“Do you want to walk along here or down on the sand?” asked Mattie.
Nell spotted a group of teenagers who’d set up camp on the tin-coloured sand and were laughing raucously. They were probably innocently enjoying the evening, but she didn’t want her professional antennae to be triggered. “The promenade is fine by me.”
Mattie gestured at the boisterous group. “Were you a well-behaved teenager or a rebel?”
Nell licked at her ice cream, which was melting fast. “Guess.”
“Bearing in mind you told me that you weren’t allowed to play in the bath, I’m presuming that your parents were strict. I suspect that while you might have thought about rebelling you didn’t because ultimately you’re a people pleaser.”
“That’s scarily accurate,” Nell said. Was she that much of an open book? She didn’t dare ask. “I’m guessing you were a rebel.”
“I was an angel, just as Leon said.” Mattie’s lips twitched. “All right, I was a pain in the backside for a while. Mostly I was jealous of the attention Simon got because of his hearing issues. I didn’t understand how big a deal it was. I only saw him as myannoying brother who I beat at football. My parents recognised it for what it was and supported me. Thankfully, I didn’t do anything with long-reaching effects, like breaking the law.”
Nell was about to respond when a large blob of ice-cream slithered off the cone and on to her fingers. She gasped and tried to lick it off before it fell to the ground and ended up with ice cream all over her lips and chin.
“Very elegant, chief inspector,” Mattie teased.
Nell felt her cheeks blush.
“Tissue?” Mattie held out a pocket-sized pack she’d pulled from her bag’s side pocket.
“You might want to take one out for me unless you want the whole packet to be ruined.”
“You’re–”
“A mess.” Nell nodded. “I know.”
“I thought you’d be a delicate eater.”
“You caught me off guard.”In more ways than one.Nell cleaned herself up and binned the sticky tissue.
They fell into a comfortable pace, leaving the flashing fairground lights and amusement arcade noise behind them. The bay curved where it met the harbour entrance, and blue railings ran alongside the stone wall where it jutted into the sea. Mattie drifted over to the railings and leaned against the top rung. Nell joined her and looked down at the smooth rocks being unveiled by the falling tide. Ribbons of orange spilled from the setting sun and shimmered on the gently lapping water.
“When I was kid, I made it a thing on the last day of our holiday to come down here,” said Mattie. “I’d purposely cling on to these railings so tightly it would leave an imprint on my palms. Then, in the depths of winter when I was hundreds of miles away, I’d remember the feel of it. I’d know that the sea was still coming in and going out, and that it’d be there waiting for me the following summer.”
Nell caught her gaze. “Why, Matilda Elliott, you’re a sentimental softie at heart.”
Mattie brought her finger to her lips. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold.”
Nell laughed, but the joy surging through her set off alarm bells. Maybe having only a few hours to share was a good thing, because if anyone had a chance of finding a way through her carefully constructed defences, it would be Mattie. Where would that leave her? She watched as the sun sank below the horizon, leaving behind a tapestry of orange and reds. She’d missed this, sharing a sunset with someone special.
“You’redoing it now,” Mattie said softly.
“Doing what?”
“Clutching the railing.”
“Oh.” She went to let go, but Mattie edged closer and placed a hand over hers.
“You interrupted me earlier. You thought I was going to say you were a mess. I was going to say that you were hot as hell when you’re covered in ice cream.” Mattie inhaled sharply. “And when you’re not.”
“Oh,” Nell said again, intelligent words deserting her. She stared at their hands, at Mattie’s fingertips stroking her knuckles. She felt their warmth, their softness, and couldn’t bear to shake them off. She dared a furtive glance at Mattie. Her gaze was already on Nell, her eyes half-lidded. Then Mattie dipped her head closer, lips slightly parted. For a brief, glorious moment, Nell anticipated their touch. And then she found herself unexpectedly shaking her head.
Abruptly, Mattie jerked away.
Nell squeezed her eyes shut and dropped her head against her arms. So much forIf only for today, I will be unafraid.Her damn overthinking mind had a lot to answer for.
Chapter 13
