by Laura Martin
‘What happened?’
‘Part of the cliff collapsed. You were hit.’
Edward raised his hand to the cut on his forehead and grimaced.
‘How long was I unconscious?’ he asked, sitting up.
‘About two hours. How are you feeling?’
‘My head’s pounding—’ Edward broke off and looked around them. ‘How did we get back here?’
‘I dragged you.’
‘You dragged me?’
‘The sea was coming in, I didn’t have a choice.’
‘You managed to pull me all the way back here?’
Amelia nodded.
‘Thank you,’ Edward said, looking at her with renewed respect. ‘You’re stronger than I could have imagined.’
Amelia knew part of her success in pulling Edward to safety had been due to the knowledge that if she failed she would have to watch him die.
Slowly Edward sat up. He was still pale, but his eyes were focused and his expression determined.
‘Did we...?’ Edward started to say, looking at her thoughtfully, but then allowed the question to trail off with a shake of his head.
Amelia didn’t press him, knowing he was probably remembering the kiss she had planted on his lips as he began to stir. He had never asked her to kiss him, never even indicated he ever would be interested in anyone romantically again.
‘I see it started raining,’ he observed drily after a minute.
Amelia laughed.
‘I’m so glad you’re awake,’ she said, clutching on to his hand and hoping she’d never have to let go.
Edward was staring out to sea with a frown on his face. Suddenly he stood, stumbled a few steps before regaining his equilibrium and then ran forward.
‘Edward,’ Amelia shouted after him, wondering if the knock to the head had affected his brain.
He ran to the sea, wading into the shallow water for a few steps before stopping and turning to look to either side. The wind had picked up whilst Amelia was dragging him along the beach and now the waves were beginning to crash against the beach and the rain was pelting the sand. The clouds above had morphed into a menacing black blanket and Amelia knew another storm was on its way.
‘What’s wrong?’ Amelia shouted from a few feet away, refusing to wade back out into the water without good reason.
‘The tide’s come in,’ Edward said as he returned to her side.
‘I know. That’s why I had to pull you into the cove.’
‘Look.’
Edward gestured back the way they had come, back towards where they’d left the horses and followed the narrow path down the cliff. As realisation dawned on Amelia she felt a wave of nausea and panic overcome her and she had to reach out and grip hold of Edward to steady herself.
‘There’s no way back,’ she whispered.
Sure enough, the sea had already covered the narrow strip of sand they’d walked along to get to the cove.
Frantically Amelia ran up the beach towards the cliffs, looking for a path, a route up to the top. There was nothing. Down at beach level the cliff was smooth, all possible handholds and footholds eroded and flattened by the sea.
‘Maybe it won’t come in this far,’ Amelia said as Edward joined her.
He didn’t answer her and she followed his gaze to the very prominent water line about three feet above their heads.
‘Amelia, I need you to keep calm,’ Edward said, taking charge as usual.
‘Keep calm? We’re going to die. The sea’s coming in and there’s no way off the beach. Edward, we’re going to die.’ She could hear her voice rise in pitch with every word, but couldn’t do anything to control it.
‘No. We’re not going to die. I will not let us.’
She wondered how he could remain so composed and assured in the face of certain death.
‘Stop panicking and listen to me,’ Edward said in his stern voice. ‘We will survive this. I promise you.’ Amelia felt him grip her by the arm and pull her to face him. When she was looking straight into his eyes he repeated himself. ‘We will survive this, I promise.’
Slowly some of the panic seeped from her body and she nodded, wondering just how he meant to save them.
‘I need you to take your dress off.’
Not quite what she’d had in mind.
‘Why?’
Edward pointed to a spot in the cliff about eleven feet up from the ground. There, and leading up from it, were a series of grooves and ledges in the rock face that led up to the top of the chalky cliffs.
‘I will boost you up and you will climb to the top of the cliffs. You can’t do that with your bulky dress on.’
‘What about you. Maybe I could pull you up.’
Edward shook his head. ‘It’s too far.’
‘I’m not leaving you here,’ Amelia protested.
He grabbed hold of her shoulders and held her tightly. ‘When you get to the top run for the horses and then ride as fast as you can back to Beechwood Manor. Send a rescue party to fetch me, armed with ropes and horses, and I’ll be back home with you in no time.’
‘Is there time?’ Amelia asked.
Edward glanced at the approaching sea and nodded. ‘There’s time.’
Quickly Amelia unfastened her dress and slipped out of it. Standing in just her long cotton chemise, she resisted the temptation to cover herself with her arms.
‘I’ll ride faster than I’ve ever ridden before,’ she promised.
Amelia turned and faced the cliff, grimacing at the height and the thought of the long climb ahead of her. She felt Edward directly behind her and shivered as he placed a hand on her waist, turning her to face him.
A thousand unsaid words flowed between them and Amelia saw the concern and fear on Edward’s face. She wanted to kiss him, to be enveloped in his arms and to draw her strength from him to sustain her on the long climb and journey home.
Gently Edward pushed the stray strands of hair that were whipping about her face in the wind behind her ears, not removing his hands from her face even once they were under control.
