All Change on Crumcarey (Crumcarey Island Book 2) by Beth Rain

Author:Beth Rain [Rain, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

PETER

‘Here’s one!’ said Olive, shifting aside a strand of bunting featuring some wonkily stitched thistle flowers.

Peter moved closer, and it was all he could do to stop his mouth from dropping open. He’d thought the map was a thing of beauty… but this… this was something else entirely.

‘You did this?’ he said, without turning around to look at Rowan.

‘She did,’ said Olive.

‘I mean… I’ve never seen watercolours used like this before. It’s so… alive!’

‘It’s just some cliffs with a few Fulmars messing around!’ said Rowan.

Peter turned to her and was surprised to find her looking decidedly uncomfortable.

‘Don’t you like it?’ he asked in surprise.

Rowan shrugged. ‘I’ve never really thought about it before… it’s just a painting.’

Peter shook his head. Didn’t she understand how gifted she was? And as for the painting being hidden behind a scrappy bit of bunting on what looked to be the community notice board – well, it was practically a crime!

‘This one’s definitely got to go in the book!’ said Peter. ‘I’m assuming it’s somewhere here on the island?’ he added hastily.

‘Of course,’ said Olive. ‘It’s Craigie Head.’

‘Amazing!’

He knew he was starting to sound ever so slightly insane – like a teenybopper having a total fan-boy moment, but he simply didn’t care. This painting was quite literally breathtaking.

‘Are there more?’ he asked, turning to Olive.

She grinned at him and nodded.

Ten minutes later, after shifting various frames, maps, photographs and flags, Peter had helped Olive to uncover at least a dozen more of Rowan’s paintings – all hanging in the same haphazard manner. Most of them were either blu-tacked to the wall or held up by ancient, slightly rusty drawing pins.

‘I had no idea you had so many,’ said Rowan.

She’d perched on a chair a little way away and had been strangely quiet and reserved while they’d been rummaging around on the wall. Peter couldn’t quite understand it. Hopefully, he’d have the chance to get to the bottom of the whole thing later – maybe she was just feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

‘You know, at this rate, I’m not going to need to supplement these with any photos at all!’ said Peter. ‘And you said there are more upstairs?’ he asked, turning to Olive.

She nodded. ‘You can pop up there and have a look around if you’d like.’

‘I will,’ said Peter, ‘thanks. Blimey, these are so good it’s hardly going to matter what I write next to them… people will just love them!’

Rowan coughed behind him, and he turned to her.

‘Sorry,’ he laughed. ‘You probably thinking I’m being a total prat!’

‘Of course I don’t,’ said Rowan, shaking her head and looking surprised. ‘I’m just… not used to hearing anyone talk about my work, that’s all.’

Her voice sounded flat, like she’d lost the bounce that had been there earlier when they’d been out on their magical mystery tour.

‘I feel like I kind of recognise this one…’ said Peter, pointing at the last painting they’d uncovered.

‘That’s Connor’s place on The Dot!’ said Olive.

‘We drove past it earlier,’ said Rowan, coming to stand next to him.

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