by Pam Harvey
‘They’re too high,’ Hannah moaned. ‘Except maybe this one,’ replied Gabby, pausing alongside it. ‘But the glass?’
‘E.D., is there anything up there to smash the glass with?’
The clatter of E.D.’s steps paused briefly. ‘Hang on!’ He arrived a moment later holding up the tube containing the will.
‘E.D., you’re not going to…’
Crash. With one firm blow, E.D. drove the end of the tube into the glass. From above them came a shout.
‘Give that will to me!’ the man bellowed.
Three horrified faces turned to look back up the steps. E.D. knocked away the last few pieces of glass then put his face to the opening and shouted. Wind and rain swept in.
‘I couldn’t get them to come,’ Angus shouted, running along the cement path towards the lighthouse. Dripping wet and breathing hard, he paused in front of Ling. ‘Mira was really coughing. There was someone visiting them.’ Angus took another breath. ‘I tried talking to Angelo but he was too distracted.’
They both jumped backwards at the sound of glass smashing around to their left.
‘E.D.!’ Angus shouted, grabbing Ling’s hand and heading off to the other side of the lighthouse. A large, thick rope hung down from one of the windows. Hannah’s face appeared.
‘Boy, are we glad to see you,’ she called. Her head vanished and a moment later her feet appeared, dangling out of the window.
‘Careful, Hannah,’ Ling called.
Angus steadied the rope. ‘Don’t look down,’ he said.
Slowly the rest of Hannah’s body squeezed through the tiny opening. Gripping the rope tightly, she eased herself down the side of the lighthouse, trying to ignore the wind buffeting her body and the steep drop to the ground below.
Inside the lighthouse, E.D. quickly wound the rope through the air vent. ‘We’ll hang on as well,’ he said, clinging firmly to the other end of the rope, his feet pressed up against the wall for maximum support.
They could hear the old man breathing heavily as he came down the steps. When E.D. looked up, he saw the glint of something in the man’s hand. Maybe Hannah’s right, he thought. He has got a weapon.
‘Oh no,’ Gabby groaned. ‘He’s nearly here!’
‘Concentrate on this first, Gab,’ E.D. called.
Gabby took a section of the rope and held it tight. They both felt the strain as Hannah slowly made her way down the short distance to the ground below.
‘He’s here!’ E.D. looked up as Ronald Jamison swung at him and managed to duck away in time. Something metallic hit the wall next to him, ringing sharply. At the same moment, the rope in E.D.’s hand went slack.
‘Hannah’s down,’ Gabby yelled.
‘Quick! Your turn!’ E.D. kicked sharply behind him, connecting with something soft. The old man grunted but E.D. didn’t let go of the rope. ‘Hurry, Gabby.’
As quickly as she could, Gabby climbed to the window edge and turned around. ‘E.D.!’ she screamed as Ronald Jamison went to strike E.D. again with a piece of metal pipe. E.D. moved quickly to one side but this time the pipe hit him in the side. Gabby felt the rope suddenly slacken and she dropped half a metre before it tightened again.
‘It’s okay, Gab,’ E.D. called from inside the lighthouse. ‘I’ve tied the rope to the air vent! Keep going!’
Gabby half slid, half walked down the rest of the wall. Angus caught her before she fell and helped her stand up. ‘E.D.’s in there with this maniac! Ronald Jamison’s trying to get the will from him.’
They stared up at the window but the wind was making too much noise for them to hear anything. Suddenly, E.D. appeared, his torso bent backwards out of the window as if he was being pushed.
‘Oh, no!’ Gabby screamed.
E.D. disappeared back inside.
‘I’m going in,’ Angus said, grabbing the rope.
‘Are you sure?’ Ling said. ‘Shouldn’t we wait for Angelo?’
‘And what if he doesn’t come?’ Angus shook his head. ‘I’m going to help E.D.’ He grabbed the rope and started the slow climb up.
In the stairwell, E.D. was facing the old man. He might be old, thought E.D. grimly, but he’s pretty tough.
Ronald Jamison swung the metal pipe in slow circles. ‘Come on, boy. Give me that will. It’s no good to you. No good to anyone any more.’
‘It belongs to Thomas Croft,’ E.D. said. ‘And he’s on his way to get it.’
That startled the man. He swore and flung the bar at E.D., only just missing him.
