The Secret Wife by Steve Robinson

Author:Steve Robinson [Robinson, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alchera
Published: 2020-06-24T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Early the following morning, I was out walking in the grounds. I preferred the afternoons for my constitutional stroll, but the summer heat had this past week stolen all the pleasure from it. As the nights were uncomfortably hot, however, to the point of being stifling, I was typically awake early and in need of fresh air, so I didn’t mind so much.

More and more since my arrival at Crows-an-Wra Manor I should have liked to walk by the sea, but Richard was always so busy that he had not yet found the time to take me, and although close by, the sea was tantalisingly out of reach. I would gladly have gone by myself regardless, or in the carriage with Jenken, but Richard would not entertain the idea of me venturing out without an escort and Jenken could not be spared. I supposed I would have the opportunity later in the year, when Richard was less busy with estate affairs, and now his plans to restore the east wing. He had spoken rather excitedly about them over his many glasses of claret at dinner the night before, and was now seemingly as keen as mustard to begin the work.

I must have been out in the grounds for an hour at least, first taking a turn around the lake, where I continued to imagine my Italian garden, then through a tall grass meadow that would soon be harvested for the horses’ winter feed. I let my hands brush against the wildflowers as I went, thinking absently to myself about nothing in particular. At length I came to a small woodland, not far from Mariah’s cottage, and there I decided to begin my return to the manor.

I immediately made for the carriage drive, thinking it the quickest route back as I had by now built up a keen appetite and did not want to miss my breakfast. I had not taken two steps towards it, however, when I was startled by the sound of laughter over the morning birdsong. I spun around, seeking its source, but although the sun was already bright and had climbed above the treetops, I could make out little amidst the shadows beneath the trees’ leafy canopy. I went closer, squinting into the shadows to see better. Then I heard the laughter again. This time I thought I saw movement.

‘Hello?’ I called. ‘Who’s there?’

I was sure I saw someone then, dashing from one tree to another, and at the same time giving another little giggle.

‘Sophia?’ I said, now standing at the edge of the wood. ‘Is that you?’ I imagined it had to be. The laughter was high in pitch and the fleeting shadow I had seen was about her size. I stepped in among the trees, looking for her. ‘Do you want to play hide and seek?’ I added. ‘Is that it?’

At that moment, Sophia stepped into view from behind one of the trees, barely six feet away. She didn’t say a word. She just

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