Sunday's Child (20 page)

“That's good.”

“Only temporary though.”

“Then we fundraise for a new one.”

“Yeah, right.”

She pulled her robe tighter. “How'd you manage to make a double positive sound so negative?”

“Practice. Hattie, you know what a new lifeboat costs. Fundraising will take years. We don't have that kind of time.”

“I'll think of some ideas.”

“If you want.”

She reached out, taking hold of his hand. She didn't understand his reaction at all. She'd thought he'd be pleased she wanted to help. “You've gone from loving your job to almost hating it. So you had a bad day at work. It happens.”

“You have a bad day and we get burnt toast or underdone venison. If I have a bad day, people die!” he snapped, pulling away from her.

The doorbell rang. Hattie tugged her robe tighter and went to answer it. Maybe she should have gotten dressed before coming downstairs. The postman offered her a letter and she signed for it. Closing the door she looked at it. From Penny.

She walked to the stairs and sat on them, opening it. A bankers draft fell into her hand. For way more money than she ever thought she'd see in a lifetime. Tears fell slowly down her face.

Cal came into the hall and reached her side in a few short strides. “Hattie, I'm sorry.” He looked downcast, shoulders drooping. “I didn't mean to make you cry.”

“You didn't. You may infuriate me sometimes, but I'm not crying because of you.”

“Oh. You're not?” He sat down on the stairs beside her. “Then why are you crying?”

“I just got this from Penny.” She showed him. “She says it's what her accountant says I'm owed. Seven years back pay, plus the money I originally put into the lodge. She said I could sue them if they don't pay me.”

“Why would you want to sue them?”

“I don't know. I wouldn't. I just want out of there,” she whispered. “I want a job here, a life well away from all the stress. It's all such a mess and I don't know what to do anymore.” She buried her head in her hands as his arm slid around her shoulders.

“Do about what?”

“Markus has been in contact with Steve.”

Cal visibly bristled. “Really? When did this happen?”

“He did it while you were away. I was going to tell you, but never had the chance. He said he told Steve where I was and that he's asked Steve and got his permission to marry me.” She sighed. “It doesn't matter how many times I turn him down, he doesn't listen. I just want it to end.”

He hugged her. “Then maybe find that great guy you like and elope. Or accept my offer and then Markus can't bug you over it anymore.”

She smiled as he kissed her cheek. “Maybe I should.” She looked down at the paper in her hand. “How about I pay for Aunt Laurie's repairs with this?”

“She's paid up front. If I refund it, she'll want to know why. And you need to talk to your brother.”

“I'll take that under advisement.”
Or maybe I just buy a lifeboat with the money. Or put it towards the fundraising for a bigger one.

“Do it, Hattie. Life is too short to bear grudges or to be estranged from your twin. Like it or not he's part of you.”

She straightened. “I should get dressed. Can't sit around like this all day.”

The phone rang. “No peace for the wicked,” she sighed. “Hello?” Her breath caught and she closed her eyes. “Hello, Steve.”

“Hattie. I heard you were staying with Aunt Laurie. The Penry Island bridge disaster is all over the news. Are you both all right? I tried ringing several times over the past day and got no answer.”

Oh, right, it's Tuesday, isn't it?
“Yeah, we're both fine. We helped out all Sunday night and most of yesterday with the rescue and clear up, got home very late last night. Plus the phones have been out because the wind brought all the lines down, so even if we'd been in when you rang, we wouldn't have gotten the call.”

“What do you mean, you helped with the rescue?”

“Aunt Laurie works at the lifeboat station, so we were down there, making tea and coffee and so on.”

“But you're all right?”

Was that concern in his voice? She twisted the phone cord around her finger. “I'm fine. Aside from my arm. I broke it in an accident the first week I was here.”

“Maybe you should come home.”

“I'm not coming back. I told you that.” She paused. “I'm looking for work here on the island.”

“I need you here.” His voice rose in anger. “I need the money back. I know Penny sent it to you.”

“Is that the real reason you rang?” she asked quietly. For some reason she wasn't surprised, even though her heart was breaking. “For the money? You didn't really want to know how I was at all, did you?”

“It's my money, Hattie. I want—need it back.”

Hattie pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it for a moment, then slowly put it down, cutting off the call.

There's no reasoning with him like this, Lord, Please calm him so we can talk about this properly. I don't want the money, especially if it means that much to him, but I'd rather know why it does. What's he gotten in to? Is he in trouble of some kind?

She looked at Cal. “All he wants is the money and a slave in his kitchen. I don't matter to him at all. I'm going to get dressed. Then I'm going for a walk. Need some air.”

“Want some company?”

“Yeah, that'd be nice. Give me five minutes.”

 

****

 

Cal held her hand as they walked. She hadn't said a word since they left the cottage. All he could do was be there, he knew that much from having a sister.

Her mobile rang as they reached a bench overlooking the sea front. Small figures swarmed over the bridge. Huge cranes were being wheeled into position to raise the wreck. The beach was taped off and littered with debris.

“You should answer the phone,” he said gently as it kept ringing.

She pulled it from her pocket and looked at the screen, before slumping down onto the bench. “It's Steve. Don't want to speak to him.” She raised her arm and made as if she were going to throw the phone into the sea, but he caught her hand.

“Let me talk to him.” He sat next to her and took the phone from her hand. “Hello, Mr. Steele. This is Callum Trant. We met when…”

“I know who you are. Why have you got Hattie's phone?”

“We're out for a walk and she didn't want to speak to you.”

“Why not?”

Cal reigned in his automatic sharp response. “She's upset. She has a lot going on right now and could do with your support, rather than you hounding her over money.”

“How dare you? Just because you're…”

He cut him off. “Hattie was almost killed her first week here, did anyone tell you that? Just cut her some slack.”