‘Hey!’ said a voice from the window, and Angus swung in onto the steps.
‘Hiya, mate,’ said E.D. to Angus without taking his eyes off the man. ‘About time you got here.’
‘Where’s the will?’
‘In my pocket. Safe.’
‘Not for long!’ the old man roared and charged down the steps, crashing into both boys. E.D. felt himself topple backwards and twisted his body so that he slammed into the wall rather than fall down the steps. Angus wasn’t so lucky. He fell back, the old man falling with him, and they both rolled down the stairs.
‘Angus!’ yelled E.D. and ran after them. In the darkness of the stairwell, he couldn’t see the tangled bodies until he was almost on them. At the last minute he jumped, landing in the flat area near the closed lighthouse door.
For a moment there was silence and then someone groaned. E.D. pulled at the old man and rolled him over. He could feel Ronald Jamison’s warm breath on his arm, but the man was unconscious. Angus sat up, dazed. ‘You okay, mate?’
‘Brilliant,’ said Angus, trying to get up. ‘Except for this arm.’ He bit his lip as he leaned back against the wall, cradling his arm to his chest. ‘The old guy?’
‘Been better,’ said E.D. ‘But he’ll live.’
Suddenly, the door crashed open and a fury of wind and noise came rushing in. Angus stared at the man standing in the doorway. Ling, Gabby and Hannah stood behind him.
‘About time someone opened that door,’ E.D. said.
‘It’s the guy who was with Angelo,’ Angus whispered, his face creased in pain.
‘You have something of mine,’ the tall man said, his face a picture of astonishment and bewilderment.
Ling stepped forward. ‘This is Thomas Croft.’
Chapter 18
Wednesday 22 December, night
The boat hire man’s shed was firmly shut but that didn’t stop Thomas Croft. He untied the largest of the boats and jumped in.
‘We’re coming, too,’ said Ling softly.
The man paused. ‘You’ve done enough. I’ve got the will and my parents’ house is mine.’ He looked out to sea. ‘But I still failed my sister. I let her drown. I just need to go out and say…sorry.’
‘We’re coming with you.’ Ling stood defiantly, her face lit by the moonlight.
Thomas Croft hesitated and then nodded briefly. He moved over in the boat and one by one the others climbed in.
It was a bigger boat than they had hired before, with a small outboard motor. Thomas pulled at the cord but the motor was sullen and wouldn’t turn over. ‘Give us a look,’ said E.D. He took the torch out of his backpack and Angus held it while E.D. pumped the petrol bulb and pulled the choke out, then reefed at the cord again. The motor roared and he pushed the choke in. ‘Where to?’ he asked.
Thomas pointed. ‘Take it in that direction. I’m trying to remember exactly where it was.’
The boat chugged away from the jetty, and E.D. steered it forward.
‘Mr Croft?’ said Gabby, hesitantly. ‘Do you believe in the Collaratta Curse?’
Thomas Croft was silent for a moment. Then he looked at Gabby. ‘We found the rest of the gold the night that Elizabeth and Sebastian died. The gold fell into the sea again but the curse was already on us.’
‘The Isle of Many is so big,’ Ling said. ‘Did he make you dig everywhere?’
Thomas nodded and looked away over to the horizon. ‘Not everywhere, but it seemed like it.’ He
sat up straight and grabbed E.D.’s shoulder. ‘Stop here.’
E.D. cut the motor and the boat slowed, bobbing up and down in the swell.
No one spoke as Thomas looked around. He seemed to be struggling with his thoughts; his face twisting from sad to angry to scared.
Hannah looked at Angus. He glanced at her and shrugged. It had suddenly struck him that they were in the middle of the sea, late at night, with a man they didn’t know, with the wind beginning to rise and clouds moving in across the moon. ‘Perhaps we—’
‘What time is it?’ Hannah said sharply.
Angus looked at his watch. ‘10.46.’
‘Ling!’ said Gabby.
Ling was falling, slumping over with her head close to the side of the boat. Angus reached out and caught her. ‘Ling! What’s going on?’
She looked up at him with eyes that seemed to stare right through him. ‘Elizabeth,’ she whispered.
‘Mr Croft!’ said Gabby loudly. ‘Are you okay?’
Thomas Croft was bent over, hugging himself, rocking on the seat. As they watched, he lifted his head and stared at the sky. The sea heaved and the boat swivelled, making Gabby scream and clutch at her seat.
