When did he first come here? I don’t remember. Nobody can. The old man was already here when I arrived. And that was years ago.

It’s a beautiful place. Just the sea, and the lake. Perhaps he came here to escape. Like me – escaping from people and cities.

Even at the start, I thought, “The old man doesn’t like people. He was living here , beside the lake, and she was with him. They had a strange kind of place. The wind and the rain came in, but they didn’t seem to notice.

One of the men from the farm told me, “Don’t go near the old man . If he doesn’t know you, he doesn’t like you.” So I moved about with care, and I didn’t speak to the old man. I didn’t even know his language.

I remember the first time I saw him. He was standing near the edge of the lake. I was at the other side, near the sea. He was looking out over the water. I felt that I shouldn’t be there. I hid behind a bush. Then I looked at him through my telescope.

He was a big man, and strong. What power and force! A wonderful head: He held it high like a king. Yes – like a king. Did the blood of real kings flow through his body? The blood of an ancient royal family? Wild, hot blood – did it often excite him? Is that why he was dangerous?

I just watched him through the telescope. Did he know I was there? When he turned, I hid behind the bush again. Had he seen me? He didn’t seem to notice. He walked slowly away, back to his home and his wife.

I didn’t see her that first day. But I saw them both later. They had been to the sea and caught some fish. They were coming back to the lake when I saw them. He was in front, of course. She looked quiet and gentle, not wild like him.

I sat on the rocks and watched them. “Perhaps the old man will stop, and tell her to go back home,” I thought. “And perhaps he’ll come down towards me. What then? I just don’t know. I’ll stand up and smile, I think. And I’ll say good morning, and go away. I don’t think he’ll do anything. He’ll watch me with those strange, narrow eyes, but he won’t stop me.”

After that, I was always down on the sands or the rocks. Winter and summer, they lived their strange, quiet life. Sometimes they fished in the lake, and sometimes at sea. Sometimes they went to the little town by the sea, and watched the boats.

One thing I knew – he loved her. And she loved him. Sometimes he left her at home, and went away to catch fish. When it was almost evening, she used to come down to the sea. She could see him a long way in the distance. He used to come straight to her, and they kissed. I liked him for that.

You ask, “Had they a family?” Ah, yes. I must tell you – a terrible thing happened. And nobody knows except me. Perhaps it was an accident. I can’t be sure.

Yes, They had a family – three girls and a boy. They all lived in that old place near the lake.

I liked the best youngest girl. She was only a little thing. I gave her a name – Tiny. On a fine morning, she always got down to the lake first ahead of the others. She was the joyful and pretty.

I gave the boy a name too – Boy. He was the oldest, but he was very stupid. He did almost nothing right. And he wasn’t brave like his father. The girls sometimes played alone, but Boy didn’t. He stayed at home, near his mother. He was just like a baby.

I used to pick up wood near the lake, and I watched them. Sometimes they all went away to sea to catch fish. The old man was in charge, of course, and Tiny used to help. But Boy – slow, stupid Boy – was always last.

Time passed, and the young ones grew up. Soon Boy was almost as big as the old man. But oh, what difference! He had none of his father’s power and courage. As a result I think the old man felt ashamed. Boy didn’t work hard enough in the house, I’m sure. He was too stupid to catch fish as easily as the girls. If his mother was there, he just stayed by her side.

The old man was not pleased; I could see that. He was angry because Boy was so big and stupid. Very angry.

And then it happened.

It was a day in late autumn. I was buying some food in the town when I saw them – the old man, his wife, the three girls, and Boy. They were all going to Pont – the spring-water comes from there to the sea. There are a few little houses at Pont, and a farm and a church very near.

The family looked fresh and clean. I thought they were going to visit friends. I didn’t see them again, that fine Saturday afternoon.

The next day, the wind blew strong at us across the lake: A strong storm from the east. I stayed in the house, and didn’t get out. I thought the old man and his family were still staying at Pont with friends.

It was Tuesday when the storm finished, and I went down to the sea again. Oil and broken pieces of wood were there over the sand. It’s always the same after a storm from the east.

I looked at the lake towards the old man’s place. He was there, and she was with him, just by the edge of the lake. But I couldn’t see the young ones.

I thought it was strange, and I waited for the rest of the family. They never came. I walked around the lake to the other side; and I looked at their place through my telescope. They just weren’t there. The old man was moving about the place, and his wife was sitting in the sun.

Were the others safe? Had something happened in the storm? No – if there had been an accident, somebody would have seen it. They were staying in Pont with friends. They were on vacation. Or they had gone away to find work.

I was sad.

I never saw the girls again. Never. I thought the old man had sent them all away. It seemed cruel, but perhaps it was good for them.

But Boy was stupid enough to come back. Three weeks later, I was walking near the spring through the trees. I came around the lake, distant from the old man’s place. And the first thing I saw was Boy.

He wasn’t doing anything. He just stayed there near the water and looked stupid. He was looking across the lake, towards the old man. And he was afraid. I wanted to say, “what is the matter?” But I just stayed there, like Boy.

Then the old man lifted his head and saw Boy. He flew like the wind. He ran towards Boy, and I’ll never forget it. He seemed terrible. That wonderful head was now angry, dangerous. And he was calling.

Boy looked for the place to hide. There was no place. Only the tall grass on the bank of the lake. He was so stupid that he got in there. He thought he was safe. Boy was as big as the old man. But he was a coward. He couldn’t fight, I knew that. He just couldn’t.

I was afraid. I decided I must stop the old man. But I’m not a brave man. Did I have the courage? But suddenly he stopped. I heard him saying some terrible things. Then he turned and went back.

I waited, but nothing happened. When it was almost dark, I went home.

In the morning, I got down to the lake again. I took a great stick with me, to give me courage.

And there was Boy, by his mother’s side again. I was glad. the days passed, and Boy stayed near his mother. The old man seemed strange and unhappy. He used to sit alone near the sea, and look out over the water.

I didn’t like it. Everything had changed for him now. He was alone, and his wife and Boy stayed together.

I began to feel afraid. something was wrong. Something was going to happen.

One night there was heavy rain, and the next day it was grey, and cold. December was over the lake like a cloud. In the late afternoon, the sun shone like a yellow coin in the water.

I saw the old man and his wife near their place. They looked towards me, but said nothing. Boy wasn’t there. And he wasn’t near the water either. I went along the right bank of the lake. I had my telescope with me, but I couldn’t see Boy.

Then I saw him. And I ran down the bank towards him. He was lying in the tall grass.

He was dead.

There was a deep cut on his body – dry blood on his back. He had been there all night, and his body was wet with the rain.

Perhaps you’ll think I’m stupid, but I began to cry. I shouted towards the old man, “you’ve killed him, you’ve killed him!” He didn’t answer. He didn’t move. He stood there with his wife, and watched me.

I went back and got a spade. And I dug a place for Boy, in the tall grass beside the water. When I had finished, I looked at the old man.

And what did I see?

He lowered his great head towards her, and touched her mouth. And she lifted her head to him, and kissed him. They were together again. They were free.

They came out to the middle of the lake. And suddenly the old man rose from the water into the sky, and she followed him. I watched the two great white birds fly to the sea. They flew straight for the sun and I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life...The two swans flying there, alone, in winter.

By: Daphne Du Maurier (Suspense - Gloomy - Expectation)