There’s a queue of cars as far as the eye can see, stretching down the lane. The sun is shining and I swear the rainbow ends right over Sean’s farm. It could be perfect if I wasn’t worried about Dan wanting to buy Sean’s farm. But it’s not for sale. Nancy and Sean won’t sell it.
Frank is leading the donkeys across the wet sand with children riding on their backs. He has a cart that Juliet, as we’ve decided to call the white one, is pulling, and it’s loaded with oysters. Dan is cooking oysters on the barbecue and people are standing around with drinks and plates of brown rolls, oysters, salad, and hot and tasty fishcakes served with sweet chilli sauce.
Grandad is sitting outside the old barn. I can hear him speaking: ‘When I was a boy, all of this was oyster farms. This was our playground,’ he’s telling children sitting at his feet and grown-ups standing behind them. He’ll be able to tell them story after story all afternoon. I smile to myself. This is just how it should be.
‘Hello again,’ says a deep voice, and the smell of cigar smoke makes me retch. I turn to see Jimmy Power and his lad. ‘Looks like it’s all going very well,’ he says, licking his lips before sucking on his cigar.
He smiles a yellow-toothed smile at me and smoke oozes out from between them, like a dragon smiling on his prey. Grace barks at him. I put my hands on my hips.
‘What are you doing here? You’ll have your money when the festival is over.’
‘Just come to check on my investment. Lovely spot.Would be great for a house, looking down the bay here.’ He looks around, sizing things up.
‘You’re not going to build any houses,’ I say, clenching my fists.
‘That’s not what I heard,’ he says with a chesty chuckle.
‘Hey!’ Sean runs over to me. ‘I’ll take over here, English,’ he says.
‘But …’
‘I’ll deal with it. Thank you,’ he says firmly.
I walk towards the barn but keep looking back over my shoulder. Margaret is putting up the list of names for the shell-shucking contest on the blackboard.
‘We’re short a contestant for the last of the first rounds. Only got three,’ she’s looking at her list.
‘Why is Sean’s name on the list?’ I’m suddenly confused.
‘Because he’s entering.’ Margaret puts down her chalk, brushes off her hands and looks around.
Out of the little paned window I can see a film crew has arrived and they’re following Dan. He’s showing them around like prospective buyers. I grit my teeth. I turn back to Margaret, still not sure what’s going on.
‘So? Sean? Entering the shell-shucking? He always said no way …’
‘Well, looks like there’s a way now.’
I have to know what’s going on.
‘I’ve been trying to get you on your own,’ Margaret explains. ‘I had a text while I was at Gerald’s. A friend of mine was a waitress at The Pearl last night. She says that halfway through the party Sean stormed out. She says the engagement’s off.’
‘What, she called it off?’ I’m outraged.
‘No, he did! Said he realised he shouldn’t be marrying for any other reason than love. We should grab it with both hands when it comes our way.’
My jaw is now waggling up and down likea ventriloquist’s dummy.
‘And he walked out.’ Margaret’s eyes sparkle.
That must have been when he got back here. After I’d rescued the oysters.
‘So now what?’
‘Well, looks like the only way he can pay off his debts, without Nancy, is the shell-shucking prize money,’ she gestures to the board.
‘What, you mean if Sean doesn’t win this he’ll lose the farm to that scumbag out there?’ I’m not sure if I mean Jimmy Power or Dan.
Margaret nods and picks up the big brass bell.
