Always and Forever at Glendale Hall

by Victoria Walters

  * * *

  ‘This is one of my favourite spots,’ Brodie said as we got out of the car. I had messaged him to ask if he wanted to hang out after he’d finished his service as it was my day off. Emily was helping Heather and Beth with some wedding planning at the Hall so he was on his own. He suggested we went for a picnic like we had loved as kids so he drove us out of the village to a park, which had a hill that we walked to the top of and spread out the picnic blanket there.

  ‘Great view,’ I agreed, looking out at the fields and trees stretching out below us. I settled down on the blanket and watched as he opened the basket he had brought and pulled out food and drink. ‘Remember where we used to go when we were younger – where we could see the castle? We used to always wonder what they were doing inside it, not realising no one actually lived there.’

  ‘Mum and Dad never shattered the illusion, did they?’ he said, fondly. ‘Here, I got you the vegetarian sausage rolls you like.’ He handed them to me and poured lemonade into plastic cups. ‘Is there anything better than bread and brie?’

  I shook my head as I piled up my plate, touched he had brought along my favourite foods. I thought back to telling my parents I wanted to go vegetarian, when I was sixteen, and they had exchanged a look that said ‘here we go again’ and that had spurred me on to never go back to eating meat. ‘So, does Emily spend a lot of time with Heather and Beth?’ I asked him as I bit into a roll. I had never had best friends, and I couldn’t help but be curious about their friendship.

  ‘They try to but it’s not always possible with how busy they all are. The three of them are really close though. I suppose we’ve all been through a lot together these past couple of years. So many life changes. Getting married, having children, changing jobs, starting businesses… I know you think that Glendale is quiet but there always seems so much going on to me.’

  I thought about how they had all been through these big changes in life and suddenly I felt like I was trailing behind. I had done none of them. And I still wasn’t even sure that I wanted to. ‘There’s more going on than I realised. Like the garden party next weekend. And then there’s Beth and her weddings.’

  ‘I still remember the first garden party I attended with Emily. She hadn’t been here long and talking to her there was when I first realised that I had met someone important. Of course, I didn’t know how important she would be but I felt it pretty much as soon as we met.’

  ‘I really don’t believe in love at first sight.’

  ‘It wasn’t love at first sight but we had a… connection, you know?’

  I was annoyed to find an image of Cameron popping into my mind. ‘I guess I understand what you mean. And it’s all worked out for you two, hasn’t it?’

  ‘It’ll happen for you too. I mean if you want it to, that is.’ He smiled. ‘How are you getting on with the guitar?’

  ‘Still learning but it’s fun, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and trying to learn some new songs. I was thinking maybe I could have lessons, if I was staying somewhere for a while.’ I shrugged. It was hard to plan things like that when you knew you were going to move on again soon. ‘Thank you for asking Dad about it. It was a really lovely surprise.’ I knew now that was the surprise Emily had meant, and it made me happy that they had done that for me.

  ‘I think Dad was touched that you had such fond memories of going to the gigs with him. He has them too, you know. And he’d love to teach you more songs. If you stayed closer to home that is.’

  I took a bite of bread, avoiding his gaze. It was so hard to imagine staying in one area or being nearer home again, I’d been avoiding both for so long. ‘So, how are you feeling? About being a dad soon?’ Time to move the conversation off of me, I decided.

  Brodie’s face lit up like a light had been switched on inside. ‘I really can’t wait. I mean, I already feel like one with Iona. Obviously, Greg is her dad and he sees her every couple of weeks and she stays with him. But mostly, day-to-day, she lives with us, so she feels like mine. But to have a baby with Emily is the icing on the cake. I’m so excited and so is she. Em thinks it’s a boy but we don’t mind either way. I just can’t wait to be a family of four. And wherever you are, you will come back, won’t you? To meet him or her?’

  Brodie looked so hopeful that I had to nod. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Because we would love you to be their godmother. I already talked to Emily about it,’ he continued.

