Page 99 of The Clockmaker's Cottage
ChapterTwenty-Seven
An hour later, they were on their way to see Horace, though Pippa wasn’t convinced this was a good idea. But Theo had been very clear about it the moment they’d finally made it out of the cottage.
‘You’re coming with me,’ he said, lacing his fingers through hers as though that settled the matter completely. ‘I need backup.’
‘Backup?’ She laughed as they walked along Lighthouse Lane. ‘I’m hardly security.’
‘You’re moral support,’ he corrected. ‘I think you’ll be good at asking questions I don’t think of.’
Pippa liked the thought that he wanted her there. Still, as they approached the start of the cliff path, she felt a small knot tighten in her stomach; she didn’t know how Horace would react or how any of this was going to play out. ‘I’ve got an uneasy feeling about this,’ she admitted. ‘This is someone I’ve admired, looked up to, and aspired to be like… I’m not sure I’m ready for this conversation. He might find it confrontational, or say that we’re questioning his integrity, or that it’s got nothing to do with us.’
Theo stopped walking. ‘I hear you, and I feel exactly the same. I’ve been obsessed with his creative genius ever since I was a little boy, hearing my grandfather’s stories about him– his friend.’
They started walking again. ‘Had you met Horace before the interview?’ Pippa asked. ‘And did you ever meet Walter when he was alive?’
‘No, I’d never met either.’
‘Do you not think that’s a little strange, if your grandfather and Horace were such good friends? Not to mention the fact that you’re obsessed with clocks and that the Vale Brothers were your idols.’
‘I was always aware he’d taken himself out of the public domain, so I suppose I never really expected my grandfather to make an introduction.’
‘Whydidhe take himself out of the public domain? Yes, the partnership was over, but that didn’t mean he had to hide himself away. Unless…’
‘Unless?’ Theo took a sideward glance at her.
‘Guilt?’
‘Or maybe he’d just had enough of the speculation about why the partnership came to an end. He didn’t want to fuel the fire; he just wanted the rumours to die.’
‘Maybe,’ replied Pippa, but she wasn’t convinced.
They started their climb towards Cliff Top Cottage. The sunshine was bright and the air smelled of grass and seaweed. They could hear puffins before they saw them, little grunts and moos coming from the burrows at the edge of the cliff. Then there they were. Three puffins came waddling across the path in front of them, moving with quick little steps like they were late for something important.
Pippa marvelled at the beauty of the island. ‘Look at them. They’re adorable.’
They watched one hop over a tuft of grass. ‘Here’s a fun fact for you: puffins usually stay with the same partner for life. That could be twenty years or longer. They basically pick their person and stick with them.’
Pippa raised an eyebrow. ‘Twenty years? How do they even know their partner? They all look the same.’
‘Maybe they just… know,’ Theo said with a shrug. ‘Some things don’t need to look different to feel right.’
She nudged him gently. ‘Maybe that’s the secret. Find someone who doesn’t mind if you wobble your way through life.’
‘Maybe,’ he said, giving her hand a squeeze. ‘As long as you’re wobbling in the same direction.’
Pippa tried not to grin, but failed. ‘Well, good thing we’re on the same cliff path.’
Theo shook his head with a soft smile. ‘Careful, Pippa Bell, that almost sounded like a long-term plan.’
‘Only if you’re a puffin,’ she shot back, grinning.
The sea shimmered below them, and the wind carried the sound of waves hitting the rocks far beneath the cliffs. As they reached a bend in the path, they heard another sound: a car engine coming up the track behind them. They turned and saw that a taxi was making its way slowly up the incline, tyres crunching on the gravel. Pippa and Theo stepped to the side to let it pass, exchanging a quick glance.
‘A taxi heading to the cottage. Do you think…’ Theo began, watching as the taxi pulled up outside Cliff Top Cottage and stopped. The driver switched off the engine and waited.
‘I think Horace is leaving,’ Pippa murmured.
They walked the final stretch to the cottage and watched the front door open. Pete appeared in the doorway first, holding the handle and leaning back inside as if giving last-minute instructions. Horace then followed him outside, wearing a jacket and carrying a small overnight bag.
