If a marriage is based on secrets and lies - can love survive?
Doctor Tristan Ainsworth has returned to his beloved Cornwall with his family. The past has taught him some hard lessons, some of which he's keeping to himself, but he's hoping to put it all behind him and make a fresh start with his wife Karen. He longs to see her happy, as she's been struggling with her mental health.
However, Karen Ainsworth isn't telling Tristan the whole story, because she has a past that she'd rather leave behind her too. Apart from her family, Karen's big passion is singing and a chance to use her extraordinary voice would mean the world to her, so why shouldn't she take it? Surely her past can't hurt her now?
As a tide of blackmail and betrayal threatens the foundations of their marriage, Karen and Tristan face a hard question. Is their love strong enough to face the truth when the truth might cost them everything.
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Tristan
picked up his son and pulled his tongue out at him. Sebastian’s solemn little
face lit up and he returned the gesture, pointing a finger at his father’s
mouth as if to say ‘do it again, Daddy’.
‘I do understand, Karen, it’s just that you
seemed a lot better a few weeks ago. You even came off the medication … but now
you’ve gone back to where you were a few months ago. And I don’t really understand
why. I mean, what’s happened to set you back?’
Karen
pushed her honey-blonde hair out of her eyes and lifted their daughter Bella
from her highchair. ‘There doesn’t have to be anything in particular, it just
happens,’ she snapped, balancing Bella on her hip and busying herself
collecting the breakfast dishes.
Tristan noticed that she avoided looking at
him. She always did this when she felt unsure. Perhaps she wasn’t telling him
what was really on her mind. He knew better than to push it though and he was
late for surgery. He walked over to her and Sebastian, put his tongue out at
Bella and then the children started to pull at each other’s curly chestnut
hair. ‘There normally is a trigger, sweetheart,’ Tristan said softly and
stroked her cheek. ‘But if you don’t want to say, then let’s just leave it.’
Karen moved her head away impatiently and
set Bella down. ‘Yes, let’s just leave it. You go to work and leave me to get
on. The only thing that would help is for us to go back to Swindon, but that won’t
be happening will it? No, as long as Doctor Ainsworth is happy, that’s all that
matters.’
That
last comment had really hurt. Everything he ever did, he did for her and the
children. And it wasn’t like Karen to be quite so nasty. Yes, she was always on
edge lately, and often snapping at him, but that comment had been the worst
yet. If being in St Kevel was damaging her that much, perhaps it was time to
throw in the towel and go back to the city.
Tristan turned into a narrow street and the
welcome shade. The surgery was only a few yards away so he needed to get his
orderly head on, as he called his professional persona. Then a picture of
Karen’s anguished eyes surfaced in his mind. Perhaps he was as selfish as she’d
indicated, ploughing ahead regardless, imagining he knew what was best for all
of them. His past had taught him some hard lessons – never give up and never
rely on others. But was this both a strength and a weakness?
Author Bio
Amanda
James has written since she was a child, and as an eight-year-old, she asked
her parents for a typewriter for Christmas. She never imagined her words would
ever be published however. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream
of becoming a writer came true when she had her first short story published for
a Born Free anthology. She left teaching in 2013 to pursue her dream full-time.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandajames61
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