The Body on the Beach (The Weymouth Trilogy) by Lizzie Church Page A

lifestyle and was very loath to deny him the opportunity of an outing. So the next morning she donned a walking dress and boots, as the invitation had intimated that a certain amount of rambling may be involved, and did her best to curtail Bob’s over-abundant excitement at the thought of a whole day’s excursion to some mystery destination which may, hopefully, involve some play.
    As she had half suspected, it was Mr Berkeley’s carriage, with both Mr Berkeley and his sister inside, which duly appeared at the door of Sandsford House at shortly a fter ten o’clock the next morning . Bob and Mr Berkeley greeted each other with the joy of long lost and very dear acquaintance, and Kathryn could not prevent herself from giving him a warmer smile than she had intended when he came knocking at the door.
    ‘This is most kind of you and your sister, Mr Berkeley,’ she said, ushering her son towards the carriage. ‘Bob can hardly contain his excitement. He has had little enough enjoyment these past few weeks, with my husband away and me being taken up so much with my aunt.’
    Mr Berkeley expressed his delight that she had accepted their invitation and made way for her in the front-facing seat with his sister, taking the rear-facing one with his adoring friend Bob for himself. The carriage jolted its way unsteadily up the rutted track, much to Bob’s evident glee, and from hence onto the turnpike, which, sadly, was not much better. They continued through Weymouth and across the bridge, eventually turning off onto the southbound road and thence out of town and along towards the sea. This was new territory for Kathryn and she was quite eager to explore it. After just a very few minutes the coachman pulled off the road and reined-in the horses. Mr Berkeley jumped down, picked Bob up and threw him unceremoniously onto his shoulders, handed his sister down and then gave Kathryn his hand to help her down as well.
    ‘We shall take a short walk down this way,’ he announced. ‘There is something just round the corner that I thought you might like to see.’
    The party dutifully made its way down a trackway and then broke off to head towards a ruined castle which stood on a promontory close by. Bob squealed with delight when he saw it. A real castle. Why, a boy could have hours of fun playing hide and seek with an Uncle Andrew here. He looked at his mama with pleading eyes. Mr Berk eley looked at her likewise, making her laugh.
    ‘We are entirely in your hands today, Mr Berkeley,’ she acknowledged. ‘If there is time enough for a game then a game is what you most certainly should have.’
    ‘Come along then, young man,’ commanded Mr Berkeley, effortlessly lowering him down to the groun d again . ‘What will you do – hide, or seek?’
    ‘Hide, hide,’ shouted Bob. ‘And mama and Mrs Wright must hide as well and you shall come and find us.’
    Kathryn was not at all sure that she wanted to hide and be sought by Mr Berkeley but as Mrs Wright appeared to share none of her doubts she felt it a little mean to refuse. So she fled into the castle as soon as Mr Berkeley had turned his back and found herself a quiet nook, overlooking the water, in which to await her fate.
    Despite the secrecy of her hiding place it appeared that Mr Berkeley was either in luck or – shame to say – perhaps had peeped just a little at her flight, for no sooner had he roared ‘coming’ than he made his way straight for her hideaway at a great rate of knots. Kathryn could see that she was certain to be discovered . Giving a little squeal she left the sanctuary of her hiding place and raced off in the opposite direction. She happened to come against Bob, crouching behind a stone nearby.
    ‘Quickly, quickly Bob,’ she shouted, holding her skirt up a fraction to facilitate her flight. ‘I shall be undone. You stay here and stand your ground. You can run more quickly than I can. You must not allow him to catch me. You must help me to