Chapter nine
2103 Words
“Scarlett, where are we exactly?”
“Right behind the lighthouse enclosure, Grandma.”
“Could you please ring the bell at the main entrance? There’s often someone in the afternoon to check if everything is working properly.”
We walked to the gate, and I leaned over to look through. A grey SUV—a Range Rover—was parked in the yard.
“It's okay, grandmother, there’s someone. I see a car.”
I immediately pressed the doorbell button. We waited barely a minute before the door to the building slammed, telling us that someone was coming.
I nearly fell backwards when I saw Elgin Sutherland's face. But what was he doing here? Fate was relentless, right? He approached us and seemed just as surprised to see me. He remained very discreet, however.
“Hello,” he said. “Can I help you?”
Just the sound of his voice made me shiver.
“Hello, sir. I would love to show my granddaughter around the lighthouse. Do you think that’s possible?”
Elgin looked at May. He had no doubt noticed that she didn’t have the use of his eyes since he opened the gate and said:
“Normally this isn’t allowed, but I’ll make an exception. Please, if you’ll take my arm, I will lead you.”
He hadn't even looked at me. I followed them to the building, terribly embarrassed by the situation. What could he be thinking? That I was chasing after him? No, it was silly, I didn't know anything about him. But all the same, this coincidence was quite destabilizing.
While accompanying May, Elgin continued:
“I don't usually take care of the lighthouse, my father is responsible for checking the lighting.”
“So, it’s very kind of you to do us this favour, Mr...?”
And there it is! She had to ask! I wanted to sink into a mouse hole. Because May was going to know that the moment he came to meet us, I recognized him. And my grandmother was the type to put her foot in it!
“Elgin Sutherland, ma'am. Ohhh...”
May, who knew I was following them, turned to me to show her surprise at the news.
“I didn't know the Sutherlands were still in charge of the lighthouse,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am, since it was built in 1849.”
“Very good, very good.”
We arrived at the door of the building when my grandmother had a brilliant idea.
“Mr Sutherland...”
“Call me Elgin, Mr Sutherland is my father," he mumbled, smiling.
“Very well, Elgin. I know this lighthouse by heart, having visited it many times when I was younger, and as you can see I’m blind. Would you be so kind as to show it to my granddaughter, Scarlett?”
It was then that Elgin finally looked at me, but very furtively. And I almost ran away at full speed.
“But of course, ma’am. I’ll take you to the old break room. You can sit there. I imagine you must be exhausted if you've walked this far.”
“Thank you, young man, that's kind of you.”
He walked May into the room and settled her on an armchair, then poured her a glass of water. I watched the scene out of the corner of my eye, wondering what the hell my grandmother was doing. She was the one who wanted to climb to the top of the lighthouse, not me! Well, the situation could have been worse. Contrary to what I thought, she hadn't said anything to Elgin about our conversation. I suspected she wouldn't tell him about her old relationship with his grandfather, but I imagined she would say something like, "Oh, how small the world is! My granddaughter was just telling me that you stopped by the side of the road to help her friend Jacob change his wheel.” I would have looked a fool! Fortunately, May had not chosen this option.
Elgin walked past me, not giving me a single look.
“Follow me,” he said, coldly showing me the first steps of the stairs.
I obeyed without saying a word. I had the impression—no, rather the certainty— that he didn’t like the situation. I felt more and more uncomfortable.
Finally, he broke the silence that had set in.
“So you use your grandmother as a matchmaker?” he said as we walked up the stairs.
“No!” I objected vigorously. “I didn't even know you worked here! And even if I had known, how could I have guessed that you would be here? You said earlier that your father usually took care of the lighthouse.”
He didn't answer. My embarrassment had given way to anger.
But who did he think he was? And why do cute guys think they are so irresistible?
Fool, because of course, he is!
I made it to the top of the stairs, breathless, while he showed no signs of fatigue. He opened a metal door and entered a circular, all-glass room filled with machines with buttons everywhere. Nothing special. In any case, nothing that was worth climbing so many stairs!
Elgin stepped forward to pull on a patio door.
“Do you want to see the view or would you rather stay here?”
The dry tone of his voice was starting to seriously irritate me. After all, I hadn't asked for anything! Nonetheless, without saying a word, I followed him onto the balcony that went around the room.
No sooner had I approached the railing than a gust of wind blew my hair. I pushed it away to look in front of me and was speechless. The sight of the sea stretching as far as the eye could see and the cliff falling steeply just below our feet took my breath away; instantly.
It was so different from what I had seen from the boat with Jacob. You never really imagine how things are seen from above. The view was breathtaking. The sea rippled in waves that threw themselves against the rocks, forming a line of foam. And this fresh air... I lifted my chin to feel the wind better, and let the spray caress my face. I suddenly understood why May and her love came to take refuge here. The place was simply magical.
