‘You know, Sophie, it’s been hard for me to move on—’ his voice catches ‘—to move on from Winny. I loved her. She was my wife. I thought we’d be together forever.’
Here it comes. The gentle let-down. ‘I know, Sam. I understand.’
‘When Becca took such a shine to you when you were here last time, that was hard too. I felt like her liking you was somehow betraying Winny.’ He sighs. ‘Sorry, it’s crazy, I know.’
We may as well get to the point. She leans against the desk. ‘And now? How do you feel about things now? How do you feel about me? About us?’
He reaches out and runs a fingertip along her cheek. ‘Ellie wasn’t only beautiful, she was wise. She told me it was time to appreciate everything I had with Winny, and give myself permission to move on. Winny’s a part of me and a part of Becca. She always will be. But, Ellie was right. It’s time to move on. And, Princess Grace. I’d like to move on with you.’
Sophie blinks. ‘Really?’
‘Yes, really.’
‘You sure you don’t just want to play cribbage instead?’
Sam laughs. ‘Oh, there’ll be plenty of cribbage, don’t you worry.’ He picks up the locket from the table. ‘What’s this?’
‘It was Ellie’s. She’s given it to me.’
‘Turn around.’
‘What?’
He rolls his eyes. ‘Nothing’s ever easy with you, is it? Turn around, Princess Grace.’
Sophie turns her back to Sam. She feels his breath on her neck as he fastens the locket around her neck.
‘I’m not going to hurt you, Sophie.’
Then, she is in his arms, her hands pressing his head to hers, kissing him like it’s a gift she’s only now learnt how to give.
She steps back and puts her hand to her mouth. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.’
Sam smiles. ‘I’m not. Not one bit. I’ve got you a present, too. Something to remember me by in the Big Apple.’
‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘I know.’
‘I mean you didn’t have to do that because I’ll be back in a few weeks. As soon as I can tie everything up in New York.’
‘You’ll be back? In a few weeks? Are you sure? I can always fly to see you in New York.’
‘Florie cornered me in the house over the cheesecake. She had it all figured out. I’m moving into Kittiwake with her and Becca and Toby, and the baby, when it comes. We’re going to be a proper commune. I’m going to become an artist, Sam. I’ll sell my work online and in Florie’s shop. I can help you design the art retreats, too, if you like.’
He slides his arms around Sophie’s waist. ‘It’s pretty quiet up here, Princess Grace. Not much to do here, except this.’ He nuzzles her neck. ‘And this.’ He slides his hand to the small of her back as he kisses her ear. ‘And this …’ He presses his forehead to hers. ‘You might hate it here. You haven’t been in Tippy’s Tickle in winter. Did anyone tell you we’ve got seven seasons?’
‘Seven seasons?’
He counts the seasons off his fingers. ‘Spring – that’s snow and icebergs; trap berth – fog and rains mostly and we call it mauzy; summer – a bit of sun, and fog, of course; berry – that’s berry-picking time to you and me; late fall – snow; winter – more snow; and pack ice – snow, fog, ice, rain. Party time.’
Sophie grimaces. ‘You’re not selling it to me, Sam. Have you ever thought about Florida?’
Laughing, Sam opens a drawer under the table and takes out a package of Jam Jams, wiggling them at Sophie. ‘Consider them a bribe to stay.’
Sophie’s smile dissolves into a frown.
‘What’s the matter? I had Ace bring these back from Wesleyville especially.’
Reaching into the drawer, Sophie removes a white envelope. Sophie is scrawled across the envelope in blue ink. ‘What’s this?’
‘I don’t know.’
Sophie turns over the envelope. Through the white paper she can feel something hard. She tears open the side and tips a key into her hand. ‘A key? What am I supposed to do with this?’
‘There must be a note.’
Sophie peers into the envelope. At the bottom, a piece of blue paper is folded in two. Taking it out, she reads. She looks at Sam. ‘It’s the key to a safety deposit box in St John’s. It’s from Emmett.’
Chapter 80
Seal Point Lighthouse – 24 September 2011
Emmett pulls in the oars and rubs the calluses at the base of each of his thumbs. He raises his face to the sky. It’d been a fine day. Another hour or so left before the chilly autumn night draws in. He’d thought summer was done for sure after the rain yesterday. It’d been right mauzy and cold enough to skin you. But, there you goes. Just when you thought things were what you expected, something came along to change everything. Something or someone.
He bobs on the waves, letting the rowboat drift. He squints up at the lighthouse on the cliff, the jab of white like a flag against the blue sky and grey cliff. Leaning over, he picks up an old leather satchel with a frayed strap held on by uneven stitches of green twine. He nods as he feels inside the bag. Still there.
He looks up at the clouds hovering in the sky like wads of cotton. Are you there, Mam? Up in Heaven? It’s where you belongs. I saved you, Mam. You knows that now, don’t you? I knows it was hard for you after you came back from England. After the baby. You didn’t think I knew, did you? I was away up in Fogo. You fixed that up for me, didn’t you, Mam? Got Jim Boyd’s brother-in-law to get me the job on the boat so I wouldn’t see the baby growing in you.
A spray of water shoots through the waves about fifty feet starboard. A grey-black hump curves through the water and disappears. Emmett scratches his nose. He pulls out the stack of papers from the satchel, sifting through them until he finds the one he’s searching for.
Alder Lodge
Newmarket Road
Norwich
5th May, 1963
My dearest Ellie,
I hope this finds you well, and that the trip back to Newfoundland wasn’t too onerous. The baby is a delight. We’ve named her Sophie Mary and she has your eyes. Dottie is delighted to have a little project to keep her busy. I must confess I’m happy to have her divert her attention from me! I feel I’ve always come up short whenever she’s attempted to ‘improve’ me.
I’ve enclosed the first cheque of eight as promised. I’m sorry it’s taken a few weeks, but it’s a large amount, so the bank took some time to make the proper arrangements. All you need to do is countersign it and present it to your bank over there. I’ll send the subsequent cheques quarterly over the next two years, as we agreed.
There, that’s enough of all that, though I hope you find your situation eased with the additional funds. I hadn’t realised it had been so difficult since … Well, since the awkward business with Dottie a few years ago after Thomas’s passing.
You mentioned you’d buy a camera with some of the money and send me a picture of Emmett and Winny. I would love to see them. I will do the same with Sophie so you can see how she grows over the years. Dottie and I will do our very best for her, of course. You have no worries on that score.