AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She could feel her heart hammering in her chest and suddenly it all became too much – the swell of the water and the memories of falling and not being able to push her way back to the air. Memories of not being able to breathe.
‘I’m sorry,’ she gasped. ‘It’s so stupid.’ Tears were running down her cheeks and she was so agitated, the pull of a wave destabilised her and she wobbled and almost fell. But suddenly she felt arms around her, grounding her, and when she opened her eyes, her face was against Corey’s chest.
He held her tightly for a moment before sweeping her into his arms and carrying her out of the waves and back onto the sand.
‘There.’
When he put her feet back on solid ground, she stood for a moment, enjoying the sensation of her head on his chest, before he dropped his arms. She stepped backwards, feeling foolish. Here was a man who put himself in danger to rescue people from mountainous seas, and she’d had a panic attack while paddling.
‘Sorry,’ she muttered, using the heels of her hands to rub her eyes.
‘No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have urged you to come into the water. I didn’t realise quite how scared you are.’
‘It’s not your fault. I was just trying to be brave, and failing horribly.’
Lettie bent to put her sandals on but Corey sat on the sand and pulled her down next to him.
‘Sit down for a minute and tell me what happened to make you so afraid.’
And he looked so concerned, his face so close to hers, Lettie decided to tell him.
‘I almost drowned when I was eight years old and on a family trip to the Essex coast. The rest of my family didn’t notice when I went under for the third time, but Iris did and she waded in, dress tucked into her knickers, to rescue me. It scared me so much I’ve hated the water ever since.’
Corey’s mouth twitched in the corner. ‘Your great-aunt sounds like quite a woman.’
‘She was. She reminds me of your gran. She was fierce and resilient, and stubborn at times.’
‘That does indeed sound like Gran,’ murmured Corey.
‘Did your gran tell you that she and her parents thought Iris was responsible for her brother’s death?’
‘She told me last night.’
Lettie looked at the waves, breaking gently on the shore, that terrified her so much.
‘I can’t believe my great-aunt would encourage the man she loved to go to war. I knew her so well.’
‘Maybe you’re right, but she was younger then, and even the people you know the best and trust the most can surprise you.’
Lettie glanced at Corey, who was staring out to sea too. From the bitter tone in his voice, she wasn’t sure he was talking about Iris any more.
He suddenly shook his head and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘So did talking to Gran help at all?’
‘Kind of. It explained why Iris rarely spoke of her life in Devon and never wanted to come back to Heaven’s Cove. But it doesn’t solve the mystery of this.’ Lettie felt for the key around her neck and ran it along the chain. ‘Although…’
‘Although?’
Lettie shifted round in the sand until she was facing him. ‘Your gran mentioned in passing that your great-uncle left instructions for his parents – if he died, I suppose – that his writing desk should go to Iris.’
Corey nodded. ‘Gran opened up about the whole thing last night and showed me the letter he left for his parents to open if he died.’
Lettie winced, imagining how that letter must have taunted Cornelius’s mum and dad, waiting anxiously for news of their son as the war raged on. They must have hoped against hope that they would never ever have to open it. But one day the worst had happened and the letter had been read.
‘What did it say?’
‘It was strange reading it after all this time – like words from beyond the grave.’ Corey swallowed and rubbed his hand across his eyes. ‘It said he was sorry for causing his parents such upset and he left most of his meagre belongings to Gran. He also said not to blame Iris and that he’d like her to have his writing desk to remember him by.’
‘But his parents did still blame Iris, and they never gave her the desk.’
