by C. L. Stone
"It's a lovely house, Matt," she said, falling into step with him.
"I like it. I've lived here all my life. After dinner, when your mum is taking her photos, I'll show you the grounds. The others will be up by then, I expect."
She stepped through the front door and sighed happily. It was like stepping into a Jane Austen movie; Georgian in its decorations, and in keeping with the age of the building.
"Is Captain Wentworth around here?" she asked, grinning at him. He laughed and shook his head.
"My mum will be pleased to hear you say that. It's the look she's aiming for."
"Well, you can tell her she's succeeded."
"And would Captain Wentworth make you swoon?" he asked, leaning in close to her, his mouth close to her ear, a wicked smirk tugging at his lips.
"I rather think he might." She laughed, and he aimed a shot to the heart, falling back from her.
"You mean to tell me, you won't swoon for me, but you'll swoon for a fictional character? Lily, I feel cheated."
"Oh, don't worry," she said teasingly. "Everyone knows fictional characters are the best. They won't let you down, and they’re always there when you need them."
"Really?" He slid his arm around her shoulder and led her into a small room to the side. "Well, we're going to have our work cut out for us if we're to change your mind, Lily Flower. This is the office where the vicar wrote all his sermons. It’s exactly as it was, nothing has been changed.”
She looked around the small room in delight. There were paintings and embroidered bible passages on two of the walls, the third held a large painting of baby Jesus with Mary. A desk was situated under the window; a ledger lay on it, opened to a page filled with writing. An open Bible lay beside it. Lily could almost taste the history in the room, and it made her shiver with delight.
"Where is he now?" she asked.
"He died a long time ago. My great-great-grandfather bought the place well over a hundred years ago. His life story is a sordid tale of greed and bribery. I'll tell you one day," he said with a teasing tone. "But only if you behave."
"I always behave," she said with a laugh. He looked down at her, his hair falling into his eyes.
"Yes, I rather think you do. In that case, I'll amend it, I'll tell you if you promise to not behave."
"Matthew, we're going to sit down now, darling. Lynda would like to take her photos before she loses the light."
Matt turned at the sound of his mother's voice, but he didn't move his arm from around Lily's shoulders. Lily blushed, but his mother gave no indication that she noticed her son had his arm around a strange girl. Instead, she sent Lily a warm smile before going back the way she’d come.
"Come on then, Lily Flower. Let's hope that slice of pizza didn't ruin your appetite." He slid his arm from around her, caught her hand, and led her from the room.
***************
Dinner passed quickly and comfortably. She was seated opposite Matt and beside her mother. At first she'd been nervous, but between him and his parents, she soon relaxed. Her mother and June kept up the conversation, mostly about June's gardens and the prospect of painting the grounds in different seasons. Lily enjoyed listening to them. Mr Crowder was mostly quiet as he ate, seemingly content to let his wife do all the talking. Matt occasionally caught her eye over the table and winked at her or pulled a funny face when no one was looking. She had to keep wiping her mouth with her napkin to cover the laughter that kept trying to escape.
After they finished, her mother made her way out into the gardens, and Lily and Matt helped to clear the table for his mother. Once everything was put into the dishwasher in the pristine kitchen, Matt led her through the utility room and out into a boot room.
"What size feet do you have, Lily?" he asked, rummaging around in a giant bin that held all sort of shoes and wellington boots.
"Five," she replied.
"Ah, here you go then. Mum's a five. These should fit you." He turned and held out a pair of green wellingtons that looked well used.
"What about your mum?" she asked, not sure about borrowing them.
"What about her? She won’t want them at the moment,” he said with a chuckle. “She doesn’t tend to wear her wellies around the house. Mud is hell to get out of the carpets apparently.”
Lily rolled her eyes, laughing. “No, silly, I meant will she mind?” Lily asked, as he put them in front of her the right way around.
“No, of course not. I’d lend you my other pair, but they’re an eleven and would fall off you.”
She slid her shoes off, put the boots on, and then took the jacket that he held out to her. It swamped her, but it smelt like him so she wrapped it around herself and smiled at him. “Thanks. Is this one yours?”
He stepped forward, and taking the collars, he tugged them together until his hands were under her chin. “Yeah, and you look cute in my jacket,” he murmured.
He bent his head quickly and before she knew what he was doing, he gently kissed her cheek where it dimpled. He let her go just as quickly then turned and opened the back door. Lily was thrown completely by the kiss; she lifted her fingers to her cheek, aware of the tingle where his lips had been. It was just a friendly kiss, but it took her breath away.
He looked back at her and the smile on his face widened slightly. “Come on, the rest of them will wonder where we are.”
His words shook her out of her trance, and she quickly followed him out of the door. “Where are we going?” she asked in an effort to shrug off the way he made her feel.
“You’ll see.” He grinned at her, took a flashlight from his pocket, and handed it to her.
“Caving?” she asked, putting it into a pocket. “Because if so, I think I should add at this point that I’m not great with tight spaces.”
“No, not caving,” he reassured her. “There are caves along the shoreline but not on the grounds.”
“Caves? Is that why the pub is called the Bootlegger?” she asked as they walked across the lawn towards the trees. “Were there smugglers here?”
