beneath it.
Elle had come here as a child, sat and watched the sea breathe and churn. She had played fictional characters, in amongst the trees branches. She had climbed to the top and played castles. As she sat, she wat ched the sun lower on the curve of the bay. It was a balmy evening but the wind was beginning to lift. Elle stayed at that point for a long time. Until she grew cold in fact. She then wandered inside and turned on the radio, desperate for a little com p any, someone's voice. The Sanctuary, she thought. That would be the making of her. At the Sanctuary she would make new friends and colleagues, be busy and happy and maybe even meet a nice man who she could settle with. At the end of the day, those wer e the goals Elle was aiming for. As she thought of 'a man' a very specific man entered her mind. A tall, handsome man with tanned skin and a smiling face. A man who knew how to bring the most exquisite pleasure to a woman too. Stop it! Elle commanded he r self. She was daydreaming about Mark when that dream was over. He was not the man she had thought he would be. No, she had to stop thinking about him. That was for sure.
Elle's other belongings arrived in a van and she gradually sorted and unpacked th em until she found herself surrounded by her own things as well as those of her grandmother.
Elle was boxing up books when the doorbell rang. She was surprised to find Margaret, her next door neighbour standing there looking a little uncomfortable.
'Come in! How nice to see you.'
'Elle, I must speak with you urgently. I hope you won't be upset with me. Its just, well the thing is Elle..'
'Margaret, what is it?'
'We've sold the house Elle. He offered things we couldn't turn down. You see the house doesn 't have the sentiment here it does for you. He has offered enough money for us to buy two houses, one abroad like we dreamed and one up by the boys. We couldn't turn the offer down. I'm so sorry Elle.'
Elle consoled the woman until she had convinced her to leave without feeling any more guilt. Elle was bitterly disappointed though. This was not good news for Elle. Mark-Anthony's property business now had part of what she considered her home. She determined defiantly in her head that they would never h old The Sanctuary as theirs. She felt fiercely protective of her new home and business. No way would anyone take that away from her.
Margaret and Keith moved out quickly. Within weeks of the news. They said their goodbyes and were gone. The house stoo d empty for one day alone. Elle, who had been unsure as to what they planned with the property was intrigued to see a removal van pull up outside the following weekend. The removal men worked steadily and strategically, lifting and heaving the furniture, bags, suitcases and possessions that were stored safely in the truck.
She tried to nose at the window, searching for an idea of who was moving in. no family appeared though, no couple excited at their new home. Just removal men steadily emptying the v an. When they were finished they all remained inside the house for two hours. What on earth were they doing Elle wondered, constantly wandering back and forth from the window to see if they had left. Unpacking?!
Eventually the men climbed back in the van and drove away. Elle went back to her task of reorganising the kitchen cupboards.
Later in the evening Elle was relaxing in the lounge watching TV. Her attention was diverted by a car on gravel. She got up to be nosy and looked out of her window. To her surprise it was the same sleek sports car that Mark had driven up in recently. What did he want? Elle furrowed her brow as she frowned at him climbing out of the scooped bucket seat. She was just about to storm out and demand him why he was here a g ain when she was astonished to see him head down the other path! He walked down towards Margaret's house and let
Elle had come here as a child, sat and watched the sea breathe and churn. She had played fictional characters, in amongst the trees branches. She had climbed to the top and played castles. As she sat, she wat ched the sun lower on the curve of the bay. It was a balmy evening but the wind was beginning to lift. Elle stayed at that point for a long time. Until she grew cold in fact. She then wandered inside and turned on the radio, desperate for a little com p any, someone's voice. The Sanctuary, she thought. That would be the making of her. At the Sanctuary she would make new friends and colleagues, be busy and happy and maybe even meet a nice man who she could settle with. At the end of the day, those wer e the goals Elle was aiming for. As she thought of 'a man' a very specific man entered her mind. A tall, handsome man with tanned skin and a smiling face. A man who knew how to bring the most exquisite pleasure to a woman too. Stop it! Elle commanded he r self. She was daydreaming about Mark when that dream was over. He was not the man she had thought he would be. No, she had to stop thinking about him. That was for sure.
Elle's other belongings arrived in a van and she gradually sorted and unpacked th em until she found herself surrounded by her own things as well as those of her grandmother.
Elle was boxing up books when the doorbell rang. She was surprised to find Margaret, her next door neighbour standing there looking a little uncomfortable.
'Come in! How nice to see you.'
'Elle, I must speak with you urgently. I hope you won't be upset with me. Its just, well the thing is Elle..'
'Margaret, what is it?'
'We've sold the house Elle. He offered things we couldn't turn down. You see the house doesn 't have the sentiment here it does for you. He has offered enough money for us to buy two houses, one abroad like we dreamed and one up by the boys. We couldn't turn the offer down. I'm so sorry Elle.'
Elle consoled the woman until she had convinced her to leave without feeling any more guilt. Elle was bitterly disappointed though. This was not good news for Elle. Mark-Anthony's property business now had part of what she considered her home. She determined defiantly in her head that they would never h old The Sanctuary as theirs. She felt fiercely protective of her new home and business. No way would anyone take that away from her.
Margaret and Keith moved out quickly. Within weeks of the news. They said their goodbyes and were gone. The house stoo d empty for one day alone. Elle, who had been unsure as to what they planned with the property was intrigued to see a removal van pull up outside the following weekend. The removal men worked steadily and strategically, lifting and heaving the furniture, bags, suitcases and possessions that were stored safely in the truck.
She tried to nose at the window, searching for an idea of who was moving in. no family appeared though, no couple excited at their new home. Just removal men steadily emptying the v an. When they were finished they all remained inside the house for two hours. What on earth were they doing Elle wondered, constantly wandering back and forth from the window to see if they had left. Unpacking?!
Eventually the men climbed back in the van and drove away. Elle went back to her task of reorganising the kitchen cupboards.
Later in the evening Elle was relaxing in the lounge watching TV. Her attention was diverted by a car on gravel. She got up to be nosy and looked out of her window. To her surprise it was the same sleek sports car that Mark had driven up in recently. What did he want? Elle furrowed her brow as she frowned at him climbing out of the scooped bucket seat. She was just about to storm out and demand him why he was here a g ain when she was astonished to see him head down the other path! He walked down towards Margaret's house and let
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