Читать книгу Draca - Geoffrey Gudgion - Страница 44

Charlotte dressed up for the boatyard, enough to make Jack wonder who she was trying to impress. Wide-brimmed straw hat, supercool shades, crisp cotton and a lot of leg. Shoulder bag with phone, iPad and suncream . Charlotte stepped through the boatyard like an exotic wading bird, tottering on heels that did wonders for her calves and nothing for her balance.

Jack ’ s mood lifted at the sight of Draca . His ship. Or would be, soon. She ’ d been beautiful, once. Still was, until you came close, even without her mast, even with the tide so far out that only the aft end of her keel and the tip of her rudder were in water. She lay on blocks, tied to pilings and with ‘ legs ’ of timber supporting the hull, like a grand old lady on crutches. The bowsprit was still rigged, stabbing inland from beside the stem post and adding a fencer ’ s elegance to a bluff bow, but her stern gave her grace. It swept up from the keel into a slender counter that would stretch out over the water when she was afloat, lovely enough to take your breath away.

‘ Is that it? ’ Charlotte ’ s expression was unreadable behind the shades.

‘ I said she needed work. ’

Jack walked on. He ’ d seen George out on one of the pontoons, and wanted to meet her in the open, not in her office like a schoolboy in the headmaster ’ s study. He braced himself as they converged on Draca .

It was easier to apologise than he expected. Maybe the warmth of Charlotte ’ s greeting helped. George brushed away his fumbled words, once she ’ d disengaged from Charlotte ’ s hug, saying it was ‘ all cool ’ . She stood in an assertive, shoulders-back slouch with her fingertips pushed into the pockets of her shorts, a pose that went more with an old gaffer in a flat cap and dirty overalls, not a young woman in baggy shorts and a tight, hooped T-shirt. She reminded Jack of young marines , just out of training, who can scowl because they ’ re trying to look hard.

‘ Have you decided what you ’ re going to do with Draca ? ’ George lifted her chin towards the hull.

‘ I ’ m going to restore her. Bring her back to her former glory. She ’ s mine now, or will be when we ’ re granted probate on Grandpa ’ s will . ’ And George ’ s hairstyle was strange, too. Close-cropped at the back, like an old-fashioned schoolboy ’s , and an orange streak through the front.

‘ Good. I ’ ll send Chippy Alan over, our shipwright. He ’ ll have a look at her with you and you can agree what ’ s needed. ’ George turned, tilting her head to look Charlotte in the eye. ‘ Do you sail, Charl ? ’

‘ Charl ? ’ Jack didn ’ t think anyone had ever called her that before.

‘ No, but I ’ d love to learn. ’ Charlotte ’ s smile broadened.

‘ I ’ ll take you out, if you like. Are you staying long? ’

Charlotte made a knees-together, bum-out squirm of delight.

‘ Leaving early in the morning. ’ The shades came off so that George could have the full, big-brown-eyes treatment. ‘ But I could come back at the weekend? ’

George shook her head. ‘ Weekends are busy. Plus I need to keep the charter boats for clients. ’ She paused again, sniffing the wind, eyes on the sky. ‘ It ’ s quiet today. All the kids are still at school. Take you out now, if you like, while Jack and Chippy talk about ropes and planking. ’