Water Like a Stone Read Online Free PDF Page A

truthfully—but she noticed he still hadn’t made direct eye contact with Lally.
    She shifted her attention back to Rosemary, who was saying,“…we’d planned to go to midnight mass after dinner at Juliet’s, if that’s all right with you, Gemma. It’s a bit of a tradition in our family.”
    “I know,” said Gemma. “Duncan told me. We meant to go last Christmas, but things…intervened.” It had been work, of course, that had interrupted their Christmas Eve, and matters had gone steadily downhill from there.
    A shadow crossed Rosemary’s face. “Gemma, dear, I’ve never had a chance to tell you in person—”
    “I know. It’s all right.” Gemma made the response that had gradually become easier, and that realization gave her an unexpected sense of loss. Her grief had given her something to hold on to, an almost tangible connection with the child she had lost, but now even that was slipping away from her.
    Casting about for a change of subject, she asked, “Do you always have your Christmas Eve dinner at Juliet’s?” Her own family usually went to her sister’s, although Gemma considered an evening with Cyn’s overexcited, sugar-fueled children more an ordeal than a celebration.
    “Yes, she’s insisted, ever since the children were small.” Rosemary gave a worried glance at the large clock over the Rayburn. “I can’t think why she would have stayed so late at the building site on her own, and today of all days. And what could she possibly have foun—” She stopped, her eyes straying to the children, then said instead, “Do you think they’ll be long?”
    Gemma hesitated over the truth. If Juliet had in fact found a body, missing Christmas Eve dinner might be the least of her worries. “I really can’t say. Is there anything we could do to help, in the meantime?”
    “No. It’s just ham and salads, and those Juliet will have made ahead. Nor would Caspar thank me for messing about in his kitchen uninvited,” she added with a grimace. “Although he’s happy enoughto help himself to my punch—” This time it was her granddaughter’s quick glance that silenced her. “Let’s give it a bit,” she amended. “Surely we’ll hear from them soon.”
    The younger boys having divided the last scone between them, Sam stacked his plate and cup and pushed away from the table. “Nana, may we be excused? Can I show Toby and Kit the ponies?”
    “You won’t be able to see a thing,” answered Rosemary, but Sam had his argument ready. “We’ll take torches, and Jack will find the ponies. May we, please?”
    Toby was already bouncing in his seat with excitement, and Kit looked interested. “Mummy, you’ll come, too, won’t you?” asked Toby, pulling at Gemma’s hand.
    “Yes, if Grandma Rosemary says its all right,” she answered, and found she had used Toby’s form of address for Kincaid’s mother quite naturally.
    After another quick look at the clock, Rosemary gave in gracefully. “All right, then. But bundle up, and be sure to put the other dogs on leads. You don’t want them taking off across country in a strange place.”
    “I should stay and help you,” protested Gemma, but Rosemary shook her head.
    “Go with the children. This washing up won’t take but a minute, and Hugh will help with the table. Won’t you, dear?” She raised an eyebrow at her husband, and the gesture reminded Gemma of Duncan.
    “Now you see how I suffer for my sins,” Hugh said with a grin, beginning to clear the table. Trying to imagine her dad doing the same, Gemma shook her head. In her family, even though her mother worked like a demon in the bakery all day, her father expected to be waited on at tea.
    When Gemma and the boys had put on their coats and collected the dogs, she saw that Lally, who had slipped away up the stairs, had returned dressed for the outdoors as well.
    The old scullery off the kitchen was now used as a boot room, and Hugh suggested they trade their shoes for pairs of the