she thought about it. It had been a beautiful day and the evening was warm and without wind. The sea was tranquil and looking up from where she had stopped she could see two couples half way along the pier standing looking down into the water.
Partly to quell her fears and partly because the walk along it was so inviting, Nora took a deep breath and went in through the turnstile. On the pier the little train had been put away in its usual siding and she could hear someone tinkering with it as she passed. They were on the far side of the train so she could not see what it was.
Forgetting all about it, she strolled along, enjoying the fresh smell of seaweed and salt water. The two couples she had seen at the rails were now coming towards her, and looking ahead she could see no one. When they had gone she would be alone on the pier. They were quite a long way off yet and by the time they had passed by Nora would be well on to the other end of the pier ... alone. Hastily she glanced behind, but saw no one.
It was very quiet with only the occasional swishing sound of the sea swirling around the girders of the pier. Slowly the two couples advanced. They were quite young, hardly out of their teens, and they were holding hands. Nora could hear their voices now and soon they would be gone. But still she kept walking on. When they had passed she would turn around and follow them.
Steady now, she assured herself. What ’ s the panic? Had not Juan told her that there was no longer any danger lurking for her on the pier? But what did she really know about Juan? Only that he looked dependable, and it was so easy to be taken in by appearances.
Nora ’ s mouth went dry and her hands clenched in the pockets of her jacket as she walked on, her heart throbbing violently. The two couples were almost abreast of her now. Give them a minute or so to pass on, then she would turn round and follow them. If anyone was actually watching and waiting for her they would know that she had turned back because she was afraid of what might be waiting for her. But what did it matter what they thought? They were too despicable, whoever they were.
They had gone. Nora drew in a deep breath and took further paces forward. Now ! She swung round on her heel to face the way along the pier that she had come and something hit her head on. She clutched whatever it was to save herself from falling and felt arms like steel bands going around her.
‘ Steady on! ’ Juan ’ s deep voice, threaded with laughter, struck her ears like a gong. ‘ You ’ ve knocked the daylights out of me !’
Nora had closed her eyes and she was shaking from head to foot. The floor of the pier seemed hinged and she had the sensation of being swung around until she was giddy. But it was all in her imagination, for she was standing gazing up into Juan ’ s laughing face.
Suddenly the twinkle in his dark eyes was taken over by a look of concern. His arms tightened around her as he stared down at her working face.
‘ Nora, ’ he said urgently, ‘ what ’ s wrong? You ’ re shaking. Are you all right? ’
She dropped her head with her forehead against his chest, and stood speechless, held tightly against him. What was he doing so close behind her? Had he been following her? A shudder went through her and then she stood perfectly still.
‘ You frightened me, ’ she whispered. ‘ What were you doing so close behind me? Where did you come from? ’
‘ Hey, you are upset, aren ’ t you? ’
She lifted her head and looked up at him, white-faced but not trembling any more.
‘ Can you wonder, when you frightened me so badly? ’ she cried indignantly.
‘ I frightened you? ’ He laughed. ‘ You scared me too. Whatever made you turn round so unexpectedly? ’
‘ I ... I ... decided to go back, ’ she stammered. How could she tell him that she had been afraid of being on the pier on her own? He probably did not know what fear was. Besides, it would not do to let him know
Partly to quell her fears and partly because the walk along it was so inviting, Nora took a deep breath and went in through the turnstile. On the pier the little train had been put away in its usual siding and she could hear someone tinkering with it as she passed. They were on the far side of the train so she could not see what it was.
Forgetting all about it, she strolled along, enjoying the fresh smell of seaweed and salt water. The two couples she had seen at the rails were now coming towards her, and looking ahead she could see no one. When they had gone she would be alone on the pier. They were quite a long way off yet and by the time they had passed by Nora would be well on to the other end of the pier ... alone. Hastily she glanced behind, but saw no one.
It was very quiet with only the occasional swishing sound of the sea swirling around the girders of the pier. Slowly the two couples advanced. They were quite young, hardly out of their teens, and they were holding hands. Nora could hear their voices now and soon they would be gone. But still she kept walking on. When they had passed she would turn around and follow them.
Steady now, she assured herself. What ’ s the panic? Had not Juan told her that there was no longer any danger lurking for her on the pier? But what did she really know about Juan? Only that he looked dependable, and it was so easy to be taken in by appearances.
Nora ’ s mouth went dry and her hands clenched in the pockets of her jacket as she walked on, her heart throbbing violently. The two couples were almost abreast of her now. Give them a minute or so to pass on, then she would turn round and follow them. If anyone was actually watching and waiting for her they would know that she had turned back because she was afraid of what might be waiting for her. But what did it matter what they thought? They were too despicable, whoever they were.
They had gone. Nora drew in a deep breath and took further paces forward. Now ! She swung round on her heel to face the way along the pier that she had come and something hit her head on. She clutched whatever it was to save herself from falling and felt arms like steel bands going around her.
‘ Steady on! ’ Juan ’ s deep voice, threaded with laughter, struck her ears like a gong. ‘ You ’ ve knocked the daylights out of me !’
Nora had closed her eyes and she was shaking from head to foot. The floor of the pier seemed hinged and she had the sensation of being swung around until she was giddy. But it was all in her imagination, for she was standing gazing up into Juan ’ s laughing face.
Suddenly the twinkle in his dark eyes was taken over by a look of concern. His arms tightened around her as he stared down at her working face.
‘ Nora, ’ he said urgently, ‘ what ’ s wrong? You ’ re shaking. Are you all right? ’
She dropped her head with her forehead against his chest, and stood speechless, held tightly against him. What was he doing so close behind her? Had he been following her? A shudder went through her and then she stood perfectly still.
‘ You frightened me, ’ she whispered. ‘ What were you doing so close behind me? Where did you come from? ’
‘ Hey, you are upset, aren ’ t you? ’
She lifted her head and looked up at him, white-faced but not trembling any more.
‘ Can you wonder, when you frightened me so badly? ’ she cried indignantly.
‘ I frightened you? ’ He laughed. ‘ You scared me too. Whatever made you turn round so unexpectedly? ’
‘ I ... I ... decided to go back, ’ she stammered. How could she tell him that she had been afraid of being on the pier on her own? He probably did not know what fear was. Besides, it would not do to let him know
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