Page 59 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

‘How long do we have to wait?’ Josh put his arm around her waist and hugged her close.

‘The guys from the sanctuary will be here in about half an hour. They can take over from us. We just need to keep watch. See if the mother comes back. Make sure the pup isn’t disturbed.’

‘Won’t it make its way back out to sea when the tide comes in again?’

‘When they’re this little, they spend most of their time on land. It’s possible it’s unwell and the mother’s abandoned it.’

‘Gawd. It gets worse. I can’t bear it. It looked so lost and vulnerable. Those eyes!’

‘They pull at the heartstrings all right, but if it has to go to the sanctuary chances are it’ll be fine. They do amazing work over there. It’s well worth a visit if you’re ever in the area.’

‘Not sure my emotions could handle it. I had to give up watching nature docs. I’d get reeled in, you know, with all the baby blue tits and then they’d tell you the father had died and the mother was feeding them on her own and then she’d die and then the babies would cop it. I couldn’t handle it.’

Josh spoke so passionately that Ginger’s heart overflowed with tenderness for him. He really seemed to care. She put her head on his shoulder. ‘I’m sure most baby blue tits make it to adulthood.’

‘Don’t laugh.’

‘I’m not. Wouldn’t dream of it.’

He rested his head on top of hers. It felt supremely companionable. ‘You know a lot about these seals.’

‘I don’t, not really, but we’ve had one or two turn up on the beach. It’s a little early for a pup like that one, though. That’s why I wondered if it’s unwell. We usually get them in spring after a storm. The young adults can get bashed about and disorientated and end up on the beach. Most get themselves back into the sea after a rest but people are their worst enemy. Getting too close, upsetting them, taking pics for their bloody Insta accounts. And to dogs they’re fair game. Dogs will attack them.’

‘Ouch.’

‘It can be ouch for the dogs, too. Grey seals look cute but they’ve teeth like sharks. Well,’ Ginger amended, ‘not literally but you know what I mean. It’s best all round to keep dogs away. Most locals know the drill but visitors don’t.’

Josh bent his knees up and rested an arm on them. ‘Gotta say this is not how I saw this morning playing out.’ Looking out at the vividly blue and white sea and the warming sky he said, ‘Can’t complain about this view, though.’ Dropping a light kiss at Ginger’s temple, he added, ‘Every day’s an adventure with you.’

Ginger snorted. ‘Not sure it matches up to the adventures you usually have when you’re making films. This is unusual for round here. Most of the time it’s deadly dull.’

‘You have got to be kidding me? Sweary parrots, tourist-hating scarecrows, full-on blood-curdling Scare Fests.’

‘It’s not been the tranquil break you’d hoped for. I’m not sure you’ve got much reading and writing done.’

‘Maybe not as much as I’d hoped.’ He tightened his arm around her and nuzzled her ear. ‘But it’s had its compensations.’ He gave a wicked grin. ‘Hot sex in a cave being one.’

Ginger giggled.

‘And this village! It’s like a real-life version of Doc Martin.’

‘Ah, you see, there you’re wrong. We have to go into Polveanan to see a doctor.’ Josh laughed and Ginger felt it vibrate through him. She snuggled even closer. ‘And if I sit on this damp sand much longer, I’m going to get the pip as Dulcie is wont to say. And then I really will have to trek up to the doc in the surgery in Polveanan.’

‘What fresh hell is “The Pip?”’

Ginger sniggered. ‘I’ve no idea, but I suspect it’s incurable and the examination is mighty embarrassing.’ Josh didn’t have time to answer as she put a hand to her eyes to shade them and said, ‘Think I can see the team from Gweek heading over. Looks like they’ve got a seal carrier with them. Is our little friend still there?’

Josh peered over to the rock and the tiny white creature still lying prone at its base. ‘Still there. No sign of mum.’

‘Looks like he–’

‘Or she,’ Josh put in.

‘Or she, will be heading to a nice cosy home with all mod cons and fish on demand.’

‘Sounds my sorta place. Love me some seafood.’

They stood up to greet the two men and a woman who approached them. All wore rucksacks and one man carried a sort of strengthened bag – the seal carrier. Ginger felt the sea breeze hit her kiss-roughened chin and pulled her collar up. There was a bruised cloud on the horizon, it was raining out at sea. The wind was chasing it inland and she hoped they’d get back to The Sanctuary before they were caught in it.