Trenouth

by Bea Green

  Elinor and Leo bent forward to look at it and to their mutual surprise saw a picture painted on the edges of the book.

  The painting was of a large monster with yellow skin and white eyes, with his arms raised as he confronts four other figures, all of whom look absolutely terrified. The two women in the picture are twisted round and reaching for the door, the old man is staring blindly with his mouth open and the young man is holding a stone in his hand, looking as though he’s about to hurl it towards the monster.

  The colours of the painted figures were bright and vivid and the background behind the figures consisted of swirling lines of dark blue, white and green, adding to the drama of the scene. The figures’ emotions were sharply portrayed with caricature-like definition.

  ‘Wow, that’s truly amazing!’ exclaimed Elinor, enchanted by the book’s hidden secret. She looked up at Mr Ashcroft who was watching her reaction with a pleased smile.

  ‘There’s still more, if you can just bear with me,’ said Mr Ashcroft. ‘I think this fore-edged painting bears a marked resemblance to William Blake’s artwork. He wasn’t just a poet, he was also an artist. The style of this is very similar to his paintings. I think it would be worth getting it verified.’

  Mr Ashcroft let the book settle back into its original shape and turned the pages until he came to the front of the book.

  ‘This is a second edition of Frankenstein, printed in 1823. William Blake died in 1827. It’s quite reasonable to assume that he would’ve had a copy of Mary Shelley’s book, given his ties to her mother. I also think it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d inscribed the front of the book with lines from his poem and painted that picture on the edges of it. You’ll have to get it all checked out but I think you’ll agree it’s very exciting to imagine there’s a possibility that William Blake might have painted this picture.’

  Silence descended as Elinor and Leo took in this information. Mr Ashcroft beamed at the two of them happily with the real enthusiasm of a dedicated bibliophile, delighted to have made the discovery.

  He picked up the book again and indicated the spine to them.

  ‘You can see now why the spine would’ve been so damaged. To fan out the book and see the picture you have to put a substantial amount of pressure on the binding. I’ve managed to fix the spine using the leather that was there originally, which is fortunate. It keeps the book as authentic as possible,’ he said proudly.

  ‘Do you know who would be able to verify the picture?’ asked Leo, his mind turning as ever to practicalities.

  ‘Personally I would take it to British Library or the British Museum for authentication. I can write a letter for you to take with you, explaining the premise for this book.’

  Leo nodded his thanks as Elinor, completely stunned, continued to gaze at the potentially valuable book in front of her. It was amazing to think how this book, seemingly so unique now, had been carelessly tossed into what was essentially a junkyard sale.

  34

  ‘Weather tom good. V light offshore wind. Fancy a dawn patrol? T.’

  Elinor read the text with mixed feelings. She liked her lie-ins. Sacrificing a lie-in would have to be worth it.

  Then that deep yearning to be free and reckless touched her heart. If she could learn to ride the big waves she’d be able to conquer her anxieties. She was sure of it.

  She texted: ‘Sure. What time?’

  Within seconds the answer pinged back.

  ‘7. See u there.’

  Elinor groaned at the thought of getting up for seven o’clock but if the sea happened to be empty of cocky surfers it would be well worth it.

  She’d have to get her surfboard fixed to the car as there was no way she’d make it on time to Constantine Bay tomorrow morning otherwise. Her surfboard was currently standing upright in the garage next to the old antique surfboards used by Leo’s family in days gone by.

  Leo, noting her dedication to her surfing lessons on Saturday mornings, had taken her by surprise one day by driving up to Trenouth with a surfboard attached to the roof rack. He’d gone to Newquay and bought her an expensive all-round one, the R2 by Chemistry.

  It was, he’d insisted, a belated Christmas present. Elinor had been overwhelmed by his generosity and felt very tearful at the time of receiving it but Leo, uncomfortable with displays of emotion, had brushed off her thanks brusquely. It did him good, he’d said, to see her find a hobby that was making her happy again.

  Now it was the middle of January and she was looking forward to trying out the surfboard on some serious waves.

  When she woke up the next morning and peered out of her bedroom window she could glimpse in the breaking daylight a few restless seagulls balancing on the air currents, but the long clumps of grass were only lightly caressed by the wind, suggesting that the day was going to be a relatively mild one as far as the wind factor was concerned.

  She raced to get her swimsuit and wetsuit on, dashing into the kitchen to grab the thermos of coffee Leo had already prepared for her and throwing a banana into her bag before heading out of the house.

  Once she’d dumped her things in the car she returned to the hallway where her surfboard was reposing in preparation for a sharp exit. Within a couple minutes she had it strapped on to the roof of Leo’s car and was trundling down the road, heading towards to Constantine Bay.

  This early in the morning rabbits were out in force, eating their grassy breakfast, birds were flurrying with fixed intent from the safety of the Cornish hedges on the search for insects, and a hedgehog had started an epically brave voyage across the road in front of her.

  Cursing impatiently, Elinor slammed the handbrake on and got out of the car with a towel. As she approached the prickly adventurer it suddenly curled itself up into a protective ball. Elinor picked it up carefully and, reaching over a stile a little further up the road, deposited the rogue on safer pasture. Running back to the car she continued her journey, anxiously looking at the clock and hoping Tony wouldn’t give up waiting for her. Such light winds as there were today weren’t going to produce the kind of waves he liked...

