Devil's Rock Part 23

Of the faces in the small crowd that waited as they were helped off the lifeboat, his mother's was the only one Zaki really saw. That face was still there many hours later when he opened his eyes after the deepest sleep of his life.

Several weeks went by during which no one in Zaki's family seemed to say very much about anything in particular, as though a need for quiet had settled on them all. Although they said very little to each other, they sought out each other's company and if all four of them were at home at the same time they would usually be found in the same room. Zaki's father gave up working late and meals were eaten together at the kitchen table. During this time, the house itself began to change. Small additions at first: a painting on the wall here, a blind for a window there. Then carpets were laid and shelves were built for books that had been in boxes since the last time the family moved. Zaki made a close study of his parents' behaviour. They asked each other's opinions about home improvements and discussed the usual domestic arrangements, but when they spoke it was with a slightly strained politeness that Zaki found unsettling.

The way the story of the wreck of Curlew Curlew was reported in the local paper was that 'Three brave young people from Kingsbridge rescued a lone sailor when her yacht was wrecked on the notorious Devil's Rock.' And that 'Zaki Luxton, in a feat of quite remarkable seamans.h.i.+p, steered his family's yacht through a maze of reefs in a south-westerly gale to effect the rescue.' Grandad was generally considered to have been the source of the story. was reported in the local paper was that 'Three brave young people from Kingsbridge rescued a lone sailor when her yacht was wrecked on the notorious Devil's Rock.' And that 'Zaki Luxton, in a feat of quite remarkable seamans.h.i.+p, steered his family's yacht through a maze of reefs in a south-westerly gale to effect the rescue.' Grandad was generally considered to have been the source of the story.

During a spell of calm weather, Curlew Curlew was refloated and towed back behind was refloated and towed back behind Morveren Morveren to Grandad's slipway. Her black hull was deeply scarred and her rigging gone but Grandad set to work rebuilding her. to Grandad's slipway. Her black hull was deeply scarred and her rigging gone but Grandad set to work rebuilding her.

Zaki never saw Rhiannon at the boat shed, but when he asked his grandfather why he was repairing the boat he said, 'Because she asked me to.'

Zaki and a.n.u.sha often wondered where Rhiannon went during the weeks when her boat was out of the water. Zaki thought she was probably at the old cottage but they decided she wouldn't want them to go looking for her.

Then, on a raw, cold November morning, Grandad collected Zaki, Michael and a.n.u.sha and drove them to Salcombe to see Curlew Curlew launched. And Rhiannon was there to meet them. launched. And Rhiannon was there to meet them.

At high tide, Curlew Curlew slid back into the water and lay rocking gently, her new varnish gleaming in the pale sunlight. Rhiannon stepped aboard, raised the sails and cast off. Zaki, Michael, a.n.u.sha and Grandad followed slid back into the water and lay rocking gently, her new varnish gleaming in the pale sunlight. Rhiannon stepped aboard, raised the sails and cast off. Zaki, Michael, a.n.u.sha and Grandad followed Curlew Curlew down the harbour in Grandad's launch, stopping only when they reached the harbour mouth. As they watched, down the harbour in Grandad's launch, stopping only when they reached the harbour mouth. As they watched, Curlew Curlew's sails were lit up by the low winter sun, shone for a moment, and then faded as she vanished like a ghost s.h.i.+p into the morning mist.

a.n.u.sha became a frequent visitor to the Luxtons' house and one day when she, Michael and Zaki returned home after school, they found Grandad's car parked outside and something very like a party going on, laughter erupting from the kitchen.

'You're just in time for the celebrations!' Zaki's mother called as they came in.

'Why? What's happened?' asked Michael.

'I've just sold the Queen of the Dart Queen of the Dart, that's what's 'appened, boy! And I've sold 'er for an awful lot of money!' boasted Grandad.

'You never!' said Michael.

'I 'ave. And guess what we're going to do with all that money?'

Michael shrugged. 'No idea, Grandad.'

'We're going to build another boat.'

'What sort of boat?' asked Zaki.

'Do you remember this one?' asked their father. And Zaki saw that the old plans were once more spread out on the kitchen table.

'Do you want to sail round the world?' asked their mum.

Zaki and Michael looked at each other.

'Not if I have to share a cabin with him!' said Michael.

'Who'd want to share a smelly cabin with you?' mocked Zaki in return.

'Just have to go without you, then,' their mother laughed.

'Can I come?' asked a.n.u.sha. All turned to look at a.n.u.sha who said, 'Well? I mean it!' rather defiantly.

'Better ask your parents, this time,' said Grandad.

There followed an hour of heated argument over what the new boat should be called which might have gone on all night if hunger hadn't forced them to go out for fish and chips.