'I don't want to be a nuisance, Mrs Jenkins. Perhaps if I sit in front of the fire for a while, I'll soon be dry and if I can borrow your phone to call my insurers and the RAC, I'll be able to get my car out of your dit– pond and be on my way.'
Aurelia grinned. 'It does look more like a ditch than a pond at the moment, I'll admit. It's all the rain we've had recently together with the fact that I'm not as young as I was and I don't look after the garden as I should. But why the rush to leave? I thought you were on your way to pay me a visit. Why were you coming to see me? You didn't say. But you can tell me all that later. You're shivering. We must get you in a warm shower or you'll catch your death. Or perhaps a bath. Yes, a bath's the thing to have. I should've taken you directly to the bathroom. Follow me.'
Tabbie sighed again as Aurelia led the way back down the hall, this time turning halfway along and to Tabbie's surprise, opening a door from what appeared to be a solid wall. When Tabbie reached it she realised it was indeed a door, cleverly hidden. But why? Why hide a door?
The rickety flight of well-trodden stairs must have borne thousands of footfalls over the centuries. More images popped into Tabbie's head. This time of people, but all from long ago. How bizarre. It was because the cottage was so old. It was as if she had been transported back to a different era. Ridiculous, of course.
'How old is this cottage?'
'Oh my. It dates back to the 1600s. My great-great, well several greats actually, grandmother moved here from Lancashire in 1612.'
'From Lancashire? In 1612? Where in Lancashire?' Tabbie had recently written an article for her popular blog, Tabbie Talbaine's Tasty Titbits, regarding certain events in Lancashire in 1612, together with recipes from that time, and of course, local gossip from then and now.
Aurelia's back seemed to stiffen and she stopped on the top stair, turning to face Tabbie with a serious look in her eye.
'From Pendle Hill. And yes. Because of the Pendle Witch Trials. And yes. She was a witch, although she preferred to be known as a healer and an enabler, as all our family has.'
'A witch? You're teasing me, aren't you? And what's an–'
'No. I'm not. And I'll thank you not to laugh.' For a second, Aurelia's unpleasant demeanour returned but it was quickly gone. 'That was rude. I apologise. You were going to ask a question. Please ask it.'
'Um. I was merely going to ask what an enabler is? I know most so-called witches were simply healers and certainly used no magic spells, just herbs and plants to help people but I've never heard them referred to as enablers.'
A slight smile softened Aurelia's mouth and her whole body seemed to relax.
'My ancestors were all healers but we also help people in other ways. For example, if a person wants something, we might enable them to get it.'
'How, exactly?'
'Let's just say we help them find a way. We understand things many people do not and when a person has a problem, they can't see the wood for the trees. We … help them see the light. Now, what would you like in your bath? Lavender's the most popular choice but I have my own concoction that I'm sure you'll love.'
Tabbie dismissed the image of bat's wing and eye of newt and forced a smile.
'Lavender's fine, but I'm happy to try your potion. I mean, your product.'
Aurelia opened a door at the end of the hall and a large, white cast iron bath tub gleamed in the centre of a surprisingly spacious room. There was a fabulous, multi-jet, walk-in shower on one side and thankfully, a pristine-looking toilet – and, most astonishingly a bidet, on the other.
Tabbie blinked several times as she took it all in. The wall and floor tiles were almost the same salmon pink colour as the cottage exterior and it was only on closer inspection that she realised they were pink marble. Somewhat modern and luxurious not to mention expensive for an otherwise ancient cottage.
Aurelia handed her two sumptuous bath towels, a bar of what was clearly handmade soap with what appeared to be flower petals embedded in it, a flannel as soft as the towels and finally a beautiful etched balloon shaped, glass bottle containing the most divine fragrance Tabbie had ever smelt.
'What is this?'
Aurelia tapped the tip of her nose. 'A secret, family recipe. One the great, great grandmother I mentioned, Jennet de Witt, was famed for.'