  Elinor parked in the vacant field next to Constantine Bay. The parking hut was closed this early in the morning so she might well be getting away with free parking today. Leaving her bags in the boot of the car and wearing her surfing boots, she scoffed big mouthfuls of banana as she unstrapped her surfboard. Within five minutes she was making her way to the water, scrunching up her eyes in an attempt to see if she could spot Tony anywhere. His car had been parked up at the field so she knew he was out there somewhere.

  From a distance, she could see a couple of dark heads bobbing in the water. The waves weren’t as big as she’d expected, they were only three feet high at most. One of the figures, catching sight of her, waved vigorously. She spotted Tony’s bright head of fair hair as she came closer, and waved back at him.

  She was walking unhurriedly now to the water’s edge, slowing markedly as she neared the restless waves. It was quite a thought to immerse oneself this early in the cool temperatures of the unpredictable sea. And for some absurd reason she felt more vulnerable without the lifeguards on duty. She knew most of the surfers were just as able and willing as lifeguards to help someone in trouble but she still preferred the reliability of professional lifesavers.

  Quelling her own unprofessional qualms, she took a deep breath and strode confidently into the water, trying to portray that she had the balls Tony had spoken about in the pub.

  She felt the icy fingers of water seeping into the wetsuit to form a thin insulating layer. Soon the water was deep enough for her to be able to hoist herself up onto the surfboard so she was lying flat and paddling through the swaying water.

  ‘You’re late,’ rebuked Tony a short while later, with a crooked grin on his face as he paddled across to her, adroitly avoiding a wave about to break.

  Bobbing up and down, Eli
nor shrugged as though she couldn’t care less.

  ‘It’s not that late.’

  Tony looked down at his watch pointedly.

  ‘We were supposed to meet at seven!’

  ‘I’m not going to waste time discussing my lateness,’ she said mock sternly, starting to paddle out again towards the incoming waves and moving past him. As she repeatedly dipped down in a duck dive to avoid the breaking waves racing to smother her, she sensed Tony’s determined paddling close behind her.

  She felt the flow of blood building in her veins with the exercise. As her arms worked hard to paddle against the waves the warmth rapidly spread to her extremities. Unprompted, an odd image popped into her mind of her veins spreading out like an oak tree, the warm blood pumping upwards from the ground and moving up through the thick branches and the narrow twigs.

  She was already sensing the rhythm and frequency of these waves, which she knew could change at any moment with the whim of the wind. She was starting to feel exhilarated, any doubts or fears getting relegated to the back of her mind as her excitement built.

  ‘Whoa! I would stop around here, Elinor, or you’ll be paddling forever to keep up with the waves,’ said Tony’s voice behind her.

  Elinor obediently paused for a moment and sat herself up on her board, a leg dangling down on each side. She quickly scanned the lie of the ocean around her.

  Tony was right. She was beyond the waves that were breaking inland and if she went much further out she wouldn’t have the stamina to chase the waves until she was ready to mount them. She allowed herself to rock with the movement of the restless sea, rising and falling over the unformed waves, and turned to face the shoreline.

  It seemed a long distance away.

  She sighed.

  ‘I’m going to go forward a bit.’

  ‘Good idea,’ agreed Tony.

  They both turned and paddled a short distance towards the shoreline. Elinor gauged she’d be able to catch a potential wave at this range.

  She twisted round to watch the waves as they came at her from behind.

  ‘Try this one coming in,’ advised Tony. ‘It looks to be a right.’

  Elinor knew he meant that the wave was going to break from right to left, as viewed from the beach, so she would have to surf to the left of the wave to surf it. She started to paddle furiously as she felt the wave approaching behind her and as she felt the top of the wave nudge her upwards she quickly popped up onto her board. She was so intent on getting the direction of the surfboard correct that she unconsciously dug the nose of her surfboard into the water.

  She knew straightaway she’d made a mistake.

  Within seconds, the back of her board went up and she was launched off into the air. She smacked into the ocean beneath with the wave crashing on top of her.

  Time seemed to slow down suddenly as she felt herself held down under the remorseless water. She’d disappeared into a mute world, her body spinning around so much she had no idea which way she was facing. She’d vanished into a vortex. Her arms and legs hung loose as she felt powerful forces grab hold of her and shake her unmercifully. She waited, saving her strength for the moment when she felt the watery monster weaken and loosen its grip on her.

  On her ankle she felt the tugs of her faithful surfboard, bucking and riding the chaos its owner had mistakenly unleashed on it.

  As soon as she felt the wave move on and the pull of the next wave dragging her back, she started to fight against her underwater jailer and pushed upwards quickly to get a breath before the next wave collapsed on top of her.

  Her chest was starting to burn with the need to get some oxygen.

  She reached the surface and took some deep breaths of sweet air before hearing the approach of the next wave rumbling above her. She sank down under the water to let the wave pass over and started to swim vigorously away from the shoreline, out of the reach of the powerful rollers.

