The Last Train Home

Chapter Fifty

Trying not to think about Alec's comment, I started to hammer the nails into the wood, making sure they were in line. I could only do the ones right in front of me before I had to clamber around to the other side to secure those nails. It took a great degree of caution and complete stupidity. If we hadn't been hurt before, me moving around the branches like I was would certainly end in one if we weren't careful. We were walking a very fine line.

When Alec handed me another plank of wood, I decided to test my weight on the three we had already secured. Being able to sit on those would make the whole thing a little easier and safer than having to move across all the branches. I moved a little closer to the top of the treehouse, balancing cautiously on one of the thinner branches. Before I could even think about perching on the edge of the roof, the branch start to creak and snap under my weight. I had just managed to move onto a large branch before the one I had been standing on snapped and went hurtling through the branches below us.

My heart jumped to my throat the second the branch gave way, but I was safely balanced on the other branch.

"What was that?" Alex asked, unable to see.

"A branch."

"Were you on it?" There was a tinge of worry in his voice, an edge of concern.

"I was. Now I'm not."

"Maybe your dad had a point. Why don't we take a break for lunch? I'm starving and we can give my stupidity a chance to disappear."

"That doesn't sound like a terrible idea."

"It's been known to happen. Try not to break any more branches on your way down."

"Ha-ha."

I slowly made my way through the tangle of branches until I could feel the first rung of the ladder underfoot. Alec had already climbed down and was safely on the grass by the time I descended the ladder to join him. The branch that had snapped lay just a short distance away from where we stood and looked like it had snapped in half a second time before it hit the ground. I was lucky not to have been standing on it or I could have been killed. Maybe Alec would start to take the Vaughn superstition a little more seriously.

Mrs Thompson bought out some sandwiches for Alex whilst I dove into the lunch that Barbara had made for me. The two of us sat side-by-side on the grass, staring at Duchess and Jigsaw as they grazed and drank from the water bucket. Jigsaw had been pleased that I hadn't completely abandoned him for Juliet and that he would still be my ride to and from the village. Since Alec and I had been so focused on finishing the treehouse before the weather changed, I had only really had the time to groom Juliet rather than ride her, but Alec was determined to get me more confident at jumping so it wouldn't be too long.

"You're shaking," Alec said, noticing the slight tremble in my hand before I do.

"I'm cold." I shrugged, but I know by the look on his face that he doesn't believe me.

"It's still summer, and you're sweating. Unless you've got a fever or something, I don't think you're cold." He paused. "Is it because of the branch?"

"I was just standing on it before it fell."

"But you weren't on it when it fell. Trees can be temperamental. I've picked a fight with one before and lost."

"When was this?"

"Oof, last summer? My brother, Derek, dared me to climb to the top of the tallest tree on our property. I did it, just to be smug, but when I climbed down I misstepped and slipped. Fell right the way down and landed really hard on my tailbone. I squealed so loudly, Dad thought one of the piglets was in trouble. It took two weeks before I could sit down properly."