‘My grandfather always talked about you and that’s one of the reasons I am here. I can’t believe I’ve actually found you. I wish my grandfather was here.’
Martha’s eyes lifted to Nolan’s.
‘When I was growing up my bedtime stories were mainly about the travels of The Hemingway. This boat has definitely sailed many seas.’ Nolan looked around it fondly. ‘I’m sure it brings back some memories for you too.’
‘It does.’
‘The stories almost always involved secret coves, The Little Blue Boathouse and Castaway Bay. Growing up, I thought it was a make-believe place, and it was only when the village of Heartcross was all over the news a few years ago that I Google searched the place. When I saw the images of the village I realised the stories that my grandfather had told me were true. He always spoke about his time here with you with great fondness.’ Nolan got up from the chair, took the message in the bottle and handed it to Martha. ‘Bea and I found this at Castaway Bay. There was a necklace too.’
‘We threw this into the water on our last trip to Castaway Bay. The necklace is still as beautiful now as it was back then. I always regretted putting it in the bottle and I couldn’t believe it when I saw Bea wearing it.’
‘She was just minding it, until we found you.’
Martha turned the letter from the bottle over in her hand. ‘I remember this day like it was yesterday. It was one of the best days of my life…’ Her voice faltered. ‘All through that summer we were inseparable.’
‘I think my grandfather thought that too.’
Martha shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’ She handed the bottle and letter back to Nolan, who noticed her mood had suddenly changed.
He kept his voice soft. ‘I don’t mean to pry but I was excited about tracking down Patsy. I was on my own adventure in The Hemingway, retracing my grandfather’s summer but…’
‘Exactly what do you know?’ Martha held his gaze.
‘Just that he talked about you and his summer at Heartcross. Even when he passed away you were still on his mind. He spoke about you then too.’
Martha wiped away a tear with a tissue. ‘I knew one day all this would catch up with me. It’s just too painful. I can’t do this.’ She stood up.
‘Please don’t go. I’m not sure what’s going on here but there’s a box full of memories from your summer together … and a letter.’
‘A letter?’
Nolan nodded. ‘Yes. Please sit back down.’ He gestured to the chair and quickly moved to retrieve the box, which he handed to Martha.
With the box resting on her knees, she looked at him. ‘There’s so much to share but without your grandfather here to give his side of this story…’
Nolan leaned forward and took the box from Martha, placing it on the floor. ‘What happened, Martha?’
‘I don’t know where to start. Too much time has passed now. Believe it or not, I’ve mellowed in my old age, and I don’t hold any animosity towards your grandfather, but seeing you and how much you look like him has brought back a lot of feelings I’ve tried to bury.’
Martha was talking in riddles but Nolan could sense by the pained look on her face that she was hurting deeply. ‘Martha, whatever it is, there will be no judgements on my part. I promise. Shall I make us a strong cup of tea?’
Martha shook her head. ‘Tea? I think I’m in need of alcohol.’
Nolan gave a small laugh. Standing up, he took the bottle that his grandfather had purchased back in Heartcross that fateful summer and handed it to Martha. ‘I’ve no idea what it tastes like but be my guest.’ While he collected a glass from the kitchen and a bottle of tonic, Martha uncapped the bottle and took a whiff. ‘It smells about sixty years old.’ She smiled. ‘I was with Morgan when he purchased this from Glensheil Gin.’
‘I’ll get you a glass of wine from the fridge, shall I?’
Nolan returned with a full glass and placed the bottle on the table. He passed the glass to Martha, who swigged it down in seconds and refilled it.
She took a fleeting glance towards the painting before she continued. ‘Without any judgements, you say?’
‘I promise.’
Martha took a deep breath. Her lips were slightly trembling as she began to speak. ‘Your grandfather was my life for that summer. I was working at The Little Blue Boathouse when Morgan sailed in and anchored by the bank. I watched him for about three days from the attic room before he came into the Boathouse. He was handsome, dressed well and had a wild mop of hair. You take after him.’
Nolan ruffled the top of his head. ‘It is a little unruly at times,’ he said, with a smile.
‘I was quite surprised he took a liking to me. You see, I wasn’t from an affluent family. In fact for most of my childhood we were on the poverty line, living hand to mouth. It was difficult at times. I also wasn’t a fan of education and after school I spent my time running errands and helping to clean. Such a different way of life from today. My first paid employment was at The Little Blue Boathouse and when it came with the attic room, I thought I’d made it.
