into the water, Gudrun took her place, and Gerald pushed off.

‘Are you sure you don’t hurt your hand, doing that?’ she asked, solicitous. ‘Because I could have done it PERFECTLY.’

‘I don’t hurt myself,’ he said in a low, soft voice, that caressed her with inexpressible beauty.

And she watched him as he sat near her, very near to her, in the stern of the canoe, his legs coming towards hers, his feet touching hers. And she paddled softly, lingeringly, longing for him to say something meaningful to her. But he remained silent.

‘You like this, do you?’ she said, in a gentle, solicitous voice.

He laughed shortly.