Rose trudged home. A few hours ago, her decision had seemed so simple. She’d been so nervous of telling him and yet he’d acted calmly and accepted it.
Had she sensed a chill in his embrace or was she being silly? Had she delivered too much at once: the news he was the donor and she’d been offered the job? Should she have saved a piece of it and drip-fed it until he’d had time to come to terms with it?
Or not have told him at all?
She’d been so sure of her plans.
She would leave Falford for Cambridge in a week’s time to meet her teaching commitments for the autumn term, while working on research into the sword and setting up the exhibition centre. She’d be back for Christmas – Christmas in Falford with Finn – the idea had made her so excited. Then, from late January she would base herself at Cornish Magick ready to start her new temporary job.
Finn said he was happy for her but … at no point had he actually suggested she should accept the permanent position and stay.
She didn’t need his approval, of course, and he was probably being neutral because he didn’t want to pressure her, yet Rose had left the studio with a sense of foreboding she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
It hadn’t gone away the following morning when she headed over to the boatyard to see how preparations were going for the cutter launch. She hoped that she’d get some clue as to Finn’s mood, a reassurance that her fears were unfounded.
She turned up the collar of her coat and made her way around the creek, noticing leaves floating in the shallows and stuck in the mud. It wasn’t much past eight and there was a distinct chilly edge to the air, and a light mist rising off the water.
The doors of the Morvah boatshed were wide open and the lights were on. She had a feeling that Finn had been working there since before it was light, ready for the big day. From yards away the cutter consumed the space, casting deep shadows on the floor.
She walked in cautiously and announced her presence with a ‘Morning!’
The cutter loomed above her, magnificent and dominating.
‘Wow. Just wow,’ she breathed. ‘I can’t believe the day has come. It looks incredible. You should be proud of it.’
Finn wiped his hands on a rag and joined her by the stern. ‘Thank you. Like I said, in one way we’ll be sad to see her go but sometimes you have to.’ There was a poignancy in his voice that made her shiver inwardly.
Was he giving her a veiled hint that he wasn’t as happy for her to stay as she’d hoped?
It was clear they needed to have another conversation, but this wasn’t the moment. The sound of approaching voices caused them both to turn. Joey, Dorinda and the man who Rose assumed was the client, walked from the sunlight into the boatshed.
‘We can talk later. Your client is here.’
He nodded. ‘Rose …’
‘Yes?’
‘You’ll be here for the launch itself this afternoon?’
His plea lifted her spirits. Perhaps all wasn’t lost yet. ‘I said I would after I’ve been to my meeting at the university. Later. Enjoy this day – you’ve all earned it. I’ll be back.’
It was mid-afternoon when she returned to the flat after her meeting. She changed out of her skirt and top into old jeans and a sweatshirt more suitable for hanging around a dusty boatshed.
She arrived to find the boatshed – the whole yard in fact – a hive of activity. A wheeled trailer was parked at the entrance to the shed and, judging by the shouts and people milling around, the cutter was ready to be loaded onto it before it was transferred to the water.
She wandered over, snapping some photos of the boat, even before she reached the yard. There had to be at least a dozen people involved in the launch, with a dozen more onlookers, including Bo. There was an air of tension, and a few swearwords.
She stopped, taking in the scene. She should have been excited at the prospect of now being a part of the life of the yard, of the community, invited to witness the Morvahs’ big moment – such a contrast to a few months previously when she’d been a stranger … an intruder.
Yet, even now, Rose had the same feeling: that she was on the outside looking in on a world that she would never be fully part of. No matter how much she tried to deny it, that feeling of otherness had originated from the moment she’d told Finn he was her donor. Instead of bringing her closer to him, she’d driven him further away.
‘Hi there!’ Bo met her. ‘Big moment, eh?’
‘Yes. Huge. It looks a tricky manoeuvre,’ Rose said, hiding her worries.
‘It is. Everyone will be glad when she’s finally on the water. She’ll be off the Morvahs’ hands then and they’ll be mightily relieved.’
‘Absolutely. I know. I’m almost as excited as Finn is about their new project. I can’t wait to see them working on her in the shed.’
‘Oh?’ Bo sounded very surprised. ‘You changed your mind then?’
‘Changed it?’ Rose was confused. ‘What makes you say that?’
‘Only that Finn said he wasn’t sure you’d decided to stay.’ Bo smiled. ‘I’m really happy. We’d have missed you.’
‘Yes, at least until next year. We got a grant to tour the sword and our other finds around the county.’ Rose wondered exactly how much Bo knew about her grant and the job offer. ‘When did you speak to Finn?’ she asked.
Bo frowned. ‘We were chatting earlier and he said you hadn’t decided whether to stay yet … that he wasn’t sure of your plans?’
‘Oh?’ Unease stirred in Rose’s mind, like the muddy bottom of the pool, swirling up in a dark cloud. Rose had made it clear to Finn that she wanted to come back to Falford – so why had he been cagey about it to Bo? Was he simply trying to keep their private life private or was her instinct that he was backing off from the idea, true?
She hid her worries with a smile. ‘I’m definitely coming back. I couldn’t keep away from Falford.’
‘Sorry, I must have got the wrong end of the stick.’ Bo looked embarrassed. ‘I didn’t realise it was all settled, but it was only a quick conversation and I was in a rush serving breakfast at the time. I’m sure Finn’s really pleased you’re staying on,’ Bo added hurriedly. ‘Oh look! They’re ready to move the boat! Shall we get a bit closer?’
Rose tried to focus on the hustle and bustle of the launch. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with the trailer vehicle as various ways of getting it into the exact position were tried out. Reversing beeps, engines running, shouts and arm waving. She took more photos. The trailer drove out again and Finn went inside.
Dorinda was outside, standing by the client, a tall man in a panama hat.
‘Will they ever get there?’ Bo asked her, shaking her head.
Rose’s reply was swallowed up by a huge bang and a flash of flame that lit up the door of the boathouse.