Devil's Rock Part 18

'So she knew we were on her boat!'

'She knew we got on but she must have thought we'd left before she cast off.'

'Perhaps she meant us to find the book.'

'Perhaps. But I wasn't supposed to take the bracelet. I wish I could talk to her but I know she doesn't want me anywhere near her. And you can't blame her. What if Maunder suddenly took control of my body and I went for her?'

'Well, you can't talk to her but I can.'

Zaki looked at a.n.u.sha. She was right! There was no reason why a.n.u.sha and Rhiannon shouldn't meet. Was there?

'What about some lunch?' a.n.u.sha asked suddenly. 'I'm starving!'

'Food. Good idea.'

They ate on deck in the autumn sunshine. Despite everything, it was good to be on the boat on such a beautiful day. a.n.u.sha asked questions about the rigging, about how everything worked, and Zaki answered them, happy for the chance to show off his knowledge.

'What about a sailing lesson?' a.n.u.sha asked as they tidied away the picnic.

'What? Now?'

'Why not?'

Yes why not, thought Zaki. A nice little breeze had set in perfect for a beginner. 'OK. We'll have to rig the dinghy.'

Zaki pulled the dinghy up alongside Morveren Morveren and climbed down into it. Soon, the dinghy was rigged and they cast off from and climbed down into it. Soon, the dinghy was rigged and they cast off from Morveren Morveren.

'Where are we going?'

'Frogmore Creek?'

'Sounds good to me. I like frogs.'

Any girl who likes frogs has got to be all right, thought Zaki and grinned at a.n.u.sha.

'What?'

'Nothing.'

They had the wind behind them at first and then on the beam as they rounded Snapes Point and headed up towards Kingsbridge. After the point, they entered the part of the estuary known as The Bag, where the sh.o.r.eline on each side falls away, creating a wide but well protected anchorage. The many yachts and launches on their swinging moorings provided Zaki and a.n.u.sha with an obstacle course through which to sail.

Zaki taught a.n.u.sha how to adjust the sails to suit the wind. During their lesson, the wind picked up and Zaki showed a.n.u.sha how to tuck her toes under the foot strap and lean out to keep the boat upright.

'Ever fallen out?' asked a.n.u.sha, as they both threw their weight back, leaning out as far as they could to balance a fresh gust.

'Not yet!' laughed Zaki.

'Hey, yeah! I could learn to like this!' shouted a.n.u.sha as the dinghy took off, skimming across the water in a flurry of spray.

'Look there!' a.n.u.sha pointed to something behind them.

Zaki saw the distinctive cotton sails and black hull of Curlew Curlew as she rounded the point and entered The Bag. as she rounded the point and entered The Bag.

'Do you think she's following us?'

Zaki shook his head. 'But let's keep out of sight and see where she goes.' He looked around for a suitable hiding place and spotted the high sides of Queen of the Dart Queen of the Dart. 'Over there we'll tuck ourselves in behind my grandad's boat. Get your head down, I'm going to gybe.'

'What?'

'Head down!'

a.n.u.sha ducked just as the boom whizzed over her head. 'Does it have to do that?'

''Fraid so. Now, get ready to drop the sails. Those two ropes on the mast let them go when we're alongside.'

Hidden from view, they waited until they saw Curlew Curlew's sails pa.s.s by on the other side, then Zaki eased the dinghy forward so that they could peep around the bow of the motorboat. Curlew Curlew turned into Frogmore Creek, dropped her sails and let go of the anchor. turned into Frogmore Creek, dropped her sails and let go of the anchor.

'Can I borrow your dinghy?'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean, I want to go and talk to her.' a.n.u.sha's voice was determined.

'But . . .'

'Don't worry. I can row that far.' The determination in her voice had a nervous edge.

'I don't know . . .'

'This is your grandad's motorboat, right? So you can wait here. Look, it's the perfect opportunity.'

She was right, and yet . . .

'Listen! I'm going so get out of the boat!'

Reluctantly, Zaki climbed on to Queen of the Dart Queen of the Dart.

a.n.u.sha slotted the rowlocks into place, drifted for a moment while she arranged her oars and then began to row towards the mouth of the creek. At first, her progress was a little erratic and her path far from straight, but she kept at it and the distance between the dinghy and Curlew Curlew gradually closed. gradually closed.

Watching from the deck of the motorboat, Zaki saw Rhiannon reach down and take hold of the dinghy as a.n.u.sha came alongside. a.n.u.sha scrambled on to Curlew Curlew and she and Rhiannon stood facing each other in the c.o.c.kpit. Zaki did not need to hear what was being said to know that a.n.u.sha was not being made to feel welcome. Rhiannon's arms were folded and her head tipped slightly back. It looked as if she would order a.n.u.sha off her boat at any moment. But a.n.u.sha was doing all the talking; she was gesturing with her hands explaining, perhaps even pleading. Then Zaki saw her lean slightly towards Rhiannon and place her hand on the stiffly folded arms. They stood frozen, neither saying anything, looking into each other's faces, until Rhiannon let her arms fall to her sides and indicated that they should sit down. and she and Rhiannon stood facing each other in the c.o.c.kpit. Zaki did not need to hear what was being said to know that a.n.u.sha was not being made to feel welcome. Rhiannon's arms were folded and her head tipped slightly back. It looked as if she would order a.n.u.sha off her boat at any moment. But a.n.u.sha was doing all the talking; she was gesturing with her hands explaining, perhaps even pleading. Then Zaki saw her lean slightly towards Rhiannon and place her hand on the stiffly folded arms. They stood frozen, neither saying anything, looking into each other's faces, until Rhiannon let her arms fall to her sides and indicated that they should sit down.

