Free StillWaters:Book4oftheSophieGreenMysteries by Still Waters

it. Seaweed-free hair was more important.
    “Someone hit you? Sophie, this is—” Luke began, but I looked at him sharply, and he stopped. “Okay, you know what it is.”
    “Bad.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    I sighed. “Why are people always trying to kill me? I’m a nice person. I have a rescue cat. I give money to charity. I hardly ever shoot people…”
    Luke laughed gently. “I think it’s the ‘hardly ever’ that does it.”
    I scowled.
    “You get involved,” Luke said simply. “You’re a nosy cow, and you’re always looking into things people don’t want you to see.”
    I sniffed. “Not my fault I’m a nosy cow.”
    “I think it’s one of your best attributes,” Luke said gravely, and I smiled a little.
    We sat there for a while, looking out at the sea, Luke’s thumb stroking the back of my hand. It was cold, and I was glad I had my scarf and hat on. My gloves had been shoved in my pockets while I ate, and I could feel exactly how lightly Luke was torturing my hand with his fingers.
    “Sophie?”
    I felt dreamy. His fingers were good.
    “Mmm?”
    “I’m sorry I called you stupid.”
    “I’m sorry, too.”
    “You’re not stupid. You’re reckless and foolish and you never think things through—”
    “You really do suck at apologies, don’t you?” I looked over at him, and he had the grace to look embarrassed.
    “Sorry.”
    “So you should be.”
    I made the mistake of glancing at his face again, and then I caught his gaze and couldn’t let it go. Luke slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him, but instead of the kiss I was expecting—wanting—he pressed his lips into my hair.
    I was glad I’d washed it.
    “You still smell like seaweed,” he said, and I pulled away sharply.
    “And a hundred other things not to tell a girl. Are you ready to go?”
    Luke nodded and stood, and I threw my pasty wrapper into the bin and trudged off towards the path that led down to the bay. My hair smelled like seaweed. Huh!
    I surreptitiously pulled a few strands in front of my nose. It smelled of Maria’s pretty herbal shampoo. It smelled nice !
    Stupid Luke.
    I found myself stomping down the steep path so hard my knees were jarring. Well, that was because my DMs had gone the same way as my chocolate jeans. Stupid jeans. Stupid sea.
    Luke caught up with me. “Are you okay?”
    “Fine.”
    “You’re striding.”
    No, I was stomping. There’s a difference. “Why is everywhere in Cornwall so bloody steep?”
    “I think it’s supposed to be charming.”
    “Be a hell of a lot more charming if they’d let us bring Ted down here. He is Top Gear’s Greatest Car. I should be allowed to drive him down here. After all, aren’t I injured?”
    “I’m still not very clear on that,” Luke said. “Maria wouldn’t let me look.”
    I’m afraid I blushed.
    The old hall of the castle was on the mainland so we went there first and read all the signs about what it used to be. My romantic Arthur and Guinevere dreams were dashed, however, when I read that this castle was thirteenth century, and I tugged Luke towards the Dark Age remains on what the guidebook called the Island.
    It wasn’t really an island, but the only way to reach it was by a narrow wooden bridge over a neck of rocks and crashing waves. I reached the other side and clung to the rock face and the steep steps going upward.
    “It’s not even that high.” Luke laughed at my terror.
    “Oh yeah? I’ll push you over, see how you like it.”
    In the cove I could see lots of little caves, and I dimly remembered that one of them was a tunnel. Something to do with Merlin. All I could recall was that last time I’d come here I’d tried to climb over the rocks while holding onto Norma’s lead and trying to stop her tripping everyone up. Needless to say, I ended up with a face full of sea water.
    I seemed to be making a habit of it.
    It was a beautiful clear, crisp day, but high up like we were, and so close to the sea, the wind was