'And it's none of my concern, Hettie,' Jenny put in. 'But after all the rain we've had this week already, your garden's going to be like a quagmire. Not the best time to dig something up. Better to wait until the ground's a little drier. Mud's much heavier to lift.'
Hettie looked from Ella to Jenny and back again with an expression of utter confusion on her face.
'Why are you two talking about my garden and wellies, my dears? What have wellies got to do with anything? Or the weather. I don't expect him to sit outside.'
'But I thought you wanted him to dig something up?' Ella glanced at Jenny who shrugged and shook her head.
'I do, deary. Fred's been trying, bless him. He's usually very good, but this has got him stumped. He was the one who suggested Gill. And it makes perfect sense.'
'Not to me it doesn't,' Ella said, somewhat sarcastically.
'Oh?' Hettie gave her a look of mild disbelief. 'After everything he dug up about his grandfather and Mattie, I'm surprised to hear you say that. If anyone can dig up a map of Little Pondale from the 1600s, Fred and I were both certain it would be Gill. If only he hadn't had to dash off to see a cat.'
'A map!' Jenny laughed. 'You want Gill to do research. That kind of 'digging up'. We thought–'
'A cat?' Ella queried. 'Gill told you he was dashing off to see a cat?'
Hettie, now looking even more confused, nodded and smiled. 'Yes, deary. I said I wanted to ask a favour and he said it would either have to wait until he got back, or that I could ask you, and that you were in Lake's Bakes because he was dashing off to see a tabby and really couldn't stop to chat. Are you thinking of getting a cat, deary? I'd best not tell Prince Gustav. He's not terribly fond of cats.'
'Prince Gustav isn't the only one.' Ella shot a look at Jenny. 'I'm not terribly fond of a certain Tabbie, either.'
Chapter Seven
Tabbie smiled at Gill as he approached the bar in The Frog and Lily, where she was perched on a stool, sipping a glass of wine.
Gill smiled back, removing his glasses as he reached her side, and wiping them with a cloth he had taken from the pocket of his jeans. He put his glasses back in place and nodded at the beautiful redhead who had just served Tabbie and was now serving someone else further along the bar.
'Thank you for meeting me,' Tabbie said. 'I hope you didn't mind me calling, but you did say yesterday that if I wanted to ask you any questions, I could. Are you sure you didn't have plans this afternoon?'
'Nothing that couldn't wait. I'm glad you called. It's nice to see you again. What's happened with your car?'
Tabbie glanced up to the heavens. 'Oh gosh. Don't get me started on that subject. Are all the people who work at insurance companies trained to be annoying, or is it just in their nature? Sorry. That was mean. Let's just say, the matter is in hand and leave it at that.' She laughed as the beautiful barmaid sauntered towards them. 'Let me buy you a drink.'
'Hello, Gill,' the barmaid said, giving Tabbie a sideways glance. 'What can I get you? Is Ella on her way?'
'Hi, Alexia. I'll have a pint of lager please, and no, Ella's not joining us. I suspect she'll be talking to Hettie for at least the next half hour and Bree's going round for tea. Have you two met?'
Alexia grinned. 'Me and Bree? Or do you mean me and your new friend? In which case, no.'
Gill sighed softly as if he had heard that quip, or something similar, several times.
'Tabbie, this is Alexia Bywater. Her parents, Alec and Freda own this pub. Alexia meet Tabbie … I'm sorry, Tabbie. I don't know your surname.'
'Talbaine. I'm Tabbie Talbaine.'
'Of course you are,' Alexia said, somewhat facetiously, but she threw Tabbie a brief smile.
'Tabbie's staying with Aurelia,' Gill continued.
Alexia looked stunned. 'Aurelia? Aurelia Jenkins? How do you know Aurelia? She never has visitors.'
Tabbie ignored the inquisitorial stare, and smiled. 'Aurelia and my mother are friends. I hadn't planned to stay but unfortunately, I had a little accident and my car was towed to a garage this morning. It's going to take a day or so to sort out a replacement, apparently.'
'Oh, you're the one who drove into Aurelia's pond last night.' Alexia poured Gill's lager and put the pint glass in front of him on the bar.
Tabbie coughed. 'Word travels fast in this village.'