“What? Markus never mentioned it. Why wasn't I told?”

“I have no idea. You'd have to ask him about that. She was out on Markus Kerr's boat in a storm and the yacht sank. We rescued them. Hattie broke her arm.”

“
You
rescued her?”

“As part of a team. I work on the lifeboats. We responded to their distress call.”

“I see. May I speak to my sister?”

Cal held out the phone to Hattie. She sighed, but took it. He looked away as she spoke, not listening to her side of the conversation. Instead, he looked out over the bay at the recovery work being undertaken. The crane lifted a carriage onto a huge barge, water pouring from it.

In the sunshine, it was difficult to imagine the horror of two nights ago, but the evidence of it lay all around them. The broken bridge, strewn wreckage and personal belongings which covered the coastline, was nothing compared to the brain-numbing, heart-rending, soul-chilling anguish, which came with having lost his boat and landed Trevor in the hospital. Possibly killed him.

Hattie hung up and put the phone away. “He wants to come over and see me.”

“He'll have to drive.”

“Yeah, told him that. He'll leave after breakfast and get back in time for the evening meal, hopefully. Although he did say they had no one staying right now. Not sure how he managed that one, but anyway.” She paused. “He said he'd come tomorrow.”

She pushed to her feet and Cal took her hand, standing with her. She glanced at him as she began walking. “Don't ask me how I feel about this, because I don't know.”

“If you want I'll be there with you. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you. I'll keep you safe, no matter what.”

Hattie stopped and looked at him. “Did you mean what you said?”

“I always mean what I say.” He looked at her, slight confusion running through him. “If you want me there, I'll be there.”

“No, about marrying me. I mean, so much has happened since, and I know I promised you an answer, but—”

How many times did he need to say it? He'd say it a million times if he had to or shout it from the nearest rooftop. “Yes, I meant it.”

He held her hand firmly and got down on one knee. “Hattie, I love you. Will you marry me?”

The sparkle in her eyes and the way her face lit up said it all. “Yes, yes, I'll marry you.”

He rose, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, with as much passion as he could. Nothing mattered, except her and him and the relationship they had.

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

Hattie pushed open the door to the shop, a huge grin still plastered over her face. Cal's hand tightly in hers, she made her way to the counter and looked at Aunt Laurie. “Hi.”

“Hello, you two. What can I do for you?”

She looked at Cal and then back at her aunt. “Do you sell confetti?”

Aunt Laurie looked at her for a moment, before shooting around the counter, and enveloping them both in a massive hug. “Oh, my, congratulations. I'm so pleased for the both of you.”

Hattie hugged her back. “You're the first person we've told. I'm on cloud nine right now.”

“You both look over the moon. About time we had something good happening around here.”

Cal nodded. “And Markus best keep his distance now.”

“Oh, speaking of which, Steve rang.” Hattie took a deep breath. “He wants to…no let me rephrase that, he
is
coming over tomorrow.”

Cal pushed his hand through hair and then ran his fingers over her face. “I should get back to work. I'll see you later, yeah? I have a few errands to run later if Laurie doesn't mind me knocking off early tonight.”

Aunt Laurie winked at him. “I'll make an exception just this once. And that's Aunt Laurie to you, if you're marrying my niece.”

He grinned. “Thank you,
Aunt
Laurie. I'll see you later, Hattie.”

She smiled, her heart doing somersaults inside her. “Count on it.”

He kissed her and then headed out.

Hattie watched until she could see him no longer. Her aunt's voice registered on the edge of her hearing but she had no idea what she'd said. “Sorry, didn't hear you.”

“I asked about Steve.”

“He just wants the money back. All of it, but he can't have it because the accountant says it's mine. He was more worried about that than me. Even when Cal told him about me having broken my arm and almost dying the first week I was here, all he wanted was the money.”

“I'm sorry, dear.”

She shrugged. “At least I know where I stand now, and yes, it hurt, but I love him regardless. However, I've got more important things on my mind.”

“A wedding, perhaps?”

She laughed. “Other than that. I was thinking about organizing a fundraiser for the lifeboat here. Put the money towards a new boat.” She caught the look and shook her head. “I was going to do it anyway. They saved my life. I want to give something back. Raise awareness to what these guys do out there every day.”

“OK. So what kind of things were you thinking?”

“A week long thing. A bake sale, car washing, beat the goalie, and something huge to finish.” She paused and then grinned. “How about a date a crewmember? Both boat crew and shore crew. We could auction them off either to the highest bidder or do it by raffle.”

“Won't that cost money?”

“Not if we charge so much a ticket and get a sponsor to donate the dates. Maybe contact Cal's old team mates, raffle a few of them too. Or I'll use some of my money.”

“Maybe you should talk with Steve first…”

“Whatever I do has nothing to do with him. It's my money, only I don't want it so I'm giving it away. Either this charity or another one. I want to do this. I owe them my life.”

“OK. Talk to Tom about the fundraiser. He'll be able to arrange dates and promotion and so on.”

“I'll go and do it now.” She grinned. “I'm getting married…”

 

****

 

By the time she and Aunt Laurie got back to the cottage, Cal had finished for the day and gone off to run his errands. When he got back an hour later, Hattie hugged him tightly as if she hadn't seen him for days instead of a couple of hours.

He pulled back slowly and then pulled a small black box from his pocket. “If it doesn't fit, the jeweler said he can adjust it. I explained about your wrist.” He opened the box.

Hattie's eyes filled as she took in the sparkling diamond and emerald ring. “Oh, Cal, it's beautiful.”

He took it from the box and slid it onto the ring finger on her right hand. “Just until you can wear it on the left,” he said. Then he folded his arms around her and kissed her. Hattie wasn't sure how long he kissed her for before Aunt Laurie's teasing voice echoed across the hallway.