‘Be careful, Amelia,’ he said, gripping her tightly and for a moment Amelia knew he didn’t want to let her go.
She watched as his eyes flickered over her face as if he were committing every detail to memory.
‘Take your time on the climb, test each foothold before you transfer your weight,’ he instructed, still not moving his hands from her face.
Amelia nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. Maybe he would kiss her, maybe he would hold her close and whisper that she was his hope, his reason for living.
Edward let his hands drop to his sides and nodded for her to begin the climb. Amelia’s disappointment was almost overwhelming and she felt tears begin to form in her eyes as she turned and ran her hands over the cliff face. Of course he wouldn’t kiss her and whisper what she wanted to hear in her ear—the idea was pure fantasy.
Just as she steadied herself for Edward to boost her up Amelia felt his strong hand on her waist, turning her back towards him. As they stood body to body Amelia saw the fire burning in his eyes and before she could dare to hope he pulled her close against him and covered her lips with his own.
He kissed her deeply and passionately, gripping her tightly as if he never wanted to let go. After her initial shock Amelia felt her heart soar and her body react to him as if she had been waiting her entire life for this moment.
Amelia was aware of his firm body against hers and wondered how she could have ever found any other man attractive. No one compared to Edward’s wild appeal and sensuous charm.
Just as Amelia’s lungs started burning and her brain started asking for air Edward broke away, his lips lingering gently on hers for a few seconds before he broke the contact comple
tely.
‘What...?’ Amelia began to ask, all her hopes and dreams surging to the surface, chased closely by a very real fear of rejection.
Edward shook his head, ‘There’s no time,’ he said quietly.
Amelia glanced over his shoulder and saw the sea creeping ever closer and decided not to argue. All her questions would be pointless if she didn’t get help in time for Edward to be rescued.
‘Goodbye, Amelia.’
His words sounded too final, too devoid of hope.
‘I will be back,’ Amelia said as she allowed him to boost her up the cliff face to grab hold of the first handhold.
At first it seemed too far for her to reach, but in the end, when she was standing on his shoulders, she could just about wrap her fingers round a jutting-out segment of the chalk. Slowly, with her muscles protesting, she pulled herself upwards until her other hand could reach above her.
Amelia’s progress was painfully slow. She was already exhausted by the exertion involved in dragging Edward along the beach and the gusting wind and pelting rain weren’t helping much either, but the memory of Edward’s lips on her own, consuming her with a passion she’d never imagined possible, spurred her on. Inch by inch she hauled herself up the cliff face, trying to ignore the pain in her fingers as the skin was torn to shreds by the merciless rock face. Twice she slipped, her feet losing their precarious purchase on the ledges below her, and her body slammed against the chalk. Each time she had to wait for her heart to stop pounding and her vision to clear before she could continue the slow climb up.
Just as she wondered if she would ever make the top she felt the grass under her fingers and let out a cry of relief. With shaking arms and burning lungs she was able to pull herself up on to the cliff top. She paused to glance back down to Edward’s form below. He already looked despondent and for an awful few seconds Amelia wondered if he had given up, if this was the moment he’d decided to join his beloved late wife and son. Even the thought ripped at her heart. Surely his kiss had been more than a farewell, surely it had meant something more than that.
As she looked down Edward raised his head and waved. This small gesture pushed Amelia into action. It wouldn’t matter if he had decided to live or die if she didn’t return as quickly as possible with help. Later she could dissect exactly what their kiss had meant and exactly what Edward felt for her, but right now she had to run as fast as she’d ever run and ride faster than she ever had before. With a final glance at the man on the beach below Amelia turned and began her dash across the clifftop, praying she would make it back in time.
* * *
Edward had expected to feel at peace. As soon as he’d seen they were cut off from the route back along the beach he’d realised there was a possibility he wouldn’t get out of this alive, but his panic had been largely for Amelia. He couldn’t fail her now, not after all he’d done to protect her and keep her safe. Then he’d seen the route up the cliff, if only he could boost her high enough.
Although he’d told her she would have time to summon help, he doubted it was true. The sea was advancing quickly now and he’d only really said it to convince her to leave and get herself to safety.
He’d expected to feel a sense of relief. Many times over the past three years he’d contemplated taking his own life and joining his family, but something had tethered him to earth and a worldly existence. Now the decision was out of his hands he had thought he would welcome an escape from his grief, but he found his mind anything but peaceful.
Closing his eyes, Edward relived the kiss he’d just shared with Amelia. It had been spontaneous, totally unplanned and completely irresistible. As she’d stood in front of him just about to start up the cliff face Edward had known he couldn’t let her leave without kissing her. The thought had taken over his entire body until there was no option but to spin her round and cover her lips with his own.
Now he had kissed her Edward could see the moment had been building for a long time, probably ever since they’d sat in the sitting room with him teaching her to draw. Deep down he’d been aware of his attraction for her, even been aware of the guilt that attraction had stirred up inside him. What was new was a curiosity of what might happen next. Visions of passionate kisses and tender embraces filled his mind and Edward was surprised not to be overcome with guilt. For the first time in three years he was considering his future and it did not look completely bleak.