Alexia shrugged. 'I heard Bear talking to Aurelia on the phone this morning, and afterwards, he told me what had happened. Aurelia wanted him to pop round and take a quick look at you sometime today.'
Tabbie tutted. 'There's really no need. I told Aurelia I'm perfectly fine. I hadn't realised she had made that call.'
'Maybe she's worried you'll sue her. People do that. They have an accident and then blame someone else for it happening.'
'I will do no such thing, and I'm sure Aurelia knows that.'
Tabbie held a £10 note out to Alexia who took it, smiled mischievously, and handed back some change.
'No need to bite my head off. I'm only saying.'
Alexia leant her elbows on the bar as if waiting to join in with Tabbie and Gill's conversation.
'Perhaps we'd be more comfortable at a table,' Gill said, giving Alexia a look of mild reprimand.
'Don't mind me.' Alexia straightened up. 'I can take a hint. Excuse me. I've got customers to serve. Enjoy your drinks. And say hello to Ella for me, Gill.'
Tabbie watched her sashay away.
'Have I caused some sort of situation? She seemed less than happy to find you here with me, which is rather odd, as she doesn't know me at all.'
'Don't worry about it. It's just 'small village mentality'. In a good way. It's a very close-knit community and as in all small villages I should imagine, people look out for one another. Although that wasn't always the case here. But that's another story. Alexia and my girlfriend, Ella are friends. It's no big deal. I'll explain to Ella later.'
'Do you need to explain? Sorry. That sounded rude. What I meant was, there isn't anything to explain. I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about the village, that's all. It's not as though this is a date or anything.'
Tabbie laughed, but Alexia had made her uncomfortable. Didn't Gill's girlfriend trust him? Did she have reason not to? Did Gill think Tabbie's call was an excuse to see him again? No. Alexia's behaviour was making her overthink things.
'I know,' Gill said, but he looked a little disappointed when he smiled. 'Let's grab a table anyway or Alexia will spend the entire time eavesdropping. There's one free over by the window.' He nodded in that direction.
Tabbie slid down from the stool and as Gill stood to one side, led the way to the table Gill had pointed out.
'What did you want to ask me?' Gill said, the second he sat down.
Tabbie took a swig of wine and, after placing her glass on the table, a deep breath. She leant forward and stared at her hands. This was going to sound silly – unless Gill believed Aurelia Jenkins really was a witch.
Chapter Eight
Bree glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. Where on earth was Ella? They were supposed to be having tea this afternoon, and discussing how Ella could help with the wedding.
Bree smiled, despite being irritated.
Her wedding. Her very own wedding. Something she had begun to think would never happen. If anyone had told her, just a few months ago, that Bree Wright would be getting married this October, she would've told them they were delusional.
Yet here she was, waiting for her future sister-in-law to discuss that very thing. And she wasn't only getting married. She was pregnant too. With twins. So next year was going to be even more amazing. They were due at the end of February. The twenty-seventh, if her timing was correct.
Sometimes, she still woke up in the night and half expected to be in a single bed in a tiny room in a shared house in London. And still single. Working in Sainsbury's with only foolish and impossible dreams of having her own business.
Not that her dreams had proved to be impossible. They h
ad turned into reality. And then a miracle had happened. No. Not just one miracle but two. She had seen the love of her life once more, and this time, he'd seen her. Really seen her. And fallen in love with her. And shown her how much he loved her and wanted her. Then the second miracle – she had fallen pregnant and in doing so, had proved that doctors don't always know everything.
Which was both a good thing and a bad. If a doctor could be wrong about her chances of ever becoming a mother, they could also be wrong when they told her that everything was going well and that she and both the babies were fine.
What if they were wrong about that? What if the babies weren't developing as they should? What if she was doing something wrong? What if her morning sickness wasn't just the usual everyday nausea that lots of women felt? What if–
'Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.' Ella rushed towards her, panting and red-faced. She placed a hand on her chest and bent over, gasping for breath.
'Oh my God, Ella! Are you okay?'
Ella straightened up, her hand still on her chest. 'Do I look okay?'
Bree hesitated for a second. 'Frankly, no. It's not your heart, is it?'
'Yes. But not in the way you mean. I'm not having a heart attack or anything. It's just breaking in two, that's all.'
