Sarah's Gift. Caroline Anderson

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       CHAPTER THREE

      SATURDAY morning was cold, bright and just the sort of day for a lovely brisk walk. Sarah wondered if there was the slightest chance she could talk Matt and Emily into it as an alternative to swimming, but she might have known she couldn’t.

      They arrived as arranged to pick her up at nine-thirty, and when Matt pulled up on the drive in his rental Ford Emily leapt out of the back and ran to the door, just as Sarah opened it.

      She looked down at the little girl and her heart sank. She knew, beyond any doubt, that they were going swimming. There was no way Sarah could disappoint her. Her eyes sparkled, her hair was flying and bouncing as she skidded to a halt, and her voice was a breathless squeak.

      ‘Have you got your swimsuit on? I have—I’m all ready. All I have to do is take off my jumper and jeans—’

      ‘Hi, there.’ Matt’s voice was low and soft and slithered over her nerve-endings, leaving her weak-kneed. ‘Emily, darling, slow down. It’s too early to be so cheerful.’

      So he wasn’t a morning person, Sarah thought with a little smile. She opened the door wider. ‘Hi. Come in—I’ve just got to pick up my things.’

      They followed her into the hall, and she ran upstairs and picked up the bag from her bed. She’d got it ready earlier, all the while debating whether she could bring herself to do this. Now, it seemed, she had no choice. She didn’t give herself any more time to fret about it, but ran downstairs again and smiled brightly.

      ‘Right, then, shall we go?’

      Matt gave her a keen look and she wondered if her false cheer was really that transparent or if she had a smut on her nose.

      They arrived at the swimming pool within minutes, and she took Emily through to the changing room. It was, in fact, a communal changing room, with cubicles and family areas, so Matt could have brought Emily by himself. Still, it was too late now to back out, she thought, and, anyway, she might surprise herself and enjoy it.

      She always used to, but that, of course, was before—

      ‘Sarah? Are you ready yet?’

      She looked down at Emily, bouncing and squirming on the spot, and ruffled her hair. ‘Yes, sweets, I’m ready. Come on.’

      They held hands and went through the shower together, and the feel of those trusting little fingers curled around hers made Sarah forget what she was about to do. Thank God for the shower, she thought, sticking her head under it so that water ran down her face and disguised the tears. That little hand.,.

      ‘OK, guys?’

      Her breath stopped dead in her chest. Matt was propped against the wall, legs crossed at the ankle, arms folded over a broad chest with a light scattering of hair arrowing down the centre. Water from the shower beaded his skin, glistening in the bright lights and showing off his powerful shoulders.

      He shrugged away from the wall, his muscles rippling slightly, and Sarah tried to remember how her feet worked and how to make her breath go in and out. And she’d thought he looked good in clothes?

      ‘All set?’

      She nodded, swallowing hard and dragging her eyes away from his body. Emily bounced over to him and caught his hand, towing him towards the leisure pool—and Sarah, too, because her hand was still firmly held as well. There were fountains and islands, a crocodile lurking in the shallows, and lots of little children splashing and shrieking and having a wonderful time.

      She felt the tension leave her. It was just a swimming pool. She would be fine. They would be fine.

      She let them lead her into the water, absently noticing a lifeguard on duty at the side of the pool, watchful eyes scanning the area, whistle at the ready to halt any silliness. Emily slipped her hand free and dived into the water, turning onto her back and beckoning Sarah.

      ‘Catch me!’

      She turned over and sped off, slippery as an eel, darting through the water and disappearing behind an island.

      ‘It’s deep there,’ she began worriedly, but Matt just grinned.

      ‘She swims like a fish. She’s fine. You go that way, I’ll go the other.’

      She went, but slowly, and wasn’t surprised to hear a little shriek and find Emily in Matt’s arms, giggling and splashing him. He released the child and followed her, disappearing under the surface and tickling her. Sarah decided they could both swim a lot better than she could, and so she left them to it, wallowing on her back in the shallows, elbows propped on the shelving ‘beach’, watching them.

      Emily certainly seemed to be having fun—and so was she, Sarah discovered to her amazement. Matt appeared, swarming over the crocodile and sitting astride it, grinning. ‘Mick Dundee, ma’am, at your service,’ he said in a lousy Australian accent.

      She laughed and splashed him. ‘Idiot.’

      He grinned, unabashed by her put-down, and settled beside her, legs outstretched, scanning the water and checking Emily. They chatted idly, his eyes never leaving Emily, and Sarah thought what a good and devoted father he was.

      They were interrupted by a disembodied voice, calling for everyone’s attention and warning them that the wave machine was going to be switched on. ‘Everybody behind the steps, please. All non-swimmers stay behind the islands.’

      ‘Will Emily be all right?’ Sarah asked worriedly. ‘Shouldn’t she be back here?’

      ‘She’s fine. She loves wave machines. Come on in.’ He stood up and held out a hand to her, but she scooted further up the beach and shook her head.

      ‘No, I’ll stay here. You go to Emily.’

      He hesitated, then nodded and turned, wading out towards his daughter. He reached her just as Sarah felt a pull on the water around her legs, a current, like an undertow—

      She scrambled to her feet and went and sat on a low wall overlooking the pool, fighting the waves of panic that threatened to swamp her. Was that what it had been like, to feel the suck of the water, dragging you down?

      Her arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her sides, and a shudder ran through her. She was rocking, she realised, and a woman paused beside her and studied her anxiously. ‘Are you all right, my love?’ she asked gently.

      Sarah forced a smile and made herself sit СКАЧАТЬ