FOR THE LOVE OF THE SEA (8 page)

“Rufus says his boat is amazing - the last word in luxury. He reckons it should be moored in St.Tropez rather than here!”

Cassie was inclined to agree with her brother the next evening as she, Polly and Anna went on board
Megabyte
.

“Now we know how he made his money,” Polly observed. “Computers.”

“Wow!” Anna exclaimed, “It’s a floating palace. Perhaps you ought to talk to him about some sponsorship for
Clotted Cream
.”

“Come on,” Cassie said to Polly, “I’ll introduce you.” The three women moved across the thick cream carpet of the main saloon towards Doug who was standing by an ornate dining table laden with food and drink, talking to Mai, Dexter and James.

“No sign of Mrs Hampshire is there?” Anna whispered.

Cassie, looking round at the opulent furnishings, the original paintings on the walls, the priceless ornaments placed strategically, had to keep telling herself that she was on board a boat. It felt more like a very expensive and exclusive hotel.

But Anna was right. With nothing personal or feminine on display, one couldn’t help wondering about the existence of a Mrs Hampshire.

“All ready for your big adventure, Polly?” Doug asked, after the introductions had been made.

She nodded.

“I can’t wait. There’s the trip to Plymouth tomorrow, ten days’ final sorting out and then it’s all go.”

“Are you going to Plymouth, too?” Doug asked Cassie.

“I’m planning on being there for the start of the race,” Cassie said. “I’d hate to miss that. Otherwise, work here calls.”

“I’ve organised a berth down there for
Megabyte
for the weekend of the race start. I hope you’ll all join me on board. Then we can go out to sea and give Polly a proper send-off.”

Cassie smiled her thanks at Doug. She had been wondering how she was going to manage to join the flotilla of boats that always followed competitors out to the line at the start of a big race. Going on Doug’s boat she’d certainly be seeing Polly off in some style.

“My daughter Vanessa,” he inclined his head in the direction of a tall dark haired girl talking to Mai, “will be there. She’s the one you need to talk to Polly, if you want some additional sponsoring.”

“We could always do with extra money,” Polly said quickly. “And the bank didn’t come back to us about their offer after Tom’s accident. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and have a word.”

Doug turned to Cassie. “You’ll have to excuse me too. I think I’d better circulate. I’ll see you later. Help yourself to food.” He waved his hand in the direction of the buffet.

“Not me thanks,” James said. “I have to be off. I’ll see you tomorrow, Cassie. Two o’clock down on your landing stage, OK?”

“I’ll be there,” Cassie promised.

Both Anna and Mai looked at her as the two men left them, waiting for an explanation.

Cassie sighed.

“I’m going sailing with James tomorrow. And I’d appreciate it Mai, if you don’t mention it to Tom. I don’t want him jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

Despite getting up at five o’clock the next morning, Cassie still missed saying goodbye to Dexter. According to the thank you note he left, he’d crept out of the house at 4.30 and hoped he hadn’t disturbed anybody.

“Thanks for having me. Tell Polly to have a good trip and I’ll see her in Plymouth later. Dexter.”

Drinking her coffee Cassie thought about the day ahead. Polly was planning to leave at noon for her trip to Plymouth.

Cassie realised Tom was still having a hard time accepting that Polly was taking his place, but he was hiding his feelings well. He’d given his sister all the support and advice he could. And Cassie knew that mentally he’d be with her on every wave of the voyage.

He even managed to make it to the pontoon to see her off. Polly came across to kiss him goodbye as the shore crew began to untie the moorings.

“Thanks, bruv. I’ll see you. ‘Bye,” she said gruffly.

“I’m coming to see you off next week so no goodbyes,” Tom said. “I want to make sure you’ve got
Clotted
Cream set up properly before we let you loose in the Atlantic.”

“But…” Polly began, looking at Tom and then the wheelchair.

“But nothing. I’ll be there,” Tom said, an edge to his voice.

As Clotted Cream motored down river, Tom sat watching until she was too far away to focus on. Mai came over to move him.

“I’m fine,” he said quietly. “Leave me for a bit.”

