Maia stretched and yawned as she surveyed the empty breakfast table. She checked her watch: ten fifty a.m. The plan was for everyone to meet here on the sun deck at eleven, but from the looks of things, she’d be dining on her own. Approximately an hour ago the Titan’s engines had roared into gear, and the journey to Delos, and Pa, had begun. However, she suspected the amount of wine drunk last night was probably enough to ensure that the noise wouldn’t rouse those who had indulged a little too heavily. Maia hadn’t touched a drop, of course. Thankfully, everyone had all too easily accepted the party line of ‘keeping a clear head for the next few days’.

Initially, Maia had been worried that she wouldn’t have the comfort of the odd glass of Provençal rosé to help her through the cruise, but after last night she didn’t think she’d miss it too much. In fact, she had felt enormously content at how wonderfully everyone had gelled at dinner. Deep down, Maia had been dreading this trip for months, along with, she suspected, most of the other passengers. She and her sisters had made an enormous amount of progress in the last year, each learning to adapt to life without the guiding light of Pa Salt. The eldest D’Aplièse sister feared that this journey would only serve as a reminder of the enormous loss she and her siblings had suffered. Even arriving at the dock yesterday had proved difficult, as the Titan had always been a symbol of the family reuniting for the summer; a place of safety to unwind and catch up. But, as she sipped on her water, Maia admitted to herself that last night had almost been, dare she say . . . fun?

In all honesty, it was the presence of the ‘partners’ who had made the evening such a joyous affair. Quite the eclectic cast had been assembled for the voyage, which surely Pa would have approved of. There was the hard-working Dr Charlie Kinnaird, who did a wonderful job of grounding her spiritual sister Tiggy. Electra had Miles, a calm, sagacious man, who saw her not as a global superstar, but as the vulnerable yet passionate woman she was. Chrissie was able to give as good as she got from CeCe (although Maia was glad that she didn’t have to live under that particularly noisy roof). Even the socially reticent Mouse had last night revealed himself to be a pillar of eloquence and humility. Together with his charming son, Rory, the pair had given the quiet Star the confidence she needed to flourish.

Then, of course, there was Ally. Maia could only imagine the added pain that her sister had been forced to endure over the last year, following the loss of her beloved Theo. She so admired her sister’s strength and resilience, rising to the challenge of motherhood under the most difficult of circumstances . . . Something that she herself had once failed to do.

‘Morning, Maia,’ said Tiggy, as she crossed the deck and pulled out a seat opposite her.

‘Good morning, Tigs.’ Tiggy ran her hands through her thick chestnut hair, which almost seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.

‘What a beautiful day,’ she said.

Maia thought just how well her sister looked. Tiggy had always had a natural grace and ease about her, but Pa’s death one year ago seemed to have affected her more than anyone. Now, with the steadfast Charlie by her side, and her dream job repopulating the Highlands with wildcats, a smile seemed to have permanently returned to Tiggy’s lips.

‘Looks like it’ll be a quieter breakfast than expected, I’m afraid,’ sighed Maia.

‘Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure. There are definite rumblings below deck. Charlie’s just in the on-board office. He’s reviewing a report on some blood-work or something. I’m glad I’m not a doctor, it doesn’t seem like you’re entitled to a minute’s peace! Where are your two, anyway?’

‘Floriano’s just gone to find Valentina. In the end the crew had to make up a spare cabin for her and little Rory to share last night. They insisted on it. Rory’s begun to teach Valentina how to sign, and in return, she’s instructing him in Portuguese . . .’ Maia and Tiggy both giggled. ‘They’re like brother and sister.’

Tiggy raised her eyebrows, before turning to check the sun deck was still unoccupied.

‘Now then, speaking of brothers and sisters, Maia . . .’ Tiggy glanced down at Maia’s belly, then gave her an enormous grin.

Maia exhaled, shook her head, and smiled at her younger sister.

‘Normally, in this situation, I should be offended that you’re making a comment on my weight. But because it’s you, I suspect that’s not the reason you ask.’

Tiggy squealed with excitement. ‘I knew it! Have you told them yet?’

‘Shhh . . . I’ve told Floriano, yes. But not Valentina. How do you always know, Tiggy?’

Tiggy shrugged, and looked incredibly satisfied.

‘No, come on. I’ve always let you off the hook on this front, ever since we were children. I’ll never forget the time when you told me that Madeleine the cat was going to have exactly six kittens. And, sure enough, later that evening, six mewling babies appeared. And we’ve all heard the story from Ally about Bear’s birth. She swears that neither of them would be here without you and Angelina. Tell me, what do you see that others can’t?’

Tiggy looked out at the ocean to the rear of the Titan, where the yacht’s enormous motor was creating a path of choppy white water. ‘It’s an ancestral gift,’ she said. ‘I’m a bruja.’

‘Hang on, you’re a witch?’ Maia asked.

