HIGH TIDE AT MIDNIGHT (15 page)

few bare weeks to go before Christmas, the harbour was quiet and almost

deserted.

Mark pulled up near the lifeboat station. 'A lot of places are closed at this

time of year,' he said. 'But there's a newsagent's and a chemist, and rather a

good coffee shop where they also have books and gifts. Come along to the

yard when you've finished looking round. Someone's bound to be going

back to the house.'

Morwenna sighed a little as she watched him drive away along the quayside

towards the sprawl of buildings which constituted Trevennon Marine. It

would have been so much easier to have said, 'I need to go to the yard to

collect something for Nick.' To have been open and above-board about the

whole thing, but Nick wanted the secrecy and as he'd said, the whims of a

sick man were usually indulged.

She wandered desultorily up the steep main street, glancing in shop

windows, killing time until she could reasonably expect to present herself at

the boatyard. She soon found the coffee shop that Mark had mentioned and

decided to go in. It consisted of a few tables set in a room leading off the gift

shop. There didn't seem to be anyone around and Morwenna went in and

seated herself at one of the tables to wait. She could hear a murmur of voices

beyond a curtained doorway and guessed this led to the kitchen and office

premises. She was just glancing at the menu when the curtain was pushed

back and a familiar figure in a long cape came through into the cafe.

'Hello,' said Biddy, and grinned cheerfully. She was carrying a large raffia

basket filled with lumpy objects wrapped in newspaper. She indicated this.

'Samples,' she explained. 'Miss Penruan has been giving me an order.'

'That's good.' It was lovely to see a face that was friendly without

reservations. 'Have you got time for a coffee or are you tearing off

somewhere else?'

'Always time for a coffee.' Biddy put the basket down and took the opposite

seat. 'I was telling Greg I'd met you and we were wondering how you'd got

on at Trevennon and whether we'd see you around.'

Morwenna looked down at the red and white checked tablecloth. 'Oh, I'm

still at Trevennon. I'm working there in a way.'

'Working?' Biddy almost gaped. 'For Dominic Trevennon?'

'Oh, no,' Morwenna said hastily. 'For his uncle. He's writing a family history

and I'm helping.'

Biddy whistled. 'Wonders will never cease,' she muttered, half to herself. In

turn, she picked up the menu and stared at it as if it was written in a foreign

language. Then in a voice that was just too nonchalant, she said, 'And how's

Mark Trevennon?'

'Fine.' Something about the tone of Biddy's voice struck Morwenna as odd.

T didn't know you knew Mark?'

'Oh, I knew him.' Biddy gave a little bitter laugh. 'With the accent on the past

tense. Big Brother didn't approve of our association, so that was that.

Struggling potters aren't his idea of a suitable connection for the mighty

Trevennons. I should have thought one wealthy and eligible lady in

thefamily would be enough without Mark having to follow suit.'

Morwenna's heart skipped a beat. 'What do you mean?'

'Are you saying you've been at Trevennon nearly a week without running

into Karen Inglis?' Biddy gazed at her. 'Dark, glamorous and a bitch, but as

Dominic's the male equivalent, I don't suppose he notices.'

'Oh, yes, I've met her,' Morwenna said steadily. 'Is he going to marry her?'

'If she has anything to do with it, he will,' Biddy said with a shrug. 'And of

course her aunt will be delighted. She's got money of her own, but she works

as company secretary at Trevennon Marine and she'd welcome anything that

linked the two families further. Funnily enough…' she paused and reddened

slightly. 'Look, I ought not to gossip like this. The Trevennons are obviously

friends of yours and…'

'I wouldn't put it quite like that,' Morwenna said drily. 'What were you going

to say?'

'Well--' Biddy paused until Miss Penruan, a tall rather gaunt figure in a

flowered smock, had emerged from the back premises and taken their order.

'It was Mark who mentioned it to me originally. He was joking, I suppose,

but he said that Barbie Inglis was trying to push Karen at Dominic because

she'd failed to get Nick for herself.' She gave an uncomfortable laugh. 'I

don't suppose it's true. Mark said something about them both having been

disappointed in love years ago and that everyone had thought they would

end up consoling each other. Only it never happened, so the next generation

will fill the breach instead. Cosy, eh?'

Mprwenna agreed bleakly. Something that Biddy had said was nagging

away at the back of her mind, but before she could recall what it was, Miss

Penruan had returned with their coffee and the moment was lost. She was

silent for a moment or two, the image of Dominic with Karen inglis at his

side very vivid in her mind, then dragged herself back to reality with a

determined effort.

'I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you and Mark," she said rather

awkwardly.

Biddy shrugged. 'Just one of those things," she said.

'And maybe it was for the best, anyway. Mark's good- looking and terrific

company, but if he hasn't got the guts to stand up to Brother Dominic, then

he's no use to me.' She drank some of her coffee. 'And if he had cared

anything about me, then he would have stood up to him— wouldn't he?' she

ended a little uncertainly.

Morwenna shook her head. 'I don't know. He—Dominic —has a very strong

personality, and he's much older than Mark, of course, and his boss as well.

It's a pretty formidable combination,' -she added unhappily. Just how

formidable, she was only too well aware.

Biddy stared broodingly at her coffee cup. 'Maybe,' she said abruptly. She

was silent for a few minutes, then she said, 'How long do you expect to be at

Trevennon? Perhaps you could come over to St Enna for a meal some time.'

'Oh, I'd like that.' Morwenna was eager.

Biddy smiled back. 'So would I. I'll be in touch.' She finished the remains of

her coffee, and got to her feet.

Morwenna detained her. 'You wouldn't like me to' give Mark any kind of

message?'

