Anna came down the path with her suitcase in one hand and the green costume in a zipped cover over her shoulder.
Daniel followed carrying the trunk. He set it beside the gate. Leah stood up to help, but Anna shook her head.
‘It's all right. The driver's taking it.’
For a moment the three of them stood with the luggage between them. Inside the house, someone laughed. It was an ordinary laugh, too far away to belong to what they were doing.
Daniel looked at the costume cover.
‘You finished it.’
‘Last night.’
‘Does the fastening work?’
Anna nodded. ‘Leah helped.’
He looked at Leah, then back to his wife. ‘Good.’
Anna lifted the cover higher on her shoulder. It had begun to slip. Daniel reached towards it, then let his hand fall when she adjusted it herself.
Leah moved to the far side of the gate. She could stay without standing between them.
‘I've put the spare house key on the kitchen table,’ Anna said. ‘My other things are in the back room. I'll arrange a time for those.’
‘All right.’
Daniel looked at the house. Leah could see him trying to think of a necessary detail, something that would keep Anna at the gate a little longer.
He turned back.
‘I found the photograph from the coast,’ he said. ‘The one by the railings. I'll put it with your things if you want it.’
Anna's eyes softened. ‘Where I'm holding the enormous bear?’
‘The other one. Before the rain. You saw the bird before I did.’
She looked down at her suitcase handle.
‘You didn't believe me.’
‘I thought you were trying to get us to leave.’
‘I was. But I did see it.’
Daniel smiled, painfully. ‘You did.’
Leah remembered the row of birds in his sketchbook. She had thought the memory belonged to a happy marriage still happening somewhere she could see. It had been a happy day. That was enough to make leaving hurt.
‘I'd like the photograph,’ Anna said.
Daniel nodded. Neither of them moved.
‘Thank you for the things you did want to do with me,’ Anna said.
His face changed. Leah looked towards the road. The taxi had turned the corner and was slowing beside the house.
‘I wanted most of them,’ Daniel said.
Anna swallowed. ‘I know.’
He reached for the trunk as the driver got out. Leah held the gate open while the luggage was loaded. They needed to fit the costume across the back seat without folding the sleeves. Anna gave directions briskly, then stopped when there was nothing left to arrange.
Ruth appeared in the front doorway.
‘Anna.’
Anna turned. Her mother stayed at the top of the steps. She did not come down the path.
‘You can still come back tonight,’ Ruth said.
Anna looked at Daniel. He looked at her, not at Ruth.
‘I'm going to my room,’ Anna said.
She opened the taxi door. Leah came towards her.
‘Tell me when you've got in,’ Leah said.
Anna nodded. ‘I will.’
‘That's all I mean. I haven't sorted everything out.’
‘I know.’
Leah wanted to hug her and did not yet know how it would feel. Anna waited without reaching. Leah put one arm round her, briefly. The costume cover was in the way, and Anna's shoulder felt bony through her jacket.
It was awkward. They let it be.
Anna got into the taxi. Daniel shut the door for her. He did it carefully, as he did most things. She looked up at him through the open window.
‘I'll message about the rest,’ she said.
‘All right.’
The window went up. The taxi pulled away.
Leah and Daniel stood by the gate until it turned out of sight. At the house Ruth went back inside. Leah heard her say something bright to a guest, then the door closed.
Daniel put a hand on the gatepost. There was blue paint in one of the cracks, the same colour Leah had seen on his finger when she arrived.
‘I thought I'd have something better to say,’ he said.
Leah did not offer a better line.
‘You said what you meant.’
He nodded, still looking at the road.
She could have stayed beside him. There was an empty room upstairs, an empty place at his table, and she knew he would be kind. That had not stopped being tempting.
‘I'm meeting Owen,’ she said.
Daniel looked towards her. ‘Do you want me to walk with you?’
‘No. Thank you.’
He took his hand off the post. ‘I'll be here when you need the boxes.’
‘I'll come later.’
Leah left him at the gate. When she looked back from the corner, he was still outside. He had not gone to ask Ruth what he should do next.