‘The bonus is, of course, that we have the beach to ourselves.’ He got out the tiny stove and quickly boiled up some water and made steaming mugs of coffee.
‘I brought something, actually.’ Scarlett produced four of the mince pies that they’d made alongside the Christmas cake. ‘We all had a baking session at the manor.’
‘Excellent.’
They ate a pie each with the coffee, while Jude heated up some soup from his flask. Scarlett was ravenous after the trek and the swim. She polished off her share of the soup, sipping it from an enamel mug and dunking hunks of bread, then ate a second mince pie. The flames crackled and flickered, a pleasing splash of colour now the skies had turned greyer.
Jude frowned at the horizon. ‘I suppose we ought to be getting back before the next front blows in. I’d rather not be caught out in the rain.’
Scarlett didn’t like the look of the slate-coloured band of cloud, either. ‘No. I’ve had enough of a dip for one day.’
While Jude doused the fire, she packed away her kit and helped him tidy up so they left no trace. On the way back, they picked some more Alexanders and sea beet, some for Jude and some for Scarlett to take home for a winter salad.
‘Mum won’t believe I’ve foraged these,’ she said, momentarily forgetting that she and Anna were at odds with each other. She was also seized by the urge to ask him more about his parents’ relationship with her mother, but this didn’t seem to be the right time, so she tried to focus on enjoying the moment.
She felt pleasantly tired, all her limbs relaxed as if she’d had a large glass of wine, even though she was stone cold sober. She wasn’t quite sure how she’d find the energy to trek back to the parking space, but she was sure that Jude’s company would be a big motivation.
He peered over to the far end of the beach. ‘Now the tide’s almost fully out, I think we could make it along this beach and round to Sennen and then we’d have a quick route back along the road. It would cut half an hour off the walk,’ he said. ‘If you’re up for a little light scrambling over those rocks at the bottom of the headland?’
‘How light?’
‘Very. Really, we only have to negotiate a few rock pools. While the tide’s still retreating, it’s perfectly safe.’
Perfectly safe. He had no idea. She wasn’t afraid of being cut off but she was in very great danger of falling for Jude Penberth, with his all-over tan and his mesmerising eyes and his love of nature.
‘OK?’
‘Yes.’
‘There’s no need to worry. We won’t be cut off.’
They walked along the beach to the rocky stacks at the end, the waves crashing in like endless, distant rolls of thunder. When they reached the rocks, Scarlett couldn’t see a way over them at all; they looked like an impenetrable wall of giant teeth. But Jude picked his way between the rock pools, showing her a tunnel they could squeeze through. He pointed out some of the creatures in the pools, crabs and anemones. She simply couldn’t stop what came out of her mouth next.
‘Jude, have you ever come across a book called Treasures of the Cornish Seashore?’
He hesitated. ‘Yes. Of course. It’s a bit old school but one of those little guides you used to see in all the bookshops and gift shops before we had Amazon.’
‘Really?’ Excitement gripped her. ‘Do you have a copy?’
‘Um … I don’t think so … why?’ He gave her a curious look.
‘Oh, I …’ Damn, why hadn’t she thought before she blurted that out? ‘Nothing important but I saw a copy in Joan’s bookcase when we were sorting through her things. I was interested, but now the book’s not there. It’s a lovely book and I think it meant a lot to Auntie Joan.’
He shrugged. ‘I know of the book but I used to borrow mine from the library. Sorry I can’t help you more.’
‘It’s fine. It’s not a problem.’ Scarlett tried to sound casual. She had been clutching at straws to think that Jude had somehow got hold of that copy of the book.
Luckily, he didn’t press her any more on why she wanted to locate the book and in the next second, her jaw dropped as the main beach appeared, a vast expanse of glittering sand with cloud shadows scudding across it. Dogs chased after sticks and a kite surfer skimmed the waves.
‘You like the view?’ he asked.
‘Wow. Yes, it’s amazing.’
