What she couldn’t admit was that she had to get away in order to save their marriage.
    Paul would get the message. She’d never fooled herself either of them was in love; now, with searing insight, she accepted that were she no longer available, he’d move on to someone else. He must have thought he’d fallen on his feet! she thought bitterly: an absent husband, a susceptible, lonely wife and an empty house. He’d even said as much. God, what a fool she’d been!
    Daniel was still standing by the table, staring at her with pain in his eyes.
Had
Catherine said anything? Surely she couldn’t have, or he’d have accused her by now.
    â€˜Only for a week or two,’ she pleaded. ‘I’m sorry, Daniel, I’ve just got thoroughly run down and I need some pampering.’ She forced a smile. ‘And you needn’t worry that I’ll make a scene next time you have to be away for a night or two. It’s just . . . a combination of things at the moment.’
    â€˜Well, if you’re really sure. And I
shall
miss you. It’s knowing you and Alice are at home waiting for me that keeps me going when things get tough at work.’
    Her tears spilled over, and this time she didn’t stop him putting his arms round her.
    â€˜Just for a week or two,’ she repeated.
    He tilted her chin back, looking searchingly into her eyes. ‘And even though I’m a thoughtless brute at times, you do still love me?’
    â€˜Of
course
I do!’ Of that, at least, she was sure.
    â€˜That’s all right then,’ he said.

FIVE
    L indsey didn’t report back on her visit to Belmont, leaving Rona to wonder whether she’d not learned anything new, or, in fact, had, but was determined not to pass it on. Not that it mattered, one way or the other; as she’d told her mother, she’d no intention of following up the photograph.
    The decision was, however, taken out of her hands in an unexpected way. On the Wednesday morning, having made a note of the galleries she still had to visit, she turned to an appendix listing the names of lesser known paintings in private possession, together, where possible, with the name