CHAPTER 1

"It's not too late to back out. Just turn around and walk away from him", thought Sarah, desperately.

"Forget it" she told herself " – you're committed, you've got to stay."

For the hundredth time that week, the stubborn side of Sarah had won the debate - but only by a hair's breadth. Desperately she wanted to be anywhere but here.

From the top of the world where she stood, the view of Exmoor and the coastline below was spectacular. On the horizon, the suns glowing embers gently dented the cool waters of the Bristol Channel. High above the white cloud's were edged in pink and all around purple and yellow flowers speckled the green gorse.

Sarah had always loved the countryside, especially the early evening fragrance of the heather and the chirrup of sleepy birds.

But this Friday afternoon was different. The weekend ahead cast a gloom over her darker than the shadows between the Mendip hills. Her future like the Welsh Coastline on the far side of the water was impenetrable through the haze.

The cause of her dejection stood besides her. About six feet tall and thick set with middle age, his face filled with a contented anticipation of the night ahead.

Even though he was not at work, his clothes were still formal. Neatly ironed grey trousers had replaced dark suit. Habitual white shirt remained but now short-sleeved and no tie.

In contrast, Sarah's baggy blue shirt hung loosely above faded blue jeans. A scrunched red ribbon drew her blonde hair into a ponytail.

Irrationally, it was her hair that was uppermost in her mind. If only she'd done it differently. The ponytail kept reminding her of David when, last week, he'd stopped her in the middle of making up her face and held her tightly. He'd used her ponytail to tilt her head back to plant a kiss on her lightly freckled face.