Audrey pulled off the filthy tire, rolled it to the boot, and hoisted it inside, wishing she had on her ATS coveralls. Dirt now covered her hands and the front of her dress. After a few more minutes of work, Audrey had the spare tire in place, the lug nuts tightened, and the wheel back on the ground. Her sergeant major would give her high marks for speed and efficiency.
“Right, then. That should get you home,” she said as she stowed the jack and closed the boot.
The women hurried to get into the car as if eager to escape from this madwoman. Audrey bit her lip to hide a smile. Eve would have been rolling with laughter by now.
Eve’s friendship had meant so much to Audrey through the years as she’d shown what true courage was. Eve had saved her life. But perhaps Eve’s most courageous act had been leaving home at the age of twelve to become a scullery maid, without bitterness, without looking back.
“Tell Audrey we’ll call her later,” Phyllis said before driving off.
Audrey turned to find her son hopping with excitement. “You did it, Mummy! You fixed their car!”
“Yes . . . I surely did.”
“Your hands are very dirty, though.”
Audrey held them out, surprised to see that such filthy things belonged to her. They were the hands of the competent, capable woman she had been during the war. The woman she wanted to be again. “Yes. They’re quite lovely, aren’t they?” She laughed and waved them at Bobby as if threatening to rub dirt on him. He darted away, shrieking with delight at this new game. Robbie joined them, and the three of them ran around the yard in circles, laughing with glee.
Audrey knew what she needed to do. She would let Eve continue to be Mrs. Robert Barrett with her country-club friends and their tennis games and sailing lessons. Robert didn’t want this life for himself or his son, and neither did Audrey. In fact, Robert would be disappointed in her if she took the easy way out instead of moving forward on her own. She thought of Alfie and how their father’s wealth had poisoned him, becoming more important to him than lasting love. Audrey would find a way to support herself and Bobby and teach him to value the right things. She would teach him to give, not take.
A ripple of excitement coursed through Audrey. She would tell Eve what she had decided the moment she returned.
Eve sat in the woods with the lamb on her lap as Tom hurried toward her. “Audrey? What in the world . . . ?” She must have looked a mess with her tear-streaked face and rumpled clothes. But Eve couldn’t stop smiling.
“Are you looking for your lost lamb?” she asked, stroking its head.
“Yes, but . . . are you all right? What are you doing here? Where are your shoes?”
“It’s a long story,” she said, wiping her tears. “Do you have time to hear it? I need to ask your advice. I’m in a bit of a mess.”
“Sure.” He sank down on the ground facing her. “I could tell you were worried about something when you came over the other day. I hope your friend didn’t bring bad news from home.”
“To be honest, she dropped a bombshell into my life.” Eve drew a steadying breath. “You’ve been a good friend to Robbie and me . . . which may not be true when you hear what I have to tell you.”
“You can trust me, Audrey.”
“I’ve made a mess of things, and I don’t know what to do. Please promise you won’t hate me when I tell you.”
“I promise.”
“Cross your heart and hope to die?”
Tom smiled and drew an X over his heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“I’m trapped in a web of lies, Tom. I’m not really Audrey Barrett. I’m—”
“Eve Dawson.”
She went cold, as if a chilling wind had blown through the woods. “Did someone tell you?”
“No. I figured it out all by myself.”
“How . . . ? When . . . ?”
“I’ve been suspicious for some time, but I think I knew for sure on Robbie’s birthday when I watched you climb that tree down by the creek.”
She looked away, afraid to face him. And Tom was only the first of many people to learn the truth.
“There were a few other clues I picked up on,” he continued. “Like your freckles—Louis said Eve had beautiful freckles. But even if I’d guessed right, I figured you had your reasons for saying you were Audrey, and those reasons were none of my business.”
Eve felt relieved—and yet terrified. “I’m tired of all the lies, Tom, but I don’t know how to fix them. I never dreamed that Audrey would show up here in America. She’s the woman who was at my house the other day, in case you haven’t guessed. She came to visit the Barretts while I was using their pool—the long-lost daughter-in-law and grandson. Thankfully, Mrs. Barrett wasn’t home.”