Page 37 of An Ill Wind in Seabury
There was nothing stopping her now, though, was there?
With another glance at the door, Claudia pulled up the search bar on her phone. She couldn’t remember the name of the company that Kate and George had been talking about earlier, but a quick search for “Design Agency” and “Seabury, Devon” quickly led her in the right direction.
Graphika - that was it!
CHAPTER 14
GEORGE
George knocked on the door of the guest bedroom. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was a spectacularly bad idea. What if it brought back bad memories for her?
He glanced at the wooden box in his hands and then knocked again. He’d come this far… there was no point chickening out now.
‘Claudia?’ he listened intently, but there was complete silence from inside. He inched the door open and peeped around the room.Empty!She must have gone downstairs.
Taking the steps two at a time, George thundered along the hallway and into the living room, only to meet Claudia’s wide-eyed gaze as he skidded to a halt.
Was it his imagination, or did she look guilty?
Nah, it was probably just the fact that he’d appeared like an overexcited puppy dog, wanting to show her what he’d brought her.
‘What have you got there?’ she said, hastily clicking off her phone and dropping it into her lap.
‘Was that your mum again?’ he said.
‘Yeah, but she’s going to have to wait,’ said Claudia. ‘I’ll call her later after we’ve been up to Seabury House… or I might even leave it until tomorrow.’
‘Okay, cool,’ said George. ‘So, remember I said I had something I wanted to give you?’
‘Erm… how could I forget?’ said Claudia.
George grinned as a faint hint of colour spread across her cheeks. ‘Well… this is it.’
Claudia frowned at the box as he held it out to her, and then took it gently. He watched as she traced a light finger over the dark ink stain on one corner, and then over the multi-coloured paint splatters along the top.
‘Is this…?’
‘Yours,’ said George with a little nod. ‘You left it in my room back when we… just before you went travelling.’ He decided now wasnotthe time to bring up the fact that she’d dumped him!
‘You’ve kept it all this time?’ gasped Claudia, sliding back the inset lid and staring at the contents.
George just nodded, watching as she brought the box to her face and breathed in the scent. He knew it well—old pencils, linseed, paint… and a faint hint of the fruity body spray she used to wear.
‘I did try to get it back to you,’ he said quietly, as she took out a pencil and turned it over in her fingers, staring at the grubby little red and black stump with something like wonder. ‘I got the bus to your parents’ house, but your mum lost it at the sight of me.’
Claudia winced. ‘Sorry about that.’
‘I’ve had a decade to get over it,’ he laughed. ‘I’m just sorry I didn’t manage to return it to you sooner.’
‘But… you kept it,’ she said again, her eyes wide with wonder. ‘All these years?’
George shrugged, suddenly feeling a bit daft. ‘Of course I kept it. It’s yours. A little piece of you.’
Claudia set the box down carefully onto the coffee table and then clambered to her feet.
George backed away instinctively, trying to get out of the way so that she could get past him and leave the room. He couldn’t tell if she was upset or just uncomfortable at his display of pure mush. All he knew was that he needed to give her some space.
‘Hey!’ she chuckled. ‘You’re not making this easy, you know!’