  I stared at my brother. ‘Really?’

  ‘Why do you look so shocked?’ He laughed. ‘There is no one we want more.’ He reached over and gave my hand a quick squeeze. ‘You will, won’t you?’

  I was still so taken aback but I couldn’t deny the burst of joy inside my chest. I nodded and looked away, trying to hide my pleased smile. Maybe we really could move on from the past. That thought was too incredible for me to really believe but I wanted to.

  ‘I’m so glad you’re here, Anna,’ he replied, picking up another veggie sausage roll. ‘These are surprisingly good, aren’t they?’

  I smiled, feeling for once the same way as my brother – pleased that I was here in this moment with him. I pulled my phone out and told him to lean in for a selfie. It felt like a moment I wanted to capture.

  And when I looked at it, I realised I looked happier in the photo than I had for a long time.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  By Friday, the day before garden party, the weather had cheered up and we were greeted with blue skies and sunshine each morning. The Hall grounds were being spruced up ready for the party. Beth was on a high after the success of her first wedding and was in her element directing everyone. She told me they held it each year to raise money for the village, charging an entry fee, and local businesses helped out as well with food and activities and a local band played during the day. Everyone was given a job to do to make sure it could be a success – even Izzy was shooed out of her reading room to join in.

  ‘Thanks so much for helping me,’ Heather said as we put up a folding table, which was going to be for her to sell their farm produce. Emily had set up a table to sell cakes and Sally would be running the Hall table, which was selling home-grown produce and cute bits from their shop, like watering cans with plants in, succulents in pots with faces on, and honey from the bee hives. ‘Rory and Cameron are at an auction with our cows so Dad is looking after Harry at home. Chloe said you two had been in touch. I still can’t believe how enthusiastic she was about her stay with us.’

  ‘Lift on three,’ I said as we stood the table up on the grass. ‘I think everyone likes an escape from their life sometimes and where better than on a farm in the Highlands? It’s so different from her London life. She loved toasting marshmallows around the fire.’

  ‘That was so fun,’ Heather agreed. She put her hands on her hips to survey the table. ‘It looks good. Chloe really rated your cooking. She was right too: you should think about doing it for a job. I know you’ll be gone soon but if you ever want to come back to Glendale, I think Hilltop could use you.’

  I smiled. ‘That’s so kind of you. I will remember that. So, what exactly happens at a cow auction anyway?’ I started pulling out the chutneys and jams from the box she had carried over from her car.

  ‘We take the cows and basically show them off to other farmers looking to breed cattle. Our Highland cows have a good reputation so we usually are able to sell what we need to sell. And it’s a good opportunity to meet with other farmers and talk about things going on – Rory loves it. He took Cameron along as we’re looking to buy some sheep for Hilltop and there might be some there that will work.’

  ‘Has Cameron always worked with you?’ I asked, hoping that I sounded casual.

  ‘He has helped out on Fraser Farm for years with his uncle. First, in school holidays and then he went to university so we didn’t see him as much but when he came back we got the opportunity to buy Hilltop and he was looking for a job so it worked out perfectly. I thought he’d run off from Glendale
actually but, thankfully for us, he stayed. I suppose I did the same coming back home after university. We’re such a strong community. And sometimes things happen, don’t they? To throw off your best laid plans.’ I saw her expression and I was intrigued. What had happened to make her and Cameron come back? She noticed my raised eyebrow. ‘My mother died so I came back to be with my dad. I suppose we all have a story as to why we’re here. Why we stayed, why we came back, but it doesn’t matter in the end. I would never want to leave now.’

  ‘Anna, can you hold this ladder for me, please?’ Beth called over then, so I left Heather, thinking how it was interesting that everyone here had pasts but that it didn’t seem to matter to them, they cared about each other and supported each other no matter what. Maybe I shouldn’t be so scared of my own past. Maybe people here would understand more than I thought they could. But I had never really opened up before and I wasn’t sure I would even know where to begin.

