The beseeching expression on his father’s face vanished, twisting into something that was more like hatred. “Too bloody selfish,” he spat. “Is there no end 25to what you’ll put us through?”

His voice broke on the final words, and another sob burst from his chest. Then, to my dismay, he strode straight towards the doorway. It was too late to avoid being seen so I just stepped to one side to let him pass. Then he was gone, and I found myself making awkward eye contact with the boy. I was mortified to have been discovered standing there, as if I’d been eavesdropping, and I felt my mouth twitch – something that happened whenever I was massively uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, the boy noticed, misinterpreted it and said in a dangerously quiet voice, “Don’t even think about laughing at him.”

“Oh! I wasn’t!” I began. “I mean, I wouldn’t! I was just—”

But the boy was already walking past me. “I really don’t care,” he said. There was no anger in his tone, only a sort of heavy tiredness.

As he left, I cursed myself for being such an idiot and lingering like that, but it was too late to undo it now. And it wasn’t as if I’d see the boy or his father again anyway. I took a deep breath and then walked over to the lighthouse photos on the walls. Could 26they have had anything to do with what had upset the man?

The photos were taken at different times and seasons by the looks of it. When I peered at them more closely, I saw that they all had the same smudge in one of the windows up near the top of the tower – a smudge that looked kind of person-shaped, like there was someone there, staring out to sea. I shivered suddenly and rubbed my arms.

Mum seemed to think it was amazing that we were staying in a lighthouse, but it sounded a bit depressing to me, and all I really wanted was to be back home with my friends. Rosie would have a nice time, though, and if my sister was happy then I was happy too. After all, at least I wasn’t visiting her in hospital like I had been during previous summers. We were spending the holidays together, doing something normal, and it was bound to be beautiful on Bird Rock, as Mum had said. So perhaps it would be OK. Perhaps it might even be fun. Perhaps it would be the best summer ever.

27

Chapter Two