only that he could look at her that way, but also that she didn’t turn away and break the eye contact. She couldn’t – she was hypnotised.
Ruby nudged her again, this time a little harder. ‘Gracie? Haven’t we got to get back? It’s getting late and there’s still a lot to do.’
Ruby’s words were loaded with meaning, but for once Gracie chose to ignore the ‘let’s get out of here’ signal, although she did force herself to look away from the man and break the connection.
‘It’s okay, we’ve got a while, let’s stay just a bit longer,’ she said, her eyes moving from Ruby back to Edward. ‘I’m Gracie by the way and this is my best friend, Ruby …’
‘Pleased to meet you, Gracie, and you, Ruby …’ the man said as his eyes flickered from one to the other before settling on Gracie.
‘Come on now, boys.’ Interrupting the conversation, the young woman clapped her hands sharply. ‘Let’s go and dip a toe in the briney, we didn’t come all this way not to at least get our feet wet. Chop, chop, shoes off, trousers rolled up! Let’s go and see if it’s as nice as it looks …’
Louisa slipped off her shoes and tip-toed barefoot over the stones, down to the edge of the water, where the receding tide was leaving straggling bits of wet seaweed behind on the damp sand. She was wearing yellow tailored knee-length shorts with a tightly fitted matching blouse and had a brightly coloured scarf tied artfully round her neck as a choker. She looked like a film star as she stood with one hand on her hip and the other carefully holding her hair back from her face. There was no denying the fact that she was a beautiful and privileged young woman.
Everyone on the beach turned and watched as she dipped a toe in the chilly water, screamed and then turned and waved madly. Harry was just a few paces behind her, standing on one leg and carefully rolling his trouser legs up to mid-calf, but Edward stayed exactly where he was. Right next to Gracie.
Both brothers were wearing similar beige slacks and white open-necked shirts and both had light brown floppy hairstyles but Edward’s hair was gently sun-lightened across the front and he sported a suntan that was deep and noticeably exotic. Next to him, his brother Harry looked pale and mousey.
‘Come on, Teddy, and you girls as well, this is such fun even if it is freezing! Why is it so cold when the sun is so warm?’ Louisa shouted with a faux shiver as she splashed daintily in the shallows.
Although Edward wasn’t moving, Gracie could see Ruby was tempted as always by the water. ‘Go on, you go and have a splash with them,’ she smiled, ‘I’ll just sit here and relax for a bit. Go on …’
Ruby put her head on one side and looked curiously at her friend for a few moments. ‘Are you feeling okay? I thought you might fancy a bit of a splash around today. It’s such a nice day, and it might be …’
‘No, I’m alright,’ Gracie interrupted quickly. ‘I’m happy to watch for the mo’. I’m comfortable sitting here but I might come down in a bit …’
As Ruby headed towards the water, Edward edged over from the comfort of the rug and sat beside Gracie on the pebble-splattered sand.
‘Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Edward Woodfield, but my close friends call me Teddy. As you know, Harry is my brother and Louisa is his fiancée, and we live in rural Essex. Very rural, out in the sticks Essex, heading up to Suffolk. Saffron Walden. You’ve probably not heard of it!’
‘I’m Gracie McCabe, Southend born and bred … Are you and Harry twins? You look very alike. I have twin sisters.’
‘Not twins, I’m the elder by one year exactly so I always tell everyone I’m the more important Woodfield brother – although I have to say that Harry is the loudest,’ he smiled. ‘Do you mind if I call you Gracie or do you prefer Gracie?’
‘Definitely Gracie, I don’t have the grace to be called Gracie and I get fed up with all the
Ruby nudged her again, this time a little harder. ‘Gracie? Haven’t we got to get back? It’s getting late and there’s still a lot to do.’
Ruby’s words were loaded with meaning, but for once Gracie chose to ignore the ‘let’s get out of here’ signal, although she did force herself to look away from the man and break the connection.
‘It’s okay, we’ve got a while, let’s stay just a bit longer,’ she said, her eyes moving from Ruby back to Edward. ‘I’m Gracie by the way and this is my best friend, Ruby …’
‘Pleased to meet you, Gracie, and you, Ruby …’ the man said as his eyes flickered from one to the other before settling on Gracie.
‘Come on now, boys.’ Interrupting the conversation, the young woman clapped her hands sharply. ‘Let’s go and dip a toe in the briney, we didn’t come all this way not to at least get our feet wet. Chop, chop, shoes off, trousers rolled up! Let’s go and see if it’s as nice as it looks …’
Louisa slipped off her shoes and tip-toed barefoot over the stones, down to the edge of the water, where the receding tide was leaving straggling bits of wet seaweed behind on the damp sand. She was wearing yellow tailored knee-length shorts with a tightly fitted matching blouse and had a brightly coloured scarf tied artfully round her neck as a choker. She looked like a film star as she stood with one hand on her hip and the other carefully holding her hair back from her face. There was no denying the fact that she was a beautiful and privileged young woman.
Everyone on the beach turned and watched as she dipped a toe in the chilly water, screamed and then turned and waved madly. Harry was just a few paces behind her, standing on one leg and carefully rolling his trouser legs up to mid-calf, but Edward stayed exactly where he was. Right next to Gracie.
Both brothers were wearing similar beige slacks and white open-necked shirts and both had light brown floppy hairstyles but Edward’s hair was gently sun-lightened across the front and he sported a suntan that was deep and noticeably exotic. Next to him, his brother Harry looked pale and mousey.
‘Come on, Teddy, and you girls as well, this is such fun even if it is freezing! Why is it so cold when the sun is so warm?’ Louisa shouted with a faux shiver as she splashed daintily in the shallows.
Although Edward wasn’t moving, Gracie could see Ruby was tempted as always by the water. ‘Go on, you go and have a splash with them,’ she smiled, ‘I’ll just sit here and relax for a bit. Go on …’
Ruby put her head on one side and looked curiously at her friend for a few moments. ‘Are you feeling okay? I thought you might fancy a bit of a splash around today. It’s such a nice day, and it might be …’
‘No, I’m alright,’ Gracie interrupted quickly. ‘I’m happy to watch for the mo’. I’m comfortable sitting here but I might come down in a bit …’
As Ruby headed towards the water, Edward edged over from the comfort of the rug and sat beside Gracie on the pebble-splattered sand.
‘Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Edward Woodfield, but my close friends call me Teddy. As you know, Harry is my brother and Louisa is his fiancée, and we live in rural Essex. Very rural, out in the sticks Essex, heading up to Suffolk. Saffron Walden. You’ve probably not heard of it!’
‘I’m Gracie McCabe, Southend born and bred … Are you and Harry twins? You look very alike. I have twin sisters.’
‘Not twins, I’m the elder by one year exactly so I always tell everyone I’m the more important Woodfield brother – although I have to say that Harry is the loudest,’ he smiled. ‘Do you mind if I call you Gracie or do you prefer Gracie?’
‘Definitely Gracie, I don’t have the grace to be called Gracie and I get fed up with all the
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