Molly nodded. ‘You might want to take those posh shoes off, though.’
‘Good point.’ Archie slipped off his brogues and stuck his socks inside them, handing them to me.
Ellis immediately did the same, abandoning his socks straight on to the damp sand.
‘Can I show you my best rock pool?’ he said eagerly. He slipped his small hand into Archie’s trustingly and they trundled off to the water’s edge.
‘Sure.’
‘And later, can me and Mummy dig a hole and bury you so just your nose sticks out?’
‘Er … maybe not today. I don’t think we’ll have enough time.’
‘My daddy is very busy. He’s building houses so he can’t play with me today. Are you too busy to play with me?’
We couldn’t hear Archie’s reply but we did hear Ellis’s answering laugh. We exchanged looks.
‘If Archie thinks the way to my heart is through Ellis,’ Molly muttered, not taking her eyes off them for a second, ‘he’s smarter than he looks.’
‘Hey, it’s the Siren Sisters!’ Eliza whooped. She dropped her bag and threw her arms round us both. ‘Can you two come and shield me to give me some privacy round the back of the boat house? I thought I should be a mermaid for this and I need to get changed. Damn, I should have brought three outfits.’
Molly and I looked at each other. Yeah, damn.
‘Privacy,’ Molly scoffed.
‘With this crowd?’ I added.
‘Good point.’ Eliza cringed, focusing on the heaving mass of people. ‘Well, we’ll have to do something. Being a mermaid might be about body confidence, but I don’t want to overshadow today’s meeting.’
‘Your bum’s not that big,’ Molly sniggered.
Eliza whacked her with her shell bra.
‘Hold on, I’ve got an idea,’ I said.
I ran and begged the key off Ned and beckoned the girls to follow me.
‘Poo!’ the three of us chorused when I pushed open the door.
Inside it smelled of fish and damp wood. There was a lot of bird poo on the concrete floor and the remains of a bird’s nest wedged high up in the roof. It was mostly empty except for a small wooden rowing boat in need of a new coat of varnish. There were coils of old rope in the corner, shelves of various sizes along both long walls and a set of metal steps which led up to a mezzanine level. The row of slatted windows either side let in a muted light and the roof with its sets of wooden beams gave an ecclesiastical feeling to the building.
‘Never been in here before,’ said Eliza. ‘You’re right; it would be a fab place for my ladies to change in. We could put mirrors over here and a little curtain like in a clothes shop.’
‘Does Jude realize how much work it will take, I wonder,’ Molly mused.
I left them chatting and walked to the staircase. At about chest height on one of the steps was a glossy A4 folder with Mernick’s, The South West’s Premier Auctioneers embossed in gold across the front. That was the company in charge of auctioning the boat house. Whoever had been here must have left this by accident. I flicked through the pages and out fell a business card: Campion Carmichael, Artist.
My stomach quivered with nerves. It looked as if Campion had wasted no time in arranging a viewing of the boat house, which meant he really must be interested in it. Thank goodness Maxine was keeping him occupied today; the less information he had about our plans the better.
I shoved the card in my pocket just as one of the big double doors at the front of the boat house opened a crack and Jude’s head appeared.
‘Katrina Berry from the council is here; I think we should get started. Oh sorry, Eliza.’
Eliza squealed. ‘Nearly ready.’
Jude quickly averted his eyes as she wriggled the pink and orange tail up over her bikini bottoms, straightened her clamshell bra and hastily wedged on a shell and ribbon headdress. She bunny-hopped forward, sending her boobs jiggling and grabbed on to Molly for support. Jude didn’t know where to look. Again.
‘Could take me a while,’ she laughed.
‘I can offer you a fireman’s lift,’ he said doubtfully.
‘I’ve got a better idea,’ I said with a giggle, pointing at the little wooden boat.
It was a brilliant way to start our public meeting: we launched the boat with Eliza in it through the doors and a short way down the slipway. The assembled crowd instantly stopped chatting and began to cheer and clap at the brightly coloured mermaid with pink hair waving demurely as she reclined in the boat.
‘Right,’ Jude nudged me forward. ‘You’re on.’
I stepped forward, took a deep breath and smiled. Everyone fell silent.
