Chapter Twenty-Seven
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lily set off for the retreat with Morven, making her radio call on the way.
‘I knew they’d be like this!’ the girl cried, seeing her aunt and uncle come hurrying towards her.
‘It’s because they love you,’ Lily said, hoping Morven wouldn’t run away again.
Sam grabbed his aunt’s arm to steady her when she stumbled on the steep path. Behind them, Lily could see the search party from the gig crew in matching hi-vis vests.
‘Oh, shit,’ Morven muttered. ‘I didn’t think it would cause this much trouble.’
‘People do care,’ Lily said, wanting to point out that ‘it’ involved a young girl vanishing on a deserted island in the middle of the night.
‘Morven! Oh, you silly, silly girl! I can’t tell you what I’ve been imagining!’
Elspeth flung herself on Morven, hugging her niece so hard that she had to beg to be released so she could breathe. Sam stood by, stony-faced, though Lily had a strong feeling he was holding back tears.
‘Where have you been?’ Elspeth cried, still holding the girl. ‘Don’t tell me you rowed over here on your own in the dark? Oh, I’m so glad you’re safe but why did you do such a stupid thing? Didn’t you know we’d be out of our minds with worry? Sam’s been beside himself.’
The flow of words left little chance for Morven to respond other than in grunts.
Finally, Elspeth released her.
Morven looked at Sam and said: ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it.’
‘Then why did you?’ he said, before slipping his arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on. Let’s go to the flat and you can get warm and have something to eat. We can talk about this later.’
‘Have you called Dad?’ she asked.
‘I had to,’ Sam said.
She groaned. ‘Oh, God. What did he say? Was he worried?’
‘He was terrified,’ Sam said. ‘I haven’t seen him cry since Grandpa died.’
Morven burst into tears herself and hugged Sam. ‘Please don’t say he’s coming home?’ she cried. ‘I don’t w–want him to come home because of this. That’s not why I did it. I don’t want to force him. I want him to come back because he chooses to.’
Sam patted her back. ‘I know, sweetheart. Look, I need to get a message to him to say you’re safe. You dry off and have a drink while I do that, then we’ll go home and you can speak to him yourself.’
He caught Lily’s eye over Morven’s shoulder and mouthed, ‘Thank you.’
Fighting back her own tears of relief, Lily said, ‘I’ll look after the search party. I bet everyone would love to be out of this rain.’
‘Good idea,’ Sam said.
Lily could see his shoulders relaxing and the tension ebbing from his taut features.
Elspeth took Morven’s hand. ‘Come on, trouble. I’ll make you hot chocolate.’
A couple of hours later, the four of them were back at Hell Bay. The search team had dispersed to their day jobs, while Sam and Morven were on FaceTime to Nate. Lily had managed to have a very brief word with Sam and had passed on what Morven had told her about wanting to do Fine Art at university.
‘It’s really none of my business but I thought you ought to know.’
‘Thank you for finding her and for persuading her to talk.’
‘It was hardly a heart-to-heart but at least she’s ready to say what she wants.’
Lily decided to give the family space, heading off to a belated meet-up with Penny to discuss the arrangements for the craft fair. Along the way, she battled pangs of guilt that she’d become so invested in someone else’s family yet had drifted so far from her own.
Her journey stirred up other troubling thoughts too: she saw posters on walls and outside the post office, declaring that she was the ‘VIP Guest’ at the Scilly Summer Craft Fair. Morven’s words came back to her, even though they’d been retracted: It’s all about you .
Lily didn’t want the event to be all about her; far from it. She’d only agreed because Penny had said it would help get people through the door. However, it had also meant she had the perfect excuse to stay a little longer, to see her family – and have a few more days in Sam’s company.
‘Hello! Over here!’
Penny was waiting outside the community centre.
After asking for an update on Morven and the Teagues, she showed Lily inside. The first surprise was how new and spacious the building it was. The second was finding Damon and a couple of other teens playing pool.
He glanced up and away again quickly. By now, he’d have realised that everyone knew his part in helping Morven spook Lily.
She focused on the task at hand. ‘The hall’s much larger than I expected,’ she said. As well as the pool table, a young family were hitting balls on a table tennis table and there was still room for chill-out spaces around the sides and ends.
