4 Death at the Happiness Club Read Online Free
Author: Cecilia Peartree
night we slept in it I got scared and we had to go into the house instead?'
Recollections of a boringly normal childhood. Christopher didn't actually remember that particular incident, but he smiled and nodded. Already he had the familiar urge to placate Caroline. He must try and fight it. Amaryllis wouldn't approve. Although there wouldn't be any point in trying to placate Amaryllis by trying not to placate Caroline, would there?
Memories of a much worse kind were starting to flood back into his head. He had to fight these, at least. They certainly wouldn't be helpful if he were building bridges or mending fences with his sister.
Still clutching at his arms, she stared earnestly up into his face.
'Are you sure you remember it? You're not just saying that, are you? It's just that the therapist said I sometimes don't remember things properly. He thinks I sometimes make things up - to fill in the gaps.'
'Like a cd player,' Christopher suggested.
It took five minutes to explain that throwaway phrase. He resolved not to say anything else that could in any way be misinterpreted. He must remember that after all the drugs and different types of therapy Caroline wasn't quite the same person as she had been. He sincerely hoped not, anyway.
'How are Faisal and Marina?' he asked, gently detaching her hands and leaning down to pick up his backpack.
'They're fine!' said Caroline. A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. 'Why shouldn't they be?'
'No reason,' Christopher assured her. 'I was just asking. Has Faisal decided what to do with himself? When he leaves school?'
'He wants to be an archaeologist,' said Caroline proudly. She fell into step beside him as they left the station. 'Which way are we going?'
'I thought we'd head straight down to the coastal path and get on with it,' said Christopher. 'Have you brought everything you need?'
He eyed the large beach bag with the giant sunflower stuck on the side. It didn't look like serious walking gear - unlike his own colossal backpack, which held a tent, two sleeping bags and assorted equipment which he suspected would start to weigh more heavily as he walked along.
'I don't need anything much,' said Caroline vaguely, swinging the bag as she walked.
He wasn't sure if she was wearing the right clothes either, but he knew better than to make any comment. He just hoped she had a folding mac in the bag for when the torrential downpours started. It was bright enough at the moment but it was only a matter of time before traditional Scottish summer weather set in. But of course they could always give up if they couldn't stand it any longer.
'I really want to do this,' said Caroline, out of sync with his thoughts as always. 'The therapist says it's going to do me a lot of good planning a project and carrying it through to the end.'
Ha! Christopher knew who had planned this project, and it wasn't his sister. He had the maps of Fife and the details of every campsite from here to St Andrews in his pocket to prove it.
'So where are the kids?' he said, to take his mind of this unproductive train of thought.
'Oh, they've gone away on a narrow-boat with some friends. In the south,' she added, waving a hand in the direction of the Forth Bridge.
'That's interesting,' said Christopher. 'What canal are they on?'
'Oh, you know me, I can't take in details,' said Caroline. She looked up at him as they walked down towards North Queensferry harbour. 'How are you anyway, Christopher? You never talk about yourself. The therapist says I should make you open out a bit more. Find out what you're really thinking.'
Heaven forbid, thought Christopher, and became even more determined to keep his mind a closed book. He couldn't think of anything worse than people rampaging around in his mind as if it were a library or a supermarket. It would probably never be the same again.
'I'm fine,' he said.
'You do want to come on this trip with me, don't you?'
'It's fine. I mean, I've always wanted to walk the
Recollections of a boringly normal childhood. Christopher didn't actually remember that particular incident, but he smiled and nodded. Already he had the familiar urge to placate Caroline. He must try and fight it. Amaryllis wouldn't approve. Although there wouldn't be any point in trying to placate Amaryllis by trying not to placate Caroline, would there?
Memories of a much worse kind were starting to flood back into his head. He had to fight these, at least. They certainly wouldn't be helpful if he were building bridges or mending fences with his sister.
Still clutching at his arms, she stared earnestly up into his face.
'Are you sure you remember it? You're not just saying that, are you? It's just that the therapist said I sometimes don't remember things properly. He thinks I sometimes make things up - to fill in the gaps.'
'Like a cd player,' Christopher suggested.
It took five minutes to explain that throwaway phrase. He resolved not to say anything else that could in any way be misinterpreted. He must remember that after all the drugs and different types of therapy Caroline wasn't quite the same person as she had been. He sincerely hoped not, anyway.
'How are Faisal and Marina?' he asked, gently detaching her hands and leaning down to pick up his backpack.
'They're fine!' said Caroline. A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. 'Why shouldn't they be?'
'No reason,' Christopher assured her. 'I was just asking. Has Faisal decided what to do with himself? When he leaves school?'
'He wants to be an archaeologist,' said Caroline proudly. She fell into step beside him as they left the station. 'Which way are we going?'
'I thought we'd head straight down to the coastal path and get on with it,' said Christopher. 'Have you brought everything you need?'
He eyed the large beach bag with the giant sunflower stuck on the side. It didn't look like serious walking gear - unlike his own colossal backpack, which held a tent, two sleeping bags and assorted equipment which he suspected would start to weigh more heavily as he walked along.
'I don't need anything much,' said Caroline vaguely, swinging the bag as she walked.
He wasn't sure if she was wearing the right clothes either, but he knew better than to make any comment. He just hoped she had a folding mac in the bag for when the torrential downpours started. It was bright enough at the moment but it was only a matter of time before traditional Scottish summer weather set in. But of course they could always give up if they couldn't stand it any longer.
'I really want to do this,' said Caroline, out of sync with his thoughts as always. 'The therapist says it's going to do me a lot of good planning a project and carrying it through to the end.'
Ha! Christopher knew who had planned this project, and it wasn't his sister. He had the maps of Fife and the details of every campsite from here to St Andrews in his pocket to prove it.
'So where are the kids?' he said, to take his mind of this unproductive train of thought.
'Oh, they've gone away on a narrow-boat with some friends. In the south,' she added, waving a hand in the direction of the Forth Bridge.
'That's interesting,' said Christopher. 'What canal are they on?'
'Oh, you know me, I can't take in details,' said Caroline. She looked up at him as they walked down towards North Queensferry harbour. 'How are you anyway, Christopher? You never talk about yourself. The therapist says I should make you open out a bit more. Find out what you're really thinking.'
Heaven forbid, thought Christopher, and became even more determined to keep his mind a closed book. He couldn't think of anything worse than people rampaging around in his mind as if it were a library or a supermarket. It would probably never be the same again.
'I'm fine,' he said.
'You do want to come on this trip with me, don't you?'
'It's fine. I mean, I've always wanted to walk the
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