Sea of Bones by Deborah O'Donoghue

Author:Deborah O'Donoghue
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Legend Press

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Later that day Declan drives Juliet back to the summerhouse. The silver birches along the highway have turned, and many are already losing their yellowed leaves. In a few weeks, the fruiting catkins left on the branches will release their seeds and the trees will be bare.

Sitting by the living room window bundled up in Beth’s blanket, Bucky at her feet, the notebook with its list of questions in her hand, Juliet doesn’t speak a word about the baby, nor about Fiona’s phone call. She doesn’t have the energy to explain that Fiona won’t endorse her until Beth’s involvement with the Palmers, whatever it was, is accounted for. Declan will only be indignant on her behalf, they’ll have to launch into whether or not she even wants the leadership, and that will lead to discussing the baby. She knows she can’t avoid it forever, but right now she can’t face it..

Together, they start to wrap things, write on labels. They stick to practicalities; discuss the Swallow, how much it will cost to try to repair her, retrieve her from the island.

“We should definitely look into it,” Declan says. Juliet can almost feel him steering away from the word irreparable.

At around three in the afternoon, there’s a light knock on the door. Juliet emerges from the bedroom, aching all over, wrapping her dad’s old dressing gown around herself. A half-sliced loaf sits on the breadboard in the kitchen. Toby is framed in the front door, standing awkwardly, hands shoved low into his pockets. Declan, at the threshold, still has the breadknife in his hand.

“Toby,” Juliet says, peering past Declan. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry to disturb,” Toby says. “I just wanted to check how you were; see if you guys needed anything.”

Declan puts his arm against the doorframe casually, blocking it. “We’re fine,” he says. “Thanks.” He doesn’t move.

Juliet tries not to roll her eyes. She can see exactly what Declan’s up to. He’ll have a vested interest, now that he’s told her the story behind the photographs, in maintaining that tale – that Toby and the Delta guys were the irresponsible ones, lacking in judgement. He can hardly act as if they’re best friends, just because Toby helped on the island the other night.

And, she reflects, Declan’s not entirely wrong to want them at arm’s length. She hasn’t forgotten the argument she overheard Max and Toby having on the boat.

What’s more, it’s not Max, not Beth’s boyfriend, who’s coming over all concerned to check if she’s okay. But being so hostile is hardly going to help unravel what really happened to Beth.

She smiles for the first time in two days. And it’s genuine. This boy makes her smile, despite everything. “That’s kind,” she says. “I was napping.”

Declan turns from the door as Juliet runs her fingers through her hair self-consciously. He drops his voice. “Are you not going to get dressed?”

Juliet ignores this, folds away a few papers and pulls an upright armchair towards the wood burner. “I understand it was you who carried me, Toby.

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