Sea Witch Comes Home by Malcolm Saville

Author:Malcolm Saville
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-03T00:00:00+00:00

10. Night at Heron's Lodge

When the sun went down on that same September evening the wind died with it. Darkness came soon and although the moon was nearly full she showed only a hint of her pale radiance behind the clouds. Without the sound of the wind, the boom of the breakers on the flat beaches of East Anglia became more obvious and fishermen all down the coast, suspicious of the lull, helped each other to drag their boats up beyond the steep ridges of shingle left by the high tides. All up the coasts from Scotland to the Thames estuary anxious men were watching the sea, ready to warn the authorities and the police of danger.

In Heron's Lodge, David, Paul, Rose and the twins finished their supper and tried to pretend that they were not all on edge waiting for the telephone to ring or for Richard Channing to come home. James Wilson had come back with them and they had told him their respective stories. He had listened in silence, asked a few questions and then gone off in his car after promising to telephone them with any news.

But there was no telephone call and James had still not returned when they all went to bed.

Mary was sharing Rose's room on the first floor while Dickie and David were together across the landing. Paul's room was under the roof on the top floor. The two girls were tired and did not say much as they undressed. Soon after the light was out Mary sat up suddenly and said, "I want Mackie, Rose. I know he isn't supposed to sleep on beds but I want him tonight. The wind is blowing hard again and I'm sure Mackie is lonely in the kitchen."

"But he always sleeps in the kitchen by the stove, Mary. Why do you want him specially tonight?"

As Mary scrambled into her dressing-gown she said, "I didn't think you'd ask me to explain why I want him, Rose, I just know that I do and I'm sure he wants me..."

The landing light was on, and as Mary ran down the stairs she saw Macbeth on the mat outside the sitting-room door with his head on one side. He turned at the sound of her soft whistle from the stair and bounded up to her. A minute later Mary was back in bed and Mackie curled up under the eiderdown at her feet.

"Sorry I was silly about him, Mary," Rose said. "I like him here too. I'm tired now so God bless."

But Rose could not sleep. The wind was coming up with the tide again. The window began to rattle and she wondered whether to get out and try to wedge it with a wad of paper. But it always did rattle and she was warm and comfortable in bed. She snuggled her head into the pillow, closed her eyes tight and tried to forget that still she did not know where her father was. It would not matter if only he would let them know.

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