He wanted to live, he realised. He wanted to escape from this cursed beach and return to his much-neglected home and fling open all the windows and doors, to let the light and the air into the darkest corners and whip off the dust sheets. Cautiously he wondered if maybe he wanted to start interacting with the world again, to embrace everything this life had to offer him and pull himself from the dark hole that had trapped him for the past few years.
Edward yelled in frustration. Why now? Why was it at the moment when he actually had something to live for and the urge to move forward with his life it was going to be cruelly taken away from him?
He ran at the cliff, launching himself up the smooth chalk, scrabbling for a handhold. Time and time again he slid back down, just to take another run at the towering white wall.
Eventually Edward sank to the floor with his back against the cliff and watched the approaching sea. It wouldn’t be long now until it reached him, and then only a matter of time before the tide swept him out and pulled him under or dashed him against the cliffs.
Edward closed his eyes and thought about his life and about the past few weeks. What he regretted most was pushing Amelia away. He knew deep down he felt more for her than the friendship he pretended they shared. Every time he saw her his whole world lit up, every time she touched him his skin tingled and his heart pounded. Every time she smiled at him his heart squeezed. If only he’d seized his opportunity, if only he’d told her how he felt.
It wasn’t fair. Any time in the past three years he would have welcomed the release from his guilt and sorrow, but now he finally could see a glimmer of hope in his life fate was going to give him what he had wished for.
Edward threw back his head and gave a primal roar, venting his frustration and his angst. He wanted to walk through his garden, to sketch and read, to hold Amelia in his arms and work out exactly what the future could hold. It was cruelly ironic that only now was he realising all that his life could be.
As the water rose to waist level Edward felt his hope fizzle and die so he focused on picturing his son and wondered if they would be reunited soon. He wanted to see his son’s face, to kiss his hair and fold him in his arms, but still he wished he could have just a little longer on earth, a little longer to make up for all the time he’d wasted.
‘Edward.’ The voice floated down to him, and he for a moment he wondered if it were an angel from heaven. Then he recognised the tone and his eyes flew open. ‘Edward.’
Quickly he stood, struggling to keep his balance as the waves pounded against him. Waving his arms above his head he opened his mouth and shouted as loudly as he could.
Amelia had managed it. She’d actually made it back in time. When he’d sent her up the cliff he’d never imagined she might return quickly enough to save him.
The rope fell just to his left and swung in to hit the cliff face a few times. Edward pushed through the seawater to reach it, grabbed hold with both hands and watched in amazement as slowly he rose from the sea.
Jerkily he was pulled higher and higher, inching away from the crashing waves below. As the distance between him and the sea increased Edward felt his heart soar. He was going to survive, he might be battered and bruised, but he would live. Now all of the things he had wished for more time to do would be within his grasp.
It took five minutes to pull him up on to the cliff. As Edward felt the strong hands grabbing his arms and swinging him on to firm ground his legs almost gave way beneath him. Amel
ia rushed forward, hesitating for just a minute before wrapping her arms around him and resting her forehead against his.
‘You saved me,’ Edward said quietly as he held her tightly.
Amelia didn’t answer, instead burying her head in Edward’s shoulder. He felt the shudder of her body before he heard the sobs and gently began to stroke her hair.
‘I thought...’ Amelia began, but couldn’t finish the sentence.
‘Shh,’ Edward soothed. ‘Don’t think about it.’
He himself felt more than a little shaken by the experience and couldn’t wait to get back to Beechwood Manor to get out of his wet clothes and warm up by a roaring fire. A good night’s sleep would be very welcome and then maybe in the morning he might be able to start trying to work out exactly what he felt for the woman in his arms.
Chapter Nineteen
Edward paced backwards and forwards in the hallway, trying to stop himself looking at the clock every few seconds. Amelia was late, but that was her prerogative. He had rather sprung this surprise on her.
It had been a week since their disastrous trip to the beach and both Edward and Amelia had spent long periods in bed recovering from the cold and the physical exertion under doctor’s orders. For Edward that had meant a lot of time to reflect on his realisations on the beach and a lot of time to plan.
He was very aware he needed to take things slowly. His growing desire to re-join the world of the living, his renewed excitement for the future, could just be a reaction to a near-death experience and he didn’t want to rush into anything. What hadn’t changed over the past week was his desire to spend more time with Amelia. He wasn’t sure what his feelings for Amelia were and he couldn’t quite put a name on them. He didn’t feel that same comfortable feeling he had with Jane, but Amelia challenged him and riled him and lit a fire inside him.
Every day he still woke with a knot of guilt in his stomach and concerns that he should not be allowed to be happy, but instead of allowing these feelings to grow and fester Edward was taking a step back and distancing himself from them. Jane would never want him to be unhappy, so it was only he who had been holding himself back for the past three years. On the beach he had decided he’d wanted to live, so now he owed it to himself to give life a chance. And to give his feelings for Amelia a chance.