Page 56 of The Cornish Cream Tea Holiday
Chapter Fifteen
Of course the sea was choppy the day Ben had picked for them to visit the abandoned lighthouse.
It was Wednesday, midway through Thea’s holiday, and she hadn’t done anything about her bookshop since her meeting with Jamie Scable. Or, at least, she hadn’t done anything practical about it, but her conversations with Ben had reignited her confidence, and that felt like progress.
‘The seat belt’s a bit temperamental,’ he said now. She was on the bench seat in his van, Scooter between them, and was wrestling with the belt as she had done the other evening. ‘You just have to yank it, then it should be fine. Sorry, I’ve been meaning to get it fixed.’
‘It’s usually only you and Scooter in here though,’ Thea said, finding that when she did what he said, the seat belt came out easily. ‘What’s the great smell? I hadn’t expected a builder’s van to smell so …’
‘Delicious?’ Ben chuckled. ‘It doesn’t, as a rule. You’ll have to wait and see.’
‘Oooh, so you’re notjustshowing me around the lighthouse? There’s more to today?’
He glanced at her then turned back to the road. ‘You’ll just have to wait and see,’ he repeated, an amused note in his voice.
Thea couldn’t take her eyes off the sea, the way the waves crested long before they got near the shore. It was still blisteringly blue, but the sun’s heat was tempered by the strong wind, and she was pleased she’d put factor forty suncream in her bag. She was wearing frayed jeans and a red T-shirt, a thin hoody over the top, and her trainers. She didn’t know what an abandoned-building appropriate outfit was, but Ben’s T-shirt and jeans, along with his scuffed, solid-looking work boots, made her think she’d got it right.
‘Is it going to be safe?’ she asked, peering past Ben’s profile to gaze at a rock formation sitting close to the cliffs, the churn of water around its base like the inside of a washing machine. ‘It’s quite rough today.’
‘It’s mostly safe,’ Ben said. ‘As long as we’re careful, there’s a fairly good chance we’ll make it back in one piece.’
Thea swallowed. ‘OK. That’s … I mean, great …’
He flashed her a grin over Scooter’s head, before turning back to the road. ‘I’m joking. It’s going to be fine. The tide’s out, and the walkway’s wide enough when it’s low. I wouldn’t take you if it wasn’t safe: I’m not about to put you in danger.’
‘I didn’t think you’d do that,’ Thea rushed. ‘I just …’ her gaze returned to the froth, and she thought of the bit inPinocchiowhere he was eaten by the whale. But then Ben turned off the main road and, although they were moving towards the sea, the view of the coastline was obscured by a dense cluster of trees. Ben drove the van with ease, evenas the road got narrower. Branches clawed at the windows, one talon shrieked along the glass, and Thea was suddenly in a horror film rather than a disaster movie.
‘Not long now,’ Ben said, in the same soothing voice he used with Scooter. She needed to get a grip: she was the one who had told Ben she was desperate to visit an abandoned building.
The greenish light disappeared all of a sudden, and the blue of the Atlantic opened up before them. Off to the left, beyond what looked like a concrete boat launch, a short, pebble beach and a stone pathway, a cream lighthouse rose up towards the sky. It was weather-worn; dirty and unloved, but the glass panels at the top, criss-crossed with leading in a traditional diamond pattern, the huge bulb visible through the panes, still shone out. She had always thought lighthouses had a distinctly art deco vibe, and this one was no different.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she said. The inlet was tiny, part of a remote stretch of coastline, with no houses or other buildings overlooking it. It was certainly forgotten.
‘Beautiful, or …?’ Ben scrutinised her. ‘Do you want to go back? If you don’t fancy it now you’ve seen it …’
‘No, no, I do! I promise. It’s just – wow. Talk about living history.’
‘That’s what’s so great about it, but – look, if it makes you feel safer.’ He took out his phone and leaned towards her, so that she could see the screen. Scooter slunk down on the seat, unbothered by his master’s intrusion, and Thea watched as Ben opened WhatsApp and typed a message to Finn.
Taking Thea to the lighthouse. If not back in 24 hours send search party.
‘You didn’t need to do that,’ Thea said, laughing, as three dots appeared on the screen.
‘Finn always replies quickly,’ Ben said. ‘It’s a wonder he gets any painting done – unless he does it with his teeth.’
Finn’s message flashed up on the screen.
Abandoned building seems a weird choice for a love nest, but if that’s what she’s into … Have fun and stay safe! ;)
Ben whipped his phone back, muttering, ‘Fuck’s sake.’
Thea thought how much younger he looked with the tinge of a blush covering his tanned cheeks. She put a hand on her stomach, which felt full of butterflies.
‘He’s an idiot,’ Ben said, without much conviction. He busied himself getting out of the van, clipping Scooter’s lead on, hefting a rucksack onto his shoulder. ‘Got everything you need?’ he asked her over the bonnet.
She held up her own, smaller rucksack. ‘I think so.’
‘Let’s go, then.’
