Don't Hurt Me by Elizabeth Moss Read Free Book Online Page A

inside and don’t be
ridiculous,’ he ordered her brusquely. ‘It’s been here nearly five years, it’s
perfectly safe.’
       She scrambled through the thick
flap of tarpaulin over ground which was still uneven but had been softened by
several thicknesses of dried grass flooring. She hugged herself miserably into
the far corner as Marshall came in behind her, prepared for an uncomfortable
wait until the rain stopped. Much to her surprise, however, the lean-to was
quite dry and comfortable inside. The roof must be covered with some sort of
waterproof material, she realised, staring up in confusion at the tangle of
twigs. It was not long before she stopped shivering and began to feel more
human again.
       ‘What is this place?’ she asked curiously,
rubbing her damp hair with her hands in a forlorn attempt to tidy it.
       ‘This is the den. I built it for
Victoria when she was younger. She used to bring her books and toys down here
and play for hours on her own.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t think she’s used it for
the past few years though. Too grown-up, I suppose.’
       ‘ You built it?’ she repeated, incredulous.
       Marshall laughed at her expression.
‘It wasn’t that hard. There’s a tarpaulin to keep the worst of the weather out
and the walls are nothing more sophisticated than rustic poles. It took maybe a
couple of days to get the whole place watertight. Unless it actually blows away
in these Cornish winds, it should stay here for a good few years yet.’
       ‘I’m impressed.’
       He moved closer, his eyes
narrowing. ‘Really?’
       Without warning, his body seemed
uncomfortably close to hers in the confined space. Julia had the impression she
was courting danger and sat up briskly, pretending to check the muddy hems of
her jeans for signs that they were beginning to dry.
       ‘Erm ... I wonder how long this
rain will last? I thought the weather was starting to improve but then it
changed so suddenly.’
       ‘Ah, the weather,’ he said, with
heavy emphasis. His smile became cynical and he leant back again, watching her.
‘Nothing like a spot of rain to dampen the ardour. Or should I say inflame it?
I can’t make my mind up which it is.’
         Rain had begun to spatter noisily on the
twigs and tarpaulin above their heads, a sudden gust of wind catching the rough
structure and making it sway uneasily. Unless they wanted to get soaked to the
skin, Julia thought with a feeling of dread, neither of them would be going
anywhere for the foreseeable future. She drew the flimsy edges of her jacket
closer together, only too aware how the white sweater beneath, still damp from
the rain, must be clinging to the contours of her body. But the gesture was too
late. He caught her instinctive movement and laughed, an odd gleam in those
tawny eyes as he stretched out his long legs in the narrow lean-to and tilted
his head back to look at her.  
       ‘So you’ve been out walking with my
daughter,’ he murmured, smiling at her surprised glance. ‘Victoria came back
and said you had wandered off alone. So as soon as I saw that mist rolling in,
I grabbed my coat and headed after you. These moors can be dangerous in bad
weather. Especially for idiotic town girls.’
       ‘I am not ...’ she began to say
hotly, then realised he was laughing at her and shut her mouth again.
       ‘Very wise.’
       Her face was flushed as she
hurriedly changed the subject. There was an intimacy to the way he enjoyed
needling her which Julia found disturbing. From the smile on his face though,
she could tell he knew what she was doing and found it amusing.
       ‘Yes, I had quite a long chat with
Victoria. And as I was trying to say before, she’s not the tearaway you seem to
think she is.’
       ‘I suppose you have her down as a
misunderstood teenager,’ he muttered sceptically.
       ‘I really don’t want to argue with
you,’ she said, sensing his irritation. ‘But you asked me