Biddy shook her head decisively. 'Thanks, but no, thanks.' She paused. 'If

there's going to be any kind of move, then it has to come from him. At least

that's how I feel right at this moment.' She gave Morwenna a lopsided grin

and a wave and disappeared.

Glancing at her watch, Morwenna decided it was time that she moved on

too. She picked up her patently empty rucksack and eyed it with misgiving.

She stopped in the bookshop on her way out and bought a guide book on

local walks. On the way back down towards the quay, she replenished her

stock of tights, and visited the chemist for more toothpaste and a luxurious

bar of her favourite toilet soap, but she was still very much aware as she

walked along the quayside towards Trevennon Marine that none of her

purchases amounted to very much and hardly justified a trip to Port Vennor.

Her steps slowed as she approached the entrance to the yard. She could see

Mark's Mini parked outside and beyond it was Dominic's car. She bit her lip

and made herself walk up to the entrance. She found herself inside a large

shed with a high roof made predominantly of glass. There were several

boats, pleasure craft and the fishing boats used for shark-expeditions,

undergoing repair, and the air was filled with the pleasant aromas of wood,

paint and varnish. In the distance she could hear the whine of machinery. In

the far corner of the shed, a door with a painted sign and an arrow indicated

that this was the way to the offices.

These, she found, were housed in a small complex of fairly new

prefabricated buildings situated on some waste ground at the rear of the

boatsheds. A concrete path led to them and a rough shelter with a corrugated

iron roof protected those using the path from the vagaries of the weather.

Morwenna trod along the path as if she was skirting her way through

quicksands. The first door she came to said 'Reception' and she made herself

steady her breathing as she pushed it open.

It was a narrow room, bisected by a counter, behind which two girls sat

typing. There were a number of filing cabinets round the walls, and a small

switchboard on one of the desks.

'I'm looking for Mr Mark Trevennon,' Morwenna said.

'Everyone's in a meeting, I'm afraid,' one of the girls rose and came forward.

'Is he expecting you? Do you want to wait?'

Morwenna hesitated. The coward's way out would be to refuse politely and

catch the next bus back to Trevennon, but instead she found herself nodding.

'Oh, all right, then.' She was conscious that both girls were studying her with

thinly disguised curiosity. They were both young and attractive, and she

found herself wondering whether Biddy might not have been the sole

subject of Mark's attentions.

Mark's office turned out to be a cubbyhole, just large enough to

accommodate his desk and two chairs. Morwenna sat there for a few

minutes, getting her bearings and trying to remember the precise

instructions Nick had given her before she set out. When she was sure that

the receptionist had returned to the front office, she got up and quietly

opened the door. She had noted what Nick had described as the inner office

as she went past, and her heart had jolted uncomfortably when she noticed a

neat sign reading 'D. Trevennon' fixed to the door. Nick hadn't mentioned

that it was also Dominic's office, she thought. But the door had been open

and the room obviously unoccupied, and she would never have a better

chance than now while everyone was in a meeting.

As Nick had said, there was only one filing cabinet. For a moment she

thought it might be locked, but the top drawer opened easily enough when

she tugged at it. There were several green folders there, but none of them

bore the code number that Nick had mentioned. Perhaps he had made a

mistake. With a feeling of frustration she closed the top drawer and tried the

second one, but it was not there either, and it was with increasing

desperation that she tried, unavailingly, the third drawer and then, on her

knees, the fourth.

'Looking for something?'

If there had ever been a moment in her life when she wanted to die, to simply

let the floor open and swallow her up, this was it. She gulped and looked

over her shoulder at the door. He was leaning in the doorway, his hands

thrust into his pockets with the air of someone who had been there for some

considerable time.

She got to her feet, brushing off the knees of her jeans. 'I was, but I haven't

found it.'

He said very silkily, and she could not meet his eyes, 'Perhaps I can help.' He

walked over to the big desk, took a bunch of keys from his pocket and

unlocked one of the deep drawers. A green folder came skidding across the

polished surface towards her. She did not even have to check the coding.

'Well,' he said. 'That's what you came for, isn't it? Take it.'

There was a kind of weary anger in his voice.

She had to explain, to say something to justify her behaviour. 'I don't think

you understand.'

'Oh yes, I do,' he said cynically. 'I do understand, my Lady Morwenna. I've

been expecting it, in fact, ever since you arrived on the scene.'

That hurt, and she knew she had flinched openly. He sighed quickly and

sharply. 'I knew it would only be amatter of time,' he said, half to himself.

'But I must admit I didr^t think it would be quite so soon.'

She took two quick steps forward, picked up the folder and thrust it into her

rucksack, fastening the straps with hands that shook.

'Right,' he said. 'Now perhaps you'd be good enough to get the hell out of

here, before any more harm is done.'

But as he spoke, a door opened somewhere close at hand and there were

voices and footsteps approaching. Dominic swore long and elaborately, just

under his breath. He turned to face the corridor, filling the doorway with his

body as if he wanted to block the knowledge of Morwenna's presence from

the newcomers.

From outside, Morwenna heard Mark say cheerfully, 'Hey, Dom, have you

seen Morwenna? Di told me she'd arrived, but she's vanished.'

Dominic said wearily, 'She's here.'

Mark pushed past him into the office. He gave Morwenna a simile,

apparently unaware of the tension in the atmosphere. 'That didn't take long.'

'My own sentiments entirely,' said Dominic, watching them from the

doorway.

Sh£ felt a deep, painful flush wash over her face to her hairline. She said

hurriedly to Mark, 'Can we go now? I don't want to keep Nick waiting.'