Free The Moors: Some secrets are better left buried by Jody Medland

aware of what lay outside on the moors. Indeed, if they did know about such a grisly beast occupying the land, Christian’s late-night hunting ventures suddenly made a lot more sense.
    The second pressing matter was that ever since Amanda first bled at the age of thirteen, her menstrual cycle ran like clockwork – always on a Saturday, every four weeks. She had spent much of her adolescence marvelling at how her body operated so reliably and efficiently and not once had her cycle changed, until that very day.
    She lay in bed and thought of what it would mean to be pregnant. How odd the timing would be given that Tony had just been so forward in telling her of his desire to start a family. For hours, Amanda had been running through her list of reasons as to why the news would be a catastrophe, but after viewing each of her concerns objectively, she found there were surprisingly few things that caused her to worry.
    She lifted the covers and peered down to her stomach. It didn’t look particularly different. She didn’t really feel any different, although she remembered how peculiar she had felt when watching Gordon sleep and wondered if it was Mother Nature’s way of preparing her for things to come.
    ‘ I love you more than anything in the world. And I’m ready to start a family .’ That’s what Tony had told her the night before she left London. He had even gone to the trouble of booking the nicest table at her favourite restaurant – a quaint little family-run eatery down St. Martin’s Lane in Soho, which served the finest Italian food she had ever encountered. Tony’s words had surprised her. She had a naive assumption that as Tony was so similar to her he would be happy to keep plodding along without the need for such a major commitment. As she looked back, she was ashamed to admit that his outpour of emotions had made her feel suffocated. Ever since that night, she had been haunted by her reaction. He said such lovely things and she responded by running away.
    How could she do that to the man she so loved?
    She recalled Margaret’s description of meeting her husband. She remembered the fondness in her face when she said ‘ He was a fool! But he was my fool .’ Tony would have undoubtedly felt foolish as he mumbled descriptions of his feelings - such foreign words to his tongue – in the restaurant. At the time, the words seemed so threatening, but as Amanda looked back they were utterly endearing.
    I’ve found my fool! She thought, and as she placed her hands on her belly, inexplicable warmth radiated from inside her and consumed her entire body. The insatiable quest to ensure children were kept safe and that the sanctity of family was preserved lay at her very fingertips, and against all odds, she was to be the head of that family.
    With a gentle wrap at the door, Margaret poked her head inside.
    ‘Amanda. Time to wake up, my love,’ she sang once more.
    ‘I’m awake,’ replied Amanda, joyfully, smiling in mellow bliss.
    *
    Within Christian’s office, the telephone rang. It was loud and its shrill could be heard out in the hall, prompting Karen to march towards the door and unlock it with haste, her bony hand picking up the receiver.
    ‘Yes?’ she said, in an unfriendly, unapologetic voice.
    It was hardly a surprise when nobody answered. The line, however, remained live, as though somebody were on the other end, listening with intent.
    ‘Hello? Hello?’ Karen hissed, deeply exasperated, before slamming the phone down.
    Karen took a moment to collect her thoughts before leaving the room with purpose, locking the door behind her, as she always did. She stormed outside and headed directly towards Christian, who pulled a cloth from a large bucket of soapy water and slapped it against his filthy jeep.
    ‘It happened again,’ spat Karen, expressing her concern.
    ‘What did?’ he asked, casually.
    ‘The phone calls,’ she said, as though he should have known what she was talking about.
    ‘I