Layla was not in any way convinced. “He will make you have giant babies with huge heads and you will die because you won’t be able to push them out,” she said darkly.
“I’m not going to die” said Delima tersely. Then she smiled at her sister. “And I will come back as often as I can. I will only be a day away.”
Delima was trying to convince herself as well as everyone else. She loved Jack with all her heart, but it would be hard leaving her home and her family.
She embraced her sister who had begun to cry, but lifted her tiny determined chin and told herself firmly, ‘I’ve made my decision and that’s that. My life is with Jack now and we will build a good future together.’
She had a leaving party with her friends at the office and there were tears and hugs. Delima said briskly, “Now wish me luck and keep in touch. You can come and visit anytime, and I will come back here to see you all.”
“It won’t be the same,” they grumbled.
Delima’s family wept when she left and implored Jack to take care of her. He solemnly vowed that he would make sure she was happy and if she was too homesick, he would bring her back.
Finally, they were sitting on their posh seats on the plane with a glass of champagne in their hands. Jack knew he should feel elated but suddenly was overwhelmed by an enormous wave of responsibility and doubt. Delima was giving up so much for him, what if she was utterly miserable and hated Orkney?
He panicked, grabbed her hand and babbled. “We haven’t taken off yet. You can still change your mind. I will understand. It’s OK. I can stay in Singapore and get another job.”
She looked at him with wise understanding and love and said quietly: “Hush now, Jack Randall. I am content to follow you anywhere. What’s did Mary Queen of Scots say to her final husband, Lord Bothwell? ‘I will follow you to the ends of the earth in my nightie’ or words to that effect. Well, that’s me. I love you Jack and I know we will be happy.”
Back home in Orkney, Jack smiled to himself at the memory. His tea had grown cold, but he would make some fresh. Delima had introduced him to green tea, telling him it would stop him getting fat. He wasn’t sure about that, but he obeyed his wife in all things and anyway he liked the taste and drank at least a big full pot every day.
He saw that the two young vets were red-faced and sweating but triumphant. The seal was free and luckily she hadn’t suffered any serious cuts or wounds. They got out of her way to let hergallumph back into the water where she quickly swam off all sleek and silky.
Another animal saved. Jack gave them the thumbs up and waved for them to come back up to the house. They both deserved a beer.
He went into the kitchen to ask Delima about their plans for the day, and to spend time with their precious toddler Ola and baby boy Hari.
Delima had been extraordinary during the births of both of his children. He was humbled by her courage and sheer tenacity. Those were the most incredible moments of his life and he felt tears well up every time he thought of his children.
He heard a car turning into the drive, and saw it was the distinctive yellow Beetle that belonged to Evie. She waved as she got out.
“Right on time, Evie,” he quipped. “You’ve missed the hard work of setting a seal free.”
“Perfect timing then,” Evie smiled back. “Although you know I would have been a brilliant supervisor.”
Evie loved visiting the sanctuary but was too soft hearted to tackle the rescue missions, although happy to help nurse sick animals back to health.
“Come in for a drink,” said Jack. “You can have one even though you’re driving and we have to celebrate that seal getting its freedom back.”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” said Evie. “I’ve got paintings to get on with. But look, I did have a favour to ask you. It’s about a visitor to the island …”
Chapter Fourteen
Evie’s House
When Evie got back from Jack and Delima’s she spent the rest of the evening pacing about her kitchen, unable to settle. She had already ruined a very promising painting of Rackwick Bay because she couldn’t leave it alone and managed to overcook the whole thing. She’d have to paint over parts of it or abandon it altogether.
She told herself not to be so nervous and on edge now that Amelia had arrived in Orkney, but there was something about this stranger that was unsettling. Evie wasn’t in a fit state to do any more work, so she put down her paintbrush and went for a walk down to the shore.
It had been a long time since the night of Brodie’s death and the sight of the beach no longer brought back pain and horror. Instead, the sound of the rolling waves actually gave her a sense of peace, especially since she had overcome her fear of the water. Evie sighed. So many secrets and lies.
She told herself it was better to focus on the present where everything was out in the open. She sat down on a rock and gazed out to the purplish-blue evening waters of Scapa Flow. She asked herself why she was feeling so strange around Amelia? ‘Maybe it’s because she has also had the burden of secrets in her family. Her father is my grandfather, but none of us knew the other existed until now,’ she thought.
Evie knew she would have to get up shortly and head back up the beach to her house. Freya would be arriving soon to give Amelia a proper Orkney welcome. She told herself she needed to get over her reservations, and help this American stranger find out as much as possible about her heritage. Hopefully, that would give Amelia the sense of peace and belonging that Evie herself had rediscovered.
When Evie returned, Freya was already in the kitchen unloading bags of homemade pies, scones and cakes, having let herself in as usual. She plonked a bottle of Highland Park whisky on the table.
“I thought we might need this tonight,” she grinned at Evie. “Right, you go and pick up our visitor and I’ll put some picky bits out.”
