Chapter 6

Hywel woke suddenly. He had a strange feeling that he was being watched. Jumping quickly to his feet he scanned the valley but he couldn't see much in the early dawn. Even the bushes seemed to take on different shapes somehow in this light. He thought about Amelia and wondered if she was safe? He slowly crept into the mine shaft to reassure himself, sighing with relief when he saw her still fast asleep on her improvised bed. He returned to the entrance and sat down again, still pondering on what had woken him so abruptly.

A sudden noise quickly followed by turmoil confused him. He was trapped! He couldn't move. He felt his hands being pulled away from his body and tied around his back. His feet were strung together. 'What was happening to him?' He struggled against his captives but it was useless. He was unable to do anything to save himself.

A voice mocked him. "Now we will see who she wants. She's mine and always will be." He looked up into the face of Amelia's husband. Hywel felt his heart sinking rapidly. 'Why hadn't he taken more care?' He blamed himself for falling asleep. 'I should have looked after her better than I did.'

He watched on helplessly as her husband strode into the mine shaft, suddenly realising that he had led them directly to her hiding place earlier that morning.

He felt arms being placed around his body before he was dragged unceremoniously into the bushes behind him.

Amelia woke up in a panic when she heard the sound of her husband's voice. 'What's happening? He shouldn't be here.'

"Where's Hywel?"

"Amelia, He's gone, it does seem that he is besotted with you but I'm taking you back home. Back home where you belong."

He walked towards her and pulled her close before kissing her slowly. He felt her tremble slightly and whispered to her.

"When I saw you yesterday, I realised how much you still mean to me and what I have thrown away. Will you forgive me?"

Amelia looked at him cynically. 'Could she believe him? Had he really changed his attitude towards her?'

"But where is Hywel? Please tell me he is okay. You haven't hurt him have you?" She knew just how callous he could be.

"Hywel's fine. He just had to go somewhere else in the valley. That's all."

Amelia wasn't sure if she believed him or not but there again he could be telling the truth. He was smiling at her, not like the cold calculated smile of old, this one looked genuine. She gave him the benefit of her doubt.

He held her tightly and started to kiss her again. Amelia found herself responding to his touch. Slowly she started to relax with him once more. His fingers caressed her body stroking her softly, sometimes bringing a smile to her face as he touched one of her more sensitive spots.

"Oh my darling, I've missed you so much," he whispered. "I'm so sorry for all the pain that I've caused you. Please come home with me now."

Amelia looked at him again. It seemed like he was being truthful but she had been caught out by him before. She still wasn't certain that he was being truthful with his story about Hywel either. She knew that he wouldn't have left her without saying goodbye. She decided that she shouldn't relax but would play along with him for a while.