  I felt, though, that maybe if I could find the words then there were people here who would listen. And I’d never felt that way before.

  * * *

  Saturday arrived and it was a gorgeous day. It was the last weekend in June and summer was in full swing. The sky was cloudless blue and the sun was bright and warm. It put the whole household in a good mood. I even caught Caroline humming to herself.

  The garden party started just after lunch so we all headed into the grounds to check everything was ready, and people started filing in who were running stalls or games and the band did a sound check on the makeshift stage at the end of the lawn. There were even pedal boats on the stream for people to take out.

  Beth pulled me away from house duties to help in the garden again, which was fine by me in such lovely weather. I put on my denim shorts and Converse with a shirt I tied up to leave a strip of bare skin above my belly button. I joined Emily, who had arrived with the baked goods, and helped her set up her table. Jules, the manager of her bakery, would be running the stall but Emily wanted to make sure it looked perfect. She was wearing another floral dress with sandals, her blonde hair tied up and looked as glowing as ever, her bump getting bigger by the day, it seemed. ‘Brodie really enjoyed your picnic last week,’ she said as she adjusted the blue gingham tablecloth, making sure it was straight. ‘He hasn’t stopped going on about the veggie sausage rolls either.’

  I laughed, pleased. ‘They were very good. I suppose we haven’t done much just the two of us in a long time.’

  ‘I think it’s great you are now. It’s never too late. And family is so important, right? I think this looks okay, what do you think?’

  The table recreated Emily’s bakery, with the blue and lemon colours and the delicious cakes. ‘It’s perfect. And I really like your dress, it suits you.’

  ‘Thank you. Do you know, I was thinking the same thing about your outfit. I get very jealous of your figure. I’m really starting to balloon up.’ She smiled. ‘Right, I’d better go and get Brodie and Iona. We should all catch up later, yes? It’ll be lovely for Iona to get to know her auntie better.’ And then she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before strolling off. I liked the sound of being an auntie, I admitted to myself.

  ‘Anna, Mum says can you show the ice cream truck where to go?’ Izzy called out as she walked past carrying a jug of what looked like Pimm’s and lemonade. ‘She wants it by the stage, I think.’

  ‘No worries,’ I called back, heading to the driveway to tell the driver where to go. People were bustling around everywhere getting things ready and I enjoyed the energy in the air. It was nice feeling like part of a team here, all pitching in together to make something special, and I was looking forward to the afternoon and getting some time to relax and enjoy everything we had set up this morning. Adam and Lorna and their friends would be here soon and we would have fun, even if Cameron came with them. I wasn’t going to let anything shake off my good mood today, I decided.

  After I had directed the ice cream truck, I had to help the band lug their gear to the stage and then Sally needed help setting up her summer punch stand, and the day flashed by until suddenly it was time to open and people began pouring into the grounds. Everyone walked from the village and the grass was soon covered with people. It seemed as if the whole of Glendale had showed up, which they probably had, as entertainment was few and far between, and I even recognised most of them already.

  ‘Anna!’ Heather waved to me as she and Rory walked over, their son holding each of their hands, and Heather’s dad was just behind them chatting to John. I couldn’t help but crane my neck to see if Cameron was also there but there was no sign of him or his uncle, Angus. Perhaps they were staying on the farms. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. ‘What a great turnout already,’ she added when they reached me.

  ‘Ice cream!’ Harry cried out in delight when he saw the van.

  ‘He will never sleep tonight,’ she said, shaking her head as she let him pull her and Rory towards it. I laughed as they went, and then I saw Cameron walking up the lawn with Adam followed by Lorna and Glen. Cameron was wearing long shorts and a shirt and I tried not to look at his legs but failed. Adam was also in shorts and Lorna had on a denim dress and looked really pretty. I wondered if Cameron had noticed or not.

  ‘Go and hang out with your friends,’ Beth said as she passed me. ‘You’ve been a massive help this morning, enjoy yourself,’ she called as she went to greet Heather. I smiled at her then took a breath before walking over, telling myself to treat Cameron as just that – a friend.

