Making her way back along the coastal path towards Port Charles, she knew without a doubt that his eyes would stay glued to the horizon and he would not do her the courtesy of watching her walk away.

She nodded to herself. I will. I will learn not to love you.

And then a thought struck her that was so obvious it brought some small amount of relief. I will learn not to love anyone in this way ever again and I will not trust anyone in the way I have trusted you, because this feeling – like I might break, like I couldn’t care less right now if I live or die – this is not worth it, not worth it at all.

CHAPTER SEVEN MERRIN

CHAPTER SEVEN

MERRIN

Merrin concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Ignoring the physical pain in her chest, her narrowed throat and her eyes now bitterly sore from sobbing, she gripped her trainers in her fingers and stumbled her way along the harbour wall, counting the steps and the moments until she could fall through the front door of the little cottage and into her mother’s arms.

‘I want to disappear . . .’ she whispered.

‘Ah, there she is!’ came the shout.

She looked up in time to see Mr and Mrs Everit walking briskly towards her, still in their Sunday best and clearly making the most of the effort they had gone to, parading around the harbour. Her heart sank, wanting nothing less than this interaction in her current state of distress.

‘Merrin, you poor little lamb,’ the woman called, and waved as she drew close. ‘What can we say?’ Mrs Everit reached out and pulled her into an awkward hug. ‘If I’ve said it once today, I’ve said it a thousand times, you were the prettiest bride I ever did see.’

Her stomach bunched with something close to shame to hear the words of falsehood, because she might have looked pretty, but she was no bride. Shrugging herself free, she took a step backwards, hopefully out of reach, whilst trying to acknowledge, as best as she was able, the misplaced compliment.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered, rubbing her thumb on the underside of her finger, where she used to feel the bump of a gold band; just another thing that had been taken away from her today and that she would have to get used to.

‘Not that it makes what happened any easier for you, I’m sure.’ The woman tutted and shook her head with a look of abject pity. ‘Now will you look at the state of your face, what a thing! Of course, I can’t imagine what you are going through. Mr Everit was as keen as a puppy offered sausage on our wedding day, couldn’t get me up the aisle quick enough.’

Merrin glanced at Mr Everit, who gave a salient nod in confirmation.