“Arthur?” I asked tentatively.
He turned, holding out an arm as though asking me to pass beside him.
As I approached, the crowd parted, and I caught sight of a small boat that had been dragged onto shore beneath a willow. When I was close enough to see there was a body within, I dropped to my knees in the sand.
“Oh, no. No, no, no, no,” I cried, tears choking me.
Inside lay Elaine, clad in a white dress with a garland of flowers in her hair and her head resting against a small pillow, surrounded by all of her favorite flowers: lilies, daisies, roses, and buttercups. She was pale, and her eyes were open, staring forever at the heaven she’d always longed for.
The men lifted her ashore, but I already knew it was too late to save her. I had seen enough dead bodies to know when the soul w
