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  ‘You’re right. It wasn’t even funny,’ said Harold, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. For a moment, he looked sensible again. ‘That was the thing, love. It was ordinary. It must have been funny because we were happy.’

  They caught hands again, and walked towards the water’s edge, two small figures against the black waves. Only halfway there, one of them must have remembered again and it passed like a fresh current of joy between them. They stood at the water’s edge, not letting go, and rocked with laughter.

  Acknowledgements

  There are a number of people who have been part of Harold’s journey. Anton Rogers, Anna Massey, Niamh Cusack, Tracey Neale, Jeremy Mortimer and Jeremy Howe began with him as an afternoon play for BBC Radio 4. Niamh has also read many pages of the book and encouraged me, as have Paul Venables, Myra Joyce, Anna Parker, Christabelle Dilks, Heather Mulkey and Sarah Lingard. Clare Conville, Jake Smith-Bosanquet and all at Conville & Walsh, Susanna Wadeson and the team at Transworld, Kendra Harpster, Abi Pritchard, Frances Arnold, Richard Skinner, the Faber group of 2010, and Matthew the Stroud Forager have all played an integral part.

  And finally Hope, Kezia, Jo and Nell, who have taken to spotting Harold at the roadside.

  About the Author

  Rachel Joyce lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and four children. She has written over twenty original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and major adaptations for the Classic Series and Woman’s Hour, as well as a TV drama adaptation for BBC2. In 2007 she won the Tinniswood Award for best radio play.

  This is her first novel. She is at work on her second.

  TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS

  61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA

  A Random House Group Company

  www.transworldbooks.co.uk

  First published in Great Britain

  in 2012 by Doubleday

  an imprint of Transworld Publishers

  Copyright © Rachel Joyce 2012

  Map by John Taylor

  Illustrations by Andrew Davidson

  Rachel Joyce has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781446488645

  ISBNs 9780857520647 (hb)

  9780857520654 (tpb)

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