Opal Plumstead Read online

  ‘I understand,’ he said. ‘Though I’ll stick around just in case you ever change your mind.’

  We painted portraits of each other. I think he flattered me outrageously. My portrait of him was more exacting, catching the resolution in his face as well as his determined cheeriness.

  I painted Morgan too, of course. I did quick pencil sketches, I worked in smudgy charcoals, I painted miniature watercolours, I spent weeks on elaborate oil portraits. I had no photograph for a likeness but I felt I didn’t need one. All I had to do was close my eyes and I could see him now.

  By the end of my final year at art college his image wasn’t quite so clear. I could reproduce the portraits I’d already done, but when I strained for some new aspect, Morgan stayed vague and hazy in my mind’s eye.

  I was terrified he was fading away – though perhaps I secretly welcomed it. Sam and I and four of the other students planned to spend the summer in Cornwall, living off bread and cheese and beer, and painting all day long in the open air. I was looking forward to it tremendously. I knew what that summer might also entail. I was ready to start a proper relationship with Sam, but I felt so guilty, as if I were betraying Morgan.

  I went back home the day before we were due to leave. I visited Mother and Father. Mother tutted over my red blouse and turquoise skirt and purple stockings. Father patted me absentmindedly, almost as if he didn’t quite know who I was.

  I went to Hurst Road and spent several hours with Cassie and Daniel and little Danny and new baby Viola. Cassie was larger and more luscious than ever. Daniel and I discussed painting with fervour. I built bricks with Danny and cradled tiny Viola, wondering if I’d ever want children myself.

  Then I walked all the way to Fairy Glen house. The factory had never reopened and was now being pulled down. It had seemed so strange seeing the ripped open walls and crumbled brick.

  The nearer I got to the house, the more anxious I became, afraid it might be demolished too. The gates at the start of the long driveway were locked, but I was so determined that I hitched up my skirts and climbed right over. I fell heavily and grazed my knees. I was almost running by the time the house came into view.

  I peered in through the windows on the ground floor and saw white sheets over all the furniture. I wondered if Mrs Roberts had taken all the paintings up to Scotland with her.

  I went round the side of the house, and stared at the garden in horror. The ivy had almost taken over. There were still flowers in the borders, but weeds rioted everywhere, choking all the blooms. The stream still trickled in spite of vast tangles of waterweed. I followed it to the end of the garden. The little Japanese house was lurid green with moss. I sat on the cold seat and shut my eyes tight.

  I remembered the times I’d sat there with Morgan. I thought of him now in some dreadful muddy grave in France.

  ‘I’ll try to believe in ghosts, Morgan,’ I whispered. ‘Come to me now. Haunt me for ever. Please. I’m waiting. I still love you so.’

  I waited for hours, but all I heard was the whisper of the leaves, all I saw was the ivy-strewn wreck of the garden.

  About the Author

  Jacqueline Wilson is one of Britain’s bestselling authors, with more than 35 million books sold in the UK alone. She has been honoured with many prizes for her work, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award and the Children’s Book of the Year.

  Jacqueline is a former Children’s Laureate, a professor of children’s literature, and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame for services to children’s literacy.

  Visit Jacqueline’s fantastic website at jacquelinewilson.co.uk

  ALSO AVAILABLE BY JACQUELINE WILSON

  Published in Corgi Pups, for beginner readers:

  THE DINOSAUR’S PACKED LUNCH

  THE MONSTER STORY-TELLER

  Published in Young Corgi, for newly confident readers:

  LIZZIE ZIPMOUTH

  SLEEPOVERS

  Available from Doubleday/Corgi Yearling Books:

  BAD GIRLS

  THE BED AND BREAKFAST STAR

  BEST FRIENDS

  BIG DAY OUT

  BURIED ALIVE!

  CANDYFLOSS

  THE CAT MUMMY

  CLEAN BREAK

  CLIFFHANGER

  COOKIE

  THE DARE GAME

  DIAMOND

  THE DIAMOND GIRLS

  DOUBLE ACT

  DOUBLE ACT (PLAY EDITION)

  EMERALD STAR

  GLUBBSLYME

  HETTY FEATHER

  THE ILLUSTRATED MUM

  JACKY DAYDREAM

  LILY ALONE

  LITTLE DARLINGS

  THE LONGEST WHALE SONG

  THE LOTTIE PROJECT

  MIDNIGHT

  THE MUM-MINDER

  MY SECRET DIARY

  MY SISTER JODIE

  OPAL PLUMSTEAD

  PAWS AND WHISKERS

  QUEENIE

  SAPPHIRE BATTERSEA

  SECRETS

  STARRING TRACY BEAKER

  THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER

  THE SUITCASE KID

  VICKY ANGEL

  THE WORRY WEBSITE

  THE WORST THING ABOUT

  MY SISTER

  Collections:

  JACQUELINE WILSON’S FUNNY GIRLS

  includes THE STORY OF TRACY BEAKER and

  THE BED AND BREAKFAST STAR

  JACQUELINE WILSON’S DOUBLE-DECKER

  includes BAD GIRLS and DOUBLE ACT

  JACQUELINE WILSON’S SUPERSTARS

  includes THE SUITCASE KID and THE LOTTIE PROJECT

  JACQUELINE WILSON’S BISCUIT BARREL

  includes CLIFFHANGER and BURIED ALIVE!

  Available from Doubleday/Corgi Books, for older readers:

  DUSTBIN BABY

  GIRLS IN LOVE

  GIRLS UNDER PRESSURE

  GIRLS OUT LATE

  GIRLS IN TEARS

  KISS

  LOLA ROSE

  LOVE LESSONS

  Join the Jacqueline Wilson fan club at

  www.jacquelinewilson.co.uk

  OPAL PLUMSTEAD

  AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 446 47983 4

  Published in Great Britain by RHCP Digital,

  an imprint of Random House Children’s Publishers UK

  A Penguin Random House Company

  This ebook edition published 2014

  Text copyright © Jacqueline Wilson,2014

  Illustrations copyright © Nick Sharratt, 2014

  First Published in Great Britain by Doubleday, 2014

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

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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