Page 57 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘Ready,’ she announced when Archie reappeared at the door. ‘You look very dashing,’ she said, taking in his smart navy wool jumper and new chinos.
‘I thought I ought to dress the part. You’ve brought quite a bit of luggage for a short trip,’ he said, smiling, with an eyebrow raised. ‘Do you think we’ll fit it all in?’
‘I’ve packed for every eventuality,’ she said. In fact, she’d usually pack lighter, but the surprise she had planned for Archie took up quite a bit of room and necessitated an extra holdall.
‘I have packed exactly what I plan to wear. Nothing more, nothing less.’
‘And what happens if you spill something down yourself?’ Nora asked, climbing into the car while Archie held the door open for her.
He shrugged. ‘That’ll be my hard luck.’
Now that they were underway, Nora was excited. It felt like a real adventure, and being with Archie, away from Croftwood was wonderful. He quickly relaxed, almost visibly. Nora loved watching him drive. The age of the car made her feel like they were in a vintage film and it felt so romantic dashing down to Dorset together for a wedding.
‘This is our first holiday together,’ she said, feeling as if it was a landmark moment.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, making Nora’s stomach clench. Her heart was so full. This gentle, kind, beautiful man was making her fall in love with him, and she was ready for it. Falling in love again hadn’t seemed like a possibility and certainly wasn’t part of her plan. But that was part of what made it so special. The fact that it had happened despite her.
Dorset was playing ball. The sun was shining, even though the wind was still chilly, and as they caught their first glimpse of the sea, it glistened in the most inviting way.
‘Oh look! I can’t wait to swim in there,’ Nora said.
‘First things first. Have you got the directions ready? We’re almost in Swanage.’
The place Nora had found was off the beaten track and the owner had sent them directions since map apps didn’t tend to work very well once you got close.
‘Got them.’ Nora found the email on her phone. ‘Take the turning on the left here. And now slow down because we’re turning here.’
She leaned forward and pointed to a road which was little more than a wide path, bordered on either side by hedges. Archie turned in and then stopped the car.
‘I don’t fancy meeting something coming the other way,’ he said. ‘Are you sure this is right?’
‘Definitely. The directions literally say you need to trust that it’s the right way and the road opens out very quickly.’
‘Mmm. I hope that’s true,’ Archie said doubtfully. But he carried on very slowly, and the road did indeed open out. Ahead of them, as they rounded a last corner, a small cove bordered by trees came into view.
‘It’s exactly like it looked online!’ Nora said. ‘And look at the little cabin! It’s perfect.’
She looked at Archie who was delighting in her excitement. He pulled the car up in the parking spot behind the cabin and came round to let her out.
‘It is a rather spectacular spot,’ he said. They took the luggage out of the car and went inside the cabin. It was exactly as Nora had hoped. Cosy, with an open fireplace so they could snuggle up and get warm again after a refreshing dip. The host had left a welcome basket for them, which included a bottle of champagne that had been chilling in the fridge.
‘Let’s take this outside,’ said Nora. Archie picked up the glasses that had been thoughtfully left on the side and headed outside to where a tiny patio with a bistro table and two chairs looked out over the beautiful view of the sea.
‘This is just about as perfect a spot as I can imagine,’ he said, popping the cork on the champagne and pouring it. ‘To our first holiday,’ he said.
‘Our first holiday.’
It wasn’t long before the call of the sea could no longer be ignored. Before she would let Archie pour a second glass for each of them, she insisted they take a dip.
Nora opened her holdall and pulled out her dry robe. Then she reached in and pulled out another dry robe. This one was green camouflage with a black fleece lining. A masculine version of her own green one that had pink inside.
‘I bought this for you,’ she said, handing it to Archie.
He took it from her, but looked unsure. She knew his good manners were ingrained enough that he wouldn't be able to reject the gift. But whether it was enough to entice him into the sea, she wasn't sure.
‘You could paddle and see how it goes,’ she suggested. ‘Going in from the shore is so different to plunging into the lake at home. It gives you chance to take your time and get used to the water. And we can do it together.’
‘Alright. I'll come in with you. But not until I've got the fire going.’
