The Unburied Past Read Online Free

Penthwaite’s long-dead residents.
    â€˜I wonder if they allow brass rubbing,’ Emma mused. ‘Jan and I did a lot of that in our teens.’
    In the side aisles, sunbeams shining through stained glass lent colour to the marble cheeks of ancient squires and their ladies lying side by side, hands devoutly folded, and a board on one wall listed the names and dates of previous incumbents, the earliest dating from the sixteen hundreds.
    â€˜The tower is the oldest part of the building,’ Emma said, reading from the explanatory leaflet on a table by the door. ‘Most of the original wooden church was destroyed by fire in the fifteenth century.’
    Adam tugged at her skirt. ‘Want to go now,’ he whined, and his parents, their attention forced back to the present, reluctantly complied.
    Most days involved a visit to the shop, where, despite repeated requests not to, Mrs Birchall the postmistress plied the children with sweets.
    â€˜Annual fête’s on Saturday,’ she informed them early in the week. ‘Merry-go-round and brass band and all sorts. Folks come from miles around.’
    â€˜We saw the posters,’ Mark replied. ‘It should be fun; let’s hope the weather holds.’
    Towards the end of that first week they visited the nearby town of Hawkston, finding it odd to be back among traffic, large shops and busy pavements. That evening, when Mark came down from reading Adam’s bedtime story, he was surprised to see a bottle of wine on the table. Normally they drank only at weekends, and had not so far bent this rule during the holiday.
    â€˜Where did that come from?’ he asked.
    â€˜I bought it at the supermarket,’ Emma said offhandedly.
    â€˜Are we celebrating something?’
    â€˜Just being on holiday!’
    It wasn’t until the meal was over and they were relaxing on the sofa that she said suddenly, ‘As to the wine, there
was
a reason for it.’
    â€˜I thought there might be. Are you going to enlighten me?’
    She reached for his hand. ‘I bought it because it’s the last I’ll be able to have for a while.’ And, as he looked puzzled, she added with a smile, ‘I’m pregnant, Mark!’
    He drew in his breath, his hand tightening on hers. ‘
Really?
Are you sure?’
    â€˜I bought a testing kit in the pharmacy while you were getting the sun cream. I tried it before dinner and it’s positive.’
    â€˜Sweetheart, that’s wonderful! What date are we looking at?’
    â€˜Oh, it’s very early days. Not till the spring.’
    â€˜Will you tell the family?’
    â€˜I’d have preferred to wait a while, but I’d like Lynne and Harry to know before they leave.’
    Mark nodded. ‘And hopefully the prospect of another grandchild will help both sets of parents over the gap left by Charlotte and Claire.’
    The day of the fête dawned warm and sunny, and their al fresco breakfast was punctuated by bursts of music as the sound system was tested.
    â€˜Loud!’ Adam complained, covering his ears.
    â€˜Almost as loud as Daddy’s sweatshirt!’ Emma agreed with a laugh.
    â€˜Hey! Are you criticizing my attire?’
    â€˜Red, green and white stripes don’t really do it for me, I’m afraid.’
    â€˜Nor me, to be honest, but it’s the one Harry brought back from Mexico, and since I daren’t be seen in it at home, this is the first chance I’ve had to wear it.’
    Emma smiled and patted his hand. ‘Then make the most of it, darling! Just be careful not to frighten the horses! Now, we won’t need a packed lunch because Mrs Birchall assured me there’ll be all kinds of food at the fête and they’re sure to cater for children. And today, my love, you can content yourself with taking family photos, such as Adam’s first ride on a merry-go-round.’
    â€˜And you on the Big Dipper?’ Mark asked with