‘We managed to nab a small Lottery grant,’ Penny explained, ‘though we raised most of the funds to build it ourselves. Prince William opened it,’ she added proudly, showing Lily an area at the rear with bookshelves and bean bags. ‘Everyone can use it, holidaymakers as well as islanders. There are books, DVDs and toys to borrow – and loos, of course. We just suggest a small donation in return. It’s used for weddings and parties, and we hold a doctor’s surgery here once a week,’ she went on. ‘Rhiannon used to do a weekly clinic too … before she left,’ Penny added.
‘Oh?’ Lily hoped to nudge her into further comment but she either didn’t take the hint or decided to move the conversation on. ‘In a place this isolated, we have to be as self-sufficient as possible.’
‘I can see that,’ Lily said, not daring to push the topic further.
‘There’s a kitchen too. If it’s fine, we can move some of the stalls outside. There’s a man who grows exotic plants for sale.’
‘How many stalls have you got?’
‘Thirty-four at the last count.’
‘Thirty-four! I’d no idea there were that many craftspeople on Scilly.’
Penny beamed. ‘We’re a very talented bunch and since word got round that you were coming, every maker across the islands wants to be here. With such a big turnout, we’re going to charge a two quid entrance fee.’ Penny gave a wry smile. ‘You were right that notoriety sells.’
‘Unfortunately. Let’s just hope everyone is disappointed that I’m not the ogre they’re expecting.’ Lily covered her nerves with a smile though her stomach was churning. ‘At least I’ll have my brother-in-law and nieces for protection. They’re coming over to Stark for the weekend.’
‘How lovely,’ Penny said. ‘Let me show you the playground. If your nieces are little, they’ll love it.’
After finishing her mini-tour with Penny, Lily took the shortcut behind the post office store on her way back to Hell Bay House. The view from there over most of the Isles of Scilly was panoramic. She had a reasonable idea of all their names now: St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, and even St Agnes to the west, with the Bishop Rock lighthouse marking the far western edge of Britain.
Her stomach tightened as she thought of leaving these huge skies and shimmering seas for the claustrophobic London streets. Or perhaps the decision she had to make about the supermarket deal was making it seem more claustrophobic. She’d had another email from the company that morning, asking her to set up a meeting where they’d discuss it with her team. She hadn’t even told her team a deal was on the horizon.
Parking the dilemma for the time being, she walked straight off the path into the rear garden of Hell Bay House. Morven was in the kitchen window, chopping an onion – apparently preparing a recipe from TikTok, judging by the sounds coming from her phone. She didn’t notice Lily who went round to the front of the house where a loud buzzing sound led her to Sam.
He had his back turned, giving Lily ten seconds to admire his tanned thighs and the way his biceps flexed as he skimmed a powered cutter along the hedge. His T-shirt was sticking to his back and perspiration glistened on his neck.
Already warm from her walk, her body went into meltdown.
He cut the power and lowered the hedge cutter.
‘Hey there,’ Lily said, her voice seeming loud in the sudden silence.
He turned, lips parting in surprise, eyes hidden behind Ray-bans. ‘Oh … hello. I didn’t know you were there.’
‘I only just got here. Didn’t want to scare you in case I caused an accident.’
With a smile, he laid the tool on the grass. ‘I should keep your distance, I’m very hot and sweaty.’
I can see that … ‘Same,’ she said. ‘I’ve just walked over the hill from the café.’
His gaze, even through the shades, seemed to burn into her. ‘Hot and sweaty suits you.’
A tingle of desire shot through her. ‘You too,’ she murmured, fighting an urge to leap on him. ‘Um … I saw Morven cooking in the kitchen.’
Sam rubbed his forehead and seemed thrown off kilter. Had he been fighting the same urge?
‘Yeah. She’s, er, making dinner for us. Do you mind staying another night here? I don’t want to leave her on her own.’
‘No, of course not,’ Lily said, filled with relief that she wouldn’t be alone with him on Stark. With the raging hormones he was stoking in her, she wasn’t sure she could contain herself.
‘Actually, I’m making dinner for me and my mates.’ Morven appeared behind them, her T-shirt spattered with bright green pesto. ‘Sorry to disappoint you but Auntie Elspeth said I could have them over for dinner. She’s going to her Zumba class and then coming over to stay with me afterwards.’
‘I didn’t know about this,’ Sam said sharply.
‘It was Elspeth’s idea. She said you’d be keen to get back to Stark and have a rest after all the drama.’
Sam exchanged a glance with Lily, as if to ask how much Morven had heard of their previous flirtatious banter.
‘Don’t stay here on my account. You need to carry on working. And before you ask, I won’t run off again.’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Not sure about me running away or about trusting me?’
