Dew gently dusted the grass beneath Joe’s feet as he walked towards the house in the hollow of the valley. He had arrived too late at the coaching inn. Llinos and her party had already left. Fortunately, one of the grooms had overheard the servants talking and knew which direction the coach was taking. Now Joe stood outside Avonbridge Hall. It was a sprawling, elegant building with high windows and many chimneys. He held his breath and closed his eyes. He pictured Llinos, her dark hair fanned like a silk cloak on her pillow, her beautiful eyes closed. He would wake her with his mind, touch her with his longing and she would come to him. He looked up at the morning skies, he felt the earth beneath his feet, breathed in the scents and sounds of nature awakening around him and he knew it was good to be alive. She came to him as he had known she would. She stood in her flimsy nightgown, her hair flowing around her shoulders, just as he had imagined her. ‘Joe!’ She stood looking at him for a long moment and then she walked slowly into his arms.
