Page 99 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
‘I’m so sorry, Tom.’ This time it’s my turn to comfort him. ‘Aren’t humans rotten sometimes?’
Tom nods. ‘Not all humans, though,’ he says, and he reaches out his hand to cup my face. ‘Sometimes you stumble across some pretty magnificent ones in the strangest of places . . . ’
Our lips meet again, and don’t part for some time.
‘I’m so glad I bumped into Benji again,’ Tom says eventually when we do part, ‘or I might not have come here and met you. When Benji mentioned you and this castle I thought it was a bit odd to begin with – I mean, what were the chances you’d need someone to restore furniture here? But he seemed so adamant I should come.’
‘I know. He was trying to matchmake even then. He knew I was single and you were too – perhaps he really was living up to his fairy godmother role!’
‘Ha, maybe! Anyway, I’m glad he did insist I should come. I think it’s turned out rather well, don’t you?’
‘I do that,’ I agree, leaning in towards him.
Tom puts his arm around me and we spend the rest of our time on the beach sitting close together, knowing as we look out across the sand towards the sea that whatever troubles might befall us in the future, for now we’ll be facing them together.
Thirty-six
‘Charlie?’ I ask as we sit in the tower after school that day. ‘Have you ever seen Clara?’
‘Who?’ Charlie asks as he munches on a ham and cheese sandwich while watching something on the old iPad that Joey lent him when he found out that Charlie doesn’t have one. ‘I’ve recently upgraded mine,’ Joey had told us. ‘Someone might as well get some use from this one.’
I’d felt guilty then, because Charlie still doesn’t have all the things that other boys of his age seem to have. But as long as things keep progressing in the way I hope at the castle, with any luck it will soon be me that will be providing him with these types of luxuries. That’s if I can ever find a way of paying for the woodworm to be permanently removed from the stables . . .
‘Clara,’ I repeat. ‘You know, the ghost that the others talked to us about in the stables.’
‘Oh yeah, I remember.’
‘Have you ever spoken to her?’ I ask again. ‘Does she pop up like the others seem to?’
I’d long ago stopped doubting Charlie’s contact with the ghosts of Chesterford Castle. I had so many other things to worry about that Charlie speaking to spirits seemed the least of my worries. Besides, I could do with all the help I can get.
‘Not really. The others say she’s shy.’
‘Yes, I understand that. It’s just that I could do with asking her a few questions – about the history of the castle.’
‘I’ll ask Ruby to talk to her,’ Charlie says, finishing off his sandwich. ‘I think they’re pretty close.’
‘Thank you, I’d appreciate that. So . . . do you know when you might see Ruby again?’
Charlie looks at me and narrows his eyes. ‘You must need to see Clara pretty urgently,’ he says knowingly.
‘Yes, I do.’
‘Why don’t you just speak to her yourself?’
‘I . . . I wouldn’t know how.’ That wasn’t strictly true, I’d talked to her portrait a few times.
‘I think she mainly haunts the Ladies’ Chamber where her portrait is, and she’s appeared in the Great Hall too. That’s where they used to hold all the grand balls in her day. Arthur told me.’
At the mention of Arthur’s name, I’m reminded that I still need to speak to him about what happened earlier in the cellar.
‘Okay, I’ll bear that in mind; thank you, Charlie.’
‘No worries. I’ll still ask Ruby for you, though, when I see her.’
‘Good boy.’ I reach over to ruffle his hair, but Charlie dodges out of the way. ‘Mum, I’ve only just done that,’ he says, reaching up to smooth his untouched hair.
Since when has Charlie cared about his appearance? Perhaps he’s spending too much time with Joey?
