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Chapter Eight

They set off for Italy two days later and both girls were very excited at the prospect. Although Victoria had started taking driving lessons, she wouldn’t be ready to take her test until they came back, so Katie did all the driving. In fact she didn’t mind. It gave her something to do and something to concentrate on while Victoria just stared out of the windows in wonder.

As Katie had to keep reminding herself, this was Victoria’s first foray out of Devon since she was a little girl. It seemed unbelievable that something as world famous as Stonehenge could be a novelty to her. They stopped there for a break after several hours driving and Victoria had to be dragged away after an hour and countless photos.

‘I’ve seen pictures of it. I’ve read loads of books about it, but to actually see it is awesome. It’s such a shame we can’t get close enough to touch it.’ As they climbed back into the car, which was packed with their bags, she consulted the map. ‘So where next, Katie?’

‘We skirt round London on the M25 and then head down to the coast.’ Katie had decided to cross the channel on the ferry, rather than using the tunnel. That way they got the opportunity to eat something on the boat. ‘The main thing is that the weather’s perfect. No wind at all, so the crossing should be calm as a millpond.’

And it was. Once on board, while Katie went off to buy some water and sandwiches, Victoria headed out onto the deck. This was, of course, the first time she had ever been on a boat, or at least a boat bigger than the rowing boat that lived in the lake at Iddlescombe. She was fascinated by everything around her, from the white cliffs of Dover to the flock of squabbling seagulls following them out of the harbour. When Katie emerged from the cafeteria, she found her leaning over the stern rail, crying her eyes out.

‘What is it, Victoria? Is something wrong? Has something happened?’ She set down the bag with their lunch and stretched her arm around the other girl’s shoulders. She could feel her shaking with emotion. It was a while before Victoria was in a fit state to talk about it.

‘It’s just that we’re on a boat and we’re going abroad. Katie, I’ve dreamt of this for years and years and now, at long last, it’s happening. It’s an amazing feeling of liberation.’ She looked up, wiping her eyes with her forearm. ‘And it’s you I’ve got to thank for making it happen.’

‘No you haven’t.’ Katie handed her a tissue and stepped back. ‘You’re the one who decided the time was right to rejoin the real world. Don’t forget, it was you who got yourself a passport months ago with this in mind. If it hadn’t been me, it would have been somebody else here with you.’ She reached out and caught Victoria’s arm. ‘I’m just the means to the end and for what it’s worth, it’s an amazing experience for me to participate in this with you. For me it would just have been a boring old boat ride. Seeing it through your eyes makes me realise you should never take anything for granted in this life.’

Victoria looked up at her, an expression of sorrow on her face. ‘How could he keep me cooped up like that? I know he wasn’t in his right mind, but that doesn’t make it any easier.’

Katie gave her a sympathetic look. ‘But it’s over now. You’ve got to move on. Look at it this way. Every single place we go from now on will be brand new to you. Every person you meet, every castle, every hotel, every church and cathedral. It’s like going through the looking glass. You’re in another world now. Don’t look back, look forward. Just think of the wonders ahead of you.’