The Secret Place by Al Lacy

Author:Al Lacy [Lacy, Al]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78060-7
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

D ova Combray and Dr. Erik Linden were holding hands as they walked the bank of a gurgling stream. They moved from the level land toward the steep trails that led into the high country of the Swiss Alps under a brilliant blue sky.

The day was warm and the single eye of the sun sent its bright beams down on the smiling couple as they strolled along leisurely, happy to be in each other’s presence.

The trees were lushly covered with wild grapes and berry vines, and the meadows stood knee deep in grass. They made their way higher in the foothills, and as the path beside the stream grew steeper, they soon were climbing along a jagged ridge of blue granite. After a while the air cooled with the elevation, with the breeze that picked up, and with the deep shade of the pines that surrounded them.

When they reached a plateau where they could peer between the towering treetops and see the lofty, snowcapped peaks high above them, Erik squeezed Dova’s hand and stopped. They were standing beside the rushing stream, its music in their ears.

From somewhere nearby, they could hear the sound of lumbermen sawing on a tree.

Erik looked lovingly into Dova’s pale blue eyes. The breeze was toying with her long blond hair. Touching the soft locks and brushing them back from her face, he said, “My precious Dova, I love you with all of my heart.”

Her pulse quickened pace as he kissed her tenderly.

When their lips parted, she reached up and stroked his cheek. “Erik, darling, I love you so very, very much.”

They kissed again, then she laid her head on his chest.

She could feel the throb of his heart as he said, “Dova, you have always been the one I love.”

With her own heart pounding, she looked up into his kind eyes, “But I thought it was Metryka you loved. Why haven’t you told me this before?”

Erik started to answer, but his words were cut off when the loud voice of a nearby lumberman pierced the air: “Timber-r-r-r!”

Suddenly they were aware of a tall pine falling toward them. Looking up with the shadow of the tree spreading around them, Erik grasped Dova’s arm and yanked her out of the tree’s path …

Suddenly Dova sat bolt upright in her bed, gasping for breath. Cold sweat was on her brow as she blinked and looked around her bedroom. Silver moonlight flowed through the windows, illuminating the room with its soft glow.

Mopping her brow with the sheet, she said in a low whisper, “It was a dream, Dova. Only a dream. The man you love is going to marry Metryka Baume. Not Dova Combray.”

Taking a deep breath, Dova lay back, put her head on the pillow, and pulled the covers up to her chin. Closing her eyes, she said, “Lord, I … I must ask you once more to forgive me for having thoughts and dreams about Erik being in love with me. I’m in love with him, but he is in love with Metryka.

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