Page 19 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
‘Charlie,’ I cry, ‘don’t move!’
‘But Mum, the view from here is amazing; you should come up and see it.’
‘I will. Just stay where you are. No, don’t lean over that far, Charlie. It’s dangerous.’
But Charlie can’t quite hear what I’m saying and leans even further over the turret.
‘Charlie, no!’ I shout, about to dash across the gravel. But then another figure appears next to Charlie – a man. He says something to him and to my huge relief Charlie moves back a little.
‘Don’t worry!’ the man calls. ‘I’ve got him. I’ll bring him back down.’
And then they both disappear from view.
‘Oh my God,’ I say to the others, ‘I thought my heart was going to stop beating then when he leaned out like that. Now it’s only going nine to the dozen. Who’s that man?’
The others look blankly back at me.
‘I have no idea,’ Dorothy says, crossing herself. ‘But thank the lord he was there.’
‘We have him, Arthur,’ Joey says into his radio. ‘Up on the South East Tower he was. Yup, will do.’
After what seems like an age, but is probably only a few minutes, Charlie comes dashing out of the door at the bottom of the tower. He runs over to me and I envelop him in a huge bear hug.
‘You shouldn’t have run off like that!’ I admonish him in an affectionate voice that doesn’t match my stern words. ‘And you must never go up to the top of one of the towers on your own, it’s very dangerous.’
‘But I wasn’t on my own,’ Charlie begins as another figure emerges from the door.
‘Yes, I can see that,’ I say, as I watch a young, well-built man walk calmly towards us. He’s wearing jeans and a casual pale blue shirt that fits snugly across his broad chest.
Arthur has emerged from the castle and immediately intercepts the stranger before he reaches us.
‘I must thank you,’ he says gratefully, holding his hand out to the man, ‘for looking out for the boy like that.’ They shake hands. ‘But I must also enquire,’ Arthur says, his voice changing, ‘what you’re doing trespassing in the grounds of Chesterford Castle? We’re not open to the public today.’
‘Hi,’ the man says, clearly not too bothered by Arthur’s stern tone. He holds his hand up to the rest of us in greeting. ‘Don’t fear, I’m friend not foe.’ He grins at his joke, but everyone just stares at him. ‘I was just passing the castle looking for work, actually.’
‘But we’re closed today,’ Arthur insists. ‘How did you get in?’
‘Through the front gate back there,’ the man gestures behind him. ‘It was unlocked, and no one came when I rang the bell.’
Arthur turns and glares at Joey, who is suddenly busy examining the gravel below him. ‘Joey! Did you leave the gate unlocked?’ he demands.
Joey shrugs. ‘I might have. It was just so hectic earlier with the mistress arriving with all her furniture and the guys that came in to help – I sort of lost track.’
Arthur’s face is now bright red.
‘Arthur, calm down,’ Dorothy says, stepping in. ‘Remember your blood pressure, and no harm has been done. In fact, something good came of it: this young man saved the master here.’
I grimace internally at their words.
‘For all we know he could have lured him up there,’ Arthur says, looking suspiciously at the man.
‘I can assure you I did nothing of the sort. I simply wandered in hereunchallenged,’ he looks meaningfully at Arthur, ‘and saw him up there looking lost. When I shouted up if there was anyone with him he said no, so I found my way up there in case I could help.’
‘Tom is my friend,’ Charlie says now, walking over to him. ‘He rescued me from the tower like a knight in shining armour.’
Tom smiles down at him. ‘Hardly, fella, but thanks for the vote of confidence.’
‘Well,I’dlike to thank you,’ I say, stepping in now. ‘If you hadn’t gone up to the tower goodness knows what might have happened.’ I go over to shake his hand, like Arthur had done.
