After what felt like ten hours but was likely ten seconds, the figure in the window disappeared from view and the kitchen was plunged back into darkness. ‘Quick, she’s gone. Jump back over.’
‘Jump?’ Hurrying the few short steps towards the fence, Murray knitted his eyebrows together. ‘I might be tall, and the fence might be relatively short, but I still don’t think I can get my lanky legs over it.’
After checking the kitchen light was still out in her neighbour’s cottage, Ellie dragged the other chair across the patio and lifted it over the fence towards him. ‘Quick, grab it, it’s heavy.’
‘Thanks.’ Lowering the chair to his side, Murray climbed up before stepping back over the fence onto the other chair. Leaning over, he hoisted the chair he’d used to hop across back into Ellie’s garden just as Mrs Jedd’s outside light flicked on. Thankfully, the weak glow barely illuminated the pond and surrounding patio.
‘Yikes, she must have seen something.’ Dropping to the ground, Ellie dragged Murray down with her, barely able to contain her laughter at the absurdity of the situation.
Stumbling, Murray half-fell, half-knelt, saving himself at the last moment so he was propped over her, an arm on either side of her.
With their faces centimetres apart, Ellie held her breath as he looked into her eyes. She listened as Mrs Jedd’s back door clicked open and footsteps approached them. She could feel Murray’s biceps twitch against the top of her arms as he held his position, not once breaking eye contact.
As soon as they heard her neighbour’s footsteps retreat again and the kitchen door click shut behind her, they both burst out laughing.
‘That was close!’ She grinned. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever held my breath for so long. I was sure she was going to peer over the fence and spot us.’
‘Same here.’ Murray chuckled before his expression grew serious again. He made no sign to move.
She could feel his heart beating against her chest, his breath warming her cheeks, and she tentatively reached up, laying her hands against the nape of his neck. She wanted to kiss him so much. No, she wanted him to kiss her, to show her he wanted her back. She watched as he lowered his gaze to her lips and leaned down a millimetre before pausing.
‘Do you want this too?’ His voice was choked with emotion.
Nodding, she lifted her head, her lips gently touching his. As she felt the rush of electricity between them, he lowered himself to his side before stroking her cheek, their lips still locked together.
So this was what it felt like to kiss the one who had got away. She remembered him, she remembered this feeling of utter, pure connection.
As he leaned back slightly, she cupped his cheeks with her hands as they looked deep into each other’s eyes. ‘What does this mean?’
Murray opened his mouth to answer just as a beam of light shone across the fence.
‘Drat, she’s got the torch out. She must know someone’s been in her garden.’ Shifting from her position, Ellie held out her hand to Murray, signalling for him to copy her.
As he pushed himself to standing, Murray stubbed his toe on the leg of one of the chairs they’d used in their pursuit to rescue Pedro, which in turn knocked against the fence.
Grimacing, Ellie held her breath.
‘Ellie? Is that you, Ellie?’ Mrs Jedd called, her voice becoming louder as she made her way around her pond towards the fence.
Holding her breath, she watched as Murray did the same.
‘Ellie? If that’s not you, I’m going to call the police.’ Mrs Jedd’s voice rose an octave but didn’t seem to get any louder. She’d clearly stopped in the middle of her garden, seemingly unsure whether to continue in her quest to find the culprit of the noise or to retreat into the safety of her cottage.
Slumping her shoulders, Ellie shook her head slightly. She’d have to show herself. As much as Mrs Jedd grated on her, she couldn’t have her neighbour feeling scared in her own home. Putting her forefinger to her lips, Ellie used her other hand to wave Murray inside. After watching him disappear into her kitchen, Ellie stood up and peered over the fence, a feeling of guilt washing over her as she watched Mrs Jedd turn and relief flood across her face. ‘Hi, Mrs Jedd. Sorry if I disturbed you, I was just trying to…’ She glanced down, waiting for inspiration to strike.
‘Trying to what? You almost scared the living daylights out of me,’ Mrs Jedd chided as she held her palm against her chest.
‘I didn’t mean to… I thought I saw a hedgehog.’ As soon as the words escaped her lips, Ellie realised how poor an excuse that was. Heck, a two-year-old could have come up with a better lie.
‘A hedgehog?’ Joining her at the fence, Mrs Jedd held her torch up, shining it into Ellie’s garden. ‘Where is the little blighter? Something’s been messing with my netting, I bet that was the hedgehog.’
‘Maybe.’ Ellie swallowed, hoping Mrs Jedd wouldn’t question her further. She needed to turn this conversation around to her neighbour. ‘Why have you put netting up over your pond? Is the heron which visited last year back for your fish?’
Mrs Jedd shook her head with such force the bright pink curlers holding her white hair in place threatened to dislodge. ‘No. I’ve not seen that bird again, thank goodness. The netting is to deter your flying rats from coming anywhere near my Norman again.’
‘Oh.’ Ellie opened her mouth, about to ask how a piece of netting would stop a pigeon from flying over and decorating her gnome again before she thought better of it and gave a large dramatic yawn instead. ‘I’d better get to bed.’
‘At this hour? It’s only half past eight. I would have thought someone young like you would be burning the midnight oil.’ Mrs Jedd shifted position and crossed her arms, clearly signally she was settling in for one of her extended chats. ‘When I was your age…’
