Chapter Seventeen
The One With the Lighthouse Family
A few days later, Kate approached Harbourwatch again, this time with a mixture of excitement and dread, two extremes she could hardly account for. This was Dev, wasn’t it? Just Dev, who’d sort of become… a friend, hadn’t he?
If you say so…
‘Be quiet.’ Kate was unamused. ‘It’s an outing for Theo. Definitely nothing more.’
Kate could tell the easy colour had already started to creep into her cheeks as she stumbled on the steps to the front door, then hesitated, her hand raised to tug the old-fashioned bell pull.
Why was her heart pounding in her breast? How could she be feeling like some gauche schoolgirl with a mega crush when she was a mature adult?
Because you fancy him…
‘Shut up,’ she muttered more firmly as she grasped the brass handle and knocked.
‘I do not fancy hi— hi !’ Kate beamed at Theo, thankful he stood beside the man in question. She raised her eyes to his dad. ‘Hi,’ she repeated, conscious she’d produced a squeak good enough to rival any respectable mouse.
Dev said nothing for a moment, his gaze sweeping down to Kate’s feet. ‘Good call.’
Unsure how she was going to stop overheating like a faulty boiler during the car ride, sitting next to Dev and watching his tanned, firm hands gripping the wheel, the rolled up sleeve of his crisp white shirt constantly catching the corner of her eye, it was a relief as they left the village centre behind and began to ascend the hill.
Short-sleeved, formal shirts, not sexy. Long-sleeved, rolled up to the elbow…definitely sexy.
Thankfully, Theo’s excitement spilled over and a stream of endless chatter came from the back seat, with only the occasional response needed from either Kate or Dev.
‘Daddy says children must be… I can’t be on my own.’ There was a pause. ‘Why can’t Bayley come, Daddy?’
‘I’ve told you, they don’t allow dogs.’
The conversation continued along this vein, and Kate pushed aside her foolish thoughts to skim the details on the leaflet she’d been sent after confirming the booking.
‘It says the views from the lantern house are breathtaking.’ She threw Dev a brief glance. ‘I wonder if that’s more about the climb?’
Dev grinned, then addressed his son.
‘Don’t forget, Theo, to listen to our tour guide. It will help you do your school project.’
Kate rolled her eyes, knowing the reminder won’t have appealed to Theo, who saw this outing as a great adventure.
‘We’ll buy a guidebook. It will all be in there for later.’
‘How high can we climb?’ Theo strained against his seat belt in the centre of the back seat, and Kate shifted so she could look at him.
‘It says in this leaflet,’ she waved it, ‘that it’s 31 metres tall and there are 113 steps to the top.’
Theo’s eyes widened as if the number was simply too big to be imagined.
‘Will we see ships?’
Kate made a moue with her mouth. ‘Possibly. It’s a busy waterway.’
Theo reached for the leaflet, and she handed it over even though Kate knew he couldn’t read most of the words.
‘It’s a bit like our lighthouse at Polkerran, only ours is much smaller and no one ever lived in it. They are important for anything on the water to be able to navigate safely into the harbour.’
‘It’s also a marker for passing ships so they can identify various parts of the coast,’ Dev added. Theo beamed at Kate and sank back in his seat.
She turned to the front again, thankful the weather hadn’t forced them to postpone the trip and soon they left Trebutwith behind and turned down the lane to the headland.
Dev nodded towards the lighthouse as it came into view. ‘Here we are, Theo.’
They waited by the Visitor Centre, as instructed, and Theo hopped from foot to foot, his hand secured in his father’s while Kate read the board outlining the rules.
‘This says how tall children must be to climb the steps.’ She turned to Theo with a smile. ‘You’re fine. You’ve got your Daddy’s height.’
‘I’ve got his hair too,’ Theo declared proudly, pointing to his dark auburn hair, and Kate’s lips twitched as Dev ran a self-conscious hand through his own mop.
‘A maximum of two children per responsible adult,’ Kate continued to read aloud from the notice board. ‘I wonder how they decide if we’re responsible adults?’
‘Doesn’t bear thinking about,’ Dev muttered so that Theo wouldn’t hear.
‘You’re too hard on yourself,’ Kate said quietly, then resumed her study of the board. ‘Oh, look, Theo.’
The little boy dropped his dad’s hand and grasped Kate’s. ‘What?’
The eagerness in his voice touched Kate’s heart, and she leaned down to say in his ear, ‘We get to wear hi-vis vests.’
