The Liar Next Door by Nicola Marsh

Sixty-Seven

Celeste

The cover of darkness is perfect when we arrive at the cottage. Not that anybody’s around. I found this place, not much bigger than a studio apartment really, when I first followed Francesca here after she left Roland.

I wanted to make sure their separation wasn’t a ruse, that I had a real shot with him again. But I guess the joke was on me when she didn’t stay here long. I think her parents had moved or they were estranged, because when Francesca returned to Gledhill she stayed in a B&B in the heart of town. She did a lot of walking, mostly along the promenade in town and she spent the afternoons sitting on a bench near a path leading to the beach, staring at the ocean.

I half expected her to have second thoughts, to crawl back to Roland begging for another chance. I’d been worried when she left Gledhill and returned to the beach house in New Haven, but they had zero contact before she headed to Manhattan. I’d never known relief like it.

My cottage is the last one on a dead-end street. The housing in this estate, about fifteen minutes from town, all looks alike, short-term rentals for people who want to get away from it all and can’t afford the exorbitant Hamptons’ prices. I know the three cottages nearest to mine are empty. The realtor had pointed out nobody liked to be stuck down the end of a road that led nowhere.

Nobody except me.

I need the privacy. Long enough to decide what to do.

I’ve come here to visit Roland, so Violette can see her father. Luna too.

Though I’ll have to tread carefully with Luna. I can’t tell her the truth—that Roland is her biological father too—until she’s really bonded with Violette and accepts her as her sister. I don’t want to terrify the poor girl.

The girls don’t stir as I park the car around the back and unlock the back door. I carry each of them inside and lay them on top of the covers in matching beds. Pink, with fairies dotted over the white pillowcases and the blankets I carefully place over them. After switching on a night light, I close the door but not fully shut. I don’t want either of them waking in the middle of the night and being scared.

Once I’ve unloaded all the bags from the trunk, my arms are aching and I’m unsteady on my feet. Must be the adrenaline wearing off.

I can’t believe I’m here.

And tomorrow morning, we’ll be seeing Roland.

Initially, I’d hated that Francesca didn’t know him as well as me and had no idea of his second middle name—Walter Charles Roland White, such a majestic name—but it’s become invaluable in the ruse I’ve perpetuated. She has no idea my Roland was once her Walter.

I just wish I’d had more time to prepare Luna to be absorbed into our family, but once I heard Frankie had gone to the beach house looking for him I couldn’t take the risk of sticking around.

I had to escape.

Once I see Roland tomorrow, I’ll know what to do. I’m in a precarious position. Kidnapping charges can be laid, but technically I took the girls on a trip to see their father. I can lie and say I had every intention of returning. That this whole thing is one giant mix-up. Besides, when the truth comes out, Frankie will be the one who looks bad for lying to everyone, especially her husband and daughter.

At least, that’s what I hope. All I want is to bring our family together. We can’t stay here, and once I get some clarity after seeing Roland I’ll know where to take our newly formed family.

I’ve never had a proper family and it’s all I’ve ever wanted. A mom, a dad, and kids sitting around a dinner table, sharing anecdotes from our day, passing the beans and mashed potato, basking in the warmth of security.

That’s Roland’s only flaw. He never understood how much I craved to belong. Even though he didn’t ask me to marry him or move in, I know once I present him with his other daughter and he sees how close Vi and Luna are, he’ll have no option but to ask us to become a family.

When he’d flung the horrible truth at me the last time we met, using it as a weapon to drive me away, I’d been furious. I’d overreacted. But when the enormity of Vi having a sibling sunk in, I saw the positive side, even if it meant I had to play nice with Frankie so I could have the family I’ve always wanted.

I’ve never met a more self-absorbed, shallow person in all my life. All she cares about is her precious bloody image online, creating the perfect persona. How would her followers feel if they knew the truth? That she cheated on her husband and lied to him about the paternity of their daughter?

I’ve resented her for so much over the years. For stealing Roland from me, for using him then dumping him, for hurting him, for ruining my life. Now she’ll feel what it’s like to lose a person she loves, to have her world ripped apart.

Luna is my only concern in all of this. I love Vi with all my heart so as a doting mother I know Luna is going to miss Frankie. I can only dress up this situation as a grand adventure for so long before she starts pining for her parents. I’m hoping Roland will help with that too.

I know him. He’ll think I’m crazy, that I need to return Luna immediately. But I know my Roland better than he knows himself. He may be upstanding and law-abiding, but once I explain the situation and accentuate the dream of us being a family, he’ll come around.

All I’ve ever wanted is to give Vi the sibling she wants so badly. That’s what this entire escapade has been about. It’s what had driven the final confrontation with Roland. When I’d begged him to have another child with me, for Vi’s sake.

Our argument had been ferocious. I’d never seen him lose his temper like that, and when he’d flung in my face that he’d never have another child with me because he already had another daughter with his ex-wife, I’d lost it too.

Because of his precious bloody Frankie, Vi wouldn’t get the sister she deserved.

Until I realized she could.

She already had a sister.

Luna.

And bringing the girls together has been my number one objective since.

One of the girls cries out in her sleep and I hope it’s not Luna as I tiptoe toward their bedroom, determined not to wake them. It will be hard enough facing their relentless questions in the morning.

I peek through the gap in the doorway and sigh in relief when I see they’re both still sleeping, though Luna is tossing a little. I want to rush in there, to soothe her, to reassure her that everything will be okay.

It has to be.