Free The Lie by Linda Sole Page B

couldn’t we?’
    â€˜Yes, why not?’ Emily said. The mood she was in at the moment, she would be glad to get away. What she had expected to be a happy day had gone horribly wrong for her. ‘Yes, all right. I’ll go up to Frances now and say goodbye, and then we’ll leave as soon as she’s gone.’
    She smiled at him, then ran up the stairs to her sister’s room. Frances was struggling with her gown and turned to her sister with a look of relief. ‘I was hoping you would come,’ she said. ‘Can you unhook me at the back, please?’
    â€˜Yes, of course,’ Emily said, and started to unfasten the dress. She wanted to ask if Frances knew about the house, but decided not to cast a shadow over things. Frances would be back in Stretton in a week, and so would she. They could talk about it then. ‘Has Marcus told you where you’re going?’
    â€˜No, it’s a surprise,’ Frances told her. ‘But I think it’s down south somewhere – probably Devon I should think. I know Marcus likes it that way, and we had a holiday in Torquay with Dad once – do you remember?’
    â€˜Yes, of course,’ Emily said. ‘It was a couple of years after Mum died and we all went – Daniel and Connor too. Connor was just a toddler.’
    â€˜Marcus was there with his family. We all met up a couple of times. I think it was that summer I first knew I wanted to marry him.’
    â€˜Well, you have now,’ Emily said. ‘So be happy, love.’
    â€˜I intend to be,’ Frances said, and hugged her. ‘I shall be living with Marcus’s family until we get a house of our own. Marcus has told me to keep an eye out and let him know if there’s anything going that might be suitable.’
    Emily hesitated and then decided to say nothing. It wasn’t official yet. Besides, Rathmere might not be what Marcus was looking for.
    When Frances was dressed in her outfit and going away hat, she kissed Emily again and then followed her downstairs. Frances threw her bouquet. She aimed it at Emily but she let it go by her and one of the other young girls stretched out and caught it.
    Simon came to her as soon as her sister and Marcus had left, and she nodded, picked up her suitcase and let him usher her out of the house. She didn’t bother to say goodbye to anyone. She had forgotten that she wanted to talk to Alice, and she wasn’t in the mood to speak to the rest of her family. It wasn’t fair that they had all known what was going on or that she had been left in the dark until now. It seemed that she was to have no say in the decision; they were going to present her with the results of their meeting and she had to accept whatever was decided.
    â€˜Cheer up, Emily,’ Simon said, as he heard her sigh. ‘It won’t be that bad, I promise. My family will love you.’
    â€˜Oh, it wasn’t that,’ she said, and looked at him apologetically. ‘I’ve just discovered that my brothers and stepmother are probably going to sell the house.’
    â€˜Does that mean you’ll be homeless?’
    â€˜I’ve been told I can stay with one of them when I need to, but it won’t be the same.’
    â€˜Not a very bright prospect,’ Simon agreed, and frowned. ‘Never mind, Emily. You won’t be there much in future. You can probably find somewhere to share with friends wherever they post you.’
    â€˜Yes, I expect so,’ she said, and smiled. ‘I’ll face that when I have to – but I’m glad I’m coming with you today. I’m out of sorts with my family and that’s the truth.’
    â€˜It’s often like this when stepmothers or divorce comes into a family,’ Simon said. ‘My parents were divorced when I was young, but my stepmother is great. I get on well with her – all the family does.’
    â€˜I didn’t know your parents were