The White House - Book 6, The Porth Kerensa Series

Chapter Two

The driving rain lashing against the window panes woke Elise the next morning. She stretched out reluctantly from beneath the warm duvet and listened to the wind howling beneath the eaves of the house and the relentless rhythmic beat of the waves smashing against the rocks below. These cliffs the village was built upon had stood for longer than Elise could possibly imagine and they appeared strong and constant. Yet, in reality, the only constant was the ocean steadily eroding them away with every wave that washed against them. 

Her friends had called her marriage rock steady and they had referred, enviously, to her and James as an example of a perfect relationship that was built on sturdy foundations. Elise knew now that even the hardiest stone could be worn down eventually if you kept chipping tenaciously away at it. Perhaps it would be a slow crumble into the sea over time or maybe the harsh weather and circumstances would cause crashing landslides that wiped out everything in one fell swoop; but eventually all that had been built on it would fall.

She showered, brushed her teeth and stepped back into the bedroom wrapped in her towel. It was bitterly cold in there, much colder than it had been before she went into the en-suite shower room. Her skin erupted into goose-bumps and she shivered, violently, as the frigid air wrapped itself around her. She felt frozen to the spot, drained of energy suddenly and chilled to the marrow. Her breath was coming in short frantic gasps and the atmosphere was cold enough to turn her exhalations into little white clouds that hung in the air in front of her. She realised her teeth were chattering and she shook her head, trying to shift the apathy that seemed to engulf her.

Instantly the room warmed up and Elise hurried to the radiator, flinching from the heat she could feel coming off it in waves before she even touched it. She dressed in jeans and a sweater, quickly, before walking over to check the windows for gaps that could cause such a cold draught to sweep around the room, but they were double glazed and seemed very secure. Puzzled, Elise left the room and went downstairs.

James was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal and drinking coffee. He smiled apologetically when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“I thought you might be having a lie in so I had breakfast without you. There’s a pot of coffee percolated in the kitchen though,” he said, politely.

Frustration surged through her at the thought of the day spent tiptoeing around each other. She smiled, brightly and reached for her waterproof jacket. “I need to get out and clear my head, actually. I’m going to take a walk. I’ll be back soon.”

James had been about to ask her if she’d wanted to walk into the village after breakfast, but she was out the door before he could even begin to form a sentence. With a clatter he dropped the spoon on the table and cursed under his breath. Two could play at that game, he thought, crossly. If she wanted to take herself off, starting this new life separately before they’d even been there twenty-four hours, then he would do the same thing. Muttering and swearing to himself he put his coat on, grabbed the van keys and headed out five minutes later.

      ******

Elise walked away from the village, past the last few houses that could claim they were in Porth Kerensa, along the coast road. She was soaked within a few minutes, but she bent her head against the driving rain and carried on walking. She had no idea where she was going and she didn’t really care. She just wanted to be out in the open where there were no walls that could close in on her and no James, sighing and tutting when she frequently disappointed him by straying from the script he would write for them. 

She knew James wanted her to be the wife she had been a few years ago. He wanted laughter and teasing. He wanted her to be open, affectionate and warm towards him. He wanted her to be the happy girl he had fallen in love with when they were young with the world at their feet and their dreams still intact.