And there it was, in front of the sleek white lines of the imposing yachtLucky Boy: the trustyPeter’s Bounty, the Bickleigh brothers’ boat, moored to the stone steps of the seawall, a sturdy little tub of a thing. She smiled to see it, but then, unable to ignore why she was coming down here, her face fell once more.
She was almost at the propped-open doors of the Siren when she spotted the figure alone on the beach, sitting hunched on a rock, his back towards her and his head down. Definitely Monty, and not his twin Tom. She’d be able to tell them apart at any distance now. Now that she understood Monty’s Montyness. Kind, straightforward, warm Monty – his whole bearing showed it, even now when he seemed so forlorn.
Doubling back along the wall to the short concrete causeway that led to the sand, she kept her eyes on him.
Jowan was right; he looked seasick and terribly pale. She watched him reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling free a cigarette packet, going as far as shaking one loose before looking hard at the thing, heaving a sigh, and crumpling it in his hands.
That’s when he saw her.
‘Joy!’ He sprung to his feet, shoving the crushed packet into his back pocket with some difficulty. ‘You’re still here?’
‘Yeah,’ she said, smiling weakly.
He watched her wordlessly, utterly still, his hands by his sides, as though he was afraid of spooking her again.
‘I, um, I came to say goodbye.’
‘Right.’
‘So, uh, thank you.’
His head tipped a little. He obviously hadn’t expected gratitude. ‘For what?’
‘For the shelving party, and the stag do, and for picking me and Rads up from the hen do, and… for everything… generally.’
He swallowed. ‘Right. Well, you’re welcome.’
An incongruously happy party of kids and grandparents passed noisily by, heading out along the shoreline. One of the kids kicked water at a sibling and the spray glistened in rainbow colours that were gone again so quickly only Joy noticed.
‘I should probably…’ Joy hiked a thumb behind her in the direction of Up-along.
Monty shifted his feet, his wide eyes turning pained.
‘So…’ She backed away, nodding in acceptance, and smiling with her lips hidden entirely. ‘Bye then?’
‘Wait!’ he said, trying to keep his voice soft.
She froze, not knowing what else to do.
‘Is, um, is Radia OK? I didn’t mean to cause a scene the other morning. She was upset.’
‘She’s fine.’
‘I really am sorry I messed things up.’
Joy’s eyes fell to Monty’s shadow across the sand.
‘I don’t mind hurting,’ he added, ‘but it’s not right that she should. Just because I didn’t listen well enough and respect your… family situation.’
His shadow clasped its hands together then advanced a step closer.
‘No, no,’ Joy protested, meeting his eyes now. ‘It wasn’t you at all.I’msorry. I was the one getting involved with some guy when I was supposed to be working—’
‘Right,’ Monty interrupted, visibly wounded.
‘No, not some guy, I didn’t mean justsome guy. I mean…’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ he waved her words away, then shoved his hands into his pockets with a quick shrug. ‘So, you’re off then?’
