The Secrets Women Keep by Fanny Blake

answerable about everything to Dad, but even so.’
    ‘But you never wanted to have anything to do with the place,’ Rose objected. ‘Jess has worked every holiday there since she was a teenager and took her hospitality business
management degree exactly so that she could make her career there. She loves Cornwall, whereas you flew off to the other side of the world as soon as you could.’ She decided not to remind
Anna that the trip was something else largely funded by Daniel.
    ‘Exactly. My point. I didn’t want to work there, true, but Dad has supported her all the way. Now that I’ve found something I really want to do, that I believe in, it’s
my turn. It’s only fair.’
    Rose’s heart sank. So that was it. Jess’s focus and stability had always rankled with her sister, despite all her airy reassurances to the contrary. As parents, she and Daniel had
tried to ensure that everything they gave their daughters was divided equally. However, as they grew older, that became more difficult. Toys were one thing, easy to share, but what was given in
terms of time, love, support and so on was unquantifiable. It had been too easy to dismiss Anna as wilful, headstrong, while praising Jess for her single-minded dedication and pleasure taken in her
work. Rose was beginning to realise that supporting Anna in her madcap schemes set against Jess’s involvement with the hotel had not been perceived as equality. But did Dan?
    ‘I don’t want to get involved in whatever you’re discussing with Dad. It’ll only muddle things.’
    ‘But you could talk to him?’ Anna gnawed at her thumbnail.
    ‘I could. But I must sort out this nonsense between Jess and him first. It won’t be the same if they don’t come.’
    All she got in reply was an irritated ‘Pah!’
    ‘We can talk to Dad after they’re arrived. One thing at a time. Be patient.’ As if Anna could ever be that. And our marriage has to come at the very bottom of that list, when
it should be at the top. Rose’s stomach twisted again. She poured herself a glass of water.
    ‘And if she doesn’t come? We’d all get by.’ Anna sounded so matter-of-fact as she studied her thumbnail.
    I wouldn’t, whispered a small voice inside Rose’s head. I know I shouldn’t mind so much, but it wouldn’t be the same.
    ‘Anyway, she’s got Adam and Dylan. They . . .’ Anna was obviously about to say something dismissive but thought better of it and changed the subject. ‘Where shall we hang
this banner?’ She’d lost interest in what didn’t immediately concern her.
    Rose’s desperate hope that, with time, Anna’s youthful solipsism would give way to altruism had yet to be fulfilled. How she missed Jess’s straightforward down-to-earth
approach to life that generally made her so much easier to deal with than her older sister. Everything she did was considered, the pros and cons weighed up, the risks assessed before she acted. Her
only blind spot was where Adam was concerned. Her loyalty and support for him was unswerving. Just as Rose’s had always been for Daniel. How ironic that it should be that quality, inherited
from her mother, that was causing ructions in the family.
    Rose followed Anna outside, each of them carrying an end of the banner. A bank of cloud was gathering in the west. The walnut tree creaked in the breeze, its leaves rustling. There’d been
talk of storms since they arrived the previous week, but as yet no sign. Was the weather about to break at last?
    Rose climbed on to a chair and fastened the ends of the banner on the two nails on the pergola that had supported more birthday banners over the years than she cared to count. Hung high enough
for the creases to be unnoticeable as it fluttered in the wind, it gave a certain festive feeling to the terrace. The tired melted stumps in the lanterns needed to be replaced. She wondered where
she’d put the new candles. With them and the red paper napkins, a good meal and the stack of