'Jennet de Witt? Gosh. Is this cottage named after her? Or probably her husband?'
Aurelia nodded. 'It's named after her. She didn't have a husband. At least, not when she moved here. She bought the land, no mean feat in those days, and built the cottage herself.'
'She built it? Your ancestor built this cottage?'
Aurelia smiled. 'She did. Building the cottage was far simpler than buying the land, let me tell you. There have been a few changes and additions since then, of course, but a large part of it is almost exactly as it was in Jennet's day. I'll leave some clothes on the bed in the room next door. You can get dressed in there. In the meantime, I'll make a call to see if we can get your car out of my pond. Come down when you're ready and we can have a cup of my herbal tea. Then you can tell me what brought you here today.'
Clearly, like the topic of 'enablers' the conversation about Jennet was over.
'Oh yes. I was going to call the RAC, wasn't I? It went completely out of my head. That's very unlike me. I must still be in mild shock or something. Thank you for this, Mrs Jenkins.'
'It's Aurelia, and there's no need to thank me. Cami's daughter is more than welcome to anything in my hearth and home. Take as long as you want. I'll be downstairs. And I don't know about you but I'm getting a little peckish. I'll pop something in the pot.'
Tabbie didn't want to imagine what that might be.
Chapter Two
Bree was having another mood swing and as usual, Garrick was being incredibly understanding and supportive. Almost annoyingly so.
'Why don't you sit down and relax, my darling?' He patted the back of one of the armchairs in front of the fire in the sitting room of Willow Cottage and beamed at her as torrential rain lashed the windowpanes and a gale force wind rattled the frames. 'I'll make dinner. And how about a nice cup of tea?'
'I can't relax.' Bree grabbed a stack of paperwork, held it upright and tapped the end repeatedly on the table to prove her point. 'It's been chucking it down virtually non-stop for days and the forecast for the weekend's really grim, with no let-up likely in the foreseeable future. I've got two weddings this weekend, both with marquees. One I've been able to rearrange to indoors but the other's in the middle of a field, so God alone knows where I'll find an alternative venue for that. I've been trying since this damn rain started. Next weekend I've got three, two of which are outdoors. It's June for heaven's sake. And my diary is chock-a-block. Everyone seems to be getting married this year. Over the next few months I've got twenty-five weddings to plan and execute. That's not counting ours.'
'But our wedding isn't until October so there's plenty of time to organise that.'
She glowered at him. 'Plenty of time? Are you mad?'
'You planned and organised Mia's wedding in less time and look what a great success that was. And it was your first and you didn't even have help. Well, none to speak of. Now you have three assistants. That's not counting me.'
His grin did nothing to placate her. 'I'll be the size of this cottage by October. Whose stupid idea was it to have our wedding then?'
'You weren't stupid to delay it until October, darling. I was the one who was being stupid for wanting to get married straightaway.'
Bree thumped the paperwork on the table and glowered harder. 'Don't patronise me, Garrick. We couldn't possibly get married before then. My business has surpassed all expectations, thanks to Mia and Jet, and I really need to focus.'
Undeterred, he walked towards her, his head tipped slightly to one side, his eyes filled with love, and a maddeningly sexy smile on his lips.
'I know, my darling. You want to concentrate on your business and all of your clients' weddings without having to worr
y about your own. I understand that. But what you need right now, is to go to bed.'
'Don't look at me like that. That's how I got into this condition.' But she felt her lips curve into a smile. 'I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so moody and unreasonable. And I am, aren't I? Moody and unreasonable.'
'No more than anyone would be in your position. And I really don't mind. But I do mind you overdoing things. I know your business is important and I completely understand that it's your dream come true, but you need to watch your health, darling. The doctor said it's a miracle that you're pregnant, let alone with twins, but he also said we need to look after you. There must be more I can do to help with the business. And surely the team you got together for Mia and Jet's wedding know what they're doing now? Couldn't you let them and your assistants get on with it and simply supervise?'
