Rescuing Rose

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 13
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue

Acclaim for Isabel Wolff's Previous Novels

THE TRIALS OF TIFFANY TROTT

'I absolutely, genuinely loved it. It's funny, charming, upbeat and unputdownable. Acutely observed, and so well-written I was completely diverted and entertained. '

—Marian Keyes, author of
Sushi for Beginners

'Surprising, satisfying. '

—Jennifer Belle, author of
Going
Down

THE MAKING OF MINTY MALONE

'Minty's workplace… and home life prove to be fertile settings for the author's unwavering sense of humor and offhand wit. '

—
Publishers Weekly

'The author has plenty of energy, a neat turn of phrase and a sense of the ridiculous. '

—
Telegraph

OUT OF THE BLUE

'Wolff keeps readers guessing until the very end in this sweet, funny romance. '

—
Booklist

'Tackles love in a long-term relationship in a generous and delightfully comic fashion. '

—Hello

For Eleana Haworth, agony aunt and

Matthew Wolff, agony uncle with love

'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me' Words and music by George O'Dowd, Jon Moss, Michael Craig and Roy Hay ©1982. Reproduced by permission of EMI Virgin Music Ltd, London WC2H OQY

'I Believe I Can Fly' Words and music by R. Kelly © Copyright 1997 Zomba Songs Incorporated, USA. Zomba Music Publishers Limited, 165-167 High Road, London NW10. Used by permission of Music Sales Ltd. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

'Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye' Words and music by Cole Porter© 1944 Buxton Hill Music Corp, USA, Warner/ Chappell Music Ltd, London W6 8BS. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publications Ltd (for World excl. U. S. rights). All Rights Reserved.

'White Christmas' Words and music by Irving Berlin © 1940, 1942 (renewed) Irving Berlin Music Corp, USA, Warner/Chappell Music Ltd, London W6 8BS. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publications Ltd (for World excl. U. S. rights). All Rights Reserved.

'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' Words and music by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin © 1944 EMI Catalogue Partnership, EMI Feist Catalog Inc and EMI United Partnership Ltd, USA. Worldwide print rights controlled by Warner Bros Publications Inc/IMP Ltd. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publications Ltd (for World rights). All Rights Reserved.

'Swinging On A Star' Words by Johnny Burke, music by Jimmy Van Heusen © 1944 Burke & Van Heusen Inc USA, Chappell Morris Ltd, London W6 8BS. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publications Ltd (for World rights). All Rights Reserved.

'I Only Have Eyes For You' Words by Al Dubin, music by Harry Warren © 1934 Remick Music Corp, USA, Warner/ Chappell Music Ltd, London W6 8BS. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publications Ltd (for World excl. US rights). All Rights Reserved.

I am indebted as ever to my agent Clare Conville, and to my editor Rachel Hore. I am also very grateful to the agony aunts who gave me such wonderful advice, especially Virginia Ironside whose excellent book,
Problems! Problems
! was a very helpful resource; Irma Kurtz, Kate Saunders, Jane Butterworth, Suzie Hayman and Karen Krizanovich. Thanks too to Alan Greenhalgh and Hester Lacey. For her insights into adoption, I'd like to thank Sandra Webster of NORCAP; for information about spinal cord injury, Danny Anderson of the Back-Up Trust; for an understanding of twinship I'm indebted to Chantal and Belinda Latchford, and to Jonathan and Catherine Pollard. For educating me about astronomy I'd like to thank Jerry Workman, Simon Singh, Simon Batty, Andy Carroll and Doug Daniels of the Hampstead Observatory. I'm grateful to George Butler for telling me about tabloid newspapers, Jonathan Curtis for giving me the lowdown on human resources and Sarah Anticoni for information about divorce. For background on assistance dogs I'm indebted to Stephanie Pengelly and Frodo, Allen Parton and Endal, Caroline Scott of
The Sunday Times
, as well as the staff of Canine Partners for Independence and Dogs for the Disabled. I'm grateful once again to my parents, Paul and Ursula, and to Louise Clairmonte for their very helpful feedback and advice. At HarperCollins I'd like to thank Jennifer Parr for her hawk-eyed copyediting, as well as Nick Sayers, Lynne Drew, Fiona Mcintosh, Sara Wikner, Esther Taylor, Jane Harris, Martin Palmer, James Prichard, Becky Glibbery, Maxine Hitchcock and Sara Walsh. Finally, special thanks to Greg, who helped me in so many ways.

Why did not somebody teach me the constellations and make me at home in the starry heavens which are always overhead and which I don't know to this day?

Thomas Carlyle

Fear and bewilderment mingled in Ed's soft brown eyes as we faced each other in the garden. I stared at him, vibrant with indignation, then slowly drew back my right arm.

'Take
that
!' I shouted as a Wedgwood Kutani Crane seven-inch tea plate went whizzing past his left ear and smashed into the garden wall. 'And
that
!' I yelled as he raised his hands to fend off first the matching saucer, then the cup. 'You can have these too!' I spat as I frisbeed three dinner plates in his direction. 'And
this
!' I bawled as the accompanying soup tureen flew through the air.

'Rose!' Ed shouted, dodging bits of projectile china. 'Rose, stop this nonsense!'

'No!'

'What on earth do you hope to achieve?'

'Emotional satisfaction,' I spat. Ed successfully deflected the gravy boat and a couple of pudding bowls. I lobbed the milk jug at him and it shattered into shrapnel as it hit the path.

'For God's sake, Rose—this stuff's bloody expensive!'

'Yes!' I said gaily. 'I know!' I picked up our wedding photo in its silver frame and flung that at him, hard. He ducked, and it hit the tree behind him, the glass splintering into shining shards. I stood there, breathless with exertion and raised adrenaline as he picked up the dented frame. In that picture we looked radiantly happy. It had been taken just seven months before.

'It's no-one's fault,' he said. 'These things happen. '

'Don't give me that crap!' I yelled.

'But I was so
unhappy
, Rose. I was miserable. I couldn't cope with coming second to your career. '

'But my career
matters
to me,' I said as I slashed the matrimonial duvet with my biggest Sabatier. 'Anyway it's not just a career, it's a vocation. They
need
me, those people out there. '

'But I needed you too,' he whined as a cloud of goosedown swirled through the air. 'I didn't see why I had to compete with all those losers!'

'Ed!' I said, 'that's low!'

'Desperate of Dagenham!'

'Stop it!'

'Betrayed of Barnsley. '

'Don't be mean!'

'Agoraphobic of Aberystwyth. '

'That's so nasty. '

'There was never any room for
me
!'

As I gazed at Ed, the knife dropped to my side and I caught my breath, once again, at his looks. He was so utterly, ridiculously good-looking. The handsomest man I'd ever met. Sometimes he looked a little like Gregory Peck. Who was it he reminded me of now? Of course. Jimmy Stewart in
It's a Wonderful Life
, all happy and covered in snow. Except it wasn't snow on Ed's shoulders but white feathers, and life wasn't wonderful at all.

'I'm sorry, Rose,' he whispered as he spat out two tiny plumes. 'It's over. We've got to move on. '

'Don't you love me then?' I asked, tentatively, my heart banging like a Kodo drum.

'I did love you, Rose,' he said regretfully. 'I really did. But… no, I don't think I love you any more. '

'You don't love me?' I echoed dismally. 'Oh. Oh, I see. Well you have now hurt my feelings, Ed. You have really got to me. I am now
very
angry. ' I rummaged in my arsenal and found a Le Creuset frying pan. 'And suppressed anger is bad for one's health, so you'll just have to take your punishment like a man. '