Page 32 (1/1)
"Of course" Seraphina was using both hands to load sand into the pail "You certainly don’t need to ask for rined "After a year of Lady Berwick’s instructions, I feel as if I should have perlanced at Phoebe, as at least a dozen yards away, looking out at the ocean Obviously the wo
Gabriel followed her gaze "You have Phoebe’s permission," he said dryly "Letshy from their earlier encounter, Pandora accompanied him across the cool, coht, sound, and sensation Every breath filled her lungs with vibrant, living air and left the taste of salt spindrift on her lips Farther out, the ocean rolled in wind-harried billows, tri to stare out at the vast blue infinity, she tried to iht be concealed in its mysterious depths, shipwrecks and whales and exotic creatures, and a pleasant shiver went through her She bent to pick up a tiny cup-shaped shell that had been partially eray-striped surface "What is this?" she asked, showing it to Gabriel
"A lied "And this? Is it a scallop?"
"A cockleshell You can tell the difference by looking at the hinge-line A scallop has a triangle on each side"
As Pandora collected ave them to Gabriel, who carried them for her in one of his trouser pockets She noticed he had rolled the hehtly dusted with glinting tawny fleece
"Do you have a bathing-suit?" she dared to ask shyly
"Yes, but it’s not for lance, Gabriel explained, "A -suit isn’t like the ones Ivo and Justin are wearing It consists of flannel trunks that tie at the waist with a string Once they’re wet, they leave so little to the i at all Most of us at the estate don’t bother with theo for a swim"
"You swim naked?" Pandora asked, so flustered that a shell dropped froers
Gabriel bent to retrieve it "Not with ladies present, of course" He ss"
"The water must be like ice"
"It is But there are benefits to a cold ocean swis, it sti without a stitch on had certainly affected her circulation She wandered to the water’s edge where the sand was glossy It was too wet to leave a footprint: As soon as she took another step, silt flowed into the depression A wave rolled in and thinned until it reached her toes She started at the biting cold of it but took a few steps forward The next surge flooded over her ankles and alhtness She gave a little squeal and a surprised laugh at the feel of it The wave slackened, its forwardpull, towing sand back with it, Pandora had the sensation of sliding backward even though she was standing still At the same time, sand eroded fro she happened to be standing on
The ground tilted sharply and she staggered, her equilibriuht her froainst Gabriel’s hard, warhs braced on either side of hers She heard the baritone of his voice, but he spoke near her bad ear, and the sound of the surfher head to the side
"I said I have you," Gabriel murmured at her other ear The brush of his lips at the delicate outer rih her "I should have warned you As the waves ebb, it canstill"
Another wave approached Pandora tensed and backed up against hiuely annoyed to feel him chuckle
"I won’t let you fall" His arms slid securely around her front "Just relax"
He steadied her as the wave broke and surged around her legs, its eddies raking up sand and shells As the water retreated, Pandora considered fleeing to higher ground But it felt so pleasant to lean back against Gabriel’s sturdy forripped his arly across herwater rose and broke with the sounds of shattering crystal, followed by swooshes as if so mopped Over and over, in hypnotic rhythular
The experience began to feel rather drea but coldness, heat, sun, sand, the scent of brine and minerals Gabriel’s torso was a wall ofsubtly as he adjusted for balance, keeping her braced and supported and safe Randoh her in between sleep and wakefulness A breeze carried the sounds of the children laughing, the dog barking, Phoebe’s and Seraphina’s voices, but they all see herself entirely, Pandora let her head loll back against Gabriel’s shoulder "What kind of glue does Ivo use?" she asked languidly