Bree opened her mouth to argue but quickly closed it. Garrick was right. Yes, her wedding planning business, The Wright Wedding really was a dream come true. A dream that wouldn't have got off the ground if it hadn't been for Mia and Jet giving her the start-up funds, and with their ongoing investment, and all the bookings she had received as a result of their wedding, the business was already in profit.
But it had also been a dream of hers to have a child. An impossible dream, or so she had been told. Discovering she had fallen pregnant within a few weeks of dating Garrick was without doubt the biggest surprise of her life. And the most wonderful. Even more so than Mia and Jet's belief in her and her ability to make a success of The Wright Wedding.
Garrick wrapped his arms around her and she leant into his muscular chest, her heart beating wildly as it always did when she was in his arms. She looked up into his hazel eyes and ran her hand through his wonderfully thick, sandy brown hair.
'It's a miracle that you still love me after the way I've been behaving the last few weeks.'
He bent his head and kissed her softly on the lips.
'It's not your fault. It's your hormones. And I'll always love you no matter what. Besides, I've been through much worse. Ella's my twin sister, don't forget. When she gets mad you want to leave the country.' He grinned and kissed her again, for longer this time.
'Ella's lovely. You and I both know that.' She smiled up at him. 'I don't mean to be so horrid, I really don't. You're right though. It is my hormones. And morning sickness. I hadn't realised it would start so soon or be so dreadful. It's draining, in more ways than one. But there's so much I don't know about being pregnant, having never thought it would happen. Cathy and Christy gave me some tips. Apparently crackers, dry cereal and other bland carb-rich snacks all help. Which is why I'm eating so many of the damn things and putting on even more weight. You're supposed to keep something in your stomach at all times, according to them. And the ginger tea you suggested definitely helps.'
'Bear told me about that.'
She grinned at him. 'You're asking a vet for pregnancy advice?'
'Funny lady. He may only be a first responder but he knows quite a bit about it. And he is a first-class vet. Besides, let's not forget, he was the one who told you he thought you were pregnant when you thought you were having a heart attack.'
'I was teasing about asking him for advice. He's very knowledgeable.'
'I know. I told him to keep his diary for February pretty fluid, in case we can't get to the hospital and we need him to deliver our babies. Having delivered countless puppies, kittens, lambs, calves and the like, two little humans should be no trouble.'
Bree slapped him playfully on the arm before realising that might not be such a bad idea. If next February was as snowy as this February had been, getting to the hospital which was several miles away, might be a struggle.
But that was a frightening thought. What if there were complications? What if something went wrong? The pregnancy was a miracle; the births might not be. Even the nearest doctor was miles away. Bear was a fantastic vet, and a brilliant paramedic, but Bree didn't even want to contemplate having her babies anywhere other than in hospital, surrounded by experienced doctors and nurses, together with ample painkilling drugs, and the most up-to-date equipment possible.
She shared everything with Garrick except her fears. He had been through enough. Losing his previous girlfriend, Fiona in such a tragic way at the start of the year had devastated him. Bree knew better than most that he hadn't expected to fall in love again, and definitely not so soon. But in a way, she knew she had been his lifeline. He had his baby daughter, Flora, of course, who was the other love of his life, but Bree had given him hope for a future filled with love, laughter and happiness. A chance to have the family he so longed for. From the moment she had set eyes on Flora, she had loved the tiny bundle of joy as if the baby were her own. Imagine how Garrick would feel if Bree told him about her fears. Like her, he might begin to worry every time she felt an unexpected stab of pain. Or believed for one terrible moment that their babies had stopped moving. He was brimming over with happiness and love. She couldn't replace that with fear, or worry, or doubt. Subjecting him to her mood swings was bad enough.
'Perhaps we should also have Jet, Franklin and Pete on standby,' she joked, attempting to lighten her mood. 'All three of them have hands-on experience of delivering calves, so Mia told me.'
Garrick grinned. 'The more the merrier I say. Now please sit down while I go and make our dinner.'
