“Bloody hell,” Arthur muttered. “It’s like something out of a novel.”
“With Phyllis’s mum as the wicked witch,” Dan said. “I can’t believe she did that to her own daughter.”
“She makes Darth Vader look like Parent of the Year,” Ash said, and Nova saw the teenager blush when Dan smiled.
“What a day,” Arthur said. “What time is it now?”
Nova pulled her phone out of her pocket, but it was still switched off. She hit the power button and waited for it to start up.
“It’s 3:40,” Dan said, checking his watch.
“Oh shit!” Nova’s stomach dropped. “We need to get back or I’m going to miss my wedding rehearsal.”
“How are we going to get everyone back up that cliff?” Arthur said. “Michael looks like he can barely walk, and that path isn’t safe.”
“Maybe there’s something in the cottage we can use to bridge the gap,” Ash said.
“Good idea, let’s look inside,” Dan said, and the two boys disappeared in through the door.
Nova glanced at Arthur and saw he had a small smile on his lips. “What are you looking so pleased about?”
“Oh, nothing. It just turns out that Ash had his Mr. Darcy moment after all.”
Nova was about to ask what he meant when her phone buzzed into life. She looked down and saw message after message flashing up on her screen, all from Craig.
“I need to make a call,” she said, pressing dial and stepping away from the others.
Craig answered within seconds, his voice high with panic. “Nova! Are you okay?”
“I’m completely fine. I’m so sorry, my phone was switched off, but I’m safe.”
“Oh, thank God, I’ve been worried sick. Where are you?”
“I’m near Lizard Point. We found Michael, the missing man, but then—”
“Lizard Point? But our rehearsal is in two and a half hours; you’ll never make it back in time.”
“I’m sorry, Craig, I had no idea it would take this long. I’m going to leave soon, we just need to repair a cliff path so we can get back to the car.”
“Repair a cliff? I thought you said you were safe.”
“I am, it’s just a bit of path fell away so we’re a little trapped, but we’re working on that as we speak.”
“Fucking hell, Nova!”
“I know I must have worried you sick by not answering my phone, but it’s been full on down here. I’ll explain properly later, but basically it turns out that Michael is Phyllis’s son, and he had no idea his mum’s been killed so—”
“Stop! Nova, listen to yourself. We’re supposed to be getting married tomorrow and you’re miles away, stuck down a cliff, getting caught up in some weird soap opera drama and missing your own rehearsal. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Nova bit her lip at the tone of his voice, and then imagined how she’d feel if the tables were turned and Craig was the one halfway down a crumbling cliff face.
“Have you even spoken to your mum yet?” he asked.
“Not since this morning, but she should be on her way to Bogotá by now.”
“Well, I’m afraid she isn’t. There are still storms and her local flight wasn’t able to take off.”
“What?” Nova felt a wave of vertigo and grabbed hold of the wall to steady herself. “What does that mean? Can she fly later?”
