Lauren's Dilemma by Margaret Tanner Read Free Book Online

together, she shoved them inside
her shoe.
    “Can I turn
around now?” he asked
    “Yes.”
    Grinning,
he loped towards the water, leaving her to follow at a more sedate pace.
Charging straight ahead, he did not stop until the water lapped around his
knees, then throwing his arms above his head he urged her on.
    Tentatively
she dangled a toe in. Ooh, the water felt freezing.
    “Scaredy
cat,” he taunted, grabbing her hand to drag her in deeper.
    “Danny,”
she shrieked, grabbing at the hem of her skirt so it wouldn’t get soaked.
    “The sea
looks never ending, doesn't it?   Imagine
sailing across it. A couple of months ago, if someone had suggested such a
thing, I'd have laughed in his face. Laurie, I embark tomorrow.” His
countenance turned grave, his eyes became dark and shadowed.
    “So soon?”
she asked in an aching whisper.
    “Yes,
that's why I acted like I did before, because I won't be seeing you for ages. I
got desperate. Forgive me?”
    “Yes, I
panicked. I do love you.” She reached out and stroked his cheek with trembling
fingers.
    “Same
here.” He tapped her under the chin. “Think of it, in a few weeks’ time I might
be in England or France.
Would you like me to bring you back some French perfume, maybe some fancy lace
stuff?   What was the name of that famous
church in France?”
    “Notre
Dame.”
    “Yeah, I
might see it, too.” His voice rose with enthusiasm and his brown eyes danced
with a sudden excited expectation.
    “You'll
have to fight.”
    “Nothing I
like better than a fight. Come on, let's run and warm ourselves up a bit.”
    He grasped
her hand and they set off, laughing and kicking up sprays of water as they
went. He slowed down for a moment and then, putting on a spurt, dragged her
after him, and their laughter rang out on the deserted beach.
    They raced
up and down, sometimes on the sand, other times in the water. She clutched her
skirt in one hand while Danny hung on to the other.
    “No more,
please.” She collapsed against him breathless.
    “Maybe we’d
better start back. It'll be dark soon,” he said as the sun streaked the sky
with pink. Darkness fell swiftly this time of year.
    “Race you back
to our boots.” He started running, but after a few yards he stopped and waited
for her to catch up. Hand in hand they started off again, Laurie laughing, he
whooping loudly.
    She glanced
up and the laughter caught in her throat. Blair Sinclair stood on the beach
smoking his pipe and watching them. She glanced down at her creased skirt with
its damp hemline. Heat rushed into her face as his gaze strayed to her ankles
and bare feet.
    “We were
having races, neither of us has been to the beach before,” she explained with
an embarrassed giggle.
    “I enjoyed
watching you both. Oh, to be young and carefree again.” He gave a huge sigh.
    “You aren't
old, Blair, are you?”
    “I'm
twenty-eight. Your aunt wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready soon.
I felt like a smoke, so I volunteered to fetch you.”
    He knocked
the pipe out on his heel. “Didn't think I'd be entertained, as well.” He gave a
soft chuckle. His eyes turned misty blue in the fading light, causing the usual
air of graveness he wore to lift momentarily. Why did her heart beat quicken?
    Danny,
looking sheepish, dragged on his socks and boots, and she watched with interest
as he put on the cloth puttees that covered his trousers from ankle to knee.
    “I'll have
to tidy up a little. I must look awful,” she apologized
    “You look
quite lovely, Lauren.” Blair’s compliment had her staring at him in surprise.
What was there about him that made her think he was sad?
    “Laurie
always looks nice. Doesn't put on all that makeup stuff, either,” Danny tacked
on gallantly. She walked between the two soldiers, feeling rather foolish in
bare feet.
    “Maybe you
had better go upstairs and change your skirt, you're a bit bedraggled. Captain
Sinclair and I can entertain your aunt until you get back.”