Eyes sparkling with delight, Theo swung around and hugged Kate’s legs, and she felt a lump rise in her throat at his sheer delight in something so simple. If it hadn’t been for Hugo’s great deception, perhaps—
‘How’s your heart?’
Kate all but gulped as Theo released her, throwing Dev a wary glance, but he gestured towards the lower part of the board.
‘Those with heart or respiratory conditions are advised not to undertake the tour.’
For a second, Kate pondered what Dev might say if she said she had to forego on account of a heart bordering on the edge of a massive crush on him. Then, she pulled herself together as the guide arrived and started handing out the vests.
Probably best she kept that to herself.
The visit itself was more enlightening than Kate had anticipated, with the knowledgeable guide keen to share anecdotes about lighthouses, especially those on rocky outcrops surrounded by nothing but water, as they scaled the winding stone steps, one floor at a time.
‘In the very early lighthouses, warning lights were provided by coal or even wood-fired burners, but eventually oil was used and now they are all automated and run on electric generators.’
‘So no one ever goes to them now?’ Theo looked crestfallen, and Kate placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
‘I’m afraid not,’ the guide replied. ‘There are periodic visits to maintain lamps and equipment, of course.’
She turned to answer a flood of questions about the living conditions when they were manned, about the changeover of the three-man crew – there to ensure someone was always on watch – known as the ‘relief’, and how a twenty-eight-day stint could last anything up to ten more if weather conditions prevented their exchange.
Eventually, they emerged onto the level housing the enormous, glass-enclosed lamps, a circular concrete platform surrounding it.
The strong breeze tore at Kate’s hair, but despite the exposed situation, it wasn’t cold, and she drew in a long breath as she looked out across the water.
The guide began to point out the locations of several shipwrecks, and Kate couldn’t stop watching Theo’s fascinated expression as his wide eyes followed the direction of the guide’s hand as though half expecting a ghostly ship to emerge from the depths.
Conscious of Dev stood beside his son, she threw him a discreet look, expecting his gaze to also be on the water, but it wasn’t.
‘Thank you for this,’ he said quietly, before leaning down to say something to Theo, and Kate swung back to look away too.
‘I thought I told you to stop it,’ she silently scolded her heart as it swelled like an inflating balloon.
‘Look, seals!’ One of the group members called, and they collectively moved to the front of the lighthouse.
‘There, Teds.’ Dev pointed out over the water.
Theo bounced up and down on his heels, beaming. ‘Seals!’
Kate fished out her phone. ‘Is it okay?’
Dev nodded, and she tapped away, trying to capture the delight on Theo’s features as he watched the seals swimming and diving not far from the rocky outcrop supporting the lighthouse.
‘Would you like a family photo?’
A young couple stood beside Kate, and the man gestured towards the phone as her gaze flew to meet Dev’s.
‘Oh, no. We’re not—’
‘Yes please!’ Theo trilled, sliding his small hand into Kate’s and tugging on his father’s sleeve to pull him closer.
‘I took a few,’ the young man said, as he handed back the phone. ‘There’s always someone with their eyes closed, isn’t there?’
Not knowing what to say, Kate pocketed the phone. Perhaps she ought to reassure Dev she’d delete them later?
Of course you won’t. You’ll probably crop one so it’s just him.
It wasn’t as if Leigh would ever see it, though, was it? She just didn’t want the potential to cause trouble for him.
‘Kate.’
She looked up at Dev as they all began to follow the guide back towards the steps.
‘It’s fine. Stop worrying about it.’
‘Was I that obvious?’
Dev merely smiled, helping Theo navigate the step ladder down from the lamps, and Kate followed, conscious of them waiting for her at the bottom, her senses on full alert. It wasn’t enough, however, to stop her losing her footing on the second to last step, and landing with an inelegant thump.
‘Are you okay?’ Aware of Dev’s outstretched arm in an attempt to slow her precipitous descent, Kate nodded.
‘I’m good.’
The remainder of the return to the ground floor went without incident, and they handed back the vests, Theo doing so with some reluctance.
‘They might have mentioned that steep ladder at the top, that’s in addition to those 113 stairs!’ Kate exclaimed as they emerged once more into daylight.
There was a small souvenir kiosk, where Dev picked up a guidebook to take home and Kate – on his nod of approval – purchased a miniature model of the lighthouse, presenting it to Theo, who held tightly on to it as they returned to the car.
