As soon as there was a lull in customers Nolan blew out a breath. ‘You okay? That all seemed a bit heavy.’
Bea was sitting outside on the bench, her crutches leaning against the picnic table. ‘I expected Emmie to turn up but didn’t realise she would have him in tow.’
‘How are you feeling about that?’ asked Nolan, perching on the end of the bench.
‘Braver than I expected. Hopefully, I’ll get to see Emmie on her own before she goes, but I won’t be rushing over to Starcross Manor for a reunion with Carl any time soon.’
‘You can’t,’ Nolan said cheerfully, pointing to her ankle. ‘We need to work out how to get you back to the B&B, but I think I’ve got the solution.’ He grinned and disappeared around the back of the Boathouse, reappearing a moment later holding a bike that had seen better days.
Bea burst out laughing. ‘I can’t ride a bike, in case it’s escaped your notice.’ She gestured towards her ankle. ‘And that contraption doesn’t look very safe.’
Nolan pretended to be hurt. ‘This bike is as safe as houses.’ He patted the seat. ‘We can balance your crutches across the handlebars, you can sit on the seat and I’ll pedal.’
‘Are you insane?’ Bea threw back her head and laughed. ‘That chain is as rusty as hell and that seat has seen better days. It’s an antique. I think a penny-farthing would be safer.’
‘That’s nothing a bit of oil won’t fix and the seat isn’t too bad.’
‘You don’t have to sit on it! Life with you isn’t boring, is it?’
‘Who wants boring? More customers, wait there.’
‘Funnily enough, I’m not going anywhere.’ He leaned the bike against the wall and greeted the customers. Bea took the opportunity to watch him. He was very charismatic. Just then he looked up from under his fringe and caught her looking at him. He gave her a cheeky wink and her heart gave a little flip. He was everything she imagined the perfect partner to be. Charming, talkative, fun… She also admired his courage. It must have taken a lot to pick himself up and carry on after Hannah’s passing. Bea’s thoughts turned to Carl. What did she admire about him? Nothing sprang to mind. Bea couldn’t even remember the last time they had laughed.
‘Penny for them,’ Nolan asked, once the customers disappeared.
‘Nothing worth mentioning,’ she replied, tilting her head towards a couple who were looking through Nolan’s paintings. ‘I think you’re about to get a sale,’ she mouthed.
‘These are really good,’ said a woman, bringing the painting inside. ‘Is this artist local?’
Bea pointed to Nolan. ‘You’re looking right at him.’
‘I would love to take this one. Can I ask, is this a real place?’ The woman placed the painting down on the counter, her partner standing next to her.
Bea took a look at the painting and recognised the place straightaway. Castaway Bay.
Nolan nodded. ‘It is a real place but a secret place. Only a few have had the pleasure of stumbling across it.’ He smiled across towards Bea.
‘Wherever it is, it’s beautiful.’ The woman handed over the money and Nolan signed the back of the painting for her.
As soon as they walked out of The Little Blue Boathouse, Bea was flapping her hand in front of her face. ‘That reminds me! I forgot to tell you. I was just about to share this when Carl and Emmie showed up. I think this snippet of information promotes Fernsby to the front of the partnership.’
‘Because…’ Now Nolan was waving his hand to hurry her up.
‘I think Mystic Martha has been to Castaway Bay.’
Nolan took in the information. ‘I’m sure a lot of locals know about the secret secluded bay.’
‘I’m sure they do, but when I went to have my fortune told there was a painting hanging on the wall. It didn’t mean anything to me at the time but I admired it and now I recognise it was of the bay. And there’s something else.’
Nolan had her full attention. ‘Go on…’
‘I may be wrong but during my meeting she mentioned a boat, a different type of boat, and then I mentioned The Hemingway.’ Bea narrowed her eyes as she remembered. ‘Martha looked at me in a way that was a little unnerving and brought my reading to an abrupt end.’
‘Describe “unnerving”,’ encouraged Nolan.
‘She stopped looking into the ball and stared at me. She asked me to say it again. As soon I did, she stood up and gestured towards the door. The reading was over.’
‘That does sound a little strange. Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?’
