A Light Between Oceans Episode 13


Two characters from A Light Between Oceans.

Sandy awakened before dawn.

She propped herself up in a nest of pillows to watch the pink sky slowly brighten and sunshine fill the room.

It was going to be a glorious day.

Normally, when she came for a visit, she’d be full of anticipation for what lay ahead: an outing with Hattie, or simply pottering in the cottage, with a walk to the shops or the beach.

Always there would be the easy chat and comfortable silences that they had shared ever since Sandy could remember.

This was a different sort of visit – she’d known that from the beginning. It was even more unsettling than she’d anticipated.

Her gaze moved from the photo of her dad to the books on the shelf and to the framed picture called “Enchanted Garden” that she and Hattie had spied at an outdoor exhibition when Sandy was six.

Soon she’d hear Hattie downstairs in the kitchen, and the voice of Paul Hollingdale from the radio.

Through the years, it had all been a place of solace, comfort and fun.

Above all, it had been a place where Sandy could be entirely herself.

Hattie was the one person in the world whom she could always trust.

Had there ever been a thought, worry or question that Hattie hadn’t taken seriously and listened to?

Now, an unfamiliar feeling of unease pricked at the edges of Sandy’s mind.

It had come over her yesterday evening, after Lucas Brook had been to see Hattie.

They had carefully orchestrated the afternoon so that Hattie would be alone when he arrived.

“How long did he stay?” Sandy had asked on her return. “Thank heavens I took my brolly.

“I wanted to come back, but I wasn’t sure if he’d gone. I thought maybe he’d stay on to keep dry.”

“He left before the rain started,” Hattie replied. “The poor man must have got very wet.”

“Did he ask you lots of questions?”

“A few. He mostly ate.”

“Did he say anything about what he wanted to do with the lighthouse?” Sandy persisted.

“I got the feeling he was keeping it from me.”

“No, he didn’t. I did ask, but . . .” Hattie trailed off, opening the fridge and peering towards the back.

“I could swear I had some chicken.”

“But he was so eager to talk, to ask questions.”

“I guess he got distracted.”

“Distracted? What did he talk about?” Sandy felt her voice becoming impatient, and Hattie turned from the fridge and sat down across from her.

“I’m sorry. It was hard getting him to talk about his plans. As I said, he didn’t stay very long.”

“Did he ask you about Belmouth?” Sandy asked. “About the war years? He’d said he was interested in that.”

“Let me think.” Hattie adopted a more energetic tone, as if she were trying to solve some sort of practical dilemma.

“He wondered if we’d had evacuees and Land Girls.”

“So we don’t know any more than we did before,” Sandy remarked.

“He could do anything with the lighthouse and we won’t know until it’s too late.”

Sandy began to feel tearful, and Hattie reached across the table for her hand.

“Whatever happens, we’ll get used to it. Nothing can tarnish your memories.”

Her voice was more natural then, with the familiar comfort and strength that Sandy had known all her life.

She gave Sandy’s hand a brisk squeeze and stood up with an abruptness that felt anything but soothing.

“We’re not going to talk about it any more. Let’s think about supper!”

For the rest of the evening Hattie seemed nervous, laughing too often and steering the conversation on to trivial things.

“I think I’ll contact him again,” Sandy said finally. “Maybe he’s thought more about it now –”

But Hattie cut her off, her voice strangely constricted.

“You mustn’t do that. He’s not someone to trust, and it would be best to avoid him.

“Leave him be, Sandy. I expect he’ll go back to America soon.”

Sandy was shocked. Never in her life had she seen Hattie look so stern and so dismissive.

Now, glancing at the clock, Sandy saw that the hands had finally reached six.

Everything felt wrong, and a strange trickle of fear crept through her.

She knew it wasn’t just the lighthouse, and what would happen to it. It was something even more disturbing.

She’d had the distinct feeling that Hattie was keeping something from her.

She took a deep breath, trying again to find some explanation, but the feeling of betrayal interrupted all else.

To be continued…