Page 165 of The Missing Sister

‘Mum did her dissertation on the myths of Orion. Part of that was to do with the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades, and Orion’s obsession with Merope,’ said Jack. ‘Other kids got Snow White or Sleeping Beauty as their bedtime stories, while we got Greek legends. No offence meant, Mum,’ he added suddenly. ‘Or to you, Tiggy.’

‘None taken,’ she smiled, and as her eyes swept over me, I had the strangest feeling that I was being X-rayed. ‘We obviously grew up with the stories too,’ she continued. ‘By the way, it wasn’t Maia with Electra, it was Electra’s PA, Mariam. Maia is holding the fort in Geneva at our family home which, by the way, is called Atlantis.’

‘Wow.’ Jack shook his head. ‘I mean, isn’t it a coincidence that both sets of us kids grew up with a parent obsessed by Greek mythology?’

‘I don’t think that coincidences exist,’ Tiggy replied, as she looked at me steadily again.

‘So you believe in destiny, do you, Tiggy?’ I said.

‘I do, yes, but that reallyisanother story. Anyway, Mrs McDougal, the reason all of us sisters have been trying to get to see you was because of your ring. Here.’ Tiggy pulled a sheet of paper off her knee, turned it over and placed it on the coffee table in front of me. ‘That’s the drawing our lawyer gave us. Star confirmed it was identical to the one you were wearing. Would you agree?’

I stared down at the drawing and then reluctantly unclasped my left hand from my right. I stretched it out so that Tiggy could see it. All three of us looked down at the drawing and the ring.

‘They are identical, Mum.’

Jack spoke for all of us because, down to every detail, the ring and the drawing were the same.

We all sat there in silence for a few seconds, none of us knowing exactly what to say.

Then Tiggy put out her hand and took mine very gently in hers. She looked at me and I saw her eyes were full of tears.

‘We’ve found the missing sister,’ she said. ‘I’m sure of it.’

The touch of her small hand, and her obvious emotion and conviction blew away the last remnants of any fear I had left.

‘Tea anyone?’ said Jack.

We drank the tea and, sensing the fact that I was overwhelmed, Jack took over the conversation, chatting about how this was his first visit to Dublin, and how he wanted to explore the city before he left. Both Tiggy and I replied monosyllabically; we were each lost in our own worlds, trying to make sense of it all. Or at least, I was, especially after the news I’d received from Ambrose earlier today...

I could hardly keep my eyes off the girl sitting opposite me. I felt connected to her somehow, and even though she was obviously very young, there was a wisdom, a depth to her that I couldn’t put my finger on, as if she somehow knew all the answers but wasn’t telling.

‘Can I ask you where this information about the ring came from, Tiggy? I mean, your lawyer’s source?’ I asked.

‘All I can say is that he told us that he’d followed many false leads over the years, but he’d been assured by our father that this ring was definite proof.’

‘And what was your father’s name?’

‘He was always called Pa Salt at home. I think Maia or Ally named him, because he always smelt of the sea. And he did.’ Tiggy nodded. ‘It’s a shame about the “P” for Pa in the name, because I’ve marked out the rest as an anagram of “Atlas”.’

‘Perhaps the “P” might be for Pleione, the mother of the Seven Sisters?’ I suggested.

‘Oh!’ Tiggy clasped her hands together and tears welled again in her huge brown eyes. ‘Of course! Of course. Now I have serious shivers.’

‘So do I, and I’m not a “shivery” person these days,’ I smiled at her.

‘Well, I’d love to meet Mary-Kate, but I totally understand if you’re not comfortable yet with this situation,’ she said.

‘As a matter of fact, Tiggy, she’s arriving here tonight,’ said Jack. ‘Mum was worried about her, and didn’t want her by herself in New Zealand whilst all this was going on...’

I sat there and gave my son a look that could kill. It was okay formeto trust this woman, but Mary-Kate was my daughter and this was information I hadn’t yet wanted to divulge.

‘Oh, how wonderful! I do hope I can meet her,’ said Tiggy. ‘CeCe said she was lovely. She fits the age perfectly; she’ll be the youngest of us seven sisters.’

‘I was one of seven children,’ I said, trying to change the subject.

‘Really?!’ Tiggy’s eyes lit up. ‘What number where you?’

‘Number five.’