They stopped at a charming pub on the way back, where Theo studied the Children’s Menu carefully, trying out the words he could read and letting his dad fill in the gaps – which was most of it.
‘What’s it to be, Teds? The nuggets, the burger or the pizza?’
‘What’s that one?’ Theo pointed to the line at the bottom.
‘All served with chips,’ Kate recited, and Theo nodded.
‘I’ll have that one.’ He frowned. ‘What’s “All”?’
Shaking his head, Dev set off to place an order, and Kate drew Theo’s attention to another line at the top.
‘It says all children’s meals are served in a bucket with a spade. How cute is that?’
‘Or harsh, depending on how you look at it,’ interjected Dev as he returned armed with serviettes and a small wooden trug containing cutlery and condiments.
Theo opened the guidebook, sucking fiercely on the straw inside his bottle of pop, as Dev and Kate sipped on alcohol-free beer. She was struggling against how much she’d enjoyed the day, wishing Mollie had been there too. Her daughter’s smug comment when she’d left to spend the day at a friend’s house, about not crashing her mum’s date, had left Kate floundering.
Once the food arrived, however, she relaxed a little more and Theo returned to studying the pictures in the book as she and Dev mused on the fayre venue dilemma.
‘I’m wondering if we just give up for this year.’ Kate pierced a piece of scampi with her fork and dipped it in the tartare sauce.
‘Is that what you want?’
She popped the morsel in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. Then, she shook her head. ‘No. But I’m struggling to see a solution and time’s ticking away.’
Dev picked up his burger, elbows resting on the wooden picnic table. ‘You don’t strike me as someone who walks away from things lightly.’
The words fell into a profound silence as Kate’s mind shot straight back to her unhappy, loveless life with Hugo. Dev said nothing, merely holding her gaze with his own questioning look. Their eyes remained locked as the edges of his mouth curved and—
‘What does that say?’
Kate blinked and drew in a short breath, then leaned over to look at where Theo pointed.
‘It has a long maritime history.’
Theo’s forehead scrunched up as he picked up a couple of French fries with his fingers and dipped them in ketchup. ‘Marry time? Is that what mummies and daddies do?’
Unable to look at Dev, Kate chose to explain the nautical term before resuming her meal. Honestly, how could she look the man in the eye, when Theo sat so innocently beside her, yet all she wanted to do right now was toss her scampi in the bin and give ‘daddy’ a good old snog and ask him if he fancied some marry time?
If Kate had one abiding memory of the trip to the lighthouse though, it wasn’t the stunning view from the top, the surprise at Dev awkwardly asking if she’d send him all the photos or the general warm fuzzy feeling she’d felt for the outing overall, it was Theo’s innocent demand – after hugging Kate fiercely as they said goodbye – that his dad do the same.
Dev, to be fair, had immediately hugged Theo, who’d giggled, claiming ‘Daddy was silly’ before prodding him in Kate’s direction. It had been an awkward affair, but as she prepared for bed, she reflected that although it would probably go on record as the briefest embrace in history, it had been a touching and precious moment.
And Kate had had far too few of those in recent years.
Having accompanied Mollie to her current bestie, Freya’s, for the latter’s birthday shopping day out in Truro, Kate walked back down the hill into the village, still wrapped in warm memories of the previous day.
It was a gorgeous morning and a long walk would probably clear her head best, but as she reached the junction with the lane running between the village and the headland where Anna’s cottage perched on the cliff top, Kate hesitated. Did she want her head to be rid of such pleasant thoughts? Was there any point in pretending or denying it?
Kate wasn’t stupid, but it was long , long time since she’d considered anyone in such a way. Lusting after Regé-Jean Page in Bridgerton surely didn’t count… did it?
This was real, not pretend. What was more, it was someone who was as unavailable as an unavailable man could be.
Giving in to the inevitable, Kate fetched up by Anna’s gate and checked her watch. She had promised she’d pop round, after all…
The moment Kate opened the door to the kitchen, she realised her error. It was nearing midday, and there they were – the barmy locals – gathered around Anna’s scrubbed pine table in front of the window with the incredible view. A view they were all impervious to at present, yet it drew Kate’s eye like no other, straight across the expanse of water to Harbourwatch. How on earth had Anna coped, when she’d fallen in love with Oliver and he lived over there, seemingly oblivious to her?
In love ? Where did that come from?