My Sister’s Secret by Tracy Buchanan Page B

moss, bumpy beneath her fingertips. Up close, she could see crabs sheltering in the bark’s knots. Charity felt emotion well inside. For years Faith had wanted to find this and here it was, right before Charity’s eyes. If only her sister was alive to see it. Niall turned to her, and she could see his eyes were glassy too. Maybe coming back here to find the forest was an homage for him too, a way to make amends.
    He broke her gaze and lifted his camera, the flash lighting the petrified oak up in an eerie glow. He started circling it, taking more photos as Charity watched him. He looked completely at ease doing this. He’d clearly found his calling.
    She looked towards the other trees, all different heights, some broken, remnants of trunks lying on the ocean floor. She noticed Lana floating as if sitting on one of the fallen trees in a mock model pose as Dan pretended to take a photo. Then he scooted to her and pulled her close, her legs winding around his.
    She didn’t want to disturb them.
    She peered back behind her, noticing Niall pulling something from the pouch attached to his stabiliser jacket.
    A knife.
    She knew what he was going to do. She ought to stop him, it felt wrong to do such a thing to such an ancient tree now. But instead she stayed where she was, mesmerised as he found a part of the bark that wasn’t clogged with sea life and started carving. They’d promised themselves they’d etch their names into the trees if ever they found the submerged forest. When he moved away, Charity could see it was their two initials – N and C – carefully entwined, just as they’d planned it to be. And then beneath it: ‘For F.’
    Charity watched the ripples in the sea as Dan steered them over calm waters an hour later, the spring sun warming her cheeks. Niall was quiet, barely saying a word.
    When Niall took over steering the boat, Dan strolled over to Charity. ‘This forest seems to mean a lot to you.’
    ‘Yes, my sister was desperate to find it.’
    Dan frowned. ‘Why isn’t Hope here then?’
    ‘I mean my other sister, Faith. She passed away when I was a teenager.’
    ‘I’m so sorry.’ Dan put his hand on her arm, his green eyes filled with concern. ‘What happened?’
    ‘Car accident. She was just nineteen.’
    ‘How tragic. Was she driving?’
    ‘No, she was walking along the road. It was an accident.’ She looked quickly over at Niall. She didn’t want Dan and Lana to know about Niall’s role in Faith’s death. They would probably find out soon enough but she didn’t want to be the one to tell them.
    ‘Faith, Hope and Charity?’ Dan said. ‘Lovely names.’
    ‘Thanks! My dad was an English teacher before he quit to run the café. That’s where Hope got her love of poetry…and her red hair. He used to read
Faerie Queene
by Edmund Spenser to us before we went to bed, he named us after the three daughters in that. We didn’t have a clue what it was about, but the way he read it to us—’ She smiled at the memory. ‘It was mesmerising.’
    ‘And your mother? What did she do?’
    ‘As well as running the café, she was a part-time lecturer in environmental sciences.’
    ‘Hence your interest in submerged forests?’
    Charity looked out at the calm sea. ‘It was Faith’s interest, actually. My mum once did a trip to visit a submerged forest in Austria. Faith was completely transfixed by the photographs she brought back. She grew intrigued by them. I guess it was her version of a fairy tale.’
    Dan smiled sadly. ‘And that’s why it’s been so special, seeing the forest today?’ Charity nodded. ‘How wonderful. I’m pleased I could help with that.’
    ‘You have, thank you.’
    Lana appeared from below deck and curled into Dan’s arms. Charity felt awkward as they kissed each other, so she left them to it, wandering up to Niall.
    ‘You okay?’ she asked him. ‘You’re very quiet.’
    He examined her face a few moments then sighed. ‘I miss us,’ he said gently. ‘I