Page 111 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
‘Clara?’ I whisper into the vast room. ‘Are you here?’
Silence is my only reply.
Perhaps I’m imagining it, I think, looking down at my glass. But I haven’t had a lot of alcohol at all so far. In fact, I’m pretty clear-headed.
But then I feel it again, the same coolness, and something very definitely brushes past my seat.
I leap up and look around me wildly just as Tom walks backwards through the door carrying a large wooden tray.
‘Here we go,’ he says, turning around with the tray in his hands. ‘Oh, what’s up?’
‘Nothing,’ I say, sitting down again quickly. ‘That smells wonderful, Tom. What is it?’
‘This,’ Tom says, putting down the tray and lifting the hot plates up with a white cloth, ‘is a chicken and mushroom pie, with new potatoes and asparagus. Sorry it’s not fancier, but I think you’ll like it.’ He lifts up the silver lids that cover the food on each salver.
‘I don’t need fancy, because again this is one of my favourites,’ I tell him, smiling. ‘This little bird you’ve been talking to, is it my son, by any chance?’
‘Ah, you guessed,’ Tom says, sitting down. ‘I didn’t think it would take you long. Yes, even Charlie has had a part in all this. He provided the menu suggestions.’
‘Then it gets more perfect by the minute,’ I tell him. ‘Let’s tuck in, shall we?’
I’m starting to feel quite full by the time we get to the end of our second course. I haven’t sensed anything else since Tom has been back in the room, and the temperature has now returned to normal, but I can’t help wondering if something might happen when he goes back to the kitchen.
‘Shall we wait a bit before I fetch dessert?’ Tom asks as I put my knife and fork down on my empty plate. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty full already.’
So was I, but I was also keen to find out if Clara might still be here.
‘Maybe just a few minutes,’ I reply to be polite. ‘I’m very keen to know what you have for me next, though. My favourite dessert is flambéd crème brûlée. How you’re going to get that from the kitchen to here while it’s still alight I can’t wait to see.’
I watch Tom’s face drop. ‘Oh . . . er . . . ’ he falters.
‘I’m only kidding.’ I grin. ‘You should know by now my tastes are a little simpler than that.’
‘Phew,’ Tom rolls his eyes, ‘you had me going for a moment there! I’ve only done an apple crumble with vanilla ice cream.’
‘Then that will be just perfect,’ I say, ‘just like the rest of this meal has been.’ I reach out and put my hand over his. ‘Thank you so much for this, Tom. If you’d suggested us dining in here earlier, I would have tried to put you off, thinking it far too formal for just the two of us. But it’s been lovely, really it has.’
‘Good,’ Tom says, putting his hand over mine. ‘I’m glad you’re happy.’
‘I’d be even happier if I had a plate of apple crumble and ice cream in front of me, though,’ I say, smiling hopefully at him.
‘Really?’ Tom says. ‘Already?’
‘Can’t wait!’ I fib. Truthfully, I was probably fuller than he was.
‘Right then, just give me a few minutes.’
Tom clears our plates and pops them on the tray, but he knocks the salt cellar over in the process. Grains of salt spill all over the dark wood floor.
‘Damn,’ Tom says, looking at the salt in horror. ‘I’ll bring a dustpan and brush back with me when I come back up. Won’t be a few minutes.’
‘Don’t worry,’ I say, holding the door open for him as he takes the tray of dirty plates and heads back down to the kitchen. ‘Take all the time you need.’
As soon as I think he’s out of earshot I turn back to the empty room. ‘Right then. Are you in here, Clara, or not? I suggest if you are you make yourself known before Tom returns with our dessert.’
I stand still in the silence and listen.
To begin with there’s nothing, and then I hear a strange sound. It’s like someone very softly swishing something around on a hard surface.What was that?
