59. Some months later
SOME MONTHS LATER
The morning’s frost was only just beginning to thaw but, for now, it sat on top of the rectangular stretch of grass like crisp filigree lace.
Ursula was tempted to walk across it, to leave her footprints, albeit temporarily, on the unblemished white expanse.
But that would have spoiled the loveliness of it, this place that was like a village green in the middle of the city.
If you attuned your ears in the right way, it was possible to hear the distant hum of traffic coming from the main road.
Directly opposite where she was standing, on the far side of the grass, she could see the back of two large houses, one of which she’d come to know quite well.
It was where Rufus was living when she’d first met him.
Houses faced the green on the three remaining sides.
Clyde lived in one of them. It was him that told her about this place.
He’d introduced her to Rufus too, in a roundabout way.
Anton’s house and its contents had been sold.
She’d left it all to the estate agent and solicitor to manage, preferring to spend autumn, Christmas, and the new year in Bala.
Andi had been determined to get rid of all trace of Pablo and they’d repainted every room, starting with Ursula’s bedroom.
With everybody helping, they’d finished just in time for Christmas, and just in time for Ursula to make a new dress for the occasion, to replace the one Esme had ruined.
In December, Zak’s girlfriend gave birth to a beautiful baby boy; Andi was a grandmother now, and Don was helping her make plans that would keep Am-nawr afloat.
Ursula had been sad to leave Am-nawr but she had her own plans to look forward to.
Her new life had started months ago, but today was definitely the newest of all new beginnings.
She turned around to face a terrace house, cosy but with enough room for friends and family to stay, and for a sewing room of her own, if she wanted one.
The estate agent’s board was still in the small front garden, but the ‘for sale’ sign had been flipped over to ‘sold’.
‘What do you think, Rufus, will we be happy here?’
The bundle of grey-black fur at her side sniffed at the gate post. He was still a baby but he was going to be big when he was fully grown because he was Colonel’s grandson.
His mother, one of Colonel’s daughters, lived over in that big house that backed onto the green, and his father was some kind of wolfhound lurcher.
Rufus cocked a leg, sprayed the post and almost fell over as he did so.
He was still learning his trade when it came to big-boy peeing.
He recovered himself, nudged the gate open and gave her a look that seemed to be saying: ‘Well, obviously.’
Ursula laughed. ‘I think so too.’