Jude jumped deftly onto the beach but she stayed on the rock, inhaling the sights and scents of the ocean. How beautiful Cornwall was, in all its moods. She really hoped she could make it her home. In the same moment, she thought of her father on his own at her other ‘home’ and her heart sank. Was he relieved or lonely now that his wife had left? Would their mum ever go back to him? Was Scarlett being disloyal to him – to Roger – to be so hell bent on discovering who her birth father was? The aching gap inside her gave her the answer. She had to complete the circle.
‘Scarlett?’ Jude murmured from the sand below her. ‘Need a hand?’
She glanced down at him, waiting on the sand below. ‘Thanks. It’s gorgeous here. I’m just drinking it in.’
He smiled and held out a hand to help her down a final slippery drop onto the sand. ‘You see – civilisation,’ he said, pointing to a stone building with parasols outside on the headland.
After a coffee at the café overlooking the beach, they walked to the car and drove home.
Jude frowned when they turned into the drive of the manor. The source of his annoyance seemed to be Hayden Penberth, who was talking to Scarlett’s mother outside the house. From the way she was standing with her arms folded defensively, the discussion didn’t look like a meeting of old friends. Both turned at the sound of the wheels crunching on the gravel.
Anna lifted a hand in greeting and Hayden had a broad grin on his face. Whatever they’d been discussing, they seemed happy enough now.
‘I wonder if he wants a lift home,’ Scarlett said.
‘I don’t know.’ Jude didn’t seem thrilled and Scarlett’s stomach swirled with mixed emotions about finding them together.
‘Hi there, Scarlett. What a lucky man I am to have mother and daughter together.’
‘Dad,’ Jude cut in. ‘Everything OK?’
‘Why wouldn’t it be? I was out for a walk and saw Anna in the garden so I decided to pop in and say hello to my new neighbour. We haven’t seen each other for ages, have we, Anna?’
‘No.’ Her mum sounded civil enough, but there was a definite edge to the atmosphere. Mind you, Hayden put everyone on edge with his cheesy comments. Jude’s relaxed mood had evaporated and he was tight-lipped.
‘Anna told me you two lovebirds have been for a swim … at least, that’s what you call it, eh?’
‘Dad …’
Scarlett longed to melt into the ground.
‘We went to the cove near Sennen,’ Scarlett said, determined to crush any hints that they’d been up to anything else, not that it was any of Hayden’s business. ‘Jude lent me a wetsuit.’
‘Really? He doesn’t bother with one usually, do you, son?’
Jude looked like a volcano about to erupt.
‘Wasn’t it cold?’ Anna asked, eyeing Scarlett closely.
‘Not in a very thick wetsuit,’ Scarlett insisted.
‘You’re a real water baby, by the sound of it,’ Hayden said.
‘Look, d’you want a lift or not, Dad?’ Jude snapped.
Hayden smirked. ‘Suppose I could do. Save me the walk home. Nice to see you again, Scarlett, and you, Anna. I expect to see a lot more of you now we’re neighbours.’
Chapter Fourteen
Ellie’s torch swept over mud as she weaved between the puddles on her way to Cove Cottage. The lights of the cottage came into view just as the hood of her parka blew off.
‘Argh!’
Why had she even bothered blow-drying her hair? Why hadn’t she put it up, safe, like she usually did, instead of leaving it loose? With one hand on the torch and the other carrying a bag of food, she couldn’t pull h
er hood up again, so she’d have to get wet.
The roar of the surf drowned out the drumming of the rain. The tide was high and white foam boiled up the cobbled slipway, throwing flecks of spume into the air that reminded her of coffee froth. She jogged the last hundred yards to the cottage and, to her relief, saw Aaron silhouetted in the doorway. She almost fell inside the tiny porch and straight into the sitting room.
‘It’s a h-horrible night. I must look like a drowned rat. Now I’m soaking your floor.’
Aaron took the bag from her. ‘Don’t worry about that. Why didn’t you let me fetch you in the van?’
‘It’s four hundred yards away.’
He shook his head. ‘You’re here now. Let me take your coat.’
Ellie heard a dull roar then a crash as a breaker hit the rocks on one side of the cove.
‘Jesus!’ Aaron went to the window, looking outside. ‘It sounds like the sea’s about to swamp the place.’
