FOR THE LOVE OF THE SEA Read Free

dressed with extra care for her date with Sebastian that evening. The proposal of marriage from the man you love is a moment that is supposed to stay with you forever. She wanted to be able to look back and remember it as perfect.
    Mai had gently teased her that afternoon, when Polly had mentioned her suspicions about Sebastian’s plans.
    “It doesn’t matter where the proposal is made or how you look. It’s the fact that you love the man who is proposing.”
    “Where did Tom propose to you?”
    Mai laughed. “Oh it was totally unromantic! I was hanging upside down cleaning the bilge of an old boat. I was filthy, wet and smelled terrible. Tom said he had this sudden urge to take me away from it all.”
    She glanced around the barge and laughed. “Didn’t take me far though did he?”
    “How did you know you wanted to marry him? How could you be sure that he really was THE one?” Polly asked seriously.
    “I just knew. I love him and couldn’t bear the thought of him not being in my life,” Mai said simply. “When he’s away I worry constantly and I miss him terribly.”
    She hesitated, looking at Polly thoughtfully, before saying, “If you have any doubts, say no. And remember it’s not just Sebastian you’d be marrying but in his case, the Navy as well. A different way of life. Anyway, I thought you had plans of your own to do some more professional sailing?” she said.
    There was a short silence before Polly answered. “I did. I do.”
    “Well how will that fit in with Sebastian and the Navy?”
    “He loves sailing too,” Polly said quickly. “Wants his own boat,” she paused, “but he thinks it’s just a hobby for me - not a career option.”
    Mai looked at her. “Surely that’s for you to decide, not him?”
    Polly shrugged her shoulders. “Lack of sponsorship will probably do the deciding for me.”
    Now, as she put on her amber earrings, she thought about their conversation.
    She was in love with Sebastian, there was no doubt about that. He was so handsome and charming and her heart quickened at the sight of him. But did she want to spend the rest of her life with him?
    She clearly didn’t feel the way Mai did about Tom. She was looking forward to some time on her own whilst Sebastian was away on his latest posting.
    It was ages since she’d had a proper sail in It’s Mine! her battered 25ft sailing yacht.
    She always seemed to be too busy these days. Her time taken up with work or with Sebastian and the various functions he wanted her to attend with him - functions that she knew would only increase once she was a Naval wife.
    Mai had clearly been happy to give up the lifestyle she’d carved out for herself and throw her lot in with Tom and his ambitions.
    Polly sighed. Would Sebastian expect her to do the same once she was Mrs. Grove? Would her own desires have to be sacrificed for his? More importantly was she prepared to make the sacrifice? She and Tom were planning to compete together in next year’s Round the Islands race and if she could raise the money she dreamt of being the next Ellen MacArthur and sailing around the world single-handed.
    But with the next Vendee Globe just four years away so far nobody she’d approached had shown a flicker of interest in sponsoring her.
    She might be five feet nothing but she knew she was as good a sailor as Tom.
    Picking up her bag she went downstairs to wait for Sebastian. Cassie and Mai were in the kitchen poring over a large sea chart.
    Polly recognised it instantly as a chart of the Southern Ocean - an ocean that would play a large part in Tom’s life in the coming months.
    “We’re trying to work out some alternatives for Tom,” Mai said. “But in the end it will clearly depend on the prevailing weather.”
    Just as Polly had leaned over to take a closer look, a car tooted outside.
    “That’ll be Sebastian,” she observed. “I’m off. Don’t wait up Mum.” And Polly was gone.
    Mai and Cassie looked at each other.
    “D’you