Page 40 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
‘But how would I pay my bills and my rent? I’m self-employed, I don’t get paid holiday.’ Benji sighs. ‘I know I’m sounding incredibly ungrateful; some people would give their right arm to be offered a book deal—’
‘Yes, but they wouldn’t be able to type the book then, would they?’ I wink at Benji, and he smiles.
‘I’m being a churlish fool, aren’t I?’ he says, shaking his head.
‘Nope, but there must be a way around this – let me think about it. I’m good at solving problems.’
‘Economics background kicking in again, eh?’
‘Nope, too many hours with aPuzzlermagazine!’
Benji laughs now.
‘That’s better,’ I say, smiling. ‘Ooh, there’s the school bell, we’ll just be on time if we hurry.’
We collect a very hyper Charlie from school, and he becomes even more excited when he sees Benji, and delights in telling him all about his day on our walk back to the castle.
I half listen to them as we walk, but most of my brain is tied up thinking about Benji’s dilemma. There must be a way around this and I’m determined to find it. Benji has helped me, now it’s my turn to help Benji.
*
‘How long are you staying, Benji?’ Charlie asks, as they play with Chester in the late-afternoon sunshine that streams across the castle courtyard.
‘Just a flying visit, my young friend,’ Benji says, throwing Chester’s favourite red ball across the gravel for him to fetch.
In an instant, Charlie’s expression changes from exuberant to miserable. ‘But why can’t you stay with us for a while? We havelotsof rooms here, don’t we, Mum? Andlotsof beds. Some of them are a bit high and a bit stinky, though.’ Charlie wrinkles up his nose.
Benji laughs. ‘That’s very kind of you to offer me a stinky bed, Charlie, but I have to get back to London.’
Charlie throws Chester’s ball furiously across the courtyard so hard it hits the far wall and springs back again so that Chester has to do a sharp U-turn to chase it.
‘Charlie!’ I admonish him. ‘Be careful.’
‘Nearly had my eye out there, mate,’ Tom says amiably as he appears through the doorway next to where the errant ball has just been. ‘Benj!’ he says when he spots his friend sitting beside me on the bench. ‘What are you doing here?’
Benji and Tom greet each other with a handshake and a brief hug.
‘Thought I’d better call in on Amelia and see how she’s faring,’ Benji says. ‘I didn’t realise until today you’d listened to my advice and come up here. How’s it going?’
‘Well, the boss is a bit of a slave driver,’ Tom says, winking at me, ‘but other than that I’m having a grand time.’
‘I hope you’re referring to Arthur,’ I tell him sternly, then I smile.
Benji watches the two of us with interest.
‘Amelia says she’s seen you in action, Tom,’ Benji says, his eyes glinting. ‘And she commented to me how thorough you are . . . ’
My face reddens again. ‘Atrestoringthings,’ I insist.
But Tom just grins. ‘You always were a troublemaker, Benj,’ he says good-humouredly. ‘Take no notice of him, boss. How long are you here for, anyway?’
‘Benji’s not staying with us,’ Charlie pipes up dismally. ‘Are you, Benji?’
‘It’s not that I wouldn’t like to, Charlie,’ Benji says sadly. ‘I’d love nothing more than to stay here in a castle – especially with you and your mum. I bet there’s loads of interesting and exciting stories to uncover here, and you know how much I like a story.’
Benji had entertained Charlie for many an hour while I’d been sorting out our move, telling him stories of the families he’d reunited and the history he’d uncovered while doing so.
‘That’s it!’ I suddenly say. ‘The answer to both our problems.’
