She’d opened her mouth and then closed it. And then: ‘Shouldn’t we be running by now?’
He’d shaken his head slowly and began running and she’d given him a slow head start that it had transpired he hadn’t needed as she’d had no hope of catching up with him. He had gone, past the thicket and round the narrow cliff path as it weaved and snaked its way against the edge of the cliff. The water lashed against the rocks below even though the day hadn’t been particularly windy. She’d looked over the edge. There was a sudden, terrifying beauty about the coastline. Its lines were harsh where pieces of rock had been ripped away by the weather over the centuries. It was here long before her, and would be here long after her.
Something had glinted at her from the edge. Something gold; a ring. She’d skidded to a stop, hopped forward and picked it up intending to carry on running, but her stupid block heel had got the better of her; her shoes utterly without traction. Suddenly she had been too close to the edge, gravel kicking up behind her as she’d slipped down, landing on her side with a thud. Like the stone she had kicked only moments before, gravity had held her in its clutches and she’d slid down the side of the bank, throwing her hand up to grab at something, anything.
And then Stefan had called her name and his hand had landed on her wrist, his fingers clutching at her tightly. He’d fallen to the ground, pulling her up until she was alongside him. She had barely been able to see him, blinded by fear. She had hardly been able to think. He’d stared at her, his blue eyes widened by shock as they’d lain on the ground. She’d blinked, coming to as her heartraced and she forced herself away from him, moved back from the edge and slumped into a sitting position. He’d followed on hands and knees before he was sat next to her. Both had breathed heavily, a shared silent shock at what had almost happened. She had so very nearly gone over the edge. Down, hundreds of feet onto the rocks below.
Her lips had become dry, her mouth even more so. She’d wanted to say thank you. But she hadn’t been able to speak. She’d stared straight ahead out to sea as she’d tried to regain control of her senses and her breathing. Next to her, he too stared out, a hard line between his eyebrows.
She’d glanced at him, intending to look away but he’d turned to look at her with a mix of fear and anger.
‘You were not behind me,’ he’d muttered. ‘I turned around and you were not there.’
‘No, I—’
‘You could have died,’ he’d said. His eyes had bored into her skin, flaming her cheeks.
‘Thank—’ she’d started.
But she didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence. His lips had been on hers, kissing her. No one had ever kissed her before and she remembered not knowing what to do, how to respond. And just as quickly he had stopped, pulled back and looked at her uncertainly.
Should she have leant forward and kissed him back or—
‘There you two are,’ Dido had called from the path behind them.
And then it had been Jack’s turn to look put out as he’d jostled Dido out the way. ‘What the hell are you doing sitting down? You should be running. You’re not taking this seriously.’
‘Why are you not at the finish line?’ Persey had asked accusingly, unable to think of anything else to say. She’d put her fingers against her lips. She’d felt Stefan’s on them still even though he had stood up, holding out his hand for her, avoiding her gaze. She’d takenhis hand in hers and he’d helped pull her up and then the contact was broken. He’d walked ahead of her, past Jack and Dido, waiting.
‘I lost my ring,’ Dido had said. ‘I came back for it. Jack says we’ve won by a country mile but there’s no hope in hell of finding the ring but I thought we may as well try as not.’
Persey had unfurled her fingers from where she’d been grasping the ring. Wordlessly she’d shown Dido.
Her sister had trilled, ‘Oh, you are too clever. Oh, well done, Persey. Well done, Stefan.’
Stefan had smiled but made no reply.
Was she cold or was it remembering that day that made her shiver now? She had walked that cliff path so many times in the intervening years, always pausing at the place Stefan had kissed her. He had left before they had the chance to talk. She hadn’t had the chance to explain that his kiss had surprised her. She hadn’t had the chance to say thank you for saving her. She had told no one about the fall or the kiss. That memory was not anyone else’s. How awful that he’d simply gone.
And how dreadful it was that he’d now returned.
‘When?’ Dido asked later that day.
‘He says tomorrow,’ Persey replied.
‘Why didn’t he say anything the first time he came to the house?’
‘I don’t know.’
Dido’s shock was evident. ‘Stefan? Stefan from all those years ago is here. And you recognised him, didn’t you? That’s why you ran out to him. Why you asked if I remembered him the other night. Why didn’t you say at the time?’
‘Because I wasn’t sure the first time. And I couldn’t glean any further detail as to why he was here and I was astounded that it was him,’ Persephone said, listing only part of the reasons she had for keeping quiet.
Dido fell into the armchair. ‘Not as astounded as I am, clearly. How long is he staying?’
‘I have no idea. I assume for the duration? He’s an officer. Part of the administration so he’s not an ordinary foot soldier, I think. But even then I don’t know if that makes any difference as to how long he stays.’
‘Staying for the duration? How long do we think that might be? I dread to think. Is he still nice?’ Dido asked with a frown, looking out of the window. ‘He was always quite sweet really. Bit dull I seem to remember, but quite sweet.’
