‘Yes,’ she replied hotly. Her throat burned and she realised she was shaking, despite the warm weather.
‘Stella?’ His gaze was fierce and penetrating, but she didn’t shrink from it. Her heart was battered and bruised and she knew he was the only one who could heal it.
For some moments, her eyes remained locked on his, willing him to trust she was telling the truth.
He must have been convinced at last because without another word, he leaned forwards, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, ever so tenderly, on the mouth.
‘I love you,’ he said softly. ‘I thought I’d lost you.’
Stella’s cheeks flushed and her body felt as light as candyfloss, while her insides seemed to dance an Eightsome Reel.
‘I love you too,’ she replied, scarcely able to breathe.
She couldn’t hold back any longer and flung herself into his arms, holding him tight with her cheek against his chest, inhaling his familiar, clean, earthy scent. She could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart and wished she could stay here forever and never move again.
For a few, ecstatic minutes, it was as if their souls combined, like copper and zinc. No longer two separate beings, they were one and the same, melded by a type of alchemy to form something shiny, strong and new.
‘Will you come home?’ she asked in a small voice, still pressed against his chest, which was slightly damp from her tears.
He kissed the top of her head again and again with fervent kisses.
‘I thought you’d never ask.’
* * *
Al had already offered to stay with Hector that night so they could chat, which meant he and Stella couldn’t be together. In any case, it would have been difficult to hide what was going on between them from the others, and they weren’t quite ready to make their reunion public.
Parting company at bedtime felt like agony to Stella, but she was still tired from her ordeal and soon fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The following morning, she woke in high spirits and hurried downstairs to sit by the pool under a parasol.
Her heart was so full, she was sure she must look different and everyone would notice.
She still hadn’t seen Jon since the accident, however, and knew she must rein in her happiness for his sake. Only now did she feel strong enough to read his letter, which Al went inside and fetched for her.
It was, as she’d suspected, a suicide note addressed to her. Her hands trembled as she scanned the words, written in Jon’s small, neat script.
I’ve come to accept that you don’t and never will love me… The prospect of our being together one day was the only thing that made my life worth living… I can’t go on… You mustn’t blame yourself… This is my decision and mine alone… Please tell Jemima I love her and look after her for me. I know you will…
‘It’s so sad,’ Stella said with a shudder, folding up the letter and handing it back to Al. ‘He must’ve gone out of his mind, or he wouldn’t have dreamed of doing such a terrible thing to Jemima.’
‘I think this has given him a massive shock,’ Al replied, replacing the letter in its envelope and tucking it safely in the back pocket of his shorts. ‘He knows he needs help. He realises he came very close to drowning and nearly killed you, too. I don’t think he’ll try anything like that again.’
‘Bloody hell, I hope not. Thank God you’re here. Did you tell him about us?’
Al shook his head. ‘We should speak to the children before anyone else. Let’s do it when they come for breakfast.’
Lily and Amelia ventured down first, followed by Will. It was after 11a.m. by the time Hector appeared and he was taken aback when Al asked him and his sister to join their mother by the pool.
‘Why?’ he asked suspiciously.
Al couldn’t help grinning. ‘We’ve got something to tell you.’
Both children stood at the end of Stella’s sunbed, fidgeting nervously. They tried to act cool when they heard Al was moving back home, but the glint in Hector’s eyes gave him away.
‘So are you and Mum…?’ he started to say, wanting to be sure he hadn’t misheard.
Al, who was perched on the end of Stella’s lounger, glanced at her with a smile and they nodded in unison.
