Page 17 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘Hello, mypetite princesse. It’s freezing cold out here. I think Maia’s reading in the drawing room. Wouldn’t you like to go and join her in the warm?’

‘No, Pa. I love to watch you on the boat.’

‘Ah.’ He gave Ally a characteristically warm smile, which never failed to improve her mood no matter what problems that day had thrown up. ‘Well then, perhaps you would be my first officer?’

‘Ma says it’s too dangerous.’

‘Then it is a good job she is busy helping Claudia prepare tonight’s dinner,’ he said with a wink. Pa lifted Ally from the jetty with his muscular arms, making her feel as light as a feather, and sat her on his lap. ‘Now, you will have seen that when the boat turns, it tilts to one side. When I need to go the other way, I must move to the other side of the boat, whilst ducking under this sail.’

‘Yes, Pa!’ Ally had replied enthusiastically.

‘Excellent.’ He began to remove his own orange life jacket and tie it around Ally. Naturally, it had totally enveloped her, and Pa chuckled as he fastened the straps as tightly as possible.

‘What about you, Pa?’

‘Oh, don’t you worry about me, little one. The wind is light, and we’re going to move very slowly. Do you see this small dip in the boat here?’ He indicated a shallow groove in the white hull. ‘I think it is Ally-sized, don’t you?’

Ally nodded, and took the cue to position herself in the centre of the boat.

‘All you have to do is look forward, and hold out your arms to help you balance. We’re going to do a big circle that will bring us back here to the jetty, which means I’m only going to lean out to the left. That’s this side. See?’ Ally nodded, anticipation coursing through her little body. ‘All right then.’ He lifted his leg from the jetty, and the Laser began to drift. Pa grabbed the large black handle that Ally had observed as the primary method for steering the craft.

‘We’re not moving, Pa!’ Ally had said, somewhat disappointed.

‘Not everything is in the sailor’s control, Ally. We must wait for a breeze.’

As if on cue, Ally felt a surge pull the Laser away from the jetty. The wind began to rush through her thick auburn hair, and her heart quickened.

‘Off we go!’ Pa had cried.

Ally remembered the exhilaration of being so close to the water, the Laser moving through the still lake powered by nothing but the air that surrounded them. She looked back at the magnificent fairy-tale castle that was Atlantis. The snow-capped mountains rose steeply behind the pale pink house, and Ally felt lucky to live in such a magical place.

‘I’m going to increase the turn now,’ Pa said. ‘That means the boat is going to lean a little more towards me. Remember to put your arms out to help.’ Ally did so. ‘Perfect, Ally, perfect!’ Pa had beamed as Ally seamlessly adapted to the change in angle and elevation.

The sun glinted off the surface of the glassy water, and Ally allowed herself to close her eyes. That day, for the first time, she had felt a freedom which had returned whenever she took to the water. As Pa had skilfully glided the Laser in towards the jetty, and ensured Ally had climbed off safely, the smile on his daughter’s face had told him everything.

‘So, mypetite princesse, you feel it too... there is nothing quite like being out on the open lake. It is the best place on earth to think.’

‘Is that why you are out here so often?’

He chuckled warmly. ‘Perhaps it is not a coincidence, no. Things rarely are.’ His gaze left Ally’s and ventured out across the lake. Sometimes, Pa’s eyes clouded over, and Ally felt as though his mind was taking him to another place. ‘Coincidence means only that there is a connection waiting to be discovered, after all.’ Pa looked back at Ally. ‘I’m sorry, little one... Itjust makes me very happy to know that you have the same love for sailing as your pa.’

‘Do you think I could have some lessons?’ Ally chirped.

‘Hmm. I think this can be arranged. As long as you can fit them in alongside your tuition on the flute.’ He gave her another wink.

‘Of course, Pa! Do you think one day I will be as good as you?’

‘Oh no, Ally. I think you will be better. Now, go inside and warm up. And don’t tell Ma about our little trip!’

‘I won’t, Pa,’ Ally replied, disentangling herself from the life jacket. She sprinted down the jetty towards the turreted shell of Atlantis.

The noise of Bear gurgling brought Ally out of her dream. She rubbed her eyes, glad that she’d at last managed a little rest, rolled out of bed and walked over to the cot. The sight of his mother caused Bear to lift his arms and produce a small squeal of delight.

‘Good morning to you too,’ Ally said, lifting her son out of his bed. ‘Are we hungry today, sir? I’m afraid the breakfast menu is a little sparse.’ She expertly unbuttoned her pyjama top one-handed and Bear suckled happily, while Ally looked out of her cabin window.

She couldn’t help but feel a perfect storm of guilt brewing inside her. It was undeniably lovely to see Jack again. The sight of him striding across the sun deck last night was enough to confirm that her feelings for him not only existed, but were deep. Yet here she was, about to sail to the exact spot where one year previously she’d been so overwhelmingly happy with Theo. If only he had been able to be here with her, this trip would have been so much easier. She wasn’t given to self-indulgence, but Ally was acutely aware that she was the only one of the sisters who didn’t have someone to confide in, ortake strength from. Although she was genuinely happy to see her siblings and their partners on board theTitan, it did rub salt into the wound still only too fresh from Theo’s cruel early death.

Even Electra’s bagged herself a human rights lawyer, Ally thought, knowing that her derision came from a place of sisterly love, not bitterness.