Chapter 40
The text buzzed through on Ruth’s phone at the same time as Nathan’s. They read them simultaneously, Ruth checking Millie was within sight, even though she knew her daughter was only metres further along the deck, determined to spot a dolphin from their moored position in harbour.
‘Does yours say the same, Mum?’ Nathan said as Millie pulled her phone from a pocket and checked it.
‘What does it mean?’ Nathan asked.
‘I’m not sure,’ Ruth said, frowning. ‘But whatever it is, we don’t need to worry. We’re already on board.’
‘Mum – I want to go and check on Portus…’ Millie said, tension in her words.
‘Why? He’ll be fine,’ Ruth said, realisation dawning as she studied her fidgeting daughter. She wanted to know what was happening, but Ruth doubted the crew would want civilians clogging up the bridge.
‘No. I want to make sure.’
‘I really think we should let them concentrate…’
Her words were directed into the air Millie had been inhabiting moments before, and by the time she caught up, Millie was already at the door to the bridge.
The scene inside the area was frenetic. Bridge crew were studying maps and charts on screens, making phone calls, checking paper printouts, staring out of the windows with binoculars.
Louis was in the centre of the action, his concentration total.
Then one of the officers spotted them, stood like the three stooges in the doorway, pointing at them and suggesting, rather loudly, that someone should ‘deal with them’.
Ruth swallowed as more gazes swung their way, including Louis’. He headed across, burying his stressed expression.
‘Hey, Millie,’ he said, quietly and calmly. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Just worried about Portus.’ Millie sounded young and vulnerable.
Ruth felt a lump forming in her throat. ‘I’m so sorry, I couldn’t stop her.’
‘It’s no problem. Portus is fine. He’s having a snooze right now – leaving all the hard work to the humans, as usual. There’s nothing to be worried about – we just need to move the Ballygowan out of harbour for a bit because there’s some bumpy weather heading this way.’
‘Are you sure?’ Millie asked. It was the question on Ruth’s lips, too, so she was glad Millie had asked.
‘Absolutely. Did you get a message on your phone?’ He smiled as Millie nodded. ‘We just need to be absolutely sure we know where everyone is; we don’t want to leave anyone stranded on the island, do we?’
Ruth noticed a muscle ticking in his jaw.
‘Are we coming back to Barbados?’ Millie said.
‘Once the weather has passed, we’ll be right back. We just don’t want the ship to knock against anything in the harbour. The owners would be really cross with me if the paintwork got damaged.’
He was making light of the situation; Ruth had no doubt. The urgency with which everyone was moving behind him didn’t reflect his words.
‘I didn’t think the Caribbean got bad weather at this time of year,’ Nathan said.
‘No. It’s very unusual,’ Louis conceded. ‘That’s why we’re making sure we get the ship out to sea – it might sound weird, but in open water you won’t even notice the waves in this ship.’
The children seemed placated by his words, but Ruth studied him for other micro-reactions. Was he being completely honest? Then another thought crossed her mind.
‘Where’s Hannah?’ she said. ‘And your father? Are they safely on board?’
‘Keisha…’ Nathan said suddenly. ‘They were planning on having supper on the island. I need to phone her…’
‘Tell her family to contact passenger services,’ Louis called after Nathan as he headed for the corridor. ‘They can advise – get them somewhere on island to stay overnight if necessary.’
‘But what about Hannah, Captain Louis? And your dad?’
‘Have you checked on Teddy?’ Ruth asked.
‘He’s on board.’
The reply was curt. It was clear Louis hadn’t softened his stance where his father was concerned – although he had checked on his well-being.
‘And Hannah?’
Louis frowned, paused. Swallowed hard as the ticking in his jaw resumed.
‘She’s not answering her phone.’
When Louis had turned heel and walked away from her, Hannah hadn’t known what to do. Staying where she was and crying was high up on her list of instinctive responses. Heading back to her cabin to hide came second.
The wind had picked up and, even in the sheltered dock, flags were whipping around. She decided she would take a walk, allow the breeze to blow away the worst of her emotions – and her tears – before she headed back on board.
It was for the best. It had to be. After all, how would it have ever worked with Louis? It had been a moment of madness. A holiday fling. Their lives weren’t compatible. Once she was back home, she and Ian could sort everything out. She had to allow him that much.
She turned to look at the Ballygowan, lights blazing from windows and walkways. Strings of festive coloured lights swung in the breeze. It was an incredible sight, and the ship had begun to feel almost like a home from home, even though it was only ever going to be temporary.
Leaving the vicinity of the port she threaded her way through unfamiliar streets, losing track of how long she walked, randomly choosing directions as she did her best to organise her thoughts. After a while she checked her watch. It was after half six, it would be too late to phone Ian now.
Hannah reached in her bag for her mobile, to send him a text.
That way it wouldn’t disturb him if he was resting, but he’d know she was thinking of him whenever he picked it up.
It wasn’t a large bag, but her fingers failed to locate her phone.
She stopped, pulling the bag fully open and scrabbling around to find it.
Her phone was something Hannah was never without, so the fact it wasn’t in her bag threw her. She paused. It must have fallen from her bag when she’d arrived back on board earlier, when she offloaded everything from her day on shore, before she headed for the gallery. Damn it.
Not willing to panic, she zipped up her bag and turned, planning to retrace her steps back to the dock and the safety of the Ballygowan.
The first few streets were no problem. It had begun to rain, but the drops were warm, so Hannah wasn’t too bothered, kept her pace even.
But then she came to a junction and couldn’t remember which way she’d turned.
Had she come from the left or the right?
She paused, then headed downhill, logic suggesting it would be more likely to be downhill to the ocean.
She rounded a corner to see a group of young men lounging under a canopy at the side of the road, chatting and smoking. No one else was in sight; the increasing intensity of the rain had put paid to that.
Swallowing hard and wiping rain from her face, she had a decision to make. Did she brazen it out and walk past them, hoping they were as innocent as they appeared, or did she turn tail and try to put distance between them and herself?
Hannah decided to keep walking. If she turned away, she wouldn’t be able to see what they were doing; face on at least she might have a chance of running, if she needed to.
She’d almost passed them, was beginning to breathe a sigh of relief and chastise herself for assuming the worst when one of them struck off from the low wall and wandered in her direction.
She kept walking, feeling the cold sting of sweat prickling her skin.
‘Hey there, lady. You lost?’
She did her best to ignore him, kept moving. Another one flicked away his joint and straightened.
‘Yeah. You don’ look like you from around here,’ he said, jostling elbows with another. ‘We could help you, if you like.’
Another one laughed, and the sound was enough to have Hannah take to her heels, pelting downhill until she slipped on a corner and lost her footing, crashing to the ground and feeling the burn from the rough Tarmac biting at her skin. She scrabbled to get up, but they were there. Surrounding her.