Opal Plumstead
Page 36
‘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.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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