Free Sea Gem by Wallis Peel Page A

the wrong took place and, before two witnesses, cry out “Haro! Haro! Haro!”.’
    ‘Three times?’ Mary asked with interest.
    Sam nodded. ‘Then the aggrieved person must say, “A mon aide, mon prince! On me fait tort!” He or she must finally recite the Lord’s Prayer in French.’
    Mary halted in astonishment. ‘What on earth does all that mean?’ she asked practically.
    ‘Such an action has the force of an immediate injunction!’ Sam told her. ‘It puts a halt to the wrong until a court action can take place and it’s a very powerful force,
I can tell you!’
    Mary was impressed. ‘Is that so?’ she murmured thoughtfully. ‘I think I’d better learn the Lord’s Prayer in French then. Who knows when I might need it!’ she
said, half in joke. It never entered her head that a day might come when this joke became deadly serious.
    ‘Do people still actually use this ancient custom?’ she wanted to know next for it still appeared far-fetched to her logic.
    ‘Oh! My word they do!’ Sam replied forcefully.
    Mary smiled at the vision of herself performing some such similar act on the mainland. The local policeman would have her locked up. She thought about this as she pedalled. What a lot she had
learned and what a complete ignoramus she had been with Duret. She was a different person now but was this good or bad? She was unsure.
    She reached the place, dismounted and pushed her cycle to the dip near the bushes. He was already there and her heart thundered. She climbed a slope and looked around, spotting him right away.
He had been at the sea’s edge but, observing her, he stood, waved, then came bounding over. Two paces away, he skidded to a halt, his face alight with pleasure, his eyes sparkling a deep
purple but did not speak. Eloquently, he simply held out his two hands to her.
    Instinctively, Mary stepped forward two paces and placed hers in his then he drew her to him, looked deeply into her eyes for a few seconds before bending to kiss her. Mary felt his sweet taste
and willingly, almost naturally, she slid into the protection of his arms to return his wholehearted affection.
    Finally he pushed her back four inches and surveyed her. ‘I’m
so
glad you came!’
    He had been terrified she wouldn’t, cold at what he would then have to do but now his day blossomed into sun and light. He tucked her arm under his and they walked slowly down to the sea
where they had sat before. He took off his jacket, spread it on the warm grass and they sat down, both suddenly a little shy and apprehensive.
    ‘You do look lovely,’ he told her huskily.
    Mary looked down and smoothed an imaginary crease away from her new skirt then, lifting her eyes, she smiled gently. Once again his close proximity affected her breathing and nerves in the
strangest manner.
    ‘I have something to say,’ she started in a serious voice.
    He almost flinched at her tone and held his breath.
    ‘I’m sorry about the way I spoke and behaved at our last meeting. I’ve had a shock because I have found out that Tante thinks just like you! It seems this island is different
from the mainland in more ways than one,’ she said contritely.
    A gentle smile lit his face as he picked up both of her hands to stroke them with his strong fingers, soothing and caressing.
    ‘That was handsomely done,’ he complimented her, then gave a heavy sigh. ‘I’ve had a bad time since I last saw you,’ he admitted.
    ‘Why? What has happened?’ she asked anxiously.
    He pulled a face. ‘You!’ he told her simply.
    For a few seconds she failed to understand, then squeezed his hands in return and gave a tiny shrug.
    ‘I can’t get you out of my mind, day or night,’ Victor said slowly. ‘I go about my work, doing it to the best of my ability but all the time I’m looking for you. At
night I lie awake and see your face wreathed in the sea’s spray at the Rocques. I wake in the morning and you are still with me like an eternal dream spirit. I