He stopped at the door and turned around. ‘No.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Believe what you want,’ he said gruffly, and stormed out.
She followed him out of the door and across the driveway. She heard him say, ‘She shouldn’t have done it, given him the cottage.’
Abigail stopped in surprise. Then she took off after him again as he reached the lighthouse. ‘You’re the other trustee, aren’t you?’
Albert opened the door to the lighthouse and halted. He turned around to face her. ‘I implore you to let sleeping dogs lie. You have her cottage. What more do you want?’
‘I want the truth.’
‘Toby is dead. What does it matter now?’
‘I’m pregnant!’ Abigail blurted. She put a hand to her mouth, staring at him wide-eyed. She hadn’t meant to say that.
His mouth dropped open. He looked down at her stomach. ‘Is it a boy?’
‘I’m sorry – what?’
‘You heard me – I said, is it a boy?’
Abigail stepped back, surprised by the question. ‘That’s none of your business.’ Although it did suddenly occur to her that it would be his business if he was the grandfather.
He stared at her for a long moment, a look on his face she couldn’t fathom. ‘I said, let sleeping dogs lie,’ he reiterated through gritted teeth before stepping inside the lighthouse and slamming the door.
Abigail burst into tears. He hadn’t even congratulated her on her news.She didn’t know why she wasn’t getting all emotional about it. She didn’t even know the man. She didn’t even like him.
Abigail turned at the sound of a motorbike roaring up the road and quickly wiped her eyes dry with the sleeve of her jumper. She recognised Joss as he slowed and turned the bike on to the gravel drive, parking it beside Penelope. Abigail hurried towards the cottage.
Joss got off the motorbike and removed his helmet. ‘Abigail?’
She silently cursed. The tone of his voice suggested he realised something was up. ‘Not now, Joss.’
She noticed him getting a shopping bag out of the mounted box on his bike. He looked from Abigail to the lighthouse and back again. ‘It’s my uncle, isn’t it? He’s upset you.’
Abigail turned from the cottage door and stared at Joss. There was one way to clear up whether Albert was telling the truth that Toby wasn’t his son. She bit her fingernail. What if Joss said no to her request? The only way to find out was to ask him.
He cocked his head. ‘What is it, Abigail?’
She took a deep breath. ‘Have you got a minute? I’ve got something I want you to show you.’