The Girl From Seaforth Sands (50 page)

BOOK: The Girl From Seaforth Sands

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But Amy did not get Paddy to herself until quite late that night, for he had to go round to the lodgings, which Gus and Albert still shared, to tell them he was home. Back at the house in Seafield Grove Suzie had come down for the evening meal, as she did every day, and Bill had returned from the fish market. He greeted his stepson with real pleasure, especially when it was explained to him that Paddy and Amy meant to marry when they could afford to do so. ‘I always thought you two hid your feelings for one another under all that sniping and disagreeableness,’ Bill said sagely. ‘What’s more, I reckon you’re like as two peas in a pod – sharp tongued, quick-witted, but soft as herring roes underneath.’

‘Oh, Dad, herring roes!’ Amy said, giggling. ‘There was Paddy telling me I looked pale as a cod’s underbelly when he first came home and now you’re telling me I’m squishy as herring roe underneath my quick wits. Still, I know what you mean, and there’s a good deal of truth in it. Only in future, Paddy and me are going to be a bit more careful of one another’s feelings; isn’t that right, chuck?’

Paddy had agreed and they had spent a comfortable family evening, while the prodigal son told
them all his adventures and assured them that he would not again take a berth aboard a ship which came into the port so rarely. ‘Now that I’ve had a bit of experience aboard ship, I thought I’d try for a berth on a transatlantic liner,’ he said. ‘I’d be away three weeks at a time, I grant you, but that isn’t like six months. Anyway, that’s all for the future. Right now I’m taking a holiday. Besides, Amy and I will want to talk about both our careers, because if I do get a liner then I don’t see why she shouldn’t try for a job aboard as well. The really big ships employ quite a number of women and Amy’s so efficient . . .’

Amy had been enchanted by the idea and intended to look into the possibilities, but right now she wanted to enjoy Paddy’s company and talk about their lives together rather than their careers.

So when at last Suzie and Bill had settled down before the hearth, clearly with the intention of making an evening of it, Paddy took Amy’s hand and informed their parents that they meant to go for a walk along the beach.

Outside the air was balmy with the scents of summer and when they reached the beach the freshening breeze brought the evocative smell of the sea to their nostrils. Paddy put his arm round Amy and drew her gently down into the shelter of one of the dunes. ‘Oh, Amy, Amy, you smell so sweet,’ he murmured, smoothing his hand down her cheek.

Amy responded for one giddying moment, then pulled herself free to remark, ‘What? You mean the smell of shrimps has faded at last?’

Paddy laughed and held her a little tighter. ‘I reckon you never did smell of any sort of fish,’ he mumbled into the side of her neck. ‘I were just getting at you because you didn’t seem to admire me
the way I thought you should. But that’s all water under the bridge, queen. Now we’ve sorted ourselves out we’d best get a ring, make it official. Oh, Amy,
how
I do love you.’

Around them the little breeze played in the marram grass and now and then a movement from one or other of them disturbed a tiny, chilly river of sand, which ran down the side of the dune and formed its own miniature mountain on the beach below. But Amy and Paddy never even noticed. Warmly, sweetly, they were beginning to understand what had brought them together. Locked in each other’s arms, on the dark beach, with the round silver moon the only witness, Paddy and Amy began to kiss.

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Epub ISBN 9781446455814
Version 1.0

Published by Arrow Books 2001

Katie Flynn has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work

First published in Great Britain in 2001 by William Heinemann

Arrow Books
The Random House Group Limited
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA

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