60
darkening b sand. They ran to a shelter and once inside,stood
there panting, looking at one another. Sadie’s hair hung in long
wet strands to her waist.
"Get your towel out and dry yourself," he said, and she did so.
She took off her anorak andhe shook it vigorously. He looked angry
yet, his eyes were black, and there was no hint of a smile. He
must hate her, she thought.
"Did you want to catch your death out there?" he demanded.
She shook her head. She swallowed deeply and then she said, "I'm sorry."
Hsi His mouth softened. "That's all right. I'm sorry too."
"No, no, it was ray fault. I have a terrible tongue on me at times,
my mother's always telling me."
He laughed, put out his xxxxx hand and smoothed her hair. "It
was all silly anyway."
She nodded."I'm glad you came back for me."
There was a time when he would have been too proud to go back but when he had returned and seen her crouching on the wet beach he knew he could not walk away.
"Did you think I'd leave s you sitting there all alone on the
sands?"
He helped her put her anorak back on and then putlaid his hands on her shoulders. "You look like a drowned rat," he said, and then
he kissed her.
She moved closernearer to him. She linked her hands round the back of
his neck and rested her cheek against his sweater. Outside the rain
beat down, hissing on the pavement, drumming on the roof of their shelter. They stayed there until it
ceased, holding one another close. It was time then to go for the
last bus home. They walked through the wet streets, arms around
