To Have A Heart (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 7)

“I will help you,” came a disembodied whisper in reply.

Mallory jerked and glanced wildly about the garden she was in. The small hairs stood up on the back of her neck when she saw that she was seemingly still all alone. She knew that voice though. It belonged to the man. He was still around – somewhere – she just couldn’t see him.

“Where are you?” she whispered.

Heaving a huge sigh of relief that she hadn’t imagined him after all, Mallory tried not to be too obvious about what she was doing when she glanced around the empty garden in search of him.

“Hello?”

“Don’t look around. They are watching you and will only make you suffer if they think you aren’t doing your job properly. Carry on. Hurry up, and then you can get inside where it is warm.”

But Mallory didn’t want to return to the house. In fact, now that the time had come for her to have to walk through the back door, Mallory suspected that even wild horses could not drag her into the kitchen, back to the cruelty that was life within.

“I hate it,” she moaned. “I don’t belong here. I was kidnapped.”

The man didn’t reply. His lack of response made her wonder if she had just made a colossal error of judgement by confiding in him. The horrifying thought that he might have been sent outside by Mrs Cummings to mess around with her stole the rest of her breath. Mallory’s heart began to ache at the thought that anybody could be that cruel.

But I know they can be.

“Hello?”

There was no answer. It left Mallory feeling alone and more scared than ever before because it wasn’t just the man who had gone. He had taken his gentle tone and quiet reassurance with him.

“Go back inside.”

Mallory jerked once and closed her eyes to steady herself when relief swept through her. Slowly, despite the violence of her trembling, she leaned down to pick up another sheet. Snapping it crisply almost knocked her over, but she sniffed and forced herself to ignore the wild swirling of the world around her and focus on hanging the last of the washing out to dry.

“I am being held here against my will,” she whispered.

“I know.”

“Who are you?”

“Just hurry up.”

“Why?”

“They will be out here to see what is taking you so long and will see us talking.”

Mallory knew he was right. If she was honest, she was surprised that nobody had come out to drag her back inside already. More importa

nt, Mallory knew that each moment she wasted chatting to the stranger was a moment she failed to make a break for freedom.

Could she? Should she? Dare she? What if it all went wrong? What would she do if she did manage to get away? Which way should she run?

“How do I leave? Which way do I go?” she gasped.

“You don’t.”

“I am going to.”

“Just wait.”

“Whatever for? They will kill me if I wait for much longer.”

“I know.”

Mallory gasped and swallowed. She felt sick, light-headed, detached, upon hearing that, and hopelessly stuck in her situation. She wasn’t at all sure what she should think or feel anymore. Refusing to contemplate it, Mallory flicked another sheet. When she turned to drape it over the line, she saw movement in the kitchen window. It was Mrs Cummings, checking on her.