‘A warm welcome to everyone, the people of Brightside Cove, the communities who will benefit from this beautiful building in decades to come, the ladies and gentlemen of the press and especially Katrina Berry who joins us from South Devon council …’
Jude led the crowd in another enthusiastic round of applause at her name.
And then I gave my speech about the way in which the building had nobly served its community in the past and the many ways we hoped it would do so in the future and that with everyone’s support and some strategic, long-term thinking on the part of the council, we could achieve wonders.
The crowd cheered and whistled and then collectively took a sharp intake of breath as Ned pushed himself up on to his one leg. Jude and Nora were by his side instantly supporting him.
‘I’d like to say my piece, if I may. The lifeboat house is falling apart. It’s old and decrepit and has seen better days. Not unlike meself.’ His voice was hesitant and wheezy.
In the distance I saw Archie near the rocks with Ellis. Ellis was running around naked and poor Archie was trying to catch him and persuade him to put his Batman suit back on. I nudged Molly and we both stifled a giggle.
Ned gave a phlegmy cough and tried again. ‘You might think it would be nice to see it all smartened up, perhaps with a shop in it, or some fancy flats, instead of looking at its scruffy woodwork and the great gaping holes in the roof.’
Jude shot me a look of concern which I echoed: where was Ned going with this, exactly?
‘But once our boat house has slipped from our hands, it’s gone for ever.’ His eyes misted over and Nora clutched his arm. ‘This is a piece of our history, it represents the life that I lived, and my dad, and my grandfather before him. In its day it was as important to our community as the police station or the church. If we let it go to developers, we’re saying we don’t care about our heritage. It’s already disappearing. Look around us, what signs are there that Brightside Cove was once a thriving fishing community? The quayside has all but been taken over by a car park and the only working fisherman is not even a Devonian. There might never be enough fish in these waters for it to support us again, but the lifeboat house should stay to serve its community as it has for the last hundred years.’ He sought Katrina Berry from the council out in the crowd and doffed his cap. ‘My dear girl, over to you, do the right thing. That’s it.’
He dropped back into his chair. He looked exhausted, his chest rising and failing with the effort.
The crowd erupted with applause. Jude stepped forward and cleared his throat.
‘Go Jude!’ yelled one of the football mums. Someone else wolf-whistled.
He gave the group a lopsided smile and held a hand up to calm them down.
Honestly. It was like his own private fan club. I realized I was sucking my cheeks in peevishly and released them immediately. Out of the corner of my eye in the distance, I noticed two figures walking briskly along the path on the headland towards us.
‘All we’re asking for is a chance, Mrs Berry.’ He found the young woman from the council, whose cheeks were still flushed from being singled out by Ned. He beckoned her forward and she walked up to us as if pulled by a magnetic force. She was in a smart skirt, sensible heels and held her briefcase in front of her like a shield. Jude clasped his hands together. ‘A chance. Please
.’
‘It’s Miss,’ she said coyly. ‘I’m not married.’
I just about managed not to tut. Not another one. Jude fixed her with his hazel eyes. ‘Can we show you our proposal, please? Before the auction? Just hear us out, that’s all we ask. You’ve seen from the turnout how deeply we care about this.’ He lowered his voice, focusing all his attention on her. ‘I beg you.’
Miss Berry almost swooned. The crowd was motionless, everyone waiting to hear her response. She flipped open her diary and flapped through the pages.
‘Very well,’ she said in a breathy voice. ‘I do have one space for another meeting, take it or leave it. I’ll see you a week today at the council chamber, but I want to see proper, costed proposals, not an airy-fairy list of ideas.’
Jude looked at me, seeking approval. I thought my heart would burst at the smile on his face when I nodded.
‘Yes! We’ll take it.’ Jude raised both arms in the air in triumph.
The sound of whistling, whooping and hollering would have given even the crowd at an England home game a run for its money. Eliza squealed and kicked her tail in the air, and Molly and I hugged each other.
‘Thank you, Miss Berry,’ Jude continued. ‘And thanks everyone for your support, that wraps things up for today, make sure you’ve signed the petition and I’ll keep you updated on our progress.’
