Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Military Road was as Owen remembered, only with more bits of it edging closer to the sea. The car park at Compton Bay was still half its previous size thanks to its collapse several years ago, and the road was lined with vehicles that couldn’t find space there.
They left the white chalk cliffs of Freshwater behind them, glowing in the sunlight. Ahead, he spied white tents and a colourful bouncy slide, the sunlight glinting on hundreds of cars parked in adjacent fields.
The Chale Show. Every few miles, Owen had seen the orange signposts advertising the two-day event. Not that they were going to attend. Ben had often argued it had long since become less about local interests and more about businesses coming over from the mainland.
Then he caught sight of the Union flags fluttering in the breeze atop two tall gate posts, and smiled.
“We’re here.”
He turned left onto the long gravel driveway.
Cars were parked along its length, spilling out from the main space, and music grew louder as they drew closer to the pub.
Children played on swings, and blue picnic tables covered the expanse of grass in front of the building, virtually every one occupied.
“Popular place,” Matt observed as they came to a stop by the wooden railings.
Owen switched off the engine and removed his helmet. “It always was.” He opened the top box to take out their small bags and stow the helmets and gloves.
Matt gazed at the inn with its white-framed windows across the front, all of them open to give access to the patio. “When was the last time you were here?”
“It’s been about six years.”
Too long.
“My parents brought me here when I was a kid.” Owen smiled. “It’s changed a bit inside, but not out.” He headed for the wooden gate on the left. “This way.”
Matt followed him up the path bordered by flowers and shrubs, until they reached the slope.
“We could’ve parked around the front,” Owen told him, “but this is the best view.” He stopped and turned. “I mean, look at that.”
The late afternoon sun sparkled on the sea, and in the distance were the white cliffs of Freshwater and beyond. Boats sailed past, their spinnakers fluttering in the wind.
Matt drew in a deep breath. “It’s a beautiful spot. Remind me to thank Callum next time I see him.”
Owen stepped across the threshold onto warm brown stone flags.
People lined up at the long bar, and the air was filled with the buzz of conversation and laughter.
Waiters dressed in black, the Sleepy Dormouse logo on their shirts, moved briskly between the numerous tables, delivering food, clearing plates.
On the right was a cosy nook filled with two brown leather couches. Two men sat there facing each other, one with a gorgeous dog lying on the floor beside him, his nose between his paws, totally content.
Matt grinned. “That has to be Robbie.”
The dog’s owner turned his head in Matt’s direction. “Yes, this is Robbie.” He reached into a plastic bag on the low table in front of him, and removed a piece of carrot.
Matt jerked his head in Owen’s direction. “We forgot to bring carrots!” He stretched out his hand towards Robbie, then paused. “Is it okay to stroke him?”
The man smiled. “Thanks for asking. And yeah, he’s very friendly.”
Matt crouched beside Robbie and scritched between his ears.
“Especially if you bring carrots,” the other man said, his eyes twinkling.
Robbie’s owner handed Matt a piece of carrot. “Here, give that to him.”
Matt thanked him, then held it out. Robbie crunched it into bits in seconds.
The other guy glanced at their bags. “Are you staying here?” When Owen nodded, he looked towards the bar. “Alex is around somewhere.”
Matt gave him an inquiring glance. “You wouldn’t be Martin Simpson, would you? The dinosaur expert?”
He blinked. “Wow. Didn’t realise I was that famous.” He grinned. “Yeah, that’s me. Who’s been talking about me?”
“My son, Callum, is a frequent visitor around here,” Owen told him.
Martin beamed. “I know Callum.”
Robbie’s owner chuckled. “Most people do.”
“Are you checking in?”
Owen turned to find a handsome man with a brown beard and piercing blue eyes standing behind them, a clipboard in one hand.
“Yes, we are. Double room for Owen Lane.”
The man’s smile reached his eyes. “You’re Callum’s dad, aren’t you?”
Owen gave another nod. “And you must be Alex.”
“That’s me. Give me a second to get your key, and then I’ll take you to your room.” Alex went towards the food ordering point at the rear of the bar.
Matt was busy gazing at the food carried by waiters. “This all looks so good. And I’m ready to eat.”
“Then isn’t it a good thing I booked us a table when I booked the room?”
Matt’s eyes sparkled. “You think of everything.”
Alex walked over to them. “This way.”
Owen and Matt followed him through the bar towards a door at the rear. They turned right and went up the stairs. Alex stopped outside room 4.
“This is yours.” He unlocked it, and they followed him inside.
