The Man My Sister Left Behind novel · Chapter 6 of 24
Chapter 6: Dawn Debt
He pulled out of me and sat back on his heels in the dark.
I heard the sailcloth shift, and then his breathing, harsh and fast.
"Say it," he said. "Who are you?"
"You know who I am."
"I know your name. I want the other one."
"Ansel."
"Another night, another storm. You know the one."
His voice was flat and very calm, and it frightened me more than shouting.
"You came out on the cliff path alone, and I gave you my coat."
"Yes."
"You were in that church this morning, standing three feet away, and you knew."
"I knew your voice in the vestry."
"In the vestry."
"I didn't know before that. I swear I didn't."
"And you let me kiss you in the rain."
"I kissed you."
"Ansel."
"You stood there and let me say it to your face."
A match scraped.
He had found the storm lantern on its nail, and the flame jumped up yellow and ugly.
I saw him for the first time in that light.
He was naked to the waist with his trousers undone and his hair wet, and he looked at me as though I were a stranger who'd slipped a knife in his pocket.
I pulled the sailcloth up over my chest.
"Look at me," I said. "I'll tell you everything. I won't make excuses."
"Start."
"I didn't know it was you until your voice, in the vestry. I swear it."
"After that I didn't tell you because I didn't know what Cora had told you."
"I knew she'd left. I knew you were drowning. I thought if I said, I'm the woman from the boathouse, the day she left you, you'd think I came home to take her place."
"Isn't that what happened?"
It hit exactly where he meant it to.
"No."
"You were in my arms ten minutes ago."
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