Round one to a.n.u.sha, Zaki thought.

Now they sat, their two heads close together. a.n.u.sha was still the more animated of the two, obviously asking lots of questions. At first, Rhiannon hardly looked at her and seemed to say little in reply. Then something a.n.u.sha asked made Rhiannon sit up and turn towards her. Now it was a.n.u.sha who hung her head and listened. Zaki was too far away to read the expression on a.n.u.sha's face.

At last, they both stood up. a.n.u.sha asked one last question and Rhiannon shook her head.

They looked over towards him and he wondered if he should wave but decided against it. Rhiannon held the dinghy while a.n.u.sha stepped into it. She waited on deck until a.n.u.sha had pushed off and begun rowing back across to Queen of the Dart Queen of the Dart, then went below into Curlew's Curlew's cabin. cabin.

Soon the dinghy was alongside and a.n.u.sha climbed up beside Zaki. She brushed away the hair that the wind had blown across her face. 'Do you want to talk here, or do you want to get back?' Zaki could tell by her expression that the news wasn't good.

'Can she help us?' he asked.

'No,' said a.n.u.sha simply.

'What about Maunder? What does he want?'

'He wants to live.'

'And that means . . .'

a.n.u.sha hesitated, took a deep breath and said, 'She says you can keep the bracelet. That it might help you in some way.'

Zaki could hear that a.n.u.sha was trying to offer him some hope. 'But Maunder?' he persisted.

'He will try to take over your body.'

'And if he does?'

'And if he does, then he will try to kill her. She thinks he wants revenge for what she did to him.'

'Can she be killed? What about the bracelet? Doesn't that protect her in some way?'

'The bracelets let you move from one body to another. Some part of you, like your soul, can even hide in the bracelet. That was where Maunder was when you put the bracelet on in the cave.'

'And what about me?' Zaki asked. 'What happens to me if Maunder does take over my body? Do I become a sort of ghost like her sister and live with the dolphins?'

'She doesn't know. But that's not going to happen, Zaki! We're going to think of something!'

Why, thought Zaki bitterly, why did I have to put the bracelet on? Why didn't I leave it alone? why did I have to put the bracelet on? Why didn't I leave it alone?

a.n.u.sha waited for him to say something. When he remained silent, she said quietly, 'There's something else.'

'What?'

'She says you have to stay awake.'

'All the time?'

'Yes.'

'That's not possible.'

'I know. But every time you go to sleep it gives Maunder a chance to draw strength from your body. He was weak when you put the bracelet on, hardly a human spirit, but he's strong now. She says, when we sleep our spirits wander. One night Maunder may be strong enough to shut you out.'

Zaki could feel the fear taking hold of him. 'What else did she say?'

'She thinks Maunder will win.'

'Over my dead body!'

'Maybe not a good choice of phrase?'

'Yeah, thanks. Maybe not.'

Zaki looked across the water to where Curlew Curlew swung at anchor. He felt the now familiar weight of the bracelet in his pocket. The bracelet had let Maunder in could it be used to get him out? swung at anchor. He felt the now familiar weight of the bracelet in his pocket. The bracelet had let Maunder in could it be used to get him out?

'I'm sorry,' a.n.u.sha said.

'For what?'

'I thought she might know a way out of this.'

'It's not your fault,' said Zaki but, of course, he had hoped for the same thing.

'Come on we'd better get back. Grandad'll be wondering where we've got to.'

They climbed down into the dinghy, hoisted the sails and cast off.

'What was she like?' Zaki asked, after they had sailed for some time in silence.

'A bit scary!'

'How?'

'She looks so young but her eyes it's like she's looking at things all the time that you can't see.'

By the time they had sailed back to Morveren Morveren, a.n.u.sha had tacking down to a fine art.

'Fancy crewing for me next time I'm racing?' Zaki asked.

'Yeah, any time!' said a.n.u.sha with enthusiasm.

Once they had the dinghy stowed on Morveren Morveren's deck, they hoisted 'the mermaid' and it wasn't long before Grandad's old launch was put-putting towards them with Jenna standing in the bows, her tail wagging.

Back ash.o.r.e, Grandad sent them across the road to the cottage while he finished up in the boat shed.

'Give the ol' dog 'er dinner. I'll be over directly.'

Zaki fed Jenna while a.n.u.sha had a look around.

'Zaki! You have to look at this!' she called from the small front room. When Zaki joined her he found she was examining the framed black and white photograph that always sat on top of Grandad's television.

'Who's this?'

'My great-grandfather. Why?'

'Look at what's behind him.'