Debra and Julie stood before her looking pensive, Debra in a lacy nightgown and Julie in her pink pyjamas. “Are you two properly warmed up now?”�...Y… yes ma-am.” Debra replied penitently.“I’m very annoyed with you Debra! You should know better than to take Julie out on a rotten day like today without adequate clothing and bring her home so late! Whilst Julie is here we are responsible for her well-being. What would her parents think of us that we had so abrogated that responsibility?”“I… I don’t. The claw broke completely off. Pain must have now registered. The clova turned to face me.I had a split second to make a decision. To act like a human or a Tomma? I decided on the latter. The clova saw all of us and abandoned the girl and scuttled back into the water then to the deeper portion of the channel. I looked beneath the water and saw its powerful tail pull it rapidly away. In time it would regrow a new claw if it remained alive that long.My mates put out pickets with their guns at the. .did you playwith yourself? Is that what it was all about?" The shame of his admissionof what he had done and now Caroline asking if he had "Played withhimself" brought some colour flooding back to his previously pasty faceturning it a bright red very quickly. " No...I didn't , honestly, I wasjust looking" muttered Kevin acutely aware of his embarrassment in frontof Zoe as well. This appeared to satisfy Caroline for a moment as shethought about his answer" Were you going to?" followed quickly. This was the woman who reacted so badly to a mere kiss and who had fended him off on the phone. Bob slapped Peter on the back. ‘It looks as though your friend does have fire. You were right, that’s no Ice Maiden. My God, look at her,’ and leaning closer so that neither Ruth nor Karen could hear him he continued. ‘I should have tried harder. Bet you had a good time after the trots. No wonder you left early.’ Peter didn’t have to look at Bob to know his eyes filled with more than admiration..