The Nature of Cruelty (42 page)
Read The Nature of Cruelty Online
Authors: L. H. Cosway
He’s been the making of me, too
, I think to myself.
Embarrassed by her praise, I continue to the bathroom. When I emerge, Robert’s already retrieved my bag from his car where I left it last night. Liz cooks us omelettes for breakfast, after which I go to Robert’s room to find my clothes.
They’re on the floor, dry but a little stiff. I throw them on nonetheless, knowing I only have to wear them for the walk across the field to my house. Robert comes in just as I’m dressed, backing me up against his door and kissing me long and leisurely. Once he allows me up for air, I tell him I’ll see him later and then leave to go home.
It’s a windy but moderately warm day out, so I take a detour and walk through the overgrown grass at the back of Liz’s place over to the edge of the hill. The breeze filters through the grass as I sit down, giving it movement, bringing it to life. It tickles softly at my legs. With my arms around my knees, I sit there for a long time, breathing in the sea air and watching the hypnotic flow of the waves.
I don’t know how much time has passed when I hear someone moving through the grass, nearing me. Robert settles down to my left.
“I thought you were going home,” he says, gently trailing his fingers over my skin.
I shift closer to him and rest my head on his shoulder. “I was, but then I felt like sitting out here for a while.”
He smiles, letting his arm fall to my legs. Bending down, he runs his nose over my knee. There’s a long stretch of peaceful silence before he says, “I asked you to marry me last night.”
Tilting my head to him slightly, I smile back. “I know, I remember. It wasn’t exactly the most conventional way to propose,” I tease him.
“Ah true, but you did say yes.”
Smirking, I reply, “I think I remember my exact word was ‘okay.’”
“Same difference.”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t mean you have to start planning a wedding or anything.” He chuckles. “I just want to know that you’ll be my wife one day. Knowing that, well, it gives me peace.”
Turning to him, I lift his hand in mine, fitting my fingers through his. “I will be, Robert. One day.”
“One day,” he repeats, pulling us back to lie flat on the grass. Staring up at the bright blue sky, I see our future take shape. A future very different from the past we’ve lived. It will be transparent, and there will be no more masks. No more pretences and no more lies.
In this moment my heart soars, because the shape of that future gives me peace, too.
End.
Thank you for reading.
About the author
L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. You can follow her on twitter at
twitter.com/lhcosway
and you can contact her at [email protected]. To be the first to know when her new books have been released, you can sign up for her mailing list at
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Acknowledgments
As with any book, it always takes more than one person to create the finished product.
The Nature of Cruelty
is a novel particularly close to my heart and I would like to thank each and every person who helped me along the way. Letitia, who took my simple idea for the cover and turned it into something magnificent, and who also planned so much of the promotional side of things. My beta reader Kristy, who read the book in its rawest form as I was writing and gave me so much advice and feedback. My other beta readers Coral, Marta, Juls and Maria, who all gave up their precious time to read the book and help me make it better! Joy, who did an excellent job of proofreading, and who was a complete
joy
to work with – see what I did there ;-) All of the book bloggers who have offered to help spread the word by writing reviews and taking part in the blog tour, you are so important in encouraging people to read and you don’t even realise it. And last but not least, to my poor, long-suffering boyfriend, who has the patience of a saint and the unenviable position of living with a crazy writer like me. Thank you all!
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