'Why? What's happened?' Bree reached out and slid an arm across Ella's shoulders.
'Gill's in the pub with a strange woman. I've just peered in the window and they're deep in conversation.'
'Strange in what way? Didn't he tell you he was meeting someone? It's probably in connection with his book or something. But if you're concerned, why didn't you simply go in and ask him who she is?'
'I know who she is. She's the woman who drove her car into Aurelia Jenkins' pond last night.'
'Oh yes. I heard about that from Lori this morning. Franklin told her they had to use a tractor to get it out. It's probably a write-off. And even if it's not, would anyone want to sit in a car that's been in a muddy pond? I know I wouldn't.'
Ella frowned. 'I don't care about her bloody car, Bree. What I want to know is why he's meeting her. I have my suspicions of course, but I don't want him to think I'm jealous.'
'But clearly you are.'
'Yes. Thank you for stating the obvious. I know that and you know that, but he doesn't need to know that too.' Ella stared at Bree's large baby bump. 'Why are you standing out here anyway?'
'I was waiting for you. We were supposed to be having tea, remember? And discussing my wedding.'
'I remember. Why d'you think I ran all the way from the pub. Nearly killing myself in the process, I might add. And why d'you think I got these cakes?' Ella held up her handbag. 'Ah. Um. I must've left the cakes and my tote bag at Jenny's. Go inside and make yourself comfortable and I'll nip back and get them.'
'I didn't bring Garrick's key,' Bree yelled after Ella's retreating back. 'That's why I was outside.'
Ella spun round but continued running, only backwards. 'You don't need it. The door's unlocked. It always is.' She grinned and spun round to face in the direction of Lake's Bakes.
Bree sighed and shook her head. Typical Ella. And fancy shouting out for everyone to hear that she always leaves the door unlocked. Bree glanced up and down Lily Pond Lane. Apart from her and Ella, there wasn't another soul in sight.
Oh well. This was Little Pondale, after all. Everyone left their front doors unlocked around here. Everyone except Bree. She still hadn't got used to that, and Willow Cottage had the bolt slid across the door every single night. Unless Garrick was staying over, in which case he was the one who locked up. Or probably, didn't.
She opened the door to Sunbeam Cottage and walked into the bright and sunny hall leading into the kitchen beyond. She could feel the breeze in her face. Ella had obviously left the back door to the garden open too. Bearing in mind there was a public beach beyond the garden, that wasn't a sensible thing to do. But once again, Bree reminded herself, this was Little Pondale, not London.
She carefully deposited her laptop bag on a chair at the table. The bag was a gift from Garrick and the laptop inside was another gift from Mia and Jet to give both her and her then fledgling business a boost, and she was determined to look after both gifts. Not only because the bag and the laptop were from people she loved, but also because the laptop was very expensive and she wasn't yet used to owning such expensive items.
She switched the kettle on and took a seat next to her bag.
She made a pot of tea and had drunk an entire cup before Ella burst through the front door and came running into the kitchen.
'Sorry again, Bree. I got a bit side-tracked at Jenny's.'
Bree tutted. 'Discussing the strange woman, I suppose. Who is she anyway? All Lori told me was that her name was Cat, or something cat-related. Franklin couldn't recall. He said he wasn't really paying attention because he was hungry and wet and wanted to get home because they were going out for dinner.'
Ella sighed. 'It's Tabbie. Her name is Tabbie. Tabbie Talbaine. Did you make some tea?'
'Yes. Ten minutes ago. You'd better make a fresh pot.' Bree handed her the teapot and took her laptop out of her bag, placing it on the table in front of her. 'Have you Googled her?'
'Have I what?' Ella turned off the tap. 'I didn't hear you.'
'I asked if you'd Googled her.'
Ella looked surprised. 'No. I hadn't thought about that. That's the sort of thing Mia would tell me to do. God, I miss her. I can't wait for her to come home.'
'Same here.' Bree turned on her laptop and typed Tabbie's name into the search bar as soon as it appeared on the screen. A long list of results flashed up.
'Bloody hell, Ella. She's a bit of a celebrity.'
'She's what?' Ella spun round and dashed to Bree's side, looking over her shoulder at the huge number of images and articles popping up as Bree scrolled down.
