Page 9 of The Seven Sisters

‘Isn’t it just terrible?’ Tiggy said, giving her a hug. She was the only one of us who felt comfortable enough to physically embrace Claudia.

‘Yes, terrible indeed,’ agreed Claudia. ‘You and Maia go to the drawing room. I will bring tea to you in there.’

‘Where’s Ma?’ asked Tiggy as we made our way through the house.

‘Upstairs, putting the finishing touches to all your bedrooms. And she probably wanted us to have some time together first,’ I said as we sat down.

‘She was here? I mean, she was with Pa at the end?’

‘Yes.’

‘But why didn’t she contact us all sooner?’ Tiggy asked, just as I had.

For the next half an hour, I went through the answers to all the same questions I had bombarded Marina with yesterday. I also told her that Pa’s body had already been laid to rest in a lead box in the ocean, expecting her to be as outraged as I’d been. Tiggy simply gave a small shrug of understanding.

‘He wanted to return to the place he loved and have his body rest there forever. And in some ways, Maia, I’m glad I didn’t see him . . .lifeless, because now I can always remember him as he was.’

I studied my sister in surprise. Given she was the most sensitive of us all, the news of Pa’s death had evidently not affected her – outwardly at least – as much as I’d envisaged. Her thick chestnut hair shone round her face in a glossy mane, and her enormous brown eyes with their habitually innocent, almost startled, expression were positively sparkling. Tiggy’s calm perspective gave me hope that my other sisters might be as outwardly sanguine as she seemed, even if I wasn’t.

‘Ironically, you look wonderful, Tiggy,’ I complimented her, voicing my thoughts. ‘It seems all that fresh Scottish air must suit you.’

‘Oh, it does, definitely,’ she agreed. ‘After all those years as a child when I had to stay indoors, I feel I’ve been released into the wild too. I absolutely love my job, even though it’s hard work, and the cottage I’m staying in is incredibly basic. There’s not even an indoor loo.’

‘Wow,’ I said, admiring her ability to eschew all creature comforts in order to follow her passion. ‘So it’s more fulfilling than working in the laboratory at Servion Zoo?’

‘Oh God, completely.’ Tiggy raised an eyebrow. ‘To be honest, even though it was a great job, I hated it there, because I wasn’t working with the animals themselves, just analysing their genetic make-up. You probably think I’m mad to give up a great career to tramp across the Highlands day and night for almost zero pay, but I find it so much more rewarding.’

She looked up and smiled at Claudia as she entered the drawing room carrying a tray, which she set down on the low table before retreating.

‘I don’t think you’re mad, Tiggy. Really, I completely understand.’

‘In fact, up until our phone call last night, I was feeling happier than I ever have.’

‘It’s because you’ve found your calling, I’m sure,’ I smiled.

‘Yes, that and . . . other things,’ she admitted as I noticed a faint blush appear on her delicate cheekbones. ‘But that’s for another time. When are the others home?’

‘CeCe and Star should be here by seven this evening, and Electra is arriving sometime in the small hours of the morning,’ I said, pouring some tea into two cups.

‘How was Electra when you told her?’ Tiggy asked me. ‘Actually, you don’t need to answer that, I can imagine.’

‘Well, it was Ma who spoke to her. I gather she was bawling her eyes out.’

‘True to form, then,’ said Tiggy, taking a sip of her tea. Then she sighed suddenly, the light disappearing from her eyes. ‘It feels so odd. I keep expecting Pa to walk in at any second. And of course, he never will again.’

‘No, he won’t,’ I agreed sadly.

‘Is there anything we should do?’ Tiggy asked, rising suddenly from the sofa and walking to the window to stare out. ‘I feel we should be doing . . .something.’

‘Apparently, Pa’s lawyer will come and see us when we’ve all arrived and explain things, but for now’ – I shrugged despairingly – ‘all we can do is wait for the others.’

‘I suppose you’re right.’

I watched as Tiggy pressed her forehead against the windowpane.

‘None of us really knew him, did we?’ she said quietly.

‘No, we didn’t,’ I conceded.