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stay
forever.’
    ‘ Oh it’s not quite so lovely when you’re milking cows at six
o’clock on a cold winter’s morning. I do my fair share of that too
you know.’ They sat in companionable silence for a minute or two,
both lost in their own thoughts.
    ‘ Darren,’ Lucy asked eventually ‘are there folk stories about
dolphins round here?’
    ‘ Oh yes, there are plenty of them. Haven’t you been to the
Merwater town museum yet? There’s a whole display about them.
Dolphins are famous round these parts. They’ve been part of the
town for centuries. Before engines and radar came along, dolphins
used to lead our fisherman out to find shoals of herring, or so
they say. Doesn’t happen now of course, we’re all too modern and
have forgotten the old ways. Look at me, I spend all day tapping at
a computer.’ He chuckled and took another sip of coffee.
    ‘ Darren, what’s a Dolphin-Child? Lucy asked. Darren sucked in
his breath.
    ‘ Oh those poor souls’ he said. ‘Sometimes a youngster would
become enchanted by dolphins and have some sort of special thing
with them you know? They’d slip away at night to be with them and
then never come back. Or so I’ve heard tell. Not that it’s happened
for a very long time as far as I know. There was some story or
other about one when I was a kid I think. I forget what happened as
a matter of fact. Nothing too dramatic I don’t suppose or I’d
remember.’ He glanced at Lucy. ‘Where did you hear about
Dolphin-Children anyway?’
    ‘ Oh, you know, from some kid in town’ replied Lucy
warily.
    ‘ Don’t you go believing everything that the kids in town tell
you now will you. Sometimes they like to tell tall tales to
gullible tourists. There’s generally a simple explanation for most
things that happen. I like a good folk tale myself, but they’re
best taken with a pinch of salt, you know?
    Just then Bethany’s visitor got in his car and rattled over
the cattle grid and up the lane. Darren looked at the bottom of his
empty coffee mug.
    ‘ I think I might get my overalls on and go and help Mary for a
bit’ he said. ‘I expect she’s got some job or other for me to do if
I ask.’
    ‘ See you then Darren’ said Lucy, getting up. She walked back
over to the studio. Inside Bethany was in an expansive
mood.
    ‘ Hey Kiddo!’ she exclaimed when Lucy walked in. ‘What do you
say to going out for some celebratory fish and chips tonight? I’ve
just got myself another commission!’ She seized Lucy’s hands
spontaneously and danced her round the room.
    ‘ Sound’s good’ replied Lucy. ‘I’d better phone Dad before we go
though.’
    Lucy missed Dad, but was glad to have a bit of freedom from
all his rules during the summer holidays. Things seemed less heavy
when he wasn’t there. She realised that it had been pretty
difficult for him too when they’d lost Mum, but sometimes he was
hard to be around. He was coming down for a week in a few days and
they were going to do some day trips to see the local sites and go
walking on the coastal paths. When he came she wasn’t sure how much
she’d be able to see Spirit and so she was determined to see him as
much as possible before Dad came down to join them.
    Lucy went over to the farmhouse to use the phone there.
Bethany didn’t have a landline and the mobile phone reception was
very erratic. Bethany had an understanding with Mary that Lucy
could use their phone to call Dad whenever she wanted. She called
his mobile number, but after a few rings, it went straight through
to voicemail, so Lucy left a message instead.
    ‘ Hey Dad’ she said after the beep, ‘Just phoning to say hello.
We went into town today and I met some local kids. Bethany’s got a
new commission to paint a portrait so we’re going out to celebrate
with fish and chips tonight. We might not be around if you call
later. Missing you!’ Lucy hung up the phone. She always felt
awkward leaving a message. Dad was probably in a meeting or
something