'Tabbie Talbaine on the town,' Bree read out. 'Tabbie Talbaine's Tasty Titbits – a blog by celebrity girl-about-town, Tabitha Talbaine.'
'Bloody Nora!' Ella said. 'That's the last thing I wanted to see. Not just beautiful, but famous too. And rich by the look of those designer clothes she's wearing in all the photos.'
Ella huffed out a sigh and marched over to the kettle, banging the teapot down on the counter so hard that Bree was surprised it didn't smash.
Bree tutted. 'So what? Gill's not going to be swept off his feet by fame and fortune. He's too level-headed for that. Oh. This one might cheer you up.'
Ella peered over Bree's shoulder.
'Or maybe not,' Bree added. Beneath the headline: More of Tabbie's Tasty Titbits was a photo of Tabbie standing on a luxury yacht, surrounded by tranquil, aquamarine waters with a red stone cliff in the background.
'So she also takes holidays on luxury yachts in exotic destinations. Thanks for pointing that out, Bree. Oh! Wait a minute. Go back to that photo.'
Bree had scrolled past it when she'd realised the photo definitely wouldn't make Ella feel better, and hoped that Ella hadn't noticed. But Ella pulled up a chair and sat beside her.
'Which one?' Bree asked, scrolling in the other direction, away from the photo.
'The other way. Go back up, Bree. Oh, give it to me.'
Ella snatched the laptop away and scrolled back up the screen, stopping suddenly, her mouth gaping open when she obviously found the photo.
'It must be awful to have people taking photos of you when that sort of thing happens,' Bree said, getting to her feet. 'I'll finish making the tea.'
Ella didn't say a word. She simply stared at the photo until Bree put the teapot on the table a few seconds later.
'Yeah,' Ella pushed the laptop back towards Bree. 'It must be a real pain to have such big boobs, but no bikini top that small was ever going to keep those massive jugs in place, was it? And did you notice that there weren't any tan lines?'
'Er, no. I didn't really study it.'
'Well, I did. And the woman obviously sunbathes topless most of the time. Her tan is even all over.'
; 'Um. She could've got it from a sunbed. Or it may even be a spray-on tan.'
'Nope. That suntan is real. And it's from being stretched out half naked on a no doubt tropical beach somewhere. Probably an island like the one Mia and Jet are on right now. Gill may not be swayed by fame or fortune but boobs like that are hard to ignore if they're thrust in your face. I wonder just how low cut that T-shirt was she was wearing today. I wish I could've seen her face-on but she had her back to me.'
'Oh come on, Ella. Now you're putting two and two together and making a farce out of it. Gill's not going to go all light-headed and stupid over a pair of boobs. No matter how large or perfect they may be, or how evenly tanned. He's just not that kind of guy. You know he's not.'
'Then why did he dash off and meet her, eh? Tell me that. And why didn't he even have the decency to tell me where he was going?'
The kitchen phone rang before Bree could answer Ella's question. Not that she had any idea what to say to reassure her.
Ella picked up the handset and a piece of paper floated to the floor. Ella bent down to pick it up and read the contents, glancing over at Bree, red-faced and smiling wanly.
'What?' she said down the phone. 'No. I don't need to type a special code into my laptop, because I don't have an undetectable virus that needs fixing. What? Oh for God's sake get a life, will you? Stop bothering people, you moron. If you really expect me to fall for a scam like that you're more delusional than I am. And the only problem I currently have with a laptop, is not one an idiot like you can fix.' She slammed the phone down, marched back to the table and threw the piece of paper at Bree. 'God, that man annoys me sometimes.'
'Er. The man who called? Does he do that often then?'
Ella scowled at her. 'What? No. I meant Gill. Gill annoys me. Read the damn note.'
Bree read out loud the words scribbled on the paper. '“Sorry sweetheart. Tabbie called and asked me if I could meet her in the pub because she wants to ask me some questions about Mattie and the village. As you and Bree are discussing her wedding, I didn't think you'd mind. I promise I won't be long. Say hi to Bree for me and I'll see you both soon. Gill.” And there are three kisses. And a P.S. “Please don't eat my cake.” And another kiss.'
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane Page 6