‘You don’t have to stay,’ I say.
‘I know.’
He shuffles in the seat, getting comfortable. He picks up his book again and as he does I notice the cover this time.Finn Family Moomintrolls. I feel myself sinking towards sleep, darkness filling my body.
‘Lorna, I’m sorry about …’
But I shake my head gently.
‘I’m sorry too. But not now. Later.’
Jack nods and reaches for his book. And I let myself give in to sleep as it rolls over me like an extra blanket.
Chapter 28
Alice
‘Are you coming to bed?’
I keep my voice quiet, careful not to disturb Lorna who sleeps silently in the bed. Jack looks up from the armchair, his expression distant. We’ve barely spoken since we got home; he’s spent every moment here, sitting in the armchair by Lorna’s bed. Each day a circle of mugs and books has grown around the base of his chair and each evening I clear them away.
‘The girls are already asleep. Molly hadn’t quite finished her chores but I could tell they were both exhausted, so I told them to call it a night.’
The chores are part of Molly’s punishment from her father. I would have been softer on her, I can’t help it, but I can’t deny that this grounding of hers will do wonders for the house. Jack glances back to Lorna, watching her as he replies. Her face is tilted away, her hair slightly obscuring her face and the blankets pulled up close to her chin. A rush of affection warms me as I look at my sister-in-law. How strange to think that just a week ago we’d never met. Now we’ve been through so much together.
‘She’d better finish them tomorrow,’ says Jack.
‘Of course.’
I’ll let him keep up Molly’s grounding for a few more days, but I’m sure his anger will ease over time. And I can tell that both Molly and Ella feel bad enough as it is; I’ve never seen Molly put as much energy into housework as she has over the past couple of days. She has already apologised to Ben too, offering to use her pocket money to help fix the boat. He refused of course, because he’s a kind man. But she’s going to go down to the boatyard and help him with the repairs.
I reach out my hand, resting it on Jack’s shoulder.
‘Sweetheart?’
But he doesn’t move.
‘She could have died,’ he says, so quietly I almost don’t hear him.
The memory of that boat ride from hell flashes into my mind. The waves, the rain and the terror at what might have happened to my daughter.
‘But it’s OK,’ I say gently. ‘We have our daughter back and she’s OK.’
But he shakes his head.
‘Not just Molly.’
I follow his gaze to his sister, covered in blankets and asleep in our spare room. Ben says she is going to be all right, thank god, but it felt like touch and go for a while. We nearly phoned the air ambulance when we arrived back on the island, but Ben was over within minutes of us getting back and did an amazing job of checking on her and telling us what to do.
‘Is she going to be OK?’ Jack asked over and over again. ‘Should we phone the ambulance?’
Now, the colour has returned to her face, her cheeks pink as she sleeps quietly.
‘I lost her once and I could have lost her again.’
Jack reaches out and places a hand on the bed covers, just next to Lorna’s face. She shifts slightly but doesn’t stir.
‘I don’t think I was a very good brother. I think that’s maybe partly why she left.’