‘It’s OK, the water won’t reach here.’
‘Yeah. I must be going soft,’ he said sheepishly. ‘I’d forgotten how bad a Porthmellow storm can sound. Then again, from Mum and Dad’s place on the cliff, you can see the waves from high up and enjoy the spectacle. This is too close for comfort.’
She patted his arm, laughing. ‘Don’t worry, the cottage has never been flooded. The previous tenant – remember Reg Seddon?’
‘Foxy’s grandad?’
‘Yes. He’s ninety now. He moved to a sheltered bungalow near the football pitch. He told me that a huge wave had once broken the shed window, but he’d never actually been flooded in seventy years.’
‘Oh well, that’s OK then.’ Aaron smiled, but Ellie was convinced he’d been genuinely rattled.
‘Can I get you a drink?’ he asked. ‘White wine? Red? G&T?’
‘G&T would be great, thanks.’
Listening to the sounds of glasses and bottles chinking from the kitchen, Ellie tried to relax and just see how the evening panned out. She’d slept with a guy she’d only known for a few hours when she was young, but lately … lately … it had been two years since she’d had sex with anyone at all. He was a man who’d worked in the same bar as her in Brisbane and they’d eventually become an item. They’d even shared a flat for a few months before he’d become a dive instructor and moved to the far north. She hadn’t realised how attached to him she’d become until he’d kissed her goodbye at the airport and said ‘be lucky, lovely girl’.
Shortly afterwards, Auntie Joan had passed away and Ellie had come home. At the airport, Ellie had looked around at the families, the kids yelling and grouching, the exasperated, tired parents … and for the first time, had felt the tick tock of the clock. Thirty-nine was around the corner, forty not far over the horizon.
She shook the thoughts away. A virtual stranger who didn’t even know his own plans was not the man to fulfil her vague dreams. How many times had she told herself she didn’t need a partner or children to have an exciting, worthwhile life? Auntie Joan had done without either.
Yet, how different would it have been if her baby had lived? A pang of fresh loss clutched at her.
‘Here you go.’ He handed her a glass and brought a beer for himself.
‘Cheers,’ she said, taking a large sip of her G&T, hoping to chase regrets away for a while at least.
‘Cheers.’ He tipped the bottle to his lips.
Ellie was determined not to turn maudlin and she would not let the lingering fallout from her past dominate her emotions tonight. Although they’d chatted a few times over the past month, this was probably the first time they’d sat down alone with the specific intention of getting to know each other – whatever form that took. Some delicious aromas were wafting in from the kitchen, but Aaron didn’t seem concerned about eating yet, so the talk turned to her travels and the places they’d been.
‘I’ve been very lucky. I’ve travelled all over the world and now I live in a wonderful house I couldn’t possibly afford in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I have my family, even if things aren’t perfect. You?’
‘Very similar to you.’
‘Apart from the tanks, and being shot at, obviously.’
He laughed. ‘Apart from the tanks and the bullets. But I enjoyed seeing the world, in all its states, good and bad, and I got out unscathed – physically, anyway, unlike some of my mates …’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, intrigued by his turn of phrase. He implied he’d been scarred mentally – but perhaps it was impossible not to be if you’d been on active service.
He was smiling again and Ellie didn’t want to darken the mood, so she sat back and listened, feeling more at ease by the minute.
‘So am I, and I’ll never forget them – but tonight, we’re talking about the good times. I’ve met some fantastic people, all ages, men and women, and I’m privileged to have known them and to still know them. Look what I came back to? A family who drive me mad at times but are solid gold. I haven’t seen anywhere near enough of them. Mum and Dad are getting on and I feel I’ve missed so much of them, as well as my sister, Gemma, and I want to get to know my niece and nephew.’ He hesitated before smiling. ‘Now I’ve landed here in this cottage right at the edge of the sea, with Porthmellow around the corner. It’s not a bad place. Compared to some of the places I’ve been, it’s paradise.’
‘I’ve stayed in some places that are meant to be paradise. Porthmellow might not be perfect, but it has its own charms.’