“This is the Cornish coast, Lil. Most of it was used for smuggling. There are old paths that lead down the cliffs to caves below where contraband was stored. And there are hundreds of stories of wreckers and smugglers. It’s fascinating stuff. I just wished local history was part of our A level course. I’ve been reading about it for years.”
“This is my first time in Cornwall, but I’ve always loved reading stories about smuggling. I was hoping we’d be close to Bodmin Moor and the Jamaica Inn when Mum said we were coming to Cornwall.”
“Stories aren’t always accurate. For example, there are no documented accounts of wreckers.” He stopped to help her climb over a fallen log, taking her hand in his and not letting go. “They didn’t light fires or use lights to lure sailors to wreck; they used to douse them instead. If sailors saw a light that they were unfamiliar with, they tended to keep away from it, not head towards it.”
“So lights would have warned them off, but putting them out could lead them onto rocks?”
“Exactly, if you’re interested in reading about it, I have books you can look at. And I know Jonas has hundreds.”
“Jonas? Who’s Jonas?” she asked.
“Who? Oh, just a friend,” he said vaguely. Lily got the impression he had said something he shouldn’t and that whoever Jonas was, he didn’t want her to know about him. She let it go. It was none of her business anyway.
They slowed down in their walking, and Lily enjoyed the feel of his hand around hers and the beauty of the trees around them. In the dying light of the day, it was starting to grow darker, but the sound of the wind teasing the leaves and the birds singing their last chorus before sleep made it seem enchanted somehow. Moss, twigs, and leaves lay under foot, she could see where some of the trees were starting to change colour. Autumn was going to be early this year, and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful one.
“It’s very beautiful here,” she said quietly, soaking
in the atmosphere.
“I like it. These woods go all the way behind where you live. There’s a shortcut through here to the village. I’ll show it to you when we have more light. The others use it all the time.”
“Are they meeting us somewhere?” With his help, she picked her way over another fallen branch.
“Yeah, we usually end up here most evenings.” They came to a divide in the path, and he turned them right. Lily caught the silver flash of a river up ahead, and she could hear it now as well.
“Am I honoured then?” she asked with a grin. “Or do you bring all the new girls here?” She was teasing him, but she saw him frown and then look a little surprised.
“Well, now you mention it,” he said, and scratched at the back of his head. “You’re the only person we’ve ever brought here.”
His words caught her by surprise. She looked up at him, not sure whether to believe him or not.
“Well, it’s about bloody time,” came a laugh. “We were beginning to think you’d forgotten.”
She could hear them, but she couldn’t see anyone as she looked around her, still holding Matt’s hand. She saw a flash of movement to her left and the twins came through the trees with Nate behind them. They each had flashlights in their hands.
“Where on earth are we going that’s going to need flashlights?” Lily asked in surprise.
“You’ll see, Lily May,” Nate said, walking towards the river. “Hurry up, the sun is going down, and you need to see this in the daylight if you can.”
“See what?” she tried asking one of the twins, not certain yet which was which; as per usual, they were dressed identically in black jeans and black jackets. But all he did was smirk at her.
“Get off!” Matt shouted, pulling free from her when the other twin started to stuff leaves down the back of his neck. It started an all-out war between the three of them, and not wanting leaves down her neck she rushed ahead to catch up with Nate. He shook his head, and catching her hand, he led her along the edge of the river. It was mostly clear of trees now and the sun was still high enough to make the water gleam as it flowed over rocks towards the sea.
“It’s lovely here.” Peace settled over her; in her. A peace she’d never experienced before.
“It’s good for fishing, and further down there’s a slower part that’s great for swimming in. We’ve got a couple of rope swings set up in the trees. It’s getting cold now, but next summer we can chuck you in.” He grinned at her, and she started to laugh. But then it sank in what he’d said, and she looked away hurriedly.
“I probably won’t be here next summer, Nate.” She tried to sound casual about it but didn’t quite succeed.
“Your mum will move on?” he asked quietly.
“As soon as my exams are over. If she’s finished the paintings.”
She heard him swear under his breath, and then he was turning her to grip both of her hands.
“Lily May, you’ll be eighteen, nearly nineteen, when that happens. You can’t spend your entire life attached to your mum’s apron strings. You don’t have to go where she goes. You can do whatever the hell you want to do. If you want to go to Uni, go. If you don’t, don’t.”
“Nate, I can’t be left on my own,” she reminded him, and she saw him pull a face as he’d obviously forgotten.
“But there must be hundreds of people without a family that have epilepsy. She won’t always be here, Lily May.”
“I know.” She pulled her hands free from his and crossed to pick up a stone, throwing it into the water. “Before we came here, I was fine. I didn’t question it, I just went with the flow. I never regretted leaving anywhere, and I even looked forward to discovering new places. But now?” She threw another stone in, watching the splash it made. “The other morning when I was late? She’d just told me that we were moving again. That she was going to give the down payment back to Mr Crowder and leave for Ireland.” She laughed, but it wasn’t humorous. She picked up more stones, sending them into the river. “I panicked. The thought of leaving here was awful. I’ve never felt more at home than I have here, and when she said we were going? I begged her to let us stay. This place is not good for me. I’m getting too attached; we will move and I will go with her, because there’s nothing else for me to do.”