  ‘There you are,’ Adam said, breaking into a grin and leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. His arm rested on the small of my back as he kissed me and I couldn’t help but flick my eyes towards Cameron, who had turned away. I felt a dip in my stomach and I knew that it wasn’t from Adam’s kiss. I hated the way my body was betraying me.

  I threw on a smile. ‘Right then, where are the drinks?’

  ‘That’s my girl,’ Adam said.

  ‘This way,’ Lorna replied, setting off. I went after them and then couldn’t help but glance back. Cameron waited a beat before following us.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I didn’t think I would enjoy a garden party as much as I was enjoying this one. After several glasses of Sally’s punch, everything felt fun. We played the games stalls, danced to the band and piled our plates at the buffet table before finding a quiet spot on the grass under the shade of a tree to eat as the afternoon faded into early evening. The sun had been out all day and my arms felt brown and warm and I was in a pleasant punch haze. Adam sat next to me as we ate and drank; Cameron, Lorna and Glen were opposite us, and some of their other friends were nearby. I could see Izzy and Luke playing with Harry, Izzy’s cat sleeping in a patch of sun nearby, Heather and Beth eating with their families, and everyone looked happy and chilled as things began to wind down ever so slightly.

  I spotted Brodie, Emily and Iona so I got up to go over and see them. ‘Are you having fun?’ I asked. They were sitting in a little circle near to their friends. Emily had a huge plate of food and Brodie was holding Iona to feed her. I had a funny feeling in my stomach again when I looked down at them. They just looked so comfortable and happy together. I felt for a moment as if I’d intruded on something.

  ‘It’s been a lovely day. We’ve hardly seen you though,’ Emily said. ‘Have you enjoyed it?’

  ‘It’s been fun.’ I looked at Brodie. ‘Do you remember when we went to that summer fair when we were on holiday in Cornwall? This reminds me of that.’

  He smiled. ‘I do. And Dad got out his guitar and we all had a sing-song as the sun set on the beach.’

  ‘We should do that!’ Emily cried excitedly. ‘Now most of the crowd has gone home.’ She looked up at me. ‘You should bring out your guitar.’

  ‘I’m really not good enough…’ I began.

  ‘It would be lovely,’ Brodie agreed, cutting off my protest. ‘I bet everyone would love it. Go on, Anna.’

  ‘Please,�
� Emily added.

  It was hard to say no to them when they were looking at me so hopefully, and I couldn’t help but agree it would be a fun end to the day. ‘Oh, okay, but don’t blame me if I’m rubbish.’

  I set off towards the house and was only aware of someone following me when I started to climb the stairs. I turned to see Adam behind me. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘I’ve never seen inside. Where are you going? Can I see your room?’ he asked, grinning as he climbed up after me.

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Come on then. My brother wanted me to get my guitar.’

  He whistled as we walked upstairs. ‘It’s really huge, I reckon my entire flat would fit onto this landing. I can’t believe you get to live here.’

  ‘Just for the summer,’ I said but I realised as I walked to my room it was feeling more like home than anywhere I’d worked before. I reasoned it was because the house was so old and had housed generations, so it was a special place. And the family were welcoming and warm too which helped. ‘This is me.’ I led Adam inside and went over to get my guitar as he slowly looked around.

  ‘You sleep in a four-poster bed? I think I need to step up my game, you’ll be getting used to the finer life here,’ he said, grinning and stepped closer to me.

  ‘That’s right, I’m just waiting for my Prince Charming now,’ I joked as I picked up my guitar. I looked at Adam objectively. He was nice looking and was clearly attracted to me. I knew that before I had come to Glendale, he was someone I would have had a fun summer fling with. But I thought about how it had felt when Cameron kissed me, and everything became a little bit cloudy in my mind. It was as if my world had always been black and white but Cameron was making it grey. And I didn’t like it.