Free The Harbour Girl by Val Wood

mother to her sisters and baby brother Stephen and Mary had helped as much as she could, but it was quite unusual for Ethan to call unless for something specific.
    ‘Will Jeannie come for a walk?’ he asked, hovering on the doorstep. ‘I need to talk to her.’
    Jeannie appeared behind her mother. ‘I’ll just get my shawl,’ she said nervously, and Mary looked from one to another. They were both tense, and Jeannie had hardly spoken last evening when she had come in late from work. Had they had a quarrel? she wondered.
    ‘Where do you want to go?’ Jeannie asked, once they were outside.
    ‘Don’t mind,’ Ethan said. ‘Up to the castle if you like?’
    ‘No,’ she said quickly. ‘Not the castle. Let’s go up to town.’
    She couldn’t bear to go to the castle, not after yesterday. She would always think of it now as her and Harry’s special place. He hadn’t allowed her to accompany him to the railway station, saying that he hadn’t much time and would have to run, but she hadn’t gone home immediately. She had sat by the sea taking deep breaths and thinking of how wonderful it had been with Harry; she had been nervous and doubtful but he had been tender, though persuasive, constantly assuring her that it was perfectly all right because they loved each other.
    She and Ethan walked in silence for a while until at last Ethan said, ‘How do you know Harry Carr?’
    ‘Oh, erm, I met him last year. We just got talking, you know how it is. And then we bumped into each other again.’
    ‘No, I don’t know how it is,’ Ethan muttered. ‘He seemed very familiar considering you’ve only met twice.’
    ‘We – seemed to have things to talk about,’ she said lamely.
    ‘He was holding your hand,’ he said, ‘and he kissed you. I looked round and he was kissing you.’
    He stopped walking and turned to her. It seemed that he was waiting for a response.
    Jeannie looked away from him. She couldn’t meet his eyes. ‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘He did. Several times.’ When she thought of Harry’s lips on hers, his hands on her body, she trembled. ‘I wanted him to.’
    It was as if she had struck him, for he gave a small gasp. Then he took her face in his hands and turned her towards him so that she had to look at him.
    ‘I thought that we – that you and I – that we were a twosome – I took it for granted that we were.’
    She took his hands away from her face and shook her head. ‘Took it for granted?’ she whispered. ‘Without a word to me? You never so much as hinted that that was what you wanted, or asked me how I felt.’
    ‘We’ve known each other since we were bairns, Jeannie! Was there ever any need for words?’ There was pain and bewilderment on his face. ‘Surely you knew that I always cared for you? That one day, when I had my own smack and was earning money and you were old enough, we would be wed?’
    She wanted to cry. If she had known … but if she had known and still met Harry, would it have made any difference? She didn’t think it would. Harry meant desire and excitement, and temptation to which she had succumbed. Sensible Ethan would always be dependable and loyal and she still cared for him, but not in the same way. Not any more.
    ‘You should have asked me, Ethan,’ she whispered. ‘I didn’t know, and – and it’s too late now. Harry wants to marry me and I’ve said that I will.’
    He put his hands to his head. ‘I can’t believe you’re telling me this, Jeannie.’ His face was a picture of misery. ‘I can’t believe it. Don’t want to believe it. You’re shattering dreams I’ve had ever since I was a lad.’
    ‘I’m sorry, Ethan.’ And she was. She tried to take his hand but he pushed her away and began to walk off, but then he turned back.
    ‘I’ll walk you home,’ he said. They went back down the hill in silence.
    ‘Something the matter?’ Mary asked when Jeannie went in the house. ‘You’ve not been long. There’s no trouble, is