Tiggy laughed. ‘Ah, yes, I should have thought about the fact that you’re a translator. No, Maia. I’m not a witch. To be a bruja is to be a part of a spiritual lineage.’

Maia looked sheepish. ‘Sorry, Tiggy, I didn’t mean to say the wrong thing, it’s just the way my brain works.’

‘You should be sorry! Now, listen up as I explain, or I’ll hit you over the head with my broom.’ Tiggy pointed to the water. ‘When you look at the ocean there, you can see the blue, and the swell, and the waves. But that’s only part of the story. You can’t see below the waterline, where the Titan is creating a current. To the sea life – the fish, the plants – that current is a force beyond their control, from a place they do not understand.’ Tiggy closed her eyes, as if visualising the thing she was trying to describe. ‘It’s like that up here too. All around us are energies and forces which most people don’t question or can’t comprehend. But I can see some of it.’ Tiggy reopened her eyes and looked at Maia. ‘It’s not, like, magic or anything. Everything is here for us to see. It’s just that I know how to look.’

‘You’re incredible, Tiggy. So, the question is . . . can you see whether you’re going to be an auntie to a niece or a nephew?’

Tiggy raised an eyebrow at her sister. ‘I suggest a nice neutral colour for the room,’ she replied with a wink.

A smiling blonde steward emerged from the upper lounge. Maia shot Tiggy a look, and Tiggy responded by miming the zipping of her lips. Neither sister had met the steward before now. In fact, more often than not, the interior staff would change every season on the Titan, with a new crew of young ‘yachties’ appearing each year.

‘Good morning, Miss D’Aplièse, and . . . Miss D’Aplièse. Can I get either of you a coffee? Or perhaps some juice?’ she enquired timidly. Maia felt for her. Working on superyachts, she imagined the usual clientele weren’t always the most easygoing of individuals. She moved to reassure her.

‘Please, it’s Maia and Tiggy, and yes, thank you. I’d love a latte, please,’ replied Maia.

‘And for me too, thank you,’ added Tiggy. ‘With oat milk, please!’

‘Lovely, I’ll get those for you now. And Chef has asked if you plan to go ahead with breakfast for everyone at eleven?’

‘Absolutely, please feel free to start bringing things up. I’m sure the smell of bacon and coffee will be enough to lure the rest from the depths. And if it’s not, we’ll go and round them up,’ Maia promised.

‘Great,’ replied the steward, before heading back inside.

Maia inhaled deeply. ‘You know, it does feel a little alien to me to experience such wealth and luxury now. I feel a bit embarrassed by it, if I’m honest.’

‘I know what you mean. Personally, I’m much more at home in a tarpaulin hide in the middle of a woodland glen,’ agreed Tiggy.

‘Well, I’m not so sure about that. I don’t know if I could survive too long without the Brazilian heat. In any case, I suppose we must all remember to keep giving back to the world whenever we can. I’ve actually started visiting a favela in Rio every week to tutor children in English and Spanish.’

‘Wow, Maia, that’s fantastic. It’s where your life began after all,’ said Tiggy gently.

‘It is, yes. I feel very passionately about offering any help I can to improve their future prospects. I think it’s unlikely an enigmatic billionaire is going to come and save them, as was the case with us.’

‘No. Pa certainly provided all of us with a lifeline. How different our stories would have been had he not plucked each of us from around the globe.’ Tiggy shook her head, then looked back at her sister. ‘I miss him so much, Maia. I feel like I’ve lost my anchor. Whatever problem I was facing, he’d know exactly what to say to make me feel better. I imagine it’s the same for you?’

‘Yes. For all of us, I think.’

‘The irony is that we need him now more than ever, and he’s not here to help us.’

‘Not physically, no. But, in a way, I think he is with us,’ Maia replied.

Tiggy looked at her sister. ‘Maia, are you about to offer some spiritual wisdom to the bruja herself?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far, but look what we did – we found the missing sister. We couldn’t have done that without him guiding us.’

‘He’d be so happy she’s coming.’ Tiggy smiled.

‘He would be, yes.’

‘It’s just . . .’ Tiggy put her head in her hands. ‘You know what I was saying before, about being able to feel the different energies that influence our lives?’

‘Yes . . .’

‘Please don’t think I’m mad,’ Tiggy said pleadingly.

‘I promise I don’t think that, Tiggy. I never have.’

‘Okay. Well, usually, when someone is about to die, I can sense it. I’ve always been able to. Just as I can feel new life too, like the one growing inside you at the moment.’ Maia nodded sincerely at her sister. ‘Then, after people I’ve known in my life have passed on, I’ve always been able to . . . to say goodbye to them. I mean, to their spirit or life force or whatever you want to call it, before they go. It’s always been very comforting for me. And, I think, for them too.’

‘I understand.’