‘And three cheers for Jude Trevone,’ cried Nora in a shaky voice, raising her fist. ‘Hip, hip!’
‘HOORAY!’ yelled the crowd in response. Including me.
Jude flapped his hands up as if to say it was nothing. But I could see how thrilled he was with their reaction. People started to move away except Miss Berry who leaned forward as if expecting him to shake her hand, but he didn’t, he turned to me and took my hands.
‘Thank you, Nina.’ His eyes bore into mine and pathetically my knees went weak. ‘I couldn’t have organized any of this without you.’
‘My pleasure,’ I cooed, pursing my lips as I said it, hoping that he’d get the hint that kissing me right about now would be a good idea. ‘And actually you totally could have done this without me.’
‘OWOWOW!’
Everyone looked round to see where the caterwauling was coming from.
Striding towards us up the beach was Archie carrying Ellis in his arms. Archie looked very pale, Ellis’s face was pink and blood was pouring from his foot.
Molly nearly tripped over herself in her haste to get to them through the departing crowd. ‘What’s up, kiddo?’
I raced beside her. Eliza got to her feet, or rather fin, but stayed in the boat.
‘I’m so sorry,’ said Archie in a shaky voice. ‘My fault entirely. He stood on something sharp in a rock pool.’
He looked at me and pulled a wretched face. Poor Archie, and he was trying so hard to impress Molly.
‘My foot hurts, Mummy; you can see the meat and bones.’
‘Oh don’t.’ Archie shuddered. I stifled a smile despite myself; Archie and blood did not go well together. I remember Mum leaving a leg of lamb in the kitchen to defrost once and blood had seeped over the plate, on to the worktop and dripped a puddle on the floor. Archie had come home from school, taken one look at the bone sticking out of the lamb surrounded by blood and thrown up.
Molly pulled a tissue out of her pocket and dabbed Ellis’s foot. ‘That will need stitches. Damn. This is when I really regret not having passed my driving test.’
‘I’ll drive you,’ Archie offered in the next breath. ‘No problem, the least I can do.’
Molly bit her lip. ‘But we’ll drip blood all over your nice car.’
‘What car is it?’ Ellis asked in a small voice.
‘A clean one,’ said Molly dully.
‘Come on.’ Archie marched up the slipway.
‘Here!’ Eliza pulled a towel from her bag and chucked it to Molly as they passed on their way to Archie’s Range Rover. ‘Put his foot on that to protect the upholstery.’
Archie shot her a look of eternal gratitude and Eliza winked back.
‘First law of mermaid club: always be prepared for damp patches.’
She peered round at her own wet backside. ‘Talking of which, I think this boat is leaking. Can someone help me out?’
I got one side of her and Jude the other, and together we heaved her out so we were all standing on the slipway.
‘Stick her on my lap if you like,’ Ned offered with a throaty chuckle. ‘I’ll give you a ride.’
‘You see, Nora,’ said Jethro quick as a flash, ‘you wouldn’t get that sort of comment from me.’
‘I think we can manage, thank you,’ I said breathlessly, casting a wistful eye on the distance from here back to the boat house.
‘Nina, dear heart?’
I froze. No one else called me dear heart, except … it couldn’t be. I spun round as best I could with Eliza’s arm draped over my shoulders to find Maxine and Mr Carmichael on the slipway.
Maxine was looking decidedly green around the gills, and Mr Carmichael’s head was spinning round like a CCTV camera trying to absorb all the action going on around him.
‘Are you all right?’ I gasped. Which was probably a stupid question given the colour of her face.
‘Seasick,’ she spluttered.
She sank down on to the front edge of the rowing boat, causing it to pitch and she fell into it. Mr Carmichael hauled her out and sat her down, wiping his hands on his waterproof trousers.
‘Boats,’ she wailed. ‘Never again.’
‘That fisherman drove over every wave on purpose,’ Mr Carmichael spat disgustedly. ‘He could see Maxine was suffering.’
Ned pushed himself up in his chair. ‘You can’t avoid the waves, you blithering idiot,’ he blustered, going red in the face.
‘Now, now,’ said Nora, patting his shoulder.
‘Bloody tourists,’ Jethro put in.
‘Where have you come from?’ I asked.
