Stranded by Woodruff Amberly

Author:Woodruff, Amberly [Woodruff, Amberly]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penny Dreadfuls
Published: 2013-12-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The morning brought brilliant sunshine and a more sober mood. Last night had seemed almost magical, as if she’d dreamed the incident on the beach. There was something about this island and Jed, some enchantment that was turning her usually sensible mind fey and giddy. Or, maybe, she was side-tracking herself from the decisions she had to make back in her real life. Whatever the reason, she was becoming fascinated by Jed, drawn to him, turned on by him. Today she had to be firm with herself and spend some time in serious thought.

But she hadn’t factored in the effect that spending the day in his presence would have on her. He was keen to show her the rest of the island - she suspected he was glad of the company, whatever he might have said previously about liking being on his own - and she didn’t see how she could refuse without sounding churlish and ungrateful.

Consequently, mid morning saw them exploring the barrows in the south. Here a wide beach swept up from the shoreline to merge into miles of dunes, clothed in marram grass, which, in turn, led onto grassy uplands. The tumuli themselves, six oval mounds, were covered by wild flowers: clover, vetch, and tiny yellow blooms whose name she didn’t know but whose sweet scent rose up as her feet crushed them in passing. There were dozens of butterflies - Jed pointed out Common Blues, Fritillaries, and Orange Tips, among many others - and the steady hum of bees provided a counterpoint to the sound of the offshore wind and the distant voice of the waves. Despite the brisk breeze, the sun was becoming hot. Something in Tamsin, some knot of tension, anxiety or worry was beginning to unravel. The island really was paradise - a place out of time and away from the common stream of everyday life.

Now, he took her hand and leapt up the side of the nearest barrow, pulling her after him, then proceeded to walk its length.

‘Round about here,’ he said, pacing slowly to a point two thirds of the way along, ‘it always feels like going through some sort of invisible gateway. Can you feel it? It’s odd.’

And she really could understand what he meant. Everything appeared as it had been before, but it was as if they had entered another realm: one that looked the same but that felt mystical and boundless. She was still aware of the sough of the breeze and the melody of birdsong, but they were remote, as if coming from another space. She was also acutely aware of Jed’s hand, which was still wrapped around hers: its firmness and warmth and the fizz of electricity that seemed to be sparking from his fingers to hers and back again. Then, suddenly, his eyes were locking onto hers, drawing her in, rendering her unable to move or even breathe for long seconds. She was aware of the lustre of his skin, the pores where cheek

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