Black Valley (40 page)

Both the policemen got into the front of the car, one in the driving seat, one in the passenger seat. Bonetti got into the back, next to Elinor. Jess watched as the car pulled out into the road
and drove away.

She stood there for a long time. The tree outside the window began to rustle in the wind, its branches casting a play of light over the walls of the room.

She turned and walked away from the window. She went over to the hat stand, picked up her bag, and slung her jacket over it. Just before she left, she looked around her.

She didn’t want to be here in her consulting rooms any more. She didn’t want to see the couch by the window, or the chair positioned behind it, or the two armchairs by the fireplace,
either side of the low coffee table. Or the white relief on the wall, the circle sitting quietly among the squares, or the small pot on the mantelpiece. Or her desk, or her books, or her
papers.

Or any of it, ever again.

All she wanted was to be outside, walking in the sun, with her daughters.

Also by Charlotte Williams

The House on the Cliff

I would like to thank Margaret Halton for her help, support, and guidance in getting this book into print. I am also extremely grateful to my editor Trisha Jackson for her skill
and patience throughout the process. Thanks also to Katie James, Natasha Harding, and all at Macmillan who have worked on the book. And to my husband John Williams, as ever, for his continued
support in every way.

First published 2014 by Macmillan

This electronic edition published 2014 by Macmillan
an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Basingstoke and Oxford
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com

ISBN 978-1-4472-5548-2

Copyright © Charlotte Williams 2014

Jacket design ©
www.blacksheep-uk.com
Jacket photography © SuperStock

The right of Charlotte Williams to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

The extracts from ‘The Twin in the Transference’ by Vivienne Lewin, first published by Whurr Books, London, 2004, are reproduced with kind permission.

Every attempt has been made to contact copyright holders of material reproduced in this book. If any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to make
restitution at the earliest opportunity.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital,
optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be
liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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