‘Big Dave set us down on the other side of the headland,’ said Maxine wearily. ‘We’ve walked across from there.’
Katrina Berry coughed loudly. ‘I’ve got to get to another meeting. See you next week.’
Jude adjusted Eliza’s weight and managed to shake Katrina’s hand and thank her again. And then his eyes found mine.
‘One week today,’ he said softly. ‘You will still be in Brightside Cove then, won’t you?’
I nodded. ‘Just try stopping me.’
‘What precisely is going on?’ Mr Carmichael fumed. ‘Why are all these people here and the boat house doors open?’
‘I’m so sorry, Nina,’ Maxine murmured, dropping her head into her hands.
Someone came over and handed her a glass of water. At least I think it was water, it might have been one of the writers from Brixham with a glass of wine. Whatever it was, she gulped at it.
‘It’s okay.’ I peeled myself away from Eliza and went to Maxine’s side and gave her a hug.
‘I’m waiting for an answer,’ said Mr Carmichael imperiously.
Jude pulled himself up to his full height. ‘We at Brightside Cove are planning on keeping the boat house for our own purposes.’
Mr Carmichael gave a hollow laugh. ‘Shame, because I’ve got other plans.’
‘Oh yes?’ Jude’s voice had taken on a low menacing tone and goose pimples pinged up all over my scalp. ‘Care to share them?’ He extended an arm to the remaining people on the slipway. ‘I’m sure we’d love to hear, wouldn’t we, folks?’
‘Don’t be preposterous, why would I do that?’ Mr Carmichael scoffed.
‘Whatever they are, we don’t want them.’ Jethro sniffed.
Jude shrugged. ‘Well, may the best man win,’ he said, coolly.
‘Don’t be absurd,’ Mr Carmichael spat at him. ‘The best offer will win.’
‘That settles it, then.’ Jude gave him an icy smile. ‘You lose. My team is unbeatable.’
He was including me in that. A glow spread over me and I gripped Maxin
e’s clammy hand in mine.
‘Unbeatable?’ Mr Carmichael threw his head back and laughed. ‘A one-legged man, a mermaid and an out-of-work actress. Very quirky, I’m sure, but at the end of the day money talks.’
I shivered a bit at that; it was the sort of thing Archie would say.
‘Why, you …’ Jude squared up to Mr Carmichael, letting go of Eliza, who dropped with a thud back into the boat. The bow of the boat see-sawed up and caught Mr Carmichael’s backside. He was flung forwards, almost falling into Ned’s lap. Nora took aim and kicked him in the nuts. Jethro punched the air and Ned cackled with delight. Eliza and I were nearly wetting ourselves with the effort of keeping in our laughter and even Maxine made a noise halfway between a groan and a belly laugh.
‘Arrgghh.’ Mr Carmichael was doubled up, writhing in pain on his knees in front of Nora. ‘The truth hurts, eh?’ he wheezed.
‘It’s not the truth.’ Maxine staggered to her feet, pulling me with her. ‘You’re looking at a hero, an astute businesswoman and …’ Her lips twitched into a smile. ‘Nina isn’t an out-of-work actress.’
‘Aren’t I?’ I stared at her.
Mr Carmichael put a hand out to steady himself and Jude helped him up.
‘I’m offering Nina Penhaligon the lead role in my new drama, The Holy Coast,’ Maxine said firmly.
‘Me?’ My heart thumped. ‘But … I thought … isn’t the lead role a vicar?’
She nodded. ‘A lady vicar. A kind and cheerful girl, everyone’s best friend.’
‘Yay!’ Eliza clapped her hands. ‘Well done, beauty!’
I swallowed. That was incredible. Me. Nina Penhaligon. The starring role.
‘We’ve got our first meeting on location in the Scottish Highlands. We’ll be travelling up a week today. We’ll be doing press shots too. I shall be spending the next forty-eight hours finalizing details.’
‘Oh no.’ My eyes met Jude’s. ‘That clashes with our presentation to the council. Maxine, I’m sorry but I can’t come.’
‘Nonsense, dear heart,’ she scoffed. ‘You do realize what this will mean for you? How important for the rest of the cast it is to meet their leading lady? No, I’m sorry you have to be there.’
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