Free The Silent Touch of Shadows by Christina Courtenay Page A

she announced, running to give her mother a hug. ‘She’s called Amy and she lives in a cottage just up the road. Can I go over there this afternoon? She has her own horse and she’s going to teach me how to ride. Please?’
    ‘That’s wonderful. Of course you can go.’ Melissa felt some of the tension of the past few weeks drain out of her.
    Arriving at Ashleigh, she had experienced the strange apprehension again and had there been anywhere else for her to go, she might have turned and run at that point. Since there wasn’t, she had no choice but to stay, even though she was almost sure she shouldn’t have come. Jolie’s happiness now made her feel a lot better and she decided to stop worrying. ‘What about the other children, were they nice?’
    Jolie shrugged. ‘Oh, they were okay, but I didn’t really talk to them much. Some of the boys called me “carrot-head” and “newbie”, but I ignored them and then they stopped. Amy says they sometimes call her “four-eyes”.’
    Melissa shook her head. Perhaps it was as well to let Jolie fend for herself. It was probably not the last time she’d be teased about her hair colour. If she could take such comments in her stride, so much the better.
    A warm feeling of contentment spread through her body as she followed Jolie into the house. She told herself everything was going to be fine.
    Jolie’s new friend came over after school the next day. She was tiny and blonde, with enormous cornflower blue eyes behind her glasses, and Melissa immediately warmed to her.
    ‘I live with my dad,’ Amy told them while they were having tea in the kitchen. ‘Mummy died in a car accident two years ago.’
    ‘Oh, yes, I remember.’ Dorothy nodded. ‘I read about it in the local paper. So sad for you. I expect you miss her a lot.’
    ‘I don’t miss her at all,’ Amy stated and helped herself to another chocolate biscuit. The others stared at her in surprise. ‘She was never home anyway,’ she explained, shrugging her slight shoulders as if that took care of the matter. ‘She was always busy. Now we have Mrs Johnson. She does the cooking and cleaning.’
    Melissa would have liked to ask more questions, but didn’t want to pry. She suspected Amy had had to grow up a little too fast after her mother’s sudden death, but she sensed the girl was still very vulnerable, despite her bravado.
    ‘Tell us about your horse,’ she invited instead. ‘Is it a big one or just a pony?’ This subject was seized upon with great enthusiasm by the two girls and half-an-hour later Melissa had begun to regret having asked. Horses had never been her passion. Apart from the one belonging to her night-time warrior, of course. She smiled to herself and let her thoughts wander. The dreams had returned several times since their move, but her memories of them were always frustratingly vague. The only thing that stood out clearly was his face – she knew each and every part of it in intimate detail now. Had she been an artist, she would have been able to draw his likeness without any problems. She sighed and gazed into space, propping her chin up with one hand.
    ‘Mum. Mummy! ’
    ‘Sorry?’ Melissa came reluctantly out of her daydream and it took her a moment to focus on her daughter.
    ‘I said, we’re going over to Amy’s house now so I can have my second riding lesson,’ Jolie said, speaking slowly as if she was talking to an idiot. Melissa realised she must have been far away and hurried to make amends.
    ‘Of course, dear, but you will wear a riding helmet, won’t you?’
    ‘Yes, Mum. Amy has a spare one.’ Jolie rolled her eyes in exasperation. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t fall off.’
    ‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’
    ‘I’ll take care of her,’ Amy assured her. ‘She’ll be fine.’ The confidence she saw on the little girl’s face made Melissa smile.
    After the girls had left, Melissa wandered towards the sitting room with the intention of reading the paper.