Beautiful Strangers
Page 30
Swinging her legs over the side of the bunk, she dropped down and peered in at the sleeping girl who had arrived late last night to share her cell. Well now. She gently traced the outline of the girl’s lips with her forefinger, maybe there is a Santa Claus after all.
* * * * * * * *
In Brighton, Lindsay stirred in bed. She couldn’t remember when she’d felt so good. Wrapping herself around Constance she snuggled into her.
‘Merry Christmas, Linz. Time to get up for work.’
‘Just another five minutes, there’s something I want to give you,’ she chuckled.
* * * * * * * *
North Yorkshire was in the grip of one of the coldest winters ever. Inside the farmhouse it was warm. All of the curtains were pulled tight against the cold, the central heating boiler buzzed, and logs burned on the fire.
Beth and Lou sat on the floor by the hearth in the firelight. Neither woman wanted to be parted from the other, not even by sleep.
It’s perfect here, thought Beth, safe and peaceful. Apart from the fire, the multi-coloured tree lights were the only other lights in the room. She sighed deeply, relaxing back against Lou’s soft body, comfortably sitting between her legs.
Lou leaned against the sofa, her chin on Beth’s shoulder breathing her in, her legs and arms wrapped around Beth’s body.
‘I love you,’ she whispered thinking Beth had finally dozed off.
‘I love you too.’
After a while, Lou stirred. She stretched over and rummaged for a package she had hidden under the Christmas tree. Kissing Beth she pressed it into her hands. ‘Merry Christmas, hun.’
Still drowsy, Beth stared at the gift then carefully removed the gold wrapping paper. A velvet Asprey presentation box nestled in the palm of her hand.
‘Go on then. Open it.’
She gazed at Lou, dizzy with happiness. ‘I have something for you. It’s . . .’
‘No, no please, open this first.’
Beth flipped the lid, inside sparkled the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen.
Lou grinned. ‘Well, Beth McConnell, diamonds have played such a big part in our lives up to now that it seems only fitting. You know what they say, diamonds are forever sweetheart . . . and so are we.’
Beth laughed at the irony. Trust Lou. Her laughter stopped when Lou slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand, and said, ‘Together . . . forever.’
‘Lou, darling, I don’t have anything like this for you.’ Beth pulled a folder out from under the cushions on the sofa and handed it to her. ‘Happy Christmas, my love.’
Lou screeched while she read the tickets and itinerary for an extended cruise round the Mediterranean.
‘I know it’s not until next summer, so I got you this to be going on with.’ Beth reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a small green and gold box.
Now it was Lou’s turn to be stunned as she gazed at the beautiful square cut emerald ring. ‘Beth . . . thank you . . . this is so beautiful.’
Beth removed the ring from its box, and said, ‘I guess this mean we’re engaged now.’
‘Yes, I suppose it does.’
‘Come on, let’s go to bed. We’ve managed to sit up all night.’ Lou said.
Upstairs in their bathroom Beth was polishing her teeth.
Lou shouted through to her, ‘I can’t help but wonder what happened to Hyacinth? I wonder if she is dead?’
Beth wiped some toothpaste from the corner of her mouth; she lifted her head to look into the mirror above the hand basin. Instead of the bathroom reflection she expected to see, the mirror came alive. Colours swirled, like snow, within its frame before slowly settling into an icy midnight scene. Beth shivered, physically experiencing a drop in temperature. The scene started to take shape before her eyes. A wishing well sparkled, she could see huge paw prints embedded in the ice around it. She was not surprised when Hyacinth appeared to her, wrapped in furs, standing beside the wishing well. Hyacinth’s unsmiling face stared at her. Briefly, Beth experienced the tremendous force of Hyacinth’s magnetic pull.
‘No!’ Beth said. ‘No more. It’s over.’
Hyacinth smiled, her Mediterranean blue eyes lit up as she reached out; Beth felt cold fingers stroking her face. ‘It’s not over, darling. I’m coming to get you.
* * * End * * *
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ellen was born in County Durham, England. She lives in North Yorkshire with her long-term partner. She is active in amateur dramatics and is interested in metaphysics.
Ellen enjoys strumming her guitar, walking, and
an occasional round of golf.
Ellen is a conservationist who actively supports the endangered orangutan, and encourages everyone to support Mother Nature and help sustain Planet Earth.
Before she penned her first novel, Ellen wrote features for national magazines and regional newspapers.
She is still involved in journalism.
Ellen is the UK writer for Shewired.com
www.shewired.com
Ellen reviews for The Life of Luxury
www.thelifeofluxury.com
She presents a weekly internet based radio show on
www.durham-dales-radio.co.uk
Ellen is a regular blogger
www.ellendean.blogspot.com
She also makes an exhibition of herself on YouTube
www.youtube.com/ellendean
www.ellendean.co.uk
Coming Soon
The sequel to Beautiful Strangers entitled
BEYOND MIDNIGHT
will publish in 2011