On the Shores of Tregalwen by Deborah M. Hathaway

Author:Deborah M. Hathaway
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub

Chapter Five

To stop Hannah from traipsing once more across the countryside, Mr. and Mrs. Summerfield had offered to bring her to Tregalwen Beach in their carriage on the way to their dinner party. Hannah had readily agreed, if only to arrive at the beach sooner.

“Would you like us to stop by on our return journey, Hannah, to bring you home?” Mrs. Summerfield asked as the carriage rolled to a stop.

“Oh, I do not know…”

“Of course not, my dear,” Mr. Summerfield said with a soft pat upon his wife’s knee. “Thomas will see her safely home, as he always has.”

Hannah smiled. She had very often convinced Thomas to stay out long after dark, purely so she might feign uncertainty across the landscape and have him bring her home on the back of his horse instead. She recalled how it felt to wrap her arms around him from behind, to rest her head upon his back, and she sighed.

“Will you, Hannah?”

She blinked, dazed to see her grandparents’ expectant looks in her direction. “Forgive me. Will I what?”

“Will you allow Thomas to see you home?” Mrs. Summerfield asked.

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“There, you see, my dear?” Mr. Summerfield said as the carriage door opened, and Hannah scooted forward on her seat.

“You shan’t go wandering alone,” Mrs. Summerfield continued, “to be lost in the dark?”

“No, I will not be so impulsive again, I assure you.”

Her grandparents exchanged looks.

“Can she make such a promise, do you think?” her grandmother asked.

Mr. Summerfield shook his head. “Not if she intends to keep it.”

Hannah smiled at their teasing and exited the carriage.

“Do enjoy yourself, Hannah,” Mrs. Summerfield called after her, “and remember, we will wait up for you, as usual.”

Hannah poked her head back into the carriage with a smile. “I know.”

She backed away, waving goodbye as they set off across the countryside before she turned toward Tregalwen Beach.

Hannah had longed for Cornwall every day for three years, and yet, she did not realize how greatly she had missed her home until she stood, gazing out at the open ocean before her.

The sea shimmered turquoise in the early evening sunlight, and a gentle breeze blew toward her, rippling her soft pink gown. She moved through the tall, wispy grass to where the land sloped slightly down, leading to a wide beach of smooth, cream-colored sand.

She paused, taking in the sights around her before closing her eyes, reminding herself that she was to remain in Cornwall, that the peace she had finally found would not be taken from her again.

The late-August sun warmed her cheeks. She drew in a deep breath of the salty air. The sound of the endless waves swirled about her. She shifted in the sand, and though her footing seemed unstable, she felt secure. She felt safe.

“Hannah!”

Her heart leapt at the sound of Thomas’s voice. She opened her eyes and turned to face him. “Good evening, Thomas.”

He walked toward her, and suddenly, she found it difficult to breathe. His broad, handsome smile told her exactly what she wanted to know—Thomas was pleased to see her.

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