'I'm not really hungry.'
'Neither am I as it happens. Shall I just make us a sandwich? You need to keep something in your stomach, remember?'
She pulled him closer and gave him her sexiest smile. 'Didn't you say something about me needing to go to bed?'
He tipped his head to one side. 'I did. But I thought you had paperwork.'
'I do. But it can wait.' She eased herself away from him and turned towards the stairs. 'Coming?'
He raised his brows and smiled broadly. 'I'll grab some crackers for later.'
'And pickles. I've got a craving for a giant gherkin.'
Garrick laughed and shook his head.
Chapter Three
Hettie was definitely out of sorts. Even more so than she had been when she got her bad news the day before Mia and Jet's wedding. News she had kept to herself, other than sharing it with her husband Fred, of course.
But ever since the wedding something else had been niggling her – as if she didn't have enough to worry about already. And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, the feeling simply wouldn't go away.
The weather was not helping. It rained for three entire days after Mia and Jet departed for their honeymoon. That was followed by a few days of sunshine and showers. Then came the storms with gale force winds and temperatures more suited to November than June. Now it couldn't seem to make up its mind what it wanted to do. One minute the sky was blue and the sun appeared; the next there was torrential rain. One day there had been hail, a mini heatwave and something akin to a tornado, all within hours of each other.
But as she watched another sudden storm race in from the sea and rage outside her window before dissipating as it rolled inland, she knew it wasn't the weather that was niggling her, however weird it may be behaving. And rightly or wrongly she couldn't give a fig about Global Warming, so it certainly wasn't that.
Fred told her it was possibly because so much had changed in the village in such a short space of time and, on top of her other problem, it was upsetting her equilibrium, but what did he know? He had only lived in the village since moving in with her last September, and she had seen more changes in her lifetime than he could possibly imagine. As for change upsetting her equilibrium, that was stuff and nonsense.
Firstly, equilibrium was hardly a term that could be applied to her. Calm and balance had no place in her life. She would be the first to admit that dashing about to share the latest snippet of local gossip was far more important to her than peace and tranquillity.
Secondly, marrying Fred was a massive change, and she certainly wasn't upset about that. Far from it. After spending years
in her cottage with only the ghost of her dead husband Hector for company, joined later by Prince Gustav, the white rat that her friend, Matilda Ward had bought her, having another human being to share her life and her home was the best thing that had happened to her in years.
Until Fred Turner came along she had forgotten how wonderful it was to hold someone else's hand. How thrilling it was to kiss and cuddle. How comforting to curl up together on the sofa with a mug of cocoa, a large glass of brandy, and the TV remote.
Sharing her bed with Fred, was nothing short of heaven. Sex with Fred might not be quite as energetic or as frequent as it had been with Hector but they were in their eighties, after all. There was something to be said for taking things slowly and gently. But they both still had a playful side.
No. Change didn't bother Hettie much at all.
Neither was it one of Fred's other suggestions. That perhaps her fondness and undeniable soft spot for Jet Cross had made her a little jealous of him marrying Mia. That was ridiculous. She couldn't be happier for them both.
Fred's final pronouncement on the matter was that perhaps she was worrying about growing too fond of Leo. And of Cathy and Daisy. In case something happened. Or in case they moved away. But it wasn't that either. Meeting Hector's illegitimate son Leo Hardman at Christmas had brought back unpleasant memories of Hector's infidelity, that was true, but getting to know Leo had given Hettie nothing but joy. Leo lived in Corner Cottage with widowed, Cathy Cole and her young daughter Daisy, and although Leo and Cathy had only met at Christmas, it was clear to Hettie their relationship would last. Hettie was overjoyed to have them living so close. In wanting to know as much as possible about his real father Hector, Leo had spent more and more time with Hettie and Fred, and together with Cathy and Daisy, it now felt as if they were family. A real family. Which was something Hettie had always wanted, but she hadn't been able to have a child of her own.
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane Page 2