It’s on at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute. Starts next
Friday. I’ve got a few photos in.’
‘Oh, right, thanks,’ I said. ‘Good for you.’
‘You haven’t seen them yet.’
‘No, I haven’t. I meant good for you getting work into an exhibition.’
Ben glanced at the leaflet in my hand. ‘No obligation but you could see what I do. It’s on for a few weeks. If you’re interested.’
Effy appeared down the pavement and when Ben saw her, he began to move on. ‘OK, bye then,’ he said.
‘What was that all about?’ asked Effy when she joined me.
I glanced after Ben. ‘Not sure. He’s weird, sort of intense. He’s invited us to a photo exhibition.’
‘Us or you?’ asked Effy.
‘Anyone I think. I don’t know. He’s hard to read. Says he remembers me from junior school. I felt bad I didn’t remember him.’
Effy looked down the street at Ben walking away. ‘Nice dog though.’
‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Nice dog, shame about the owner.’
Effy thrust the near-death experiences book into my hand. ‘In the meantime, this should keep you busy.’
‘Thanks,’ I said. As we went back into the agency to join Effy’s mum, Ben’s face flashed through my mind. The way he looked at me. Interested, but guarded, like he
didn’t want to give anything away. I made myself think back to junior school. A boy called Ben Fraser. Nope. I couldn’t recall him.
Chapter Fourteen
‘So who’s this Howard then?’ asked Mum when I got home later that evening.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
Mum pointed to the answering machine in the hall. ‘There’s a message for you on there from Tash. She sounded very excited, said they’ve found Howard. Is he some new boy
you’ve got your eye on?’
‘No. Nothing like that.’
‘So who is he?’
Hmm. How to explain? Oh Howard, yeah, he’s a corpse, as in six foot under. Not what you want to hear about your daughter’s latest crush. ‘I’ll tell you later, Mum. Let me
phone Tash.’
I took the phone from the hall and went into our front room to call her. I didn’t want Mum listening in and then giving me the third degree.
‘Jo, you got my message?’ said Tash when she picked up.
‘Yes. What have you found?’
‘Dave’s uncle’s been on the case again. It’s amazing. You’re not going to believe it.’
‘Just tell me Tash.’
‘Oh, right. Yeah. So, Dave was looking into the census records and he found Henrietta and where she lived! Hold on, I’ve got it written down. Halville House, Trafalgar Road, London.
The record said she was governess in the household of a Dr Edward Watts, that he was head of the house, and also there on the night that the census was taken were his wife Lydia Watts and their two
boys, wait for it, Howard and Daniel and Lydia’s mother, Violet Emery.’
‘No way. Oh my God.’ I was shocked. I had never really imagined that they had all actually existed. And here was proof not just of Henrietta, but a whole family. My rational
mind soon kicked in. ‘Might not mean anything. As I’ve said all along, they might have been relatives of Betty’s and she was using their names.’
‘Killjoy,’ said Tash. ‘Come on, Jo. You have to admit this is interesting at least. Anyway, that’s not all. Apparently Dave’s been able to dig even further and
he’s found out that Dr Watts was married, and Daniel and Howard were christened, at St George’s church in Highgate–’
‘St George’s? I know exactly where that is. It’s just a bit further down from the square.’
‘I know. Amazing, isn’t it? We’re going to look up Trafalgar Road too in a moment. Imagine if we can find Halville House. You might remember it. And we can go to the church
too. Henrietta could have gone to Daniel’s christening. Have you ever been inside?’
‘No. Never.’
‘So you’ll come with us?’
Despite all my doubts, I couldn’t help but feel a shiver of the excitement that Tash was clearly feeling. ‘Yeah.
Friday. I’ve got a few photos in.’
‘Oh, right, thanks,’ I said. ‘Good for you.’
‘You haven’t seen them yet.’
‘No, I haven’t. I meant good for you getting work into an exhibition.’
Ben glanced at the leaflet in my hand. ‘No obligation but you could see what I do. It’s on for a few weeks. If you’re interested.’
Effy appeared down the pavement and when Ben saw her, he began to move on. ‘OK, bye then,’ he said.
‘What was that all about?’ asked Effy when she joined me.
I glanced after Ben. ‘Not sure. He’s weird, sort of intense. He’s invited us to a photo exhibition.’
‘Us or you?’ asked Effy.
‘Anyone I think. I don’t know. He’s hard to read. Says he remembers me from junior school. I felt bad I didn’t remember him.’
Effy looked down the street at Ben walking away. ‘Nice dog though.’
‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Nice dog, shame about the owner.’
Effy thrust the near-death experiences book into my hand. ‘In the meantime, this should keep you busy.’
‘Thanks,’ I said. As we went back into the agency to join Effy’s mum, Ben’s face flashed through my mind. The way he looked at me. Interested, but guarded, like he
didn’t want to give anything away. I made myself think back to junior school. A boy called Ben Fraser. Nope. I couldn’t recall him.
Chapter Fourteen
‘So who’s this Howard then?’ asked Mum when I got home later that evening.
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
Mum pointed to the answering machine in the hall. ‘There’s a message for you on there from Tash. She sounded very excited, said they’ve found Howard. Is he some new boy
you’ve got your eye on?’
‘No. Nothing like that.’
‘So who is he?’
Hmm. How to explain? Oh Howard, yeah, he’s a corpse, as in six foot under. Not what you want to hear about your daughter’s latest crush. ‘I’ll tell you later, Mum. Let me
phone Tash.’
I took the phone from the hall and went into our front room to call her. I didn’t want Mum listening in and then giving me the third degree.
‘Jo, you got my message?’ said Tash when she picked up.
‘Yes. What have you found?’
‘Dave’s uncle’s been on the case again. It’s amazing. You’re not going to believe it.’
‘Just tell me Tash.’
‘Oh, right. Yeah. So, Dave was looking into the census records and he found Henrietta and where she lived! Hold on, I’ve got it written down. Halville House, Trafalgar Road, London.
The record said she was governess in the household of a Dr Edward Watts, that he was head of the house, and also there on the night that the census was taken were his wife Lydia Watts and their two
boys, wait for it, Howard and Daniel and Lydia’s mother, Violet Emery.’
‘No way. Oh my God.’ I was shocked. I had never really imagined that they had all actually existed. And here was proof not just of Henrietta, but a whole family. My rational
mind soon kicked in. ‘Might not mean anything. As I’ve said all along, they might have been relatives of Betty’s and she was using their names.’
‘Killjoy,’ said Tash. ‘Come on, Jo. You have to admit this is interesting at least. Anyway, that’s not all. Apparently Dave’s been able to dig even further and
he’s found out that Dr Watts was married, and Daniel and Howard were christened, at St George’s church in Highgate–’
‘St George’s? I know exactly where that is. It’s just a bit further down from the square.’
‘I know. Amazing, isn’t it? We’re going to look up Trafalgar Road too in a moment. Imagine if we can find Halville House. You might remember it. And we can go to the church
too. Henrietta could have gone to Daniel’s christening. Have you ever been inside?’
‘No. Never.’
‘So you’ll come with us?’
Despite all my doubts, I couldn’t help but feel a shiver of the excitement that Tash was clearly feeling. ‘Yeah.
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