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407 Words
I stalked out the door towards the water pump and threw the bucket under the pump. I wrapped my shawl around me and sat down on the side of the pump with my head in my hands. Why did I even care that Mama had been rude to him? I didn’t want to go to Junaath really. I had been perfectly happy that morning but felt like crying over something that really didn’t matter.
I stood up and began to pump the water into the bucket. ‘Caireann.’ I jumped, hearing Mr Desala’s voice saying my name.
'Mr Desala, why are you still here? It’s freezing; please go away.’ I leant to lift the bucket when he caught my hand and pulled me to face him. I snatched my hand away and looked up only to see his beautiful eyes and my breath caught in my throat. I felt his arm close around my back holding my body close to his.
My heart began to race, a heat spread throughout my body, goose bumps raised all the hair on my arms and I froze unable to move. His hand moved from my back to my waist, and tightened on my hip. I wanted to touch him.
Before I could stop myself my left hand was holding his cheek, my heart was pounding in my chest; I was sure he could hear it. His arms circled me and I closed my eyes, enjoying the closeness I had never before experienced.
‘Caireann, you should go back inside.’
His embrace abandoned me and he pulled my hand from his face. He backed away from me slowly and I watched as he mounted his horse. His head was low and he rode hard out of the village as I stood shaking, with cold or something else I didn’t know. I wanted to shout after him, I wanted to know what his embrace meant, why had held me, why he hadn’t left when Papa told him to. Most of all I wanted to know why I felt so strange when I was near him.
‘What have you done to me?’ I whispered into the night air.
‘Lass, get yourself inside now you hear? You’ll catch yourself a death! Come see me tomorrow, I’ve a few jobs I need doing.’ Mr Avital was standing in his doorway smoking his pipe. How long had he been there? What had he seen?
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