  After a couple of minutes she kicked upwards again and popped up behind the breaking waves.

  ‘My God, Elinor, are you alright?’ asked an anxious voice next to her.

  Tony, lying flat on his board, reached down a hand and put it under her arm to support her as she trod water.

  Elinor felt embarrassed but grateful at his concern.

  ‘Yeah, it was a rookie mistake. I feel mortified.’

  ‘Don’t be. We’ve all been there. Still, that was a pretty dramatic wipeout.’

  Elinor nodded, still panting after her exertions. Her heart was racing in her chest. She wasn’t sure that was helping her catch her breath.

  After a moment she reached up and grabbed a hold of her surfboard, pulling herself up onto it and sitting astride it.

  She looked towards the shoreline and then behind her.

  ‘Seriously? You’re thinking of going again? So soon?’ asked a bewildered Tony, reading her thoughts.

  Elinor turned to look at him.

  ‘Of course,’ said Elinor, genuinely puzzled by his caution. ‘I had to summon all my courage to try out these waves and if I don’t get to ride even one, I’m not sure I’ll ever come back. I need to surf today and I’m not leaving until I do.’

  She turned back to watching the waves and after a minute she started paddling forward to the zone she judged best to catch a roller.

  35

  She was gliding through the wave, cutting through the wall of water as if it was made of soft butter. She was sliding downwards on her flight, the wind brushing gently against her face and running the tips of its fingers along her scalp.

  Elinor felt like an Amazon riding her horse into battle, at one with the surfboard that was obeying every tilt and turn she placed on it. The elements were all on her side now and for once she was mistress of the ocean, not a helpless victim.

  After three wipeouts, she’d finally managed it.

  She was riding the wave, speeding ahead of the giant white snake of breaking surf chasing her from behind. In the distance she heard Tony’s cheers egging her on as she raced towards the shoreline.

  Within seconds she felt the wave lose power, and as she came closer to the shore her surfboard sank lower and lower towards the surface of the beach. Eventually the wave moved forward to kiss the shoreline before vanishing into oblivion. Elinor jumped off her surfboard, landing softly on the water. She stood upright watching her wave until the dregs finally disintegrated into the other waves chasing it from behind.

  ‘Elinor, that was amazing!’ shouted Tony after a moment, putting his arms around her and holding her in a tight embrace. ‘You did it!’

  Elinor grinned foolishly as she turned towards him. He must have followed her in on another wave.

  ‘I know. I managed a three-foot roller for the first time! It was awesome! Bitchin’, as you would say.’

  Tony grinned back at her.

  ‘Feeling like a proper surfer now, are we?’

  ‘Yes! YES!’ Elinor yelled happily, putting her arms up in the air in a victory salute and dancing on the spot.

  Tony laughed and before Elinor realised what he was up to he’d bent his head and kissed her on the lips. Recklessly, she leaned back her head and wantonly tasted the saltiness of the sea on his lips before her mind fully comprehended what was happening.

  Unfortunately for Tony, within a minute she suddenly stiffened in dismay and instinctively pulled away. She felt utterly taken aback at what had just happened, reeling with shock.

  Feeling her sudden rigidity, Tony quickly let her go and looked at her in consternation.

  ‘Sorry, Elinor. I didn’t mean to offend you.’

  Elinor realised she was standing stock still with a look of utter horror on her face. She suddenly felt overwhelmed with shame and also a measure of compassion for Tony, who had no idea of how messed up she really was inside.

  She shook her head vigorously, tryin
g to clear her blocked ears and her confused mind at the same time. Her wet hair swung backwards and forwards, half hiding her embarrassed face.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Tony. Let’s just forget about it, shall we?’

  Tony nodded but Elinor didn’t miss the puzzled expression on his face. Her heart sank. He hadn’t missed her initial eager response and was no doubt wondering what was going on. She wasn’t sure she had the answer to that one herself.

  She turned towards the waves and, without a backward glance, started to pull her surfboard out towards the surf zone again. For her, this was the best way to move on, focusing on the immediate danger of the powerful rollers and forgetting the past and future.

  Living inside of those exciting split seconds when she was riding the waves made her feel she could conquer the world. And escape from all her complicated problems too, of course...

  For the rest of their stay in the water Tony gave her a wide berth, although Elinor had no doubt he was still keeping a protective eye on her from a distance.

  An hour later, when the ocean was filling up with the black bodies of other surfers, he swam across to her as she sat astride her surfboard taking a break from the relentless sea. She’d managed two more wipeouts and three more rides on the rollers. She was starting to feel exhausted. A banana wasn’t enough fuel to keep her going in this unpredictable sport.

  ‘Elinor, the waves are stacking. I think it would be wise for you to quit now. You don’t want to have to handle five- or six-foot waves today.’

  ‘You’re right. It’s time to quit. I’m absolutely starving anyway. My stomach hasn’t stopped rumbling for the last half hour.’

  ‘The Hut does good fry-ups if you fancy some high-energy fuel. That café basically makes its living off us surfers in the winter.’

  Elinor wrinkled up her nose with mock scorn.

  ‘I thought doctors weren’t supposed to be encouraging high-fat food these days.’