Page 108 of The Missing Sister
‘Well, whatever it is, I think before we go any further we need to see Merry in person and put her mind at rest that we’re not out to get her.’
Maia saw the tension on her sister’s face. ‘Oh Ally, I was hoping the trip to Provence would provide you with some time out to relax. You seem more tense now than when you left.’
‘You know how I am about honesty. I’m just not comfortable with subterfuge and lies. I would have made the most terrible spy.’
‘What about sending Tiggy? After all, she’s the only other sister who hasn’t participated in our search, and absolutely nobody could be frightened of her – she’s the gentlest of us all. If anyone can explain to Merry that we mean no harm, then it’s her.’
‘Yes, that’s a great idea, Maia. And Scotland’s not very far from Ireland, is it?’
‘No, it’s not.’
‘All right,’ Ally said with a sigh, ‘let’s at least ask her and see what she says.’
Maia took out her mobile and placed the call to Tiggy. To her surprise, after a couple of rings, she heard Tiggy’s voice.
‘Hello, Maia. I’ve just read Ally’s email about the missing sister and had picked up my mobile to call... Is everything all right?’
‘Yes, everyone is well here,’ Maia replied. ‘Ally’s with me. How are you?’
‘Oh, I’m good, I can’t wait to see you both soon. Have you traced the missing sister and her ring yet?’ Tiggy asked.
‘It’s a long story but...’ Maia explained as briefly as she could what had happened in the past few days.
‘We think it might be because she doesn’t want Mary-Kate, her daughter, to know about her birth parents,’ Maia finished.
‘What do you think, Tiggy?’ asked Ally.
There was silence on the line for a bit before Tiggy replied. ‘It feels to me as if she is... frightened.’
‘That’s interesting, because it’s exactly what her son Jack told me after he’d spoken to her yesterday. Would you, and anyone you know... well,upstairs, have any idea why?’ Ally blushed as she referenced Tiggy’s spiritual powers, but having witnessed them for herself in Granada, she was definitely a convert.
‘I would need to think about it, and it’s far easier if I can talk to the person than sense things from far away. But yes, my instinct is that she’s afraid.’
‘Well’ – it was Maia’s turn to speak – ‘Ally and I were wondering whether it would be possible for you to do just that – speak to her in person.’
‘You have her telephone number?’
‘Yes, Orlando got it, but we really need someone to go to see her in person and explain we don’t mean any harm,’ said Ally. ‘We know exactly where she is, which isn’t very far from where you are.’
‘Everything’s far from where I am,’ Tiggy chuckled. ‘Is she in Scotland?’
‘No, Dublin. It can’t be more than an hour or two’s flight.’
‘I probably could – I’m sure Cal can cope without me for a couple of days. It’s just, well, the ethical thing that worries me. There’s obviously a reason why she’s running away and I don’t want to scare her further by just appearing out of the blue. Can I think about it?’
‘Of course,’ Maia agreed, ‘and if you don’t feel it’s right, then we’ll leave it.’
‘Give me half an hour. Oh, and by the way, Maia, ginger tea might help with your symptoms. Bye.’
The line went dead and both Ally and Maia sat there, staring at each other in surprise.
‘I thought you said you hadn’t told anybody else about the... you know?’ Ally whispered, her hand indicating her sister’s stomach.
‘Ally, I haven’t! Truly.’
‘Well, I certainly haven’t.’
‘Then how does she know?’ Maia asked.
