Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
W ith her mind still filled with thoughts of her mother, Dilly made her way to the boat house to meet Max. She was early, so she perched on one of her favourite rocks just past the jetty that led to The Sea Glass Restaurant. Her plan was to call in and see her father after she’d spoken to Max, because he would be the one person that might understand the turmoil she was feeling – but now, as she thought about what Clemmie had said, doubt began to set in. What if she was wrong? What if it was just a trick of the light or a moment of wishful thinking?
The image of her mother’s familiar face, those unmistakable brown curls and piercing blue eyes, had seemed so real, but now Dilly was questioning her own sanity. Telling her dad might make her look foolish and cause him to worry about her even more than he already did, but the faint hope that her mum might be alive was still tugging at her heart. After all, her and Anton’s bodies were never recovered. There was a slim chance.
Dilly was torn between the fear of being dismissed as delusional and the desperate desire to believe in miracles. Her father was a fair and gentle man but also a no-nonsense character, and that was making her hesitate. As tears welled up in her eyes, she felt utterly conflicted about what to do.
She slid from the rock and decided to grab a brew at the Cosy Kettle before heading to see Max. As she walked up to the hut, the familiar aroma of freshly baked pastries and coffee enveloped her. Becca was behind the counter, her face lighting up as she spotted Dilly.
‘Dilly! Loved the art class last night,’ she said with a grin as Dilly ordered a cup of tea.
‘Pierre was such a good sport as the life model, wasn’t he? And Betty’s reaction was priceless! Honestly, I thought at one point she might join him on that couch!’ said Dilly.
They both laughed.
‘Betty was an absolute scream. I’ve not laughed like that in a long time. It was definitely the highlight of my week and I can’t wait for the next class.’
‘I need to organise it, maybe for the start of next month. It’s going to be full-on when I get the keys for the lighthouse and can start the work there, which hopefully should be this week.’
‘It’s all very exciting!’
They both looked towards the lighthouse before Becca handed over the tea then pointed. ‘Have you seen that woman before?’
Dilly followed Becca’s gaze and her heart immediately sank as her eyes landed on Lydia Harrington. She was hard to miss. Dressed in yet another killer dress that hugged her curves and accentuated her impeccable figure, Lydia looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. Her hair was perfectly styled, and her makeup was flawlessly applied, making her look every bit the sophisticated city woman she was. The complete opposite of Dilly with her laid-back island lifestyle. She watched as Lydia walked with purpose, her high heels clicking against the cobblestones. It seemed she was heading straight for the boat house, which set off a wave of unease in Dilly’s stomach. Her repeated appearances were raising a lot of questions, and Dilly couldn’t help but wonder if Max and Lydia had set her up by inviting her to the boat house. Were they both going to be there?
‘It’s not often I get rude customers but that woman was downright hostile to me today, and for no reason! She’s been to-ing and fro-ing all day to the boat house. No doubt she owns the biggest yacht in the harbour,’ Becca observed.
As Lydia disappeared from view, Dilly couldn’t help feeling a pang of jealousy – and some suspicion. She took a sip of tea, trying to calm her racing thoughts. In a casual tone, she replied, ‘No, I don’t know her.’ It was a big fat lie but Dilly didn’t want to delve into the details of Lydia being Max’s ex-wife or the fact that she had bid against her at the auction, attempting to win the lighthouse.
Now filled with uncertainty about her impending meeting with Max, Dilly didn’t know what to do.
After a day full of emotional ups and downs the last thing she wanted was any sort of confrontation, but she also wanted to know what Max was playing at. She waved goodbye to Becca and approached Max’s flat, her heart beating with anticipation. As she reached the door, she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. At the sound of a woman’s voice, her hand froze in mid-air, inches from the door. She wasn’t proud of herself as she leaned in closer, trying to catch the conversation. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but curiosity got the better of her.
‘Now that you’ve moved in, I wanted to see where you were living,’ the voice purred.
‘Why are you really here, Lydia? What are you hoping to gain?’ the man – who had to be Max – asked.
Lydia’s voice slithered through the crack in the door, smooth and condescending. ‘You always knew divorcing me meant you’d end up with nothing. You married me with nothing, and you were never going to get your hands on any of my money.’
Dilly’s heart raced as she stood still, listening to the drama unfolding inside Max’s flat. She knew she shouldn’t be standing there but her feet were glued to the floor.
‘I don’t want your money, Lydia. I never did. What’s the point of this?’ Max sounded weary, as if he’d had this argument a thousand times. ‘Has your new relationship already run its course?’
Suddenly Lydia’s tone shifted, becoming sharper, more pointed. ‘Candles and flowers? Who are you expecting? It’s her, isn’t it? The lighthouse girl. Your pupil.’
Dilly’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected to be dragged into this, or that Lydia would know anything about her.
Max’s voice rose in frustration. ‘She isn’t a pupil anymore. I no longer teach, remember? And that’s because of you.’
The more Dilly listened, the more guilt she felt, but questions were spinning around in her mind. What had Lydia done to Max to stop him from teaching?
Then Lydia’s voice cut through the air like a knife. ‘Does your boss know you’re after his daughter?’
Dilly’s heart pounded in her chest.
‘You do know, when word gets out about this, it could ruin her reputation? The lighthouse girl, once your student, now your scandal. How poetic.’
Dilly’s legs felt weak and she didn’t want to hear any more. This wasn’t her fight and she didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire of Max’s messy past. But just as she turned to leave, she heard something that stopped her in her tracks.
‘And you can’t just ignore the fact that I’m pregnant. You know you’ll make a fantastic father. It’s all you’ve ever wanted.’
Dilly’s world spun. Lydia was pregnant? Max was going to be a father? The weight of it all pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Just as she was debating her next move, she heard footsteps approaching the door. Before she could react, the door swung open and Max appeared. His face was a picture of surprise. Behind him, Lydia’s expression turned to smugness.
‘Dil,’ Max breathed, his eyes locking onto hers.
Lydia’s icy voice cut through the moment like a knife. ‘Well, isn’t this cosy?’
Max rubbed the back of his neck. ‘It’s not what it looks like, Dilly. I was just?—’
Dilly raised a hand, stopping him. ‘She’s pregnant with your baby?’
Lydia smirked, clearly enjoying the tension she was causing. ‘Lighthouse Girl, you do know he will never be yours, don’t you? You’re just collateral damage from his latest tantrum.’
Dilly felt like she had been punched in the gut. She stared at Max before turning and walking away.
‘Dilly!’ Max’s voice echoed behind her but she didn’t look back. She just kept walking.
She didn’t want either of them to see the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. She wouldn’t let herself be drawn into this mess. Not again. No man was worth this kind of trouble. Not even Max.