Tide - By Daniela Sacerdoti Page 0,51

help thinking.

No. She rejected the thought with all her might. He’s a Secret heir, like me – we’re supposed to be a bit unusual.

“It happens to me too,” said Nicholas. “Not knowing who I am.” More than you can imagine.

“You are Nicholas Donal, and you’re my boyfriend,” smiled Sarah. She hated seeing Nicholas so upset.

“That much is sure!” Nicholas smiled back, but his eyes remained solemn. That much is a lie, he thought helplessly, and the bit of his heart that still belonged to him, and not to his father, throbbed painfully once more.

Sarah sat up suddenly. “There it is! That is Midnight Hall, see? Up on the hill! Turn left, just past this bend.”

Sarah rolled down the car window and waved to Sean, who was following them. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her eyes were shining.

Have I ever felt this way before? Ever in my life? Nicholas asked himself.

They drove along a little winding road that climbed down towards the sea and drew up right in front of Midnight Hall. It was a red sandstone building, with slate-covered roofs and turrets, and a multitude of windows. Right at the back of it was the open beach, and the sea.

“Here we are!” exclaimed Sarah, jumping out of the car the moment it stopped.

“Looks a bit like a haunted house, n’est-ce pas?” whispered Elodie as she lifted her suitcase from the boot of Sean’s car.

“That’s likely. That it’s haunted, I mean – knowing the Midnights,” said Sean matter-of-factly.

“Sarah! Welcome!” A grey-haired woman hurried down the grand stony steps.

“Mrs McArthur!” They hugged briefly.

“I haven’t seen you for so long. I’m so sorry about your parents, Sarah.” She shook her head, twisting her fingers nervously, and Sarah nodded, her eyes downcast, unable to speak, before dashing up the steps. “So, you must be Sarah’s friends? Here for Christmas?”

“Yes. Always up for a party, these Midnights, huh?” said Sean, deadpan, locking the boot of his car.

“Ehm, yes. Aren’t they?” Mrs McArthur laughed feebly. That wasn’t her memory of James Midnight, let alone Morag and Hamish. But it seemed impossible to disagree with this hard-looking, authoritative young man. Was he Sarah Midnight’s boyfriend?

“Thank you, Mrs McArthur. We’ll take it from here,” he told her. Mrs McArthur looked confused.

“Sorry,” intervened Sarah. “I should have introduced you! This is my cousin, Harry Midnight.”

Silence fell for a second, while everybody froze. Everybody but Sean. “Nice to meet you. I’ve always wanted to visit Midnight Hall,” he replied coolly.

“Harry Midnight! Stewart’s son! What a pleasure to meet you! If your poor dad could see you here …”

Elodie drew a breath at the mention of Harry’s name, and Sean noticed her distress.

“Yes. Yes. Lovely to meet you too. Anyway, no reason to come and check on us in the next few days. Enjoy a Christmas break. We’ll come and say goodbye when we leave.”

“Oh. Sure.”

“Thank you so much for all your help, Mrs McArthur. Really, thank you.” Sarah softened Sean’s harsh words.

“A pleasure. If only this house was lived in again,” she sighed. “But sure, you have your own life there in Edinburgh, don’t you? The city is more exciting than this island, I suppose!”

Exciting is one way of putting it, thought Sarah.

“Well, call me if you need anything. Bye, Sarah dear. Bye, Harry.” Mrs McArthur climbed into her car, turning back to wave a couple of times.

“Why did you tell her I was Harry?” whispered Sean as they watched Mrs McArthur’s car trundling down the road.

“Because if something happens to me here, I want you to take over.”

“Me? What about … Nicholas?” He winced, as if saying Nicholas’s name reminded him of the bond between him and Sarah. But he couldn’t help asking.

“Nicholas has a family. A home. You’re free to take over any role you need to. And there’s nobody left if I go. No Midnights left. Except for Elodie, I suppose, and in a way, you.” Sarah’s face wanted to be hard, but there was a tenderness in her eyes that surprised Sean, and confused him. It didn’t last long. Sarah clammed up again, and the warmth was gone.

Sean opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He couldn’t find the words.

“It’s freezing out here,” complained Elodie. Sean turned in surprise. Elodie never complained. He noticed, and not for the first time, how pale she looked, and how her eyes were shadowed with blue.

“Let’s go,” he said, taking her by her cold hand. “Let’s get you warm.”

The majestic wooden door creaked as Sarah opened