Shroud of Silence (20 page)

I was thankful I could reassure him with such honest conviction.

“Jane is already over the biggest hurdle—she has confidence in herself now. I think you’ll find her stammering will get less and less, until eventually it disappears altogether.”

“You’ve been wonderful, Kim!” He reached out and touched my scarred cheek gently. “And you had to go through so much!”

Odd that my ordeal in the water seemed suddenly remote, something long past. I knew that I would be able to sleep now without fear of terrible dreams.

Drew’s hand came down to cover mine. “You must know how much we need you, Kim, both Jane and I. You won’t leave us?”

There was so much we wanted to say to one another. But so much that couldn’t be said. It was too soon. Too soon.

“I won’t go away, Drew,” I said softly. “I’ll stay as long as you want me.”

From the beach below us came the soft insistent lapping of the waves. An eternal sound. It meant forever.

Copyright © 1969 by Nancy Buckingham

Originally published by Lancer as Secret of the Ghostly Shroud

Electronically published in 2014 by Belgrave House

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.