“There’s always something else you can do, Lily.”
She turned, hearing Matt’s voice. All four of them stood together, listening to her, concern on their faces but no pity. And she was glad of that.
“Don’t say anything to your dad, please, Matt. She’s agreed to stay till she’s finished.”
“I won’t say anything,” he promised her, and she nodded her thanks. Sadness tugged at her, making her stomach hurt.
“There are a few months before you need to worry about anything. And I think being here is exactly what you need, Lily May,” Nate said firmly. “Come on, we’re running out of light.” He indicated with his head for her to follow him. The twins fell into step either side of her while Matt went ahead to walk with Nate.
“You’re going to love this place” Josh told her. She kept her hands in the pockets of Matt’s jacket, clutching the flashlight. They were all free and easy with their hand holding, and because none of them showed any reaction to seeing the others do it, it told her that they viewed her as friend and nothing more. She should protect herself from falling for them, because she was sure it would be an easy thing to do. And despite what they said, she knew that when her mother moved from here, and she would, she would be going with her. Because that was the way it had always been, and always would be for the foreseeable future.
“Here we are,” Matt called back. She looked up to see a three story, stone building at the edge of the river. It looked like an old barn, with the large windows further up for the hay bales.
“A hay barn?” she asked. The stone steps that led up the side to the third floor had no railing to hold on to. “Anyone fallen to their death from there?”
“It’s not a hay barn, Lily May, and no one has ever fallen to their death,” Nate told her as he disappeared around the corner that edged the river. “But be careful how you walk here!” he called out. “It gets close to the river in some places.”
She looked at Josh, but he just smirked at her and indicated with his hand for her to go ahead of him. She couldn’t keep the grin from her face as she went to the corner of the building. The twins fell in behind her as she picked her way through the stones and nettles, her hand on the stones of the wall for balance. She could hear a loud rumbling noise that meshed in with the rushing water of the river. She realised now that they were showing her a waterwheel. She rounded the corner and looked up.
Her head spun and her knees buckled, her hand scraped painfully against the wall as she went down. Hands caught her under her arms before she could hit the ground.
She’d seen this waterwheel before. She’d been here before, of that she was certain, and it slammed into her like a hammer to her head.
“Shit, did you trip?” She was vaguely aware of Nate out of her peripheral vision, but her gaze was locked on the waterwheel ahead of her, slowly turning as water was channelled onto it via an aqueduct. Her vision narrowed to the turning of the wheel. Images slammed into her head, noises in her ears. She could hear a child screaming, two children screaming. One child being pulled towards the water that churned under the wheel, another valiantly trying to reach it before falling in himself. Both children struggled desperately but the pull was too strong for them and they were dragged beneath the ever-turning wheel. She stumbled forwards frantically, she had to get to them before they drowned. Something was holding her back, shouting in her ears as she stumbled and fell to the ground. She clawed her way forwards, desperately trying to get to them before it was too late, but something heavy was holding her down. Hands on her waist and legs refused to let her go.
“LILITH!”
She heard her name being roared, then she was lifted from the ground. She groaned as he
r vision went hazy and her head lolled back against someone warm.
“It’s okay, Lily. It’s okay, Lily, we’ve got you. Nate, get her onto her side!”
She felt the hard ground underneath her as she was rolled onto her side. Her vision cleared, the grass came into sharp focus. Pain wracked through her skull, making her close her eyes. She could hear voices murmuring low around her, but confusion was making her thoughts jumbled. She had seen those children, had heard the screaming. But now? Now she knew that they couldn’t have been there at all. The boys would have seen them too, done something to help them. Instead they were worried about her. That told her she’d been… what? Hallucinating? But she’d seen that waterwheel before, she knew she had. She’d seen it when she’d had a seizure on Monday. Fear filled every pore. What was wrong with her?
“It can be anything up to half an hour.”
“That was not a fucking epileptic fit!”
“We don’t know that, Josh.”
“We fucking do! They don’t try to throw themselves head first into the river screaming! They jerk about, and then are completely out of it for twenty minutes!”
“Jake!”
“We’re right! That was not normal!”
Lily heard their words clearly. She opened her eyes and nausea rose from her stomach. She took deep breaths and struggled to her knees. Pain shot through her skull.
“Hey, hey, slow down, Lily. Slow down.” Matt’s calm voice was in her ear but she shrugged off his hand on her back. She was confused, frightened. They thought she was mad, and horror filled her that they might be right.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled and stumbled to her feet, aware of his hands helping her up. “I have to go now.” She didn’t wait, didn’t look back, she just stumbled her way towards what she hoped was the path back. Humiliation warred with the fear filling her.
“Lily! Wait!”
She heard them calling her, but she couldn’t face them, too scared to even look back at them. She just kept going until her way was blocked by two identical bodies.
“Stop! Stop panicking, Lily May,” Nate’s voice was firm, and she found herself listening to him, but she still couldn’t bring herself to look at any of them.