Wild Dark Shore
by Charlotte McConaghy
Contents
Dominic — 3
Overview
Dominic confirms that Rowan’s boat has been destroyed in the Drift and believes any other passengers are dead, turning her arrival into an even darker mystery. Back with Fen and Raff, Dominic’s mistrust of Rowan exposes growing strain between Dominic and Fen, while a new practical crisis emerges when Dominic reveals the seed vault has lost power. The chapter deepens Dominic’s grief, his fear of losing both the island and his children, and the sense that Shearwater is becoming increasingly unsafe.
Summary
Dominic begins the chapter in the dark, imagining a visit from his wife and refusing to open his eyes because the illusion would vanish. The moment shows how grief still overwhelms Dominic and how willingly Dominic retreats into it, even while knowing it is not real.
At daybreak Dominic walks south from the field hut to inspect the coast. Dominic has been checking the vault and cleaning up storm damage, but Dominic is also searching for the boat that brought the unknown woman. At a hard-to-reach bay, Dominic finds the craft smashed among rocks where the Drift has driven it, and Dominic concludes that anyone else aboard is dead.
Dominic then returns toward the lighthouse and finds Raff and Fen on the beach. After learning Rowan is still being watched only by Orly, Dominic insists the older children come back because Dominic does not trust a stranger whose motives are unknown. Fen objects silently to Dominic’s suspicion, and Dominic realizes with alarm that Fen no longer trusts Dominic to judge danger or keep her safe.
As they walk uphill, Dominic studies the coastline and reflects on how rising seas are steadily erasing Shearwater and threatening their home, transport, and work. When Raff asks about the vault, Dominic reveals that the power is down; although the seeds should stay cold for several weeks, the margin before the supply ship arrives is dangerously narrow. Dominic then tells Fen and Raff that the boat is wrecked and any bodies will have to remain there until the ship comes. Fen wants the dead recovered and buried, but Dominic refuses. Before they reach home, Raff asks Dominic not to tell Orly about the vault failure, knowing Orly would not handle the news well.
Who Appears
- DominicGrieving father who finds the wrecked boat, reports the vault outage, and grows anxious about protecting his children.
- FenDominic’s daughter; compassionate toward Rowan and the dead, and increasingly doubtful of Dominic’s suspicion.
- RaffDominic’s son; questions Dominic about the vault and asks him to shield Orly from the bad news.
- RowanThe injured stranger in the lighthouse, still asleep but central to Dominic’s mistrust and worry.
- OrlyYoungest child, left alone with Rowan and viewed by Raff as too fragile to hear about the vault failure.