Haunted Creek (23 page)

‘I’ve loved you from the start, Erik,’ Rose confessed. It had been hidden, locked away for so long. She shivered. ‘Erik, I’d forgotten … I might not be able to marry, after all. Luke may still be alive. He could have, well, gone off to start a new life.’

Erik reached over and held her hand. ‘He didn’t, Rose. He’s dead. It was bound to upset you so I didn’t tell you. But I know what happened.’

‘How on earth could you know?’ Was he trying to smooth it over for her? Rose couldn’t understand him.

‘Not long after Luke died, I wanted some dowelling and so I rode over to see the Noojee carpenter. And old Fred was very subdued. He makes the coffins for the district, you see … he says you get used to the job. But one particular death had upset him so much, he couldn’t forget about it. A poor lad that was killed by a falling tree.’ Erik paused and Rose looked into the distance. ‘It was Luke all right, he even remembered the name. And he says he’ll never forget the sight of the body.’

There was silence for a while and then Rose sighed. ‘Thank you.’

‘I should add that Fred told me all this without any questions on
my part … but it proves that Luke didn’t just abandon you. He met with an accident – may he rest in peace.’

Goodbye, Luke, forgive me for thinking badly of you
. Rose sat quietly hand in hand with Erik, looking at the night sky. ‘Twinkle, twinkle …’ still echoed in her head.

‘Just one thing,’ Rose said hesitantly after a while. ‘Do you happen to have seen Lord Barrington?’

‘You’re worried about him? He and I sheltered together from the fire – we got into my biggest dam,’ Erik said, looking at Rose. ‘I gave him a ride from Moe and the man was keen to mend your reputation. In a delicate way, he let me know why he was at your house … and why it happened that you had your arms round his waist, one night when I came to see you. Just bandaging, that was all.’ He smiled at the memory. ‘I must say he was very cool when the fire came right over our heads. Kept on talking about fishing, except when we ducked under the water.’

‘Goodness me, that sounds dangerous. You saw me bandage him? No wonder you thought the worst.’ Rose sighed. ‘But Maeve Malone is grieving. She thinks he’s dead.’

Erik laughed. ‘Oh, yes. He’s waiting a bit longer to soften her up, make her worry a bit. And he thinks that when he does turn up, then she’ll give in and marry him. I always knew he was a rogue … a charming rascal.’

The night was warm and scents were rising from the shrubs beside the house. Hand in hand, they wandered through the garden down to a little lake, fringed by weeping willows. ‘Water for the garden,’ Erik explained. ‘But I wanted it to look beautiful as well. I always imagined that you would share it with me, one day.’

They stood looking at the moon on the water and Rose said, ‘Let’s bathe.’

It seemed quite natural to take off their clothes and go into the water. Erik swam a few strokes and then came back to Rose. The water was cool on her skin and she felt that the past was being washed away, along with the dirt and ash of the fire. Moonlight
danced on the surface, reflections broken by their movement.
I will always remember this moment
.

Laughing, they floated together and then Erik took her hand and they came out of the enchanted pool. Water streamed from their bodies and Rose watched their moonlit shadows on the grass as they moved together and merged. There was no need for guilt, no need to draw back.

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