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Love and Lies at the Village Christmas Shop Page 22


  I stroll over to the large pond at the end of the garden and lean over, looking at my reflection in the water. Maybe I can earn strong, single-woman, pie-baking, yummy-mummy status here – wouldn’t that be nice?

  ‘Can I unlock the door?’ Frankie asks excitedly.

  ‘Carefully,’ I tell him, handing him the keys from my bag. ‘I’ll be right behind you.’

  Inside my bag, in the hidden pocket usually reserved for ‘women’s things’ and the rape alarm I always felt an uneasy need to keep on me at all times in central London, the corner of a postcard pokes out. I quickly push it back inside and zip it up. I’ll worry about that later.

  Frankie flies off towards the front door excitedly as I try to keep up with him in my heels. I’m just walking around the corner when I hear his voice.

  ‘Er…Mum,’ he shouts, and I don’t like the sound of it at all.

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