It was another half hour before he asked Mai to push him back to the house.

Cassie was back down on the landing stage in good time for her two o’clock meeting with James and nervously watched as he began to bring his small sailing yacht alongside to pick her up. Was she ready for this?

“I thought we’d go up to Salmon Creek. There’s usually a bit of breeze up there. Do you want to steer whilst I get the sails up or d’you want to do the sails?”

Cassie took the tiller from him and concentrated on steering the boat out through the mooring trots to the main channel. She was used to this, doing it several times during the course of a working week with the yards launch.

Salmon Creek though, was different. She rarely ventured that far up river. There were too many memories associated with it. She and Miles had often gone there for an afternoons sailing. Now she was going with James.

She watched as he pulled up the mainsail and turned the outboard motor off as he hauled the jib sail up.

When he joined her in the cockpit she released the tiller and moved forward on deck, ready to do her bit with the sails when James changed course to take advantage of the fluctuating wind.

Without the noise of the outboard she could hear the natural noises of the river - seagulls screeching, curlews on the mud banks calling their plaintive cries, the wind rustling through the trees. Even the noise of sheep bleating in distant fields drifted down on the wind.

As James called “Jibe” Cassie automatically ducked, and the boom swung across, taking the mainsail to catch the wind now blowing from the east. And that was the start of an exhausting hour during which James really put her through her paces and Cassie re-discovered her love of sailing.

“Thank you so much James,” she said as they motored back down river. “I really enjoyed that.” 

“I told you, you never forget the basics. We must do it again. Fancy crewing for me in this year’s regattas?”

“We’ll see,” was all Cassie said.

Ghosts might have been slain but it was too soon to commit herself to doing more of something that had once before taken over her life.

********

Polly and the crew made good time getting to Plymouth. As they motored
Clotted Cream
into harbour and slowly eased their way into a berth between other competitors, Polly could almost taste the excitement in the air.

Dexter was on the quay to welcome her. He was part of the official race-organising committee and as soon as the yacht was secure he jumped on board.

“I’ll give you five minutes to phone Cassie and tell her you’ve arrived safely,” he said. “And then I have a mountain of paperwork to go through with you.”

Polly made them both a cup of coffee and they settled down to making sure everything was in order for
Clotted Cream
to take part in the race. As Dexter stamped the last official piece of paper, he looked at Polly.

“Before I take you to meet people, I have to say something.” He paused before continuing.

“You know you have only to ask for my help and I’ll give it, but there may be times when it would be best for us not to appear too friendly. The other competitors…” Dexter hesitated again.

“Might read the wrong thing into one of the organisers being too friendly with a competitor,” Polly finished for him.

“I know the score Dexter. Don’t worry.” 

“Thanks for understanding, Polly. I didn’t want you to feel that I was suddenly keeping my distance.”

He gave her a helping hand as she jumped onto the quay.

“Right,” he said, “let’s go and introduce you to some of the other competitors.”

Just as they turned to walk along the quay, Dexter’s mobile phone rang. 

“Sorry. Duty calls. I’m needed back in the office.” And he was gone.

Polly stood undecided for a second or two before starting to climb back on
Clotted Cream
. She’d meet everyone later.

“Hi you must be Tom’s little sister.”

She turned to see a huge bear-like man standing on the deck of the next yacht. Polly recognised him immediately as the world famous solo yachtsman she regarded as one of the hero’s of the sport.

“Want to join us for coffee?” he asked, indicating the group behind him.

Ten minutes later, sitting in the cockpit of the yacht, holding a mug of coffee, Polly wanted to pinch herself.

These fellow competitors of hers were all well known sailors and they were treating her presence amongst them seriously.

They all knew Tom and were pleased to hear that he hoped to be in Plymouth for the start of the race.

It was as she moved to make room for yet another sailor to join them for coffee that she glanced across the quay and felt the happiness drain from her.

Walking briskly towards the yachts was Dexter – and at his side a clearly angry Naval Officer. Polly’s heart sank. What on earth was Sebastian doing here? He was supposed to be somewhere in the Med.

