Downfall - The Incorruptibles #1 (COMPLETE NOVEL)

Chapter 15: Exile

Vanessa arrived early the next morning with her little BMW packed. We loaded Albion's designer suitcase and my favourite touring backpack into the boot and started the three hour drive. We arrived at Uncle Max's weathered old beach house in the tiny town of Darbon just before noon. After we'd unpacked Albion made me come for a walk along the beach. We took off our shoes and dragged our feet through the icy water in the grey winter daylight. I saw dolphins playing in the waves.

"Look, look, look!" I cried with a delight that shocked even me.

We sat on the beach to watch the dolphins, gasping in appreciation whenever one performed a high jump for us.

"You really are my best friend, Alby," I told him, overwhelmed with sudden gratitude. "Thank you for bringing me here."

His face softened. "I'm touched. You mean a lot to me, Frankie. I've always loved you and your organised little ways. You're an anachronism, you know. Somewhere under that practical, tidy exterior is a passionate heart. I always thought you were wasted as Uncle Don's PA. You know," he added, "having that job taken away could be the best thing that ever happened to you. You love touring so much ... you're eighteen now so you can do your own touring. Real travelling."

"Dad won't want me to go alone."

"He's left you alone in Augur's Well," he reminded me. "Does he seriously still get to say what you can and can't do?" I was silent. "I'd come with you in a heartbeat," he said, and then made a face. "Although Dad's started making noise about university."

I jumped up, took Albion's shoe from his hand and turned to face the sand dune behind us. I lined up, and then threw the shoe to the top of the dune with unexpectedly mighty strength.

"Hey!" Albion wailed. I faced him, grinning wickedly. "Go get it," he ordered.

"No."

"Go get it," he insisted.

"No way."

He watched me in consternation before grasping my hand to drag me towards the dune. "Well, you can bloody well come with me then!"

Giggling, I followed him to the top of the dune. We both sat down to rest and catch our breath. Looking out over the ocean, thoughts of Cain ambushed me. I found myself thinking about moonlight trembling on the lake in Augur's Well, the smell of summer, the sheen on Cain's skin ...

"That guy. Cain." It was like Albion read my mind. "Why won't he leave you alone?"

Maybe he felt safe to interrogate me now I was stuck in Darbon, a long way from home and with no means of escape. Made sense. What was the point in hiding the truth now?

"He wants me to go back."

"Where to?"

"To be with them every night again." The ache stirred so I growled my words against the pressing pain. "I'm not going back, though."

"You don't have to."

"What do you know about it?" I challenged.

"I know you've changed so much since you came to live with me, I can hardly believe you're the same person."

I didn't like that. I refused to acknowledge him, glaring out over the ocean.

Albion sighed. "It was all so much simpler when we were kids. Remember when Mum and Dad used to bring me to stay with your mum and Uncle Don for holidays?"

"I remember it a little. I can't remember an awful lot about Land's End or living with Mum."

"Do you talk to her much?"