‘What’s happening?’ yelled Hannah. ‘E.D., do something!’
‘Like what?’ E.D. shouted. The wind whipped his hair.
‘Get us out of here!’
E.D. turned to the motor but this time he wasn’t so lucky; the motor refused to start. ‘It won’t go!’ he shouted. ‘We could try rowing.’ He knelt on the deck, feeling for an oar.
‘Beth!’
The sound of Thomas Croft screaming out that one word made everyone else freeze.
‘Beth!’ Thomas leaned over the side of the boat, swishing his arms through the water.
‘What is he doing?’ screamed Gabby. ‘Has he gone mad?’
‘He’s looking for something,’ said Angus, still holding Ling. ‘Or someone.’
‘Beth!’ Thomas yelled again. ‘I had her! I felt her hand. Then I let her go.’
‘No,’ said Ling quietly. She struggled up, leaning against Angus. ‘No,’ she said more firmly, ‘you didn’t have Elizabeth.’
Thomas Croft pulled his arms out of the water and clutched the side of the boat. ‘It was the gold,’ he shouted to Ling. ‘The cursed gold. We were rowing back to the cottage. The gold was in the bottom of the boat. The storm was here.’
‘The storm is here now,’ shouted E.D.
‘The wind, the howling horrible wind. And the thunder. The sky knew. We had the gold and we shouldn’t have had it! It’s cursed! Even Sebastian knew that and he was only eight!’ Thomas squeezed his eyes shut then opened them, tears spilling down his cheeks. ‘I knew the gold was causing the storm. I threw the gold into the water but not all of it. It wasn’t enough. Mr Jamison was so angry. He knocked Beth and she fell overboard. I watched her fall! And Sebastian was gone—the sea took him away. But I had Beth! I felt her hand. But I wouldn’t go in—I didn’t know how to swim. I was scared of drowning.’
‘Thomas!’ screamed Ling, her voice loud even above the crashing and smashing of the angry waves against the hull. She struggled over to the man and leaned over the edge of the boat. ‘Don’t feel bad. Elizabeth forgives you.’
‘How do you know?’ Thomas yelled. ‘How do I know?’
The boat lurched as a wave hit it. ‘Ling!’ shouted Angus but suddenly Ling wasn’t there. Only Thomas was at the edge of the boat. Angus moved across the boat. ‘Where’s Ling?’
By the faint glow of moonlight that shone through the racing clouds, Angus saw a shape in the water. ‘Ling!’ he screamed and stood to jump into the sea. But he wasn’t quick enough; someone pushed him back and jumped in first. The sea broiled and Angus scrambled onto his knees.
‘Where is she?’ screamed Gabby. ‘I’m going
in.’
‘Wait!’ yelled Hannah. ‘It’s okay. Thomas has her.’
She pointed at the white-capped waves. Two heads were bobbing up and down, and as they watched, Thomas pulled Ling across to the boat. Angus and E.D. hauled her up and Gabby covered her with her jacket. Thomas pulled himself back into the boat and sat there dripping, staring at Ling.
Ling smiled weakly.
‘What is it?’ said Gabby. She was suddenly aware that she didn’t need to shout any more. The storm was calming down, the crashing waves around them settling. The moonlight grew brighter.
‘When we were in the water, we saw what happened to Elizabeth.’ Ling put her hand out to touch the man’s arm. ‘Thomas didn’t have
Elizabeth’s hand; he had Ronald Jamison’s. Mr Jamison pushed Elizabeth away from the boat so that Thomas would rescue him.’
‘I’m so sorry, Beth.’ Thomas was crying. ‘So sorry.’
The sea heaved once and then settled. Within minutes, the wind had stopped and the clouds had drifted from the moon. The storm was over.
‘But, Mr Croft,’ said E.D., ‘you saved Ling. You saved her life. You might not have known how to swim then, but you do now.’
‘Yes,’ said Thomas. ‘I can swim now.’ He looked at Ling. ‘Beth?’
Ling smiled and closed her eyes. ‘She’s gone.’
E.D. woke early the next morning. He turned over on his back and relived the events of the night before. After the sea had calmed, he’d found the oars. Gabby had helped him row the boat back towards shore as Angus held Ling and Hannah sat next to a quiet Thomas Croft. After they had gone a hundred metres, the clouds disappeared altogether and the boat was awash with moonlight. E.D. put down the oars and started the motor. They’d made it to the jetty without mishap.