Chapter Six

Looking at the rigid set of Sebastian’s body as he and Dexter marched towards the boats, Polly jumped up nervously.

If she wanted to avoid an angry confrontation in front of everyone, she’d have to move quickly.

“Thanks for the coffee guys,” she said. “I’ll catch you all later.” She leaped on to the quay and hurried to meet the two men.

“Polly, I haven’t issued an official pass for your fiancée because he assures me his visit is purely a short, personal one. For security reasons, please see that he leaves the competitors area by ten o’clock tonight.” Dexter’s tone left Polly in no doubt that he was not happy with her ‘unofficial’ visitor.

He turned and walked away, leaving her to face Sebastian.

Aware that everyone on the boat could overhear them, she kept her voice low.

“What are you doing here Sebastian?” she asked as calmly as she could. “I thought you were on a hush-hush exercise?”

“We had to put back into Gibraltar for some essential repairs and I managed to wangle a two day pass. Can we go somewhere and talk?”

“There’s the marina café,” she said. “I’m told they do a mean hot chocolate. While we walk you can start explaining – beginning with why you told Dexter I was your fiancée.”

“It was the only way I could persuade him to let me through to see you. He seemed to think you wouldn’t have time for visitors.”

“He was right. There’s still loads to do.”

“You didn’t seem very busy just now,” Sebastian pointed out peevishly.

“I only got here a couple of hours ago. The guys were just being friendly. So, what are you doing here?”

“I can’t talk to you on the telephone. And you’re not answering my e-mails,” Sebastian said.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you for six months, Polly. I simply wanted to see and talk to you face to face before it’s too late.”

“Too late?”

Sebastian pushed open the café door and together they made their way to an empty table in a far corner.

“Too late?” Polly repeated. “For what?”

A smile fleetingly touched Sebastian’s lips as he took her hand in his.

“Polly I love you. I really don’t want to come over all heavy-handed, but this is no sport for a woman.” He waved his hand in the general direction of the marina.

“I’ve come to ask you to withdraw from the race.”

Polly stared at him in disbelief, pulling her hand away.

“I’m frightened for you.”

Polly took a deep breath. “I’m frightened for me too. But I’ve told you Sebastian, I’m doing this race. And there’s nothing you can say or do that will stop me.”

“You could at least have discussed it with me. I would have thought you’d care about how I felt.”

Polly sighed. “I’m sorry. I should have talked to you before. But everything happened so quickly after Tom’s accident there wasn’t time. Besides, I guess I knew what your reaction would be.”

She ran her hands through her hair distractedly.

“Anyway, we’re having a discussion now. Only it’s not a discussion is it? You want me to do what you want. Not what I want. Can’t you understand how important this race is to me?”

“It’s too dangerous. Why can’t you content yourself with doing smaller races? When we’re married we can go sailing together. I enjoy the sport as much as anyone. It’s not as if I’m asking you to give up sailing altogether – just this race. Please Polly – for my sake.

“For your sake?” Polly repeated incredulously.

“Sebastian this is the 21
^st
century. Women make their own decisions, live their own lives.”

She took a deep breath.

“Who knows, the whole thing may scare me rigid and when I get back I won’t want to go anywhere near another ocean-going yacht. I’ll be ready to settle down, we’ll get married and have lots of kids.”

Sebastian sighed.

“But what if has the opposite effect? What if you want to do more and more competitive sailing? To tell you the truth, I’m not sure I want a wife who’s prepared to take such risks.”

They both sat silently, each deep in their own thoughts, as the waitress put their hot chocolates on the table.

Polly was the first to speak. She wanted to try and make him understand.

“Sebastian, I won’t pull out of the race. There’s too much at stake, both for me personally and because of the investment the yard has made in
Clotted Cream
.”

“Polly I love you. Can’t you see that I just don’t want anything to happen to you? I couldn’t bear to lose you.”

“There’s more than one way to lose me, and emotional blackmail is a sure fire one,” Polly retorted sharply.

She stirred an extra spoonful of sugar into her drink before looking directly at Sebastian.