The first thing Owen noticed was the view. The window looked out towards the sea. Then he took in the rest of the room, which was done in shades of grey. A double bed, with a couch at the foot of it, and a door leading off into the bathroom. He smiled at the walk-in shower.
“Very nice.”
“I think it’s the best bathroom.” Alex tilted his head. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you? A while ago, though.”
Owen gave another smile. “I haven’t visited the island for a few years, but yes, I used to come to the Sleepy Dormouse with my husband, Ben.”
Alex’s eyes lit up. “That’s my partner’s name too. And I thought you looked familiar.” He handed Owen the key. “Breakfast is served from eight-thirty. Enjoy your stay. And welcome back.” Then he left them to it.
Matt peered into the bathroom. “After a day on the bike, a shower sounds like a great idea.”
Owen laughed. “This desire to get clean doesn’t fool me for an instant.” He walked over to Matt, slid his arms around his waist, and nuzzled into his neck. “But yeah, it’s a great idea, as long as we don’t take too long. I need to eat as well.”
“I have something you can eat.” Matt’s tone was positively wicked.
He burst out laughing. “My, but you’ve come a long way in a very short time.”
And Owen wouldn’t change a thing about him.
Matt pushed his plate away with a happy sigh. “That was delicious. Callum was right about the steak and ale pie too.” He had a pleasant buzz going on from his second pint of Sleepy Dormouse Ale.
“There’s a cheesecake on the Specials board, if you’re interested.”
He snorted. “If I eat another mouthful, you’ll have to roll me up those stairs like a barrel.”
Owen wiped his lips with his napkin. “Well, we could go for a walk, if you like.”
“Do you have somewhere in mind?”
Owen’s smile was answer enough.
Alex appeared at their table. “Was everything okay?”
Matt beamed. “That was fantastic. And now we’re going to walk it off so there’s room in the morning for breakfast.” He pointed to the sign behind them. “Which also looks amazing.”
Alex flashed them a grin as he collected the plates. “No one ever goes hungry around here.” He walked off in the direction of the kitchen.
Matt pushed back his chair. “So where are you taking me?”
“Out the front door, for one thing.”
He followed Owen to the door by the stairs, and out onto the lane where they turned right towards the main road.
Stone walls lined one side, houses the other, and there was no pavement.
A stone church sat ahead of them on the right, and as they drew closer, bells began to ring, a beautiful melody that carried on the evening air.
“Must be practice time,” Owen commented.
They reached the end of the lane and turned left, then right onto the other side.
The Terrace was narrow enough to have no road markings, and they strolled along the centre of it, tree canopies meeting over their heads. The hum of traffic behind them diminished as they walked.
“What’s at the end of this?”
“You’ll see.”
Matt glanced at him. “You’re being very mysterious.” He hesitated for a moment. “Did you and Ben ever do this walk?”
“A couple of times.” Owen let out a chuckle. “He used to complain that all we ever did when we came over here was walk. When we weren’t on the bike, of course.”
“I’m going to bet you did something else too.”
Owen’s laughter rang out. “It’s as if you know me.”
Not as well as I’d like to.
It wasn’t the first time today Ben had entered the conversation, but on each occasion Matt had been the one to bring him into it.
Owen had talked about riding the bike, walking along a beach looking for fossils, swimming in the sea…
. He didn’t stay long on those memories, and Matt loved hearing them.
Owen and Ben had shared six years of happiness, and he couldn’t imagine Owen not wanting to remember those times.
But every memory carried the same unasked question.
Where do I fit?
At the end of the Terrace were four houses, and beyond them, the sea. Owen led him through a gate and then stopped. He pointed to the edge of the cliff.
“Can you see what that is?”
Matt peered at it. “Wait… that looks like…” He blinked. “It looks like a door step. You know, in front of someone’s house.”
Owen nodded. “That’s exactly what it is. Once upon a time, a house stood there. But on this side of the island, the land gets eroded at a pace of one metre per year. And the land where the house stood is no more.” Then he pointed to the right. “Now look over there.”
Matt wandered over, and found himself staring at the cliff edge where it met the shingle-covered beach. It looked like a huge scar in the landscape, the land slumped, almost like a disused quarry. Then he spied bits of masonry, parts of brick walls, things that had no place being there.
“Wow.”
Owen joined him. “And one day, where we’re standing? That will go the same way.”
“Then who would live here?”
Owen’s smile held a trace of sadness. “Knowing how the story ends doesn’t make you want to put the book down.”