‘Oh Lord, do stop, Susie, we don’t want a history lesson now,’ Rachel laughed, as Arthur continued to look down his nose at her.
As Susannah turned to go back inside the hotel, she heard Arthur commenting to Rachel.
‘What an odd girl.’
It made her feel self-conscious all over again. Why did she always have to stand out?
By the time she returned to the dance, things were winding down already. The lights were brighter, and red-faced Silas was swaying by the drinks table, looking cross.
‘Where you been?’ he slurred. ‘It’s time to go.’
In their father’s Buick, the Young boys took the girls for a ride to what they considered to be the best spot on the island.
‘You’ve got to see the view of the harbour, Katie,’ Matthew said, steering the car with one hand while his other arm was round Kate’s shoulders as she sat in the front with him.
The car sped along the dark road, the silhouettes of trees lining either side, headlights every so often illuminating one of the island’s white wooden houses.
‘Don’t you have to be up early lobstering?’ Susannah spoke up. She was squashed next to Silas in the back of the Buick, who was so drunk he was lolling against her. All she wanted was to get back home to her own bed.
‘Oh, we don’t have to go out tomorrow,’ Matthew replied. ‘It’s Sunday, and my family is real religious. It’s our day of rest.’
Why had she even asked that stupid question? She still remembered hot summer Sundays with her daddy before the war. He hadn’t gone out to fish on a Sunday either. Him filling up the paddling pool with the hose, and she and Katie tumbling in, a mixture of fear and delight, knowing he might splash them. Susannah clenched her stomach tight. Would their lives be different if they still had a father? Certainly, these two boys might not be so liberal in driving them out of town up the hill to their favourite lookout point.
‘Hey, watch out!’ Susannah shouted out as Matthew continued to drive up onto the granite slabs and off the road. He slammed on the brakes right at the edge of the rock. They were parked on an overhang, overlooking Vinalhaven harbour.
‘We do this all the time, girl,’ Silas said to her, putting a sweaty hand on her black dress. It felt like a hot brick burning through the material to her knee.
‘Just look at that view, would you?’ Matthew said to Kate, and Susannah watched with dismay as she saw her sister let him tuck her under his arm.
‘Why would you drive on the granite?’ She turned to Silas. ‘It’s plain dumb and dangerous.’
‘Just because…’ Silas began, the words trailing off as he looked at her, a little cross-eyed.
‘We can make our mark.’ Matthew turned to her. ‘The tires mark the rock.’
‘We were here!’ Katie said gleefully.
What was happening to her sister? Susannah didn’t like it one little bit.
‘Scoot over, won’t ya?’ Silas said, putting his arm around her. Again, she got the faint whiff of fish underneath his soapy scent, and now whisky on his breath. Her stomach swelled and she felt rigid and awkward.
‘I’ve never seen the view from here before,’ Kate said, leaning into Matthew.
‘Ain’t it beautiful, baby?’ Matthew said.
Susannah watched them like a hawk, despite Silas attempting to pull her into him. She felt as rigid as a flagpole.
‘I believe Vinalhaven must be the most special place in the whole world,’ Kate breathed. ‘I never want to leave.’
‘Me too,’ Matthew said, kissing Kate’s neck, and putting his hand on her lap.
‘It’s our kingdom, ain’t it, Mattie?’ Silas spoke up next to her. ‘We got so much land,’ he said, slapping a wet kiss on Susannah’s cheek. She shifted away from him, feeling herself stiffen with dread. Before she could think straight, Silas had turned her head to face his and started kissing her on the lips, pushing his tongue into her mouth. She started in shock, trying to pull away.
‘Hey, hold still, will ya?’ Silas said as he paused, clamping her arms to her side.
‘Get off me!’ she hissed, looking over at Kate in desperation, but her sister was deep in kissing Matthew and oblivious to her own discomfort.
‘God, you’re frigid,’ Silas said, slapping his mouth back on hers, releasing his hands from her shoulders to hold her head in place. She pulled back, clashing her teeth against his lips.
‘Ouch!’ he complained as she shook him off and opened the car door. ‘What you doing?’ he asked her, looking shocked.
She ignored him and walked over to the passenger window. Kate was wrapped in Matthew’s arms. This was all wrong. These boys were taking advantage of them.
She tapped on the window of the car. But Kate clearly didn’t hear her, and although Matthew opened his eyes and looked at her, he continued to kiss Kate. Susannah banged on the window again until Kate heard her, and was forced to break the kiss. She rolled down the window.
‘What are you doing out of the car?’ her sister asked her.
‘Come on, let’s go,’ Susannah said. ‘Mom’ll be expecting us.’
Kate looked at her, wide-eyed. ‘It’s too far to walk back home.’
‘Get back in the car, for pity’s sake,’ Matthew said in exasperation. ‘We’ll bring you home, alrighty?’
Susannah shook her head. ‘Only if Kate gets in the back with me.’
‘But I want to sit up front with Matthew,’ Katie argued. ‘It’s not often he gets to drive me anywhere.’
‘Well, I don’t want to sit in the back with him,’ Susannah said, glaring at Silas.
‘He’s only a little drunk,’ Matthew said, leaning over Kate. ‘Just give him a dig in the ribs if he annoys you again.’
Susannah crossed her arms, frowning.
‘Relax,’ Silas said, lolling on the back seat and patting the place next to him.
Reluctantly, Susannah got back in beside him. As soon as they took off down the road, Silas began to kiss
