Whispers by Rosie Goodwin

approvingly, and Jess smiled at him, proud of the patience he showed to the girl. Laura looked pleased too as she grinned at her lovely daughter.
    They had gone some way when Laura suddenly pointed. ‘There’s the stone bridge ahead – look. Or should I say what’s left of it.’
    Jess quickened her pace until she came to the remains of the bridge. The top of it had gone, tumbled into the river many years ago, but it was clear to see how it might once have looked. It had been built in three rough stone arches, the footings of which still stood above the waterline.
    ‘It must have been a very pretty bridge at one time,’ Jess said musingly.
    ‘It probably was in the summer when the waterline was low, but from what I’ve researched, it was pretty treacherous in the winter,’ Laura told her. ‘This whole area is prone to flooding, and more than a few people were swept to their death from that bridge.’ She flinched and took an involuntary step back, as if someone had trodden on her grave.
    ‘Are you all right?’ Jess noted how pale her friend had gone.
    ‘I, err . . . yes, I’m fine. Now how about we go for a wander over the Weddington fields? It’s too hot to stand about.’ Without waiting for an answer, Laura strode off, as Simon and Jess exchanged a puzzled glance. But then they set off after her, and for the rest of the afternoon they thought no more about it.
    It was shortly before tea-time when they arrived back in the courtyard of Stonebridge House pleasantly tired from their outing.
    ‘Christ, it would have been easier to go to work,’ Simon complained as he sank onto the bench. ‘I reckon you lot have nearly walked my legs off. We must have covered miles .’
    ‘Oh, stop moaning. Exercise is good for you,’ Jess giggled. ‘Now sit there while I go and get us all a nice cool drink.’
    ‘Not for me thanks,’ Laura said a little too quickly. ‘I’m going to have to shoot off to get Den’s meal ready. He should be in from work soon, but thanks for a pleasant afternoon.’ With that she snatched Beth’s hand and dragged her towards the drive.
    Jess stepped into the kitchen just in time to see someone pass the door that led into the hallway.
    ‘Is that you, Mel?’ she called out, but a quick inspection of the hall showed no one in sight and the only sound was that of the loud music wafting down the stairs from Mel’s bedroom. Sighing, she headed for the fridge to get the lemonade out, thinking that she must have imagined it.

Chapter Six
    It was three weeks later before Jess ventured into the attics again. She was going into Nuneaton that afternoon and had decided to take the three sketches she had found with her. There was an art shop in Abbey Street where she could get them reframed, and then she intended to hang them in their bedroom.
    Once again she climbed the bare wooden staircase to the small room where she had found the other sketch and stood there in the doorway as her eyes adjusted to the gloomy light. The smell of roses still hung heavy on the air, which she found quite strange as the window was shut tight. She lifted the sketch from the wall, keen to get out of there for no reason that she could explain, and she didn’t look round again until she was out on the landing with the door firmly closed behind her. She was shocked to discover that her heart was pounding fifteen to the dozen. I reckon I’ve been listening to Laura too much , she thought to herself.
    It was then that her curiosity got the better of her. She hadn’t been back into the big attic room and now that she was up here it seemed silly not to take a peek. Propping the picture up against the wall, she quickly headed for the big room, opened the door and put the light on. She was shocked at the size of the place and the amount of stuff that was stored up there. She hadn’t realised on her first inspection just how much there was. Cobwebs hung in great festoons from the ceiling and she thought she heard something