Lily caught her breath. What a test from Morven: Sam’s first, possibly only, chance to show he meant what he said. Lily guessed there was only one answer – but would Sam pass the test?
He smiled. ‘If you’re sure you don’t want us to stay, and Elspeth is going to keep an eye on you, then why not?’
Morven snorted. ‘I’ll be keeping an eye on her . As she keeps telling me, she’s not as young as she was,’ she added cheekily. ‘And I bet you’re both dying to get back to Stark. You won’t have to worry about the ghost tonight, will you?’
‘Don’t push it,’ Sam said lightly but with a warning edge.
‘Yeah, I know. I was a cow. It was shitty of me. I’ve said sorry to Lily and I’m glad we spoke to Dad. I didn’t do it to make him come home but now that he is …’ She swallowed. ‘We can talk prop––’
A loud beeping from the house cut her off. ‘Oh my God! That’s the smoke alarm,’ she shouted, streaking off towards the kitchen.
Sam heaved a sigh. ‘I’d better go and see if she’s burned the house down.’
‘I’ll come in, shower and pack my stuff,’ Lily said, but Sam was already jogging through the door, unable to hear her above the screech of the alarm.
With the house safe, and Morven preparing a fresh batch of bruschetta, peace was restored.
Lily had her bag packed again and hopped in the Land Rover to drive to the quay with Sam. On the boat over, he was even quieter than usual. He still looked gorgeous, but exhausted.
‘Far be it from me to suggest this to the owner of a wellness retreat, but have you ever thought of indulging in a little self-care yourself?’ Lily said, when they docked at Stark. ‘You’ve been working on the cottages for months and worrying about Morven. Why don’t you allow yourself some time to relax? I got pasties from the bakery. I thought we’d have those tonight.’
‘Pasties sound great.’
After Lily had put them in the fridge, she found Sam outside the reception hub staring out to sea as if looking for the lost land of Lyonesse. He was so deep in thought that he didn’t hear her approach.
‘OK?’ she said, joining him.
He turned quickly, as if startled by her presence. ‘Yes. I think so. It’s been a hell of a day.’
‘It has. You can tell me to mind my own business if you like but can I ask how it went with Nate? Morven seemed more at ease.’
‘He’s coming back at the end of the month. He’s taking unpaid leave from work to spend some time with Morven so they can talk face to face.’
‘And Grady?’
‘She’s staying in LA.’
Wise choice , thought Lily, keeping her opinion to herself. ‘It can’t be easy for any of you.’
‘No. I – when I had to tell Nate that Morven had gone missing, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I felt I’d failed in the most important job there is, keeping her safe.’
‘You didn’t fail.’
‘No, but if anything had gone catastrophically wrong, I don’t know what I’d have done.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘The irony is, Nate said he didn’t blame me. He blamed himself for going to LA and then not making a decision about her sooner.’
Privately, Lily agreed with Nate’s assessment, yet only replied: ‘Morven wants to go to Falmouth but she’s too afraid of failing. Did she tell you?’
‘Yes, kind of. It’s hard to get across that she’ll probably be afraid of failing at something her whole life. That you have to feel the fear.’
‘And do it anyway?’ Lily offered.
‘Yeah. Though that’s easier said than done.’
‘You’ve renovated the retreat. It’s almost ready to open – properly. You’ve survived your first guest.’
‘Yes, but you almost didn’t survive us.’
‘Yet I’m still here and I know how hard it can be to decide on the right path to take, in business and in life. I’ve got it wrong before, and I probably will again.’
And now, there was an added load on her mind: Sam and her growing feelings for him.
Tonight, however, her main task was to be present. With him … and at the weekend, with her family and at the craft fair.
Reality would come around soon enough.
‘Are you OK?’
His fingers brushed her forearm, making her skin tingle. He’d been watching her, watching over her … tender and strong. He was exactly what she needed right now and that scared her because she’d have to do without his support in a few days’ time. She’d be on her own as she had been before: an inaccessible island, lost in a stormy sea.
‘Yes, fine,’ she said, a heartbeat away from kissing him again. ‘It’s been a long day but I’m glad Morven is safe.’
‘Me too.’ Without warning, he dropped his hand and picked up their empty bottles.
‘We both deserve a night off from worrying. Let’s heat up these pasties and see what I can find to go with them.’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ Lily murmured, feeling bereft. Once again, he’d been about to get close to her yet had pulled back.
Lily might be opening up but as for her host … with only a few days left on the island, she’d started to question if she could ever break through the rock-hard shell he’d built around him. If she would ever know the real Sam.