‘But Maia, I never felt it with Pa. I didn’t sense that he was about to leave us, and I certainly haven’t been able to feel him since. That’s really why I’ve found the last year so difficult. I haven’t been able to say goodbye to him.’

‘Gosh. I’m so sorry, Tiggy, that must be incredibly difficult.’

‘Yes. He was everything to me – to all of us – and I can’t believe that he hasn’t come to see me one final time.’ Tiggy dropped her head and began examining her hands, as she often did when contemplating matters beyond the physical world.

Maia struggled to know what to say to her sister. ‘Perhaps it’s because he knows just how much it would upset you, Tiggy?’

‘Maybe,’ she replied. ‘I’d begun to think that maybe he had sent me Charlie, and that was his goodbye.’

‘That sounds very Pa,’ Maia offered.

‘Yes. But then these last few weeks, I’ve started to feel unsettled again.’

‘Is everything all right with Charlie?’

‘Oh, absolutely. I just mean that I’ve begun to feel very anxious about Pa all of a sudden. Which is not something I expected given the fact that he died a year ago.’

‘No, I can imagine. But Tiggy, I think it’s only natural, given what we’re here to do. I’m sure all of us have felt something similar.’

Tiggy thought for a moment. ‘Yes. I’m sure you’re right. Sorry, Maia, I didn’t mean to go all serious and bruja on you there. Particularly after last night – what a hoot that turned out to be!’

‘Gosh, I know. Jack and Mary-Kate are so lovely.’

‘Absolutely. Speaking of which, do we know if Georg made it back with Merry last night?’

‘Something tells me he did, yes. There are two extra places at the table. Last night we were sixteen, and this morning we are eighteen.’

‘Gosh. I can’t believe everyone’s finally going to meet the missing sister. After all these years . . . she was just a story. And this morning she’ll be sipping orange juice with us.’

‘Poor Merry. She’s been through so much, Tiggy. I can’t believe Georg has managed to get her aboard. We must make sure we go above and beyond to look out for her over the next few days.’

‘Agreed. She really does have a beautiful soul, Maia. Even though I only met her briefly in Dublin, I know she’s going to fit in incredibly well.’

There was a brief silence as the pair reflected on the significance of the new passenger. Eventually, Maia spoke. ‘It was quite funny to see Georg run off the boat yesterday, wasn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him break a sweat. He really was absolutely desperate for Merry to make the trip. I mean, I know we all were, but I think we all know how to take no for an answer,’ Maia mused.

Tiggy looked off into the distance again. ‘I don’t think letting her go was an option for him, Maia.’ She grinned. ‘Do you know, I have the strangest feeling that—’

Tiggy was interrupted by voices coming from the salon.

‘My daddy says that the Ore Brasil is a boat which is even bigger than this one,’ Valentina told Rory proudly.

‘Wooow . . . Do you know what the Titanic is?’ Rory countered. The pair emerged onto the deck, followed by Floriano.

‘Okay, okay, I do not think we need to talk about that ship now, young sir.’ Floriano grinned at Maia and raised his eyebrows.

‘Bom dia, Maia!’

‘Bom dia, Valentina. Apenas Inglês, por favor. Only English on this trip.’

‘Okay . . .’

‘Thank you, Valentina,’ Tiggy said. ‘Some of us aren’t as clever as you. Or as pretty!’

‘Oh please, Auntie Tiggy, this one’s head does not need to grow any bigger . . .’ Floriano said, lifting Valentina up and tickling her.

‘Any sign of the others, Floriano?’ Maia enquired.

Rory chipped in. ‘We went and knocked on everyone’s doors, didn’t we, Valentina? Then we had a race around the boat, and we found Ma with Ally and Bear at the front. They’re all coming. Are we having sausages for breakfast?’

‘Oh, I’m sure Chef will send up some sausages, Rory. Good choice. Is that your favourite thing to eat for breakfast?’ asked Tiggy.

‘I dare say they are, aren’t they, old man?’ Mouse’s voice boomed from the salon, and he emerged, holding Star’s hand.

‘Morning, Star! Morning, Daddy!’

‘Hello, Rory. Morning, everyone.’ Star gave a little wave to the table. ‘I ran into Mary-Kate on the way up. She said that she and Jack are going to go in and see their mum – and to go ahead and start breakfast without them,’ she informed the table.

‘Of course. Are you nervous, Star?’ asked Maia.

‘Yes. To tell you the truth, my tummy’s been doing somersaults all morning. Obviously, the last time we spoke I was “in character” executing Orlando’s stupid scheme. I feel awful about the whole thing.’

‘Seriously, Star, don’t worry. When I met Merry in Dublin, she gave the impression all was forgiven,’ Tiggy reassured her.

‘I’m sure it is,’ added Maia, taking Star’s hand. ‘This is a big moment.’ She looked around the table. ‘The six sisters are about to become seven.’