I suppose I should be pleased,” Rachel said to Janice as they sat in the café one morning a couple of weeks after her return from London. She was filling her in on everything that had happened. “And I am, really. It’s a wonderful happy ending. Richard ended up staying with Esther for almost a week and now she has plans to go and visit him in Cornwall, according to Eve. But now I feel a bit flat.” She’d replayed her conversation with Jonah at the restaurant over and over in her mind. It was true, she might never experience the kind of love that endured no matter what, the kind of love that she’d seen between Eve’s grandmother and Dr. Creswell. It made her feel hollow, as if she’d lost something she never realized she had.
“Well, it was very exciting and I expect you’re floundering a bit now it’s all over. How’s the wrist, by the way?”
“Doc says I can’t even begin to think about using it for another month. I’m going a bit stir-crazy. There are only so many research notes I can read up on, so many hikes I can take. I think I know pretty much every inch of this island now.”
Janice nodded sympathetically. “And what about Jonah?”
“We had a bit of a misunderstanding. I think I’ve missed the boat there.”
“Don’t be too sure of that, Rachel,” said Janice, patting her hand.
Conversation on the long drive back from London had been strained. Jonah had apologized for putting her on the spot. “It wasn’t entirely fair. You’re entitled to live your life as you want to. I hope we can still be friends?” he said.
She felt an unexpected pang of disappointment. “Sure.”
Now, Rachel would have said he was avoiding her. She had hardly seen him since their return, though somewhat frustratingly he’d never been far from her thoughts, even haunting her dreams. Mostly shirtless, with a mocking grin on his face. Always just out of reach. She found herself missing him more than she cared to admit. It was a new feeling for her—she couldn’t remember ever really missing someone before, certainly not like this, an almost physical pain, an ache deep inside her.
“Speaking of boats, did you say you could find me one to rent?” she asked.
Janice looked suddenly coy. “As it happens, I do have news of something that might help cheer you up.” She looked at her watch and then pointed to Rachel’s cup. “Drink up and follow me.”
They left the café and walked up Hugh Street, coming to the moorings at Porthcressa Beach. In the sky above the water, kite-surfers hung like seeds blown from a dandelion clock but on the beach there was scarcely a soul around until Rachel noticed a small tinny puttering across the water toward them. She strained her eyes but couldn’t make out who it was. Then, as sunlight flashed across the water, she recognized the long auburn hair. Leah.
“Uh-oh,” she said to Janice. “She’s not my biggest fan actually.”
“Just wait and see.”
Steeling herself for another dressing-down, Rachel stood at the water’s edge. As they helped pull the tinny ashore, she looked at the boat. It was rather familiar. The Soleil d’Or? Could it be?
It was. Smartened up, and with a bright new name painted on the side, entwined with a gorgeous yellow narcissus.
“It was washed ashore on the north of the island a couple of weeks ago,” said Leah, clambering onto the sand. “Tom at the co-op arranged for someone to come and look over the motor last week. Faulty spark plugs. Simple to fix. And then I thought I should smarten up the old girl for you.”
Rachel looked bewildered. So Leah wasn’t here to give her another piece of her mind. “Wow. Thanks, that’s amazing. Really. That’s so incredibly generous of you. I love the artwork.”
“Least I could do. Listen, about last time . . . I’m sorry I took it out on you. You didn’t mean any harm, I realize that now.”
“No, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have interfered.”
“Well, I’m glad you did. Max tracked me down—can you believe it? He left his swish London gallery and roughed it with me for a couple of days.”
Rachel could hardly picture the urbane man in Leah’s ramshackle old house.
“Convinced me that I hadn’t lost my talent. We’re planning an exhibition in the autumn actually. He loves the seascapes.”
“That’s wonderful,” said Janice, who had been looking on with the proud gaze of a godmother.
“It is,” said Rachel. “I can’t believe it. And thank you again for the boat; that’s going to make everything so much easier. My supervisor will be delighted.”
“Actually, I have a favor to ask.” Leah shifted from foot to foot. “I was wondering if you’d sit for me? I know you saw the painting I’d started—Max told me. I think it’ll be not too terrible. If I can finish it that is.”
“I’d be honored,” said Rachel. “I’ll be over just as soon as my wrist is healed.”
“Good. This is yours,” she said, handing over the key. Rachel took the opportunity to give Leah a hug. The older woman briefly resisted, but then relaxed, leaning into her and hugging her back just as strongly.
“How are you getting back to Little Embers?” Rachel asked.
“Oh, it’s all arranged. Tom’s giving me a ride home when he’s closed up.” She whirled around and strode off in the direction of town.
“I’d better be off too,” said Janice as Leah walked away. “I’m due at the museum at eleven.”
When they’d both gone, Rachel sat on the stone wall that surrounded the beach and looked across the water. Now that her boat had been recovered, she began to wonder if Eve might consider coming down to help her with the study. She had a spare room and she reckoned she might be able to re-jig the funding to afford an assistant. It would be fun to have a protégé, not to mention helpful, especially while her wrist was healing.
She was happy to have the boat back and even more pleased that Leah was no longer angry with her, but still she felt an underlying sadness, as if the world was no longer such an exciting place as it once had been. It felt like the end of everything, even the research project no longer seemed as compelling as it once had.
Something her mother once said echoed in her head. “Sometimes love finds you, Rachel, when you’re ready. But other times you have to decide. You have to recognize it, to go out and grab it.”
She jumped up. The choice was hers to make this time. She knew exactly what she had to do. And who she had to find. This wasn’t the end; in fact, it was only just the beginning.