Chapter 2

She walked out of the bedroom, her feet taking her down the big hall paneled in rich dark wood hung with old tapestries and artwork. She walked past it all without seeing a thing, her hand found the top of the stair rail and it led her down the long curving crimson carpeted stair case.

She walked silently down the many stairs until her feet touched the cold marble of the foyer. Her hand found the round brass doorknob, she tried turning it but it wouldn't turn. Her face wore a frustrated look now but just then her hand found the bolted lock and she unfastened it. She heard the heavy click of it open. She flung open the heavy oak door and walked out into the cool early morning. There was low- lying fog in the air.

Her feet led her down the cobblestone walk and then onto the wet expanse of grass down a narrow sandy path bordered by tall sea grass. She kept on walking as if in some kind of weird trance, almost floating down onto the huge craggy rocks that lay below. She stopped and stood on one, staring out to the beach below, the waves rushing to and fro against the sand. The sun was shining bright, breaking through the fog now and the sea gulls were crying their lonely song. She stood there, a vision of loveliness, still in her light pink nightgown blowing in the breeze against the outline of her naked body beneath, leaving nothing to the imagination. The sun was getting strong and it shown right through the thin cloth.

"Who on earth is that?" he whispered loudly under his breath as he caught sight of her standing on the rock. "And what is she doing?" he wondered.

This sight caught him totally off guard as he went out to have a smoke and his early morning coffee. It was only 6:00 in the morning. He had just started working as the new gardener at one of the estates on the water front property. It wasn't every day you see a half naked woman standing in the morning sun looking out to sea. But he wasn't about to complain, if that was one of the perks that came with the job, well then he'd take it! He smiled to himself and took a sip of the hot coffee.

"Ouch!" he swore under his breath as it burned his tongue. "Well, that brought me back to reality, didn't it?"

He knew he had to get back to work. He only had a ten-minute coffee break in the morning, then a full 2 hours at lunchtime. It was a good job and the elderly widow paid him well. She treated him very nicely too, almost like a son even thought she hadn't known him very long. He really should get back he knew. He took another drag of his cigarette and finished his coffee as he stared at the woman down in front of him out on the rocks. But he just couldn't stop looking, he felt kind of ashamed of himself, staring at her. He just hoped she wouldn't turn around and catch him looking but he was so mesmerized by her beauty. It wasn't of this world. Her hair was long and black as night. Her skin was as pale as moonlight. From what he could make out, it looked like she had a pretty face although he couldn't see it too well.

"What in Hell is she doing??" It looked like she was climbing up higher onto a wet rock dangerously close to the crashing waves. "Damn! She's gonna get killed!" he swore out loud. He dropped his coffee cup and cigarette and ran as fast as he could down to the rocks, carefully watching his own footing as he made his way to her. The rocks were slippery and wet and very dangerous.

She did not see him or anything around her. She had only a vague sense of her surroundings. She could hear the waves crashing below but that's all she could hear. She went to take another step on the slick rock and wobbled, almost losing her footing.

"Stop!" his voice yelled out as he grabbed her by the waist just in time before she fell. And fell she would've, down into the swirling water of the sea below. He grabbed her quickly by her nightgown and lifted her up into his arms. She gasped and looked frightened but just stared into his eyes. But was she really looking at him? He wondered, as time seemed to stand still in that very instant. His heart was beating wildly in his chest as he stood there holding her in his strong arms. He was stunned by her dark beauty. Her eyes were as green as the deep ocean water trimmed with thick black lashes and her lips were a pout-y pink.

She felt cold and started shivering in his arms. Her lips were trembling. He quickly carried her up to the house. He opened the old ladies door and brought her into the huge old- fashioned parlor and placed her onto the couch.

"Land's Sakes!" the old woman came into the room. "What on earth?" she cried.

"I found her. Out on the cliffs, she almost fell to her death! Who is she??" he asked.

The old woman walked closer to the couch now and she saw the dark hair and pale skin. She knew it was her neighbor. They had lived next door to her for what seemed to be ages. They always kept to themselves. They didn't have any children. 'A strange couple. Quiet.' She thought to herself.

"Who is she?" he asked again.

"She's my neighbor, the big gray house next door. A strange one, she." She added. That's not the first time someone's found her out there like that!" she said as she looked down un-approvingly at the younger woman's attire. Immodest, she thought and went to grab a crocheted afghan off the chair and placed it on her to cover her lovely form. It embarrassed the older woman.

"I'll get her a cup of hot tea. She's shivering." and she left the room.

Greg sat next to her on the couch, staring down at her. She opened her eyes now and said, "Where am I?" through chattering teeth. Confused, she looked about the room. It looked somewhat vaguely familiar. She knew it wasn't her own home. Wait, she remembered now, this was the house next door! She had been in there once, years ago. Yes, an elderly woman, a widow lived there. They really weren't friends though. Everyone in the neighborhood lived behind their expensive hedges and thick walls and stuck to them selves, living their very private lives.