Larkrigg Fell by Freda Lightfoot Page B

voice was admirably cool but his presence beside her made her feel oddly light headed.
    ‘Those two are swimming,’ he said, glaring fiercely out across the water where Sarah and Jonty were racing each other in an unprepossessing crawl. ‘I sit here with you, sì? You don’t mind?’
    He couldn’t bear to see them together, she thought, any more than she could bear to watch Pietro with her sister. She could almost feel his gaze burning up the distance between them, wishing Jonty elsewhere almost as badly as she did, if for a different reason. ‘No, of course not. I don’t mind at all,’ she assured him with forced brightness. The urge to do something completely crazy like lean against his broad shoulder, or reach up and kiss his pale pink lips, was almost overpowering. She shifted a few inches away and closed her eyes in quiet despair. Did he think that by sitting with her he made everything right. As if she didn’t realise that really he only longed to be back in the water with Sarah. Then he turned his blue gaze upon her and smilingly made her agony worse.
    ‘Your sister, she is the beauty, yes?’
    ‘Yes,’ Beth sighed, smiling quietly. ‘She has always been that.’
    ‘It troubles you?’
    ‘Not really,’ she admitted. ‘It’s good to see her happy.’ And she did feel that, deep down, really she did. Sarah had not been herself lately and was in sore need of a holiday. They may not be particularly close but she had agreed to give up the chance of Venice for her sake. Shame washed through Beth at the thought, cleansing away the hot jealousy and leaving her feeling drained and guilty. ‘She is very supportive. I really don’t know how I would manage without her.’
    ‘And you are happy?’
    ‘Yes, I’m fine.’ She was, truly she was. If only sometimes she could get out from under her sister’s shadow, or borrow some of Sarah’s effervescent charm.
    ‘You have the boyfriend, back home in America?’
    Panic hit her. She really didn’t want to talk about Jeremy. He was finished, over and done with. ‘No, I’m too busy right now.’
    ‘But I think you are the sweet and charming one.’
    Beth looked up at him, startled. ‘You do?’
    He gave a soft chuckle, kissed the tip of his middle finger then placed it on her slightly parted lips. ‘I do,’ he whispered, and his breath on her face sent fresh quivers of longing right down her spine.
    ‘Oh,’ was all she could manage. For what seemed a lifetime she gazed into his eyes and saw surprise register in their blueness. Did he feel as she did? Would he kiss her? He turned abruptly from her.
    ‘Come. I teach you to dive, sì?’
    ‘Oh, I’m not sure, Pietro. Really I…’
    ‘Do not fear. I will hold you safe.’
    Before she knew what was happening, Beth had slipped out of her frock, revealing a modest one piece bathing costume and he was taking her hand and running her down into the water. It was the most glorious moment of her life.
     
    The next morning Sarah slept late, then took a leisurely bath, her long hair casually knotted on top of her head, soaping her beautiful body as though there was all the time in the world.
    ‘We’d agreed to start stripping the walls at Larkrigg today. Wouldn’t it be more sensible to take your bath after we’ve finished the day’s work?’
    Sarah screwed up her nose and sank deeper into the hot bubbles. ‘You’re becoming a bore, sweet sister.’
    Beth swallowed a burst of impatience. ‘How long are we going to let them stay?’
    ‘Do we have to decide now? Let’s take things as they come.’
    ‘But...’
    ‘Not now, Beth.’
     
    In the days following, the two uninvited guests made no move to leave and Sarah was clearly revelling in their attentions. She took them food, begged some old blankets off Sally Ann, flirted outrageously with them both and spent hours wandering off alone with Jonty.
    Beth didn’t care to imagine what her twin got up to on those walks, though it worried her enormously.