Angelo and Mira were waiting for them on the beach and at first E.D. hadn’t recognised Mira. She stood so straight and she was smiling. ‘Buon ragazzo, good boy,’ she had said to him. ‘It is finished.’
Angelo had been the one to keep Mrs Dalrymple from calling a search party. He’d also rung for an ambulance that had arrived a short time later to ferry Ronald Jamison to the Beachport Hospital. Angelo had done well. ‘I told Mrs Dalrymple we were having a party for you last night,’ he grinned. ‘A fish and chip spectacular.’
E.D. sighed. If only. What wouldn’t he give for a steaming bundle of fish and chips right now for breakfast! He stretched and sat up, wondering why he felt so awake. A distant noise rumbled. He clambered over to the window and looked out. On the beach, two motorbikes careered, leaving deep tracks in the sand. They swerved wildly to avoid someone walking near the water’s edge, and disappeared around the bay.
‘Hey, Angus!’ E.D. shook his friend until he woke. ‘Check that out. It’s Thomas Croft.’ E.D. pulled at Angus until he fell out of bed. ‘Come on, let’s go and see him.’
‘Get the girls,’ said Angus from the floor.
By the time Angus got up, dressed as carefully as he could with his sore arm, and was at the door, the girls were waiting. They ran quietly down the hall, out through the back door of Spray Cottage, and down to the beach.
Thomas turned at the sound of their footsteps. ‘Hello,’ he said smiling. ‘It’s the mystery solvers.’
‘You look different,’ said E.D., tipping his head sideways.
Thomas raised his hands in the air. ‘I feel different; I feel free.’
‘After all these years,’ said Ling.
Thomas swept her up and spun her around with him until she started laughing. He plonked her down and went for E.D.
‘Hey,’ said E.D., running backwards out of the way. ‘I’m cool.’
‘We’re all free,’ yelled Thomas. ‘Ronald Jamison won’t be bothering us any more. Elizabeth is peaceful. And you.’ He stopped in front of Ling again.
‘And me,’ said Ling. ‘I’m fine.’
‘You’re going today?’ Thomas asked.
Ling nodded. ‘After breakfast. Are you?’
Thomas turned to face the clear blue early morning sea. ‘No. I’m going to stay for a while. I’m going to get rid of the bad memories and replace th
em with good ones.’
‘Right then,’ E.D. said, wiping his hands on his jeans. ‘We’d better hurry.’
‘Hurry—why?’ said Gabby.
‘What for?’ said Angus.
‘In case breakfast runs out! Can you imagine travelling all the way back home on an empty stomach?’
‘You are unbelievable, E.D.,’ said Gabby.
E.D. grinned, then reached forward and gave Gabby a kiss on the cheek.
‘E.D.!’ she squealed. ‘What was that for?’
‘Didn’t promise I’d never do it again.’
E.D. ran back to the cottage with Gabby hot on his heels.
Down she goes: Famous Shipwrecks
LOCH ARD (1878)
The Loch Ard, with 54 people on board and bound for Melbourne from England, ran into a reef near Port Campbell in Victoria. Huge breakers crashed over the marooned ship, smashing its top section off. A lifeboat being lowered over the side capsized, throwing its passengers into the sea. One boy—Tom Pearce—managed to clamber on top of the boat and made it to shore. Five hours later, another survivor—Eva Carmichael—drifted into Tom’s view and he swam out to drag her to safety. They were the only survivors. Later, he climbed up the cliffs to find help. Tom’s bravery was awarded by the Royal Humane Society. Everyone expected Tom and Eva to marry but they went their separate ways.
RMS TITANIC (1912)
The Titanic was a luxurious passenger steamship built to the best engineering standards of the time. She had been branded as ‘practically unsinkable’ but on the night of 14 April 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg on her way from England to New York City. The unsinkable ship sank, and about 1500 people perished, making this one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in the world. Only 32 per cent of the ship’s passengers were rescued. The Titanic had carried enough lifeboats for about half of the people on board, but even then they were lowered without being filled to capacity. The wreck of the Titanic was discovered in 1985 resting on the ocean floor; it remains there to this day.