‘So, there’s no one to miss, no one who’ll burst in on us, offering to beat me to a pulp?’ he asked.
‘No. I don’t think so,’ she laughed.
‘Phew, that’s a relief.’
Ellie smiled, wondering if anyone would dare to challenge Aaron Carman anyway, he was such an imposing figure. ‘What about you? Am I safe?’ she asked, with a smile on her lips, but slightly nervous of the answer.
‘Apart from my thousands of devoted fans worldwide, sure.’
She gave a mock gasp.
He sipped his beer before continuing. ‘No one who’ll care to come after me,’ he said.
‘No one at all?’ Ellie teased. ‘I can’t believe that.’ Something compelled her to make absolutely sure, because after Julian Mallory, she never again wanted to end up involved with a man who was committed elsewhere. She didn’t want to suffer that way, or be the cause of a break-up.
‘Like I mentioned to you, there was someone for a while,’ he said, looking down at his beer. ‘We tried to do the whole long-term thing and even managed to live together for a few months on a base, but it defeated us in the end. It was too difficult, or perhaps she decided the downside outweighed the good parts. I don’t blame her.’ He returned his gaze to Ellie and shrugged. ‘Army life is tough on all kinds of relationships, which is why, by and large, I’ve probably kept away from them.’
Until now? Aaron didn’t add that, but she felt that it was implied. She knew where he was coming from.
‘Travelling is hard on loved ones too,’ she said, adding a smile. ‘But at least I had the choice of where I went next.’
Aaron looked at her intensely. ‘Are you saying you deliberately kept moving so you could avoid anything long-term?’
Wow. ‘You’re not the first to suggest that and I’ve asked myself, too, but I don’t know.’ He’d touched a raw nerve. It was partly true. Definitely true when she was young and still hurting badly after Julian and the termination, but she could have grown out of it.
‘I don’t know,’ she repeated, shying away from revealing too much about her past with Julian. ‘Do you mind the fact that there’s no one to come after you?’ she countered, putting the ball back in his court.
‘At one time, I’d have said yes, I minded … but tonight, it feels like a good thing. A very good thing.’ He rested his hand on hers. He smelled great. Crisp, clean. She was in deep trouble.
‘You see, and sorry if this sounds serious.’ She took a breath. ‘But it’s important to me. I�
�m not asking for anything heavy,’ she smiled. ‘After all, we’ve only recently met, but what I would appreciate is some honesty. There’ve been too many times in my life when I’ve seen that not being upfront ends pretty badly.’
He gave her a thoughtful look. ‘You’ve been badly hurt by someone?’
‘Yes, and the first time was my own fault – partly – but I vowed I’d never get into that situation again and, recently, I’ve seen what a lack of openness has done to the people I love. The past might not always come back to haunt us, but it never goes away. It lurks somewhere, hangs over us like a shadow, and it can reappear any time. So if there’s anything I need to know …’
Aaron picked up her hand. ‘Ellie, I admire you. You don’t need to—’
The cottage shuddered and there was a loud clattering against the windowpanes. Aaron jumped up, instantly on the alert. ‘Jesus! What was that?’
Ellie put her glass on the coffee table. The rattling came again, accompanied by a tremendous roaring of wind and surf.
She reached up and caressed his arm. ‘Don’t worry. It’s only shingle tossed up by the waves.’
He sat down again. ‘Wow.’
‘It’s nothing to worry about. We’ve weathered much scarier storms than this.’ She smiled, amused by this big guy who’d faced down God knows what, unnerved by a few stones against the windows.
‘Yeah. It must sound a lot worse than it is. What a wuss I am.’ He laughed.
‘I’m sure that’s the last thing anyone would say about you,’ Ellie said softly, sensing genuine fear behind the humour.
Seeming to relax again, he leaned in slowly and she lifted her face to his. Her body thrummed in anticipation. This would be her decision, come what may.
‘Dinner …’ she murmured.
‘Can wait,’ he said. ‘But I can’t.’
He kissed her and she put her arms around his back, savouring the muscle beneath his soft shirt. His lips were warm, the kiss gentle but not tentative.
A Perfect Cornish Christmas Page 14
