Page 43 of Summer in Sunset Harbour
‘It’s probably just a depression caused by the tilt of that tree, or water run-off, something like that.’
Josie looked at Hilda. The older woman was staring at the hole, face grave, seemingly unconvinced by her own words.
‘What if it’s a cave that connects to the sea?’ Tiffany said.
‘Unless you’re talking about some ancient prehistoric sea a hundred yards closer, then we’re much too far off for that.’
‘So, what do you think?’
Hilda rubbed her chin. ‘I think we need to go and have a word with Nat, see if he has any of the land deeds or surveyor’s maps. It could be some old excavation, perhaps an old construction project that was never finished.’
‘Do you really think so?’
Hilda forced a smile. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. You’re not planning to open for a few weeks, anyway, are you? Plenty of time to sort it out.’
Josie glanced at Tiffany, who gave a dramatic shrug.
‘Perhaps when we dig out the verge for those flowers, we should save some of the soil, in case we need to fill it in?’
Hilda patted Tiffany on the shoulder. ‘There’s a good, practical idea. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. Shall we go and have a cup of tea? Or better still, an ice cream down in the village?’
‘This could be serious,’ Tiffany said with a smile. ‘I don’t think anything less than fudge cake topped with ice cream will be sufficient to get us through this. We’ll need a full team briefing, too. We can take Lindsay, Geoffrey and Barney.’
‘Somehow I get the impression you aren’t taking this seriously,’ Josie said.
‘It’s probably the site of ancient pirate treasure,’ Tiffany said.
Hilda forced a smile, but when Josie looked at her, her friend quickly looked away, as though she didn’t quite share Tiffany’s flippancy after all.
‘So,I suppose this is as good a time as ever,’ Lindsay said, patting Geoffrey’s hand as they sat facing the others across the little table in the Sunset Harbour Coffee and Fudge Company. Several large slices of fudge cake loaded with ice cream sat between them, like concrete tank barricades on a beachhead topped with foam. ‘We’ve decided that we’re going to get married.’
Tiffany let out a squeal of delight, so sudden that one of the old ladies behind the counter jumped, hitting her head on a hanging saucepan.
‘How lovely,’ Hilda said. ‘Congratulations to you both.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ Josie added.
‘We’d like to have the ceremony at the campsite, in the clearing where we first met,’ Geoffrey said. ‘On Midsummer’s night.’
‘Is that safe?’ Tiffany asked. ‘Isn’t that when ghosts and stuff come out?’
‘Only in fairy tales,’ Geoffrey said.
‘Well, if there really is a St. Michael out there in the cove, perhaps he’ll give us his blessing.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be lovely.’
Lindsay smiled, then suddenly burst into tears. As Geoffrey consoled her, Josie snatched a serviette out of a holder on the adjacent table, while Tiffany jumped up to grab a box of tissues off the countertop. Hilda, meanwhile, took advantage of the distraction to scoop a lump of Lindsay’s ice cream onto her own plate.
‘What?’ she said, shrugging at Josie. ‘They gave her loads more than me.’
Josie just rolled her eyes and turned back to Lindsay as Tiffany thrust the box of tissues into her hands.
‘My family are going to come,’ Lindsay said. ‘My two daughters, my mother and father, and my brother. We’re working through what happened, and they’ve decided to forgive me. They’re all going to stay at the campsite for the week. I’ve told them all about the trees, the beach, the views … they’re so excited.’
‘We’d better get a move on and get it ready then,’ Tiffany said, lifting her coffee. ‘The clock’s ticking, so bottoms up.’
It seemedlike something of a paradox that what was technically nothing would play so much on her mind, but Josie couldn’t keep the hole out of her head. She wanted to believe Hilda, that it was just a run-off channel or the remains of an old excavation project that had never come to anything, but from the way her friend had looked, she knew Hilda wasn’t convinced either.
