As Henry pulled in at the bottom of Susannah’s road, he leaned over and touched Emer’s arm.
‘Remember,’ he said, ‘being here with Susannah might not be the best thing for you right now.’
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Emer said, embarrassed again by her upset earlier. ‘I don’t know what came over me in the woods.’
‘You can’t hold grief in,’ Henry said. ‘Otherwise, it consumes you.’
There was an edge to his voice. She realised that even after their hikes together, she still knew very little about him.
‘Why don’t you come by The Sand Bar tonight?’ he suggested. ‘There’s a band playing, from Rockland. I’ll buy you a beer.’
‘I’m not sure, Susannah might need me.’ Emer was beginning to feel it might be better if she didn’t hang out with Henry any more after what he’d told her. He and Susannah clearly had a history because of Lynsey and she didn’t want to get caught up in it.
‘Surely she’ll give you leave for one night?’ Henry persisted. ‘I mean, have you had one night off since you arrived?’
Despite her better instincts, Emer felt it impossible to say no.
Back in Susannah’s house, Emer prepared her patient’s tea, cutting a pear in half, peeling and slicing it. Susannah might only manage half the pear, but it was something at least. She felt a knot of anxiety in her chest. Henry’s invitation to The Sand Bar could be viewed as a proper date. But she’d nothing fancy to wear. Only jeans and jumpers with her. What was she doing going on a date anyway? Henry had been so kind when she’d been upset today over Orla, but then she really didn’t like all the gossip he’d told her about Susannah and her family. It also felt weird that he had once dated Lynsey, who was almost the same age as Emer’s mother would have been if she were alive.
And then there was Lars. Where was he now? She pictured him, his blue eyes flipping her heart every time he looked at her. She hadn’t heard from him since their last phone conversation where she’d hung up on him. Not one text. She’d asked him to leave her alone, but it hurt that he’d given up so easily. What she needed to do was keep away from all men. Stay in and retrieve the rest of the letters from the quilt. Her head was buzzing with all of what Henry had told her. Maybe she’d find out the truth if she read all the letters.
‘Where’ve you been?’ Susannah asked her, as Emer propped her up in bed with a couple of pillows and placed the tray with a cup of tea and the pear on her lap.
‘I went walking.’
‘Well now, it must have been a long way.’
‘I called in and chatted with Peggy Steel, in the library,’ Emer lied, immediately feeling uncomfortable for doing so.
‘Well, I’m glad you’re getting out and about,’ Susannah said. Her humour was so much better since she’d allowed Emer to give her a small amount of pain relief in the afternoon to allow her to rest.
‘There’s a band playing at The Sand Bar tonight. I was thinking of going,’ Emer found herself telling Susannah. ‘But I shan’t if you need me.’
Susannah scrutinised her. ‘Of course you should go!’
‘I don’t even have anything good to wear,’ Emer said now, wishing she’d said nothing. Really, she would rather stay in and read those letters. ‘Maybe it’s not such a good idea. I don’t think I should leave you on your own.’
‘You certainly will!’ Susannah declared. ‘I was always such a loner and it did me no good. You need to meet some people your own age.’
‘I guess,’ Emer said, feeling nervous at the thought of seeing Henry again. But then, she wanted to ask him more about his life on the island.
‘Open up the wardrobe over there.’ Susannah’s order broke through her thoughts. ‘Look right in the back of it,’ she said.
The wardrobe was jammed with old shirts and coats. Emer pushed through them.
‘Can you see any dresses?’
Emer saw a glimmer of white, took hold of the hanger and pulled out a dress.
‘Oh. It’s beautiful.’
It was fifties-style. A neat bodice, and a wide skirt of white organza with gold flocking.
‘That was Kate’s dress,’ Susannah said, her voice heavy. ‘I remember the first time she wore it.’
‘I can’t wear your sister’s dress!’ Emer protested.
‘Yes, of course you can,’ Susannah persisted. ‘You’re the same size as her. Rebecca and Lynsey are both too big for Kate’s clothes.’
‘But it’s your sister’s.’
‘Exactly,’ Susannah said. ‘And that’s why you should wear it.’
The dress fit Emer like a glove. Susannah made her twirl in front of her, and to see Emer in her sister’s dress did seem to make the older woman happy. Again, Emer found her thoughts returning to what Henry had told her after their walk. To be in Kate’s dress made her feel even closer to her tragedy. Would the letters from Kate, which she was typing up for Susannah every day, reveal why her marriage had ended so fatally?
‘Well now, you’d think it was made for you,’ Susannah declared.
When she looked in the mirror, Emer was astonished by the transformation in how she looked. She never wore dresses. Her going-out outfit was usually jeans and a silky top. Easy and comfortable. She rarely wore make-up. But the dress required glamour, so she ran down to the store before it shut and bought some red lipstick, mascara and black liquid eyeliner to give herself an authentic fifties makeover.
Back upstairs in her room, Emer checked the time. She had just over an hour to read more of the letters. She slipped her hand inside the quilt and pulled them
