Loose Connections (16 page)

‘She was out riding and the pony bolted,’ repeated Jake, softly. And then, more loudly. ‘What was the pony like?’

‘
What
? How do I know what the pony was like, for goodness’ sake?’

Jake shook his head, trying to free it of the image of the gentle black pony which had nudged at his pocket. What had scared it so much that it had bolted? He came back down to earth and
realised that Mum was staring at him.

He cleared his throat. ‘How old was she when she was killed?’ he asked.

‘Fourteen, I think.’

‘Gran must have been very sad.’

Mum nodded. ‘I think it affected her really badly. There’s always such a strong bond between twins.’

A strong bond? Strong enough to break through barriers of time?

Mum was still speaking. ‘Gran hardly ever mentioned her, though. I guess they were that close, she couldn’t bear to think about it.’

Poor Gran. Her other half.

‘We’ll be together again soon.’

There was that voice, the voice in his head. But he knew whose voice it was now.

Jake looked at the floor. Time was running out for Gran. Verity was right. She and Gran would be together again soon.

The baby started to cry in earnest and Jake looked up again. Something about the fury of that cry made him laugh. ‘She sounds really cross!’

Mum smiled, and picked her up. ‘I expect she’s hungry.’

Jake watched as the baby sucked strongly.

‘Lucinda Verity,’ he said, trying out the name.

Dad went and stood behind Mum. He planted a kiss on the baby’s head as Mum gently unlatched her, held her over one shoulder and stroked her back until she burped.

‘Of course, everyone will call her Lucy,’ said Dad.

‘I won’t call her Lucy,’ said Jake.
She’ll always be Verity to me.

And then, again, the voice in his head, so quiet he could hardly hear it.

‘Remember us, Jake. Remember us both.’

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Loose Connections
copyright © Rosemary Hayes 2012
The right of Rosemary Hayes to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (United Kingdom).

First published in Great Britain and in the USA in 2012 by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 4 Torriano Mews, Torriano Avenue, London NW5 2RZ
www.franceslincoln.com

This eBook edition first published in 2012

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron
House, 6-10 Kirkby Street, London EC1N 8TS.

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

eBook conversion by CPI Group

ISBN 978 1 781011 00 3