Elgin was over a meter away from me, watching me with almost inappropriate intensity. My stomach tightened when I saw him approach. Again. And a little more... His face was only inches from mine. From his mouth or his eyes, I didn't know what to look at. I completely forgot to breathe. His irises were so green, so bright...
More and more brilliant...
Suddenly there was a spark, like thousands of white stars bursting out of them. I cried, took a step back and nearly fell backwards. Elgin held me tight by the waist, then let go of me to disappear into the lightroom. "But what..."
I stood there, motionless, my legs shaky, not knowing if what I had just seen was my imagination or not. After several long seconds, I entered the circular room, stunned. Elgin had already gone down.
Trembling, I took the stairs to join May who was waiting with him.
“Is everything all right, Scarlett? Did you enjoy the view, my granddaughter?” she inquired.
“I... yes, it was very beautiful.”
“Maybe you should call your father now. He must be worried that he hasn't received a phone call yet to pick us up.”
“Yes, if you want, grandmother,” I nodded like a robot.
I looked around the room to find Elgin. He was casually leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as if nothing had happened. He was staring at me and seemed to be filled with a certain curiosity. His eyes were still beautiful, but completely normal. (Obviously.)
“Ma’am, I’ve finished checking the lighthouse. I’ll be happy to take you home with Scarlett if you wish. (He spoke to her without taking his eyes off me.)”
“How sweet, Elgin. But we wouldn't want to disturb you and take you out of your way.”
“It won't, ma’am. I have to go to Thurso this afternoon, your manor is on the way.”
“Oh!” May wondered. “Do you know where I live?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have already had the opportunity to bring your granddaughter back there.”
That's it, he had said it! I scanned May's face. She was amused and I was sure she would ask me more questions. Anyway, every time I lied it was the same. I was unmasked in no time!
“Ah. Very good. In that case, that’s fine,” she said.
In the car, May had settled in the front. From behind, and throughout the ride, I kept examining Elgin's eyes in the rearview mirror. I couldn't figure out what happened up there. He must have sensed that I was watching him because several times his gaze met mine, but I immediately turned away.
The SUV finally arrived at the manor house. No sooner were we stopped than my father hurried out.
“My God, where have you been? I was worried sick. Scarlett, your cell phone was off, I kept going to the voicemail! Is everything all right? Was there a problem?”
“No problem, Paul," May reassured him. This lovely young man showed us around the lighthouse and then offered to take us back. Elgin, would you like to come in for a few minutes?”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said politely, “but I have to go.”
“Well, bye, Elgin, and thank you for everything. I would love to see you back to have a cup of tea sometime.”
“You’re welcome, ma'am.”
Holding May by the arm, my father walked her inside. I hastened to follow in their footsteps, but Elgin held me back by the elbow. Immediately I shivered.
“Scarlett, wait!”
I stood in front of him, motionless.
“What happened to you on the balcony?”
To me? It was incredible!
“I... what? But... nothing at all. It's you who... (I looked at him, dismayed) Your eyes, they... they made sparks.” If I don't sound like an i***t!
Elgin looked at me seriously.
“Sparks? What do you mean?”
“Sparks... like fireworks!”
“What are you talking about? You must have been confused with the lighthouse light.”
It might have been laughable, but he was extremely serious.
“What do you mean, the lighthouse light?”
“When checking the lamp controller, tests are carried out to ensure that it’s working properly. And presumably, the lights went off at that point. There were no sparks.”
I was puzzled, but what he was saying was much more coherent than my eye-sparks story.
“In that case, why did you leave so quickly? Something made you uncomfortable, right?” I insisted.
He sighed deeply, his eyes sparkling, and the corners of his lips twitched gently.
"No, not something, Scarlett, someone..." he whispered.
He brushed my cheek with his fingers. They were burning. My legs faltered, my heart pounded and a gigantic ball blocked my stomach, while a flood of butterflies flew into my lower abdomen. I was poorly... very poorly.
"I have to go," he said in an almost inaudible voice.
I was still motionless. Somewhere else... lost.
He turned his back to me and got back into his car. It moved away along the track until it disappeared, I followed it with my eyes
I didn't know what to think anymore. What was he playing at? He was trying to seduce me, I wasn’t dreaming, despite his girlfriend from Magiki! He has a lot of nerve!
And, what was happening to me? All my fine speeches about irrational love were flying away. I prayed in my heart that Elgin would come back immediately, to look at me, to talk to me, to touch me once again. And this heartache that never stopped! I entered the house at the speed of a snail. Disturbed.
- Writer
