Page 128 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘Me neither, Maia.’ Merry sighed.

The two women looked out at the ocean, lost in their thoughts.

They were startled by a loud crash from outside the salon door, and the pair headed over to investigate. To their shock, they saw Ally pinning Georg into a corner in the corridor, her finger pointed right in his face.

‘I’m serious, Georg. We’re going. Right now. I don’t care what the precious instructions are. Do you realise that there are people on this boat who—’

Georg spotted Maia and Merry. ‘Hello, girls,’ he said calmly. Ally spun round.

‘Ally? Is everything all right? What on earth is going on?’ Maia asked.

Ally was flustered. ‘Yes. It’s fine. Everything’s fine, isn’t it, Georg?’

‘Oh yes,’ the lawyer replied. ‘Ally and I were just discussing... the... future of theTitan. That’s all,’ he said smoothly.

‘Yes,’ Ally agreed, regathering some control. ‘Georg thinks that perhaps we should hire it out in the winter season, seeing as we don’t use it.’

Maia knew her sister was lying. ‘I wouldn’t have thought you’d get so heated about that, Ally.’

Her cheeks reddened. ‘No. Sorry. You know how passionate I am about boats, Maia, that’s all.’

Maia eyed her sister for a moment, before turning to Georg. ‘Come here, you.’ She went to hug him. ‘Why did you never tell us about you and Claudia?’

Realisation dawned on Georg’s face. ‘Ah, the diary. Your pa has met us?’

‘He certainly has,’ Maia replied.

‘You’ve moved in with Agatha’s old housekeepers,’ added Merry.

He smiled at the memory. ‘The Hoffmans were very good people.’

‘No wonder you and Pa were so close,’ Maia continued. ‘You’ve known him practically your whole life. Isn’t it amazing, Ally?’

She looked genuinely confused. ‘Yes, uh... I...’ she floundered.

‘You have read the last one hundred pages, haven’t you?’ Maia pressed. ‘We all agreed to it.’

‘Sorry, Maia. No.’ Ally sighed. ‘Georg and I have been having this chat about... theTitan.’

‘Oh.’

Merry cut in. ‘Well, sounds like you’ve got a bit of catching up to do there, Ally. Shall we leave you to it? Come on, Maia, let’s track down a coffee.’ She took Maia’s hand and led her down the corridor. ‘I wonder what all that was about?’

‘It was strange, wasn’t it?’ Maia replied. ‘Something’s most definitely going on there. And I don’t think it’s anything to do with renting out theTitan.’

‘It’s so awful, what happened with Elle, Ma.’ Tiggy wiped a tear away as she sat next to Marina on the plush seating on the bow of the upper deck.

Ma rearranged Bear, who was dozing in her arms. ‘I know,chérie, I know. But I try to remember that without such events, he might never have found you. Or me!’

Tiggy rested her head in her hands. ‘Did you know about Georg and Claudia? That he found them as children?’

Ma nodded. ‘Oui, of course.’

‘And everything with Kreeg?’ Tiggy looked sorrowful.

‘Yes.’ Ma lowered her voice. ‘I don’t need to explain why I never said a word. You’ve read about how dangerous he was. And after all that happened with Zed...’

‘I know. So when are you going to appear, Ma?’ Tiggy questioned. ‘Pa’s just left Australia to search for Elle. When does he meet you?’