Winter Damage (30 page)

She hugged Ennor and then Trip and the dog and went to join the boys, who were sitting on the harbour wall.

Ennor and Trip waded out to the boat with the dog awkward between them and they sat crying and stupid among strangers. Ennor watched the beach and waited for Sonny to go and she laughed when she came back down to the shore to stand proud in the surf.

‘You cryin, Sonny Pengelly?’

‘Nope.’

‘Looks like you are. What is it you want to say?’

Sonny shrugged. ‘I guess I’ll miss you un all.’

The boat was loaded and two oarsmen were set to take turns in rowing the distance.

‘There’s somethin else,’ shouted Sonny.

‘What?’

‘Bout the end of the world.’

‘Go on.’

‘Only it’s not the end, is it, it’s the beginnin.’

Ennor smiled. ‘I’ll be seein you.’

They were both smiling and they were both crying and it was true, life would go on. Winter had its damage done but things would soon heal and be forgotten and gone.

Ennor knew this and it was not wishing or hoping or banking on luck. It was the truth and as she thought it she sank her arm into the water and let go of the picture frame, two strangers’ faces, one and two, and gone for ever.

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, New Delhi, New York and Sydney

First published in Great Britain in August 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

This electronic edition published in August 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Copyright © Natasha Carthew 2013

The moral right of the author has been asserted

All rights reserved

You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise

make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means

(including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,

printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the

publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication

may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

eISBN 978 1 4088 3584 5

Visit
www.bloomsbury.com
to find out more about our authors and their books

You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can
sign up for

newsletters
to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers