Rising Star by Summer Waters

Author:Summer Waters [Summer Waters]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780007366316
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Nine

Claudia collected the plastic packaging and a folder from the boot of her car then led the way on to the building site through a gate in the temporary metal fence. The moment they stepped inside a builder collared them.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“We’ve an appointment with Mr Wilson at four o’clock,” said Claudia pleasantly.

“Right-io! Wait here please and I’ll get you kitted out.” The man walked up to a long white trailer, opened the door and disappeared. Several minutes later he reappeared carrying an armful of bright yellow clothing.

“What the…” exclaimed Cai. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Sssh,” said Antonia.

“Health and Safety regulations,” said the builder. He handed round bright yellow high-visibility jackets and matching yellow helmets.

“Is the meeting over there then?” asked Cai, pointing at the building works.

“No, but every visitor who comes inside the compound has to be kitted out in the correct safety gear. It’s the regulations,” explained the man.

Antonia’s hat was too big for her and kept slipping over her eyes.

I’d have thought your hat was a bigger danger than the building site.

The voice in Antonia’s head was Claudia’s. Antonia glanced up and Claudia winked. Antonia grinned back. The building site with its huge, noisy machines was a scary place and she was glad Claudia was there too.

They followed the builder over to the trailer and up the metal steps. The trailer groaned and the floor rocked as they filed inside. It was the same sensation as being on board a boat. The trailer was brightly lit with fluorescent lighting and had a small reception area where a bored-looking woman was typing at a computer.

“Mr Wilson’s visitors,” said the builder, leaving them at the desk.

“Sign in, please. You’ll need to wear one of these.” The lady stopped typing and slid three enormous visitor badges across the desk.

“I’m beginning to feel like a Christmas tree,” muttered Cai.

Antonia swallowed a nervous laugh as she pinned the badge on her visibility jacket. The walls of the trailer were thin and they could hear Mr Wilson talking to someone on a telephone. At last it went quiet, then the trailer rocked as he moved to open his door.

“Claudia Neal?” He extended a hand and shook Claudia’s vigorously. “Bill Wilson. Good to meet you. “And who do we have here?”

“Cai Pacific,” said Cai, boldly offering his own hand.

“Good to meet you, Cai.”

“Antonia Lee,” said Antonia, shyly shaking hands.

“Come in then, take a seat. Pull up an extra one from over there. Now, how can I help?”

Claudia laid the plastic wrapping on the desk alongside her folder containing the photographs of the puffins and their young. She breathed deeply, then began to talk slowly, clearly and with passion in her voice as she explained the damaging effects that the building site was having on the local environment. There was a deep silence when she’d finished, broken only by the scratch of Mr Wilson’s pen as he rapidly made notes on a lined pad. At last he put his pen down and Antonia, who’d almost forgotten about breathing, exhaled.

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