Page 114 of Second Chance Summer
It’s a long shot and short notice but if you’re on the mainland, maybe we can meet up in the next couple of days? I had thought of coming over to Bryher but it seemed a step too far to land on you without a warning after all this time.
Anyway, it would bereallylovely to see you again.
Rhiannon x
Lily held the card in her fingertips. It was dated a couple of days previously and had been left on the table before it had blown onto the floor. Sam had made no attempt to hide it. In fact, if it had been blown off the table, had it been up on display? Had he decided, upon reading it, to take Rhiannon up on her offer to meet?
The note sounded very nostalgic, regretful even – was it a veiled plea to rekindle their old relationship? Rhiannon must have regrets if she’d broken her silence to ask to meet him, and Lily knew Sam had been devastated when they’d split up. How could he resist a request like that?
Her stomach turned over.
How stupid she felt for turning up unannounced at his home like this!
Her fingers weren’t quite steady as she replaced the card on the table and hurried out by the front door.
Feeling more dejected by the second, she was about to take the path back to the quay when she spotted two figures heading towards the house from Hell Bay.
She jogged over to meet Morven and Damon carrying fold-up easels and kids’ buckets.
Morven looked her up and down. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
The typical greeting was momentarily comforting. ‘I was looking for Sam but he’s not at home.’
‘That’s because he’s gone to St Mary’s to get a flight to the mainland.’
Lily’s legs buckled slightly. All her worst fears were confirmed.
‘Did he say why?’ she asked, already knowing and dreading the answer.
Morven shrugged. ‘Nope.’
Lily almost screamed. Only Morven could be so lacking in curiosity.
‘Nothing at all?’
‘He just said he was going to the mainland and to tell Elspeth when I saw her, he’d explain the rest later. He was in a rush. It wasn’t that long ago. He might still be at the airport.’ Morven wrinkled her nose in puzzlement. ‘Anyway, you still haven’t said why you’re here out of the blue. Thought you weren’t coming back until the launch of the retreat?’
‘I took a few days off,’ Lily said, not exactly lying. ‘I washoping to see Sam but if he’s already at the airport, I’ll have missed him. I’ll never get there in time.’ Despair washed over her.
‘If you got a move on, you might catch him,’ Morven said. ‘And if you’ve come all this way, it must be important?’ She gave Lily a smug smile, clearly wanting to provoke a response.
‘It is. I really wanted to talk to him … but it’s too late.’In every way, Lily thought.
‘Not if we take you.’ She glanced at the silent Damon. ‘In your brother’s boat.’
Damon finally spoke. ‘It’s got a new outboard. I’ve been dying to try it.’
‘What will your brother say?’
‘Nothing. He’s in Gran Canaria with his girlfriend.’ His eyes gleamed with excitement but Lily was torn.
‘Do you want to go or not?’ Morven said.
No matter how hurtful the news, Lily had to know where she stood with Sam, and now was the time to be honest and not to shrink away from hard truths. It was time to take her courage in her hands.
‘Yes. I do.’
‘Come on, then!’ Morven said and hared off towards the quay.
