‘The Ghost Village?’
‘That’s what the locals call this place. Only outsiders call it Sorrel Cove.’
For some reason, although the term was accurate, Gabriel took offence at being classed an outsider.
He sniffed. ‘I’m surprised there aren’t more people here. Living people, I mean.’
‘Being known as the Ghost Village tends to put local kids off. And it’s not the easiest place to get to either, which keeps most tourists away. There’s a dirt track that runs from the nearest lane, but it doesn’t have a decent road.’
It would soon, thought Gabriel, bringing in more people than Nessa could ever imagine. And her beautiful, peaceful place would disappear.
For a moment, he felt sad but then he hardened his heart. This was a business decision, and one that would earn him lots of brownie points with his father – if he could pull it off without a hitch. His father had found and secured the land and now it was his job to get the project moving.
‘Why are you here?’ asked Nessa suddenly. ‘You seem more interested in this place than Heaven’s Cove.’
Gabriel momentarily considered telling her the truth. But it was probably best to keep things under wraps for as long as possible.
‘Like you,’ he said, ‘I love the history of this place.’
‘Hmm.’
Nessa gave him a straight stare as she ran her fingers over the gold bangle at her wrist. She clearly wasn’t stupid and had picked up that there was more to his interest.
‘I love art, too,’ he said, to distract her. ‘And this place is crying out to be painted, don’t you think?’
She smiled. ‘My great-grandmother loved arts and crafts. Gran said her mum often sketched the village and the sea, and they made collages together, using driftwood and shells from the beach.’ She turned her soulful brown eyes on Gabriel. ‘Do you do much painting, then?’
He swallowed, wrong-footed by the question. ‘No, not now, though I had a place at art college once.’
Too much information. Gabriel cursed under his breath, wishing he hadn’t told her anything so personal.
‘But you didn’t go?’
‘I decided it wasn’t for me,’ he said briskly. ‘Right, let’s leave this place to its ghosts and get back to Heaven’s Cove, shall we? We’ve been out a while and I’m very aware that I’m on the clock.’
Nessa’s smile disappeared and she glanced at her watch. ‘Don’t worry. It won’t take us long to get back.’
Then, without looking back, she began to climb again towards the top of the headland. Gabriel followed, gently sweating in his suit, and wondering why he felt so rattled.
He stopped halfway up the slope and looked over his shoulder at Sorrel Cove. The wind was picking up and blowing through the tall grasses that grew around the mounds of stone. A gust suddenly swirled around him. It sounded like a sigh and sent a shiver down his back.