The Summer of Secrets

by Tilly Tennant

  ‘It does,’ she said.

  He held out his hand. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I appreciate your efforts.’

  Cesca took his hand and shook. ‘There might be hope,’ she said.

  For the first time that day she could read his expression, and it was one of palpable sorrow. ‘You and I both know there is not. Your desire to soften the blow shows the kindness of your disposition, but I would rather hear the facts, however contrary to my hopes.’

  ‘It’s likely the commission will go for the finder and recommend the treasure go to the crown. I expect it will end up with the British Museum, given its significant historical value.’

  He inclined his head. ‘As I suspected. Thank you for being honest with me.’

  There was silence as he seemed to contemplate her, and then Cesca broke it. ‘I should get on… lots of work to do.’

  ‘As have I. Goodbye, Francesca Logan. It’s been an absolute pleasure.’

  Cesca nodded, more confused than ever. Did she want to slap this man or kiss him until her lips were numb? Was that it, the end of whatever it was they’d had? Was it ever anything at all? She turned to leave and he followed with the keys to let her out. At the gate she stopped and looked up at him.

  ‘There are other ways to save your house,’ she said.

  ‘I believe there are. I can’t say I care for many of them, but in the absence of any other avenue I will look into them.’

  ‘If you need any help…’

  ‘That’s generous, but I’m sure you have enough work and your own life to live.’

  ‘Yes but…’ Cesca stalled. What was the point?

  She stood back to let him open the gate and then walked away from Silver Hill House, the sound of his keys turning in the lock as she left.

  Chapter 27

  Allie hummed to herself as she wiped down the kitchen worktop. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt like humming but it was nice. Things were still far from right, of course, but over the past few days she’d had a sense that peace was somewhere on the horizon and after the turmoil of the last year it was enough to fill her with contentment. If happiness was still out of reach, then peace and contentment would do. She was hopeful too, that an understanding that might lead to reconciliation between her and Greg was now within their grasp. It had taken a long time to get here, and the road had been torturous, but they seemed to be getting there. The night before Greg had even suggested that they go away as a family – not far, perhaps a drive to the coast and an overnight stay in a little B&B. They’d surprise Josh on Saturday morning and maybe it would go some way to making up for the atmosphere in the house that he must have been able to pick up on, even if he hadn’t been able to fully understand it.

  So Greg had taken him to school that morning, returned to get as much work as he could done and after lunch had gone to the village post office, telling Allie that he’d pick Josh up and get something nice for dinner on the way home. He was trying, and she had to be grateful for that.

  She glanced at the clock to see it was just after four, meaning they ought to be in soon. Putting the cloth to one side, Allie raced upstairs and checked her reflection in the full-length mirror before spritzing herself with the perfume Greg had bought her for Christmas. She kicked off her flip-flops and stepped into her heeled shoes. They weren’t planning to go anywhere, but it didn’t hurt to look good when he got back.

  She threw the mirror one last glance before going to the stairs, where she heard the key slot into the lock of the front door and Josh raced in, shedding bags and shoes along the hallway.

  ‘Hey, Mum!’ he shouted before squeezing past her and into his bedroom.

  ‘It’s nice to know he misses me when he’s at school.’ She smiled at Greg as she descended; he’d followed Josh inside and was now picking up his shoes.

  ‘I think there’s some online gaming tournament planned for about half an hour’s time,’ Greg said, but he didn’t return Allie’s smile. In fact, he looked grave, and the sight of it turned Allie’s insides to stone.

  ‘Everything OK?’ she asked.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Greg went through to the kitchen, Allie following. ‘Perhaps you can tell me, because I’m confused.’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘When I was in the post office, that woman from Silver Hill Farm came in and we got chatting.’

  ‘Harper?’ Allie asked, instinctively grasping for the back of a chair as the strength seemed to ebb from her legs. He’d been chatting to Harper? What were the chances of him bumping into her? Allie had banked on her being so busy at the farm and Greg so seldom venturing into the village that they would hardly lay eyes on each other, let alone strike up a conversation. But he frowned and shook his head.

  ‘The other one… Pip, is it?’

  Allie nodded, her heartbeats tripping over one another. She swallowed, gripping the chair a little tighter as she struggled to compose herself.

  ‘Oh,’ she said, fighting to keep her tone neutral. ‘And what did you chat about?’

  Greg looked her squarely in the eye. ‘Mostly about Harper and Shay’s wedding.’

  ‘She must have decided to forgive him,’ Allie replied in a weak voice.

  ‘Maybe. But the way she talked, it was as if nothing had been amiss at all. Allie… tell me the truth… did you tell Harper about you and Shay?’

  ‘Of course I did—’

  ‘No!’ Greg cut in. ‘You didn’t! You say you love me but you can’t even extend to me the most basic courtesy of the truth! How can I believe you love me when everything that comes from your mouth is a lie? Don’t tell me you love me and then lie to me about this when you know how important it was for me to know everything was out in the open.’ He turned his back, knuckles white on the sink as he stared out of the window. ‘We’re done,’ he said in a low voice.

  ‘Greg, please… let me explain.’

  ‘What with – more lies?’

  ‘I couldn’t tell her! Don’t you see it would have destroyed her and Shay said—’

  He spun round to face her, the muscles of his jaw working as he stared her down. ‘Shay said? Don’t tell me you discussed this with him!’

  ‘He was there,’ she said miserably. ‘When I went to see Harper he was there and he begged me not to tell her. He said it would break her heart.’

  ‘Well that’s alright then,’ Greg said. ‘As long as Shay’s happy then that’s alright… doesn’t matter what I want or what I think is right – doesn’t matter if Harper is being played for a fool by a man who would fuck any passing woman as soon as look at her! As long as Shay is alright then let’s give thanks to the gods!’

  ‘It’s not like that…’ Allie sniffed hard, but the tears came anyway.

  ‘Then please tell me, Allie: what is it like?’

  ‘I don’t know, I—’

  ‘Save it. I want you to leave.’

  ‘I’ll go and see Harper; I’ll do it now—’

  ‘It’s too little too late. I want you to go upstairs and say goodbye to Josh and then I want you to pack your things and go.’

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Now.’

  ‘But what will I tell Josh?’ Allie sobbed.

  ‘I’ll leave that up to you – after all, you’re good at lying so I’m sure you can think of something.’

  ‘Greg, think about this – it’s not fair on him.’

  ‘It wasn’t fair on him when you spent the night in Shay McArthur’s bed! It wasn’t fair on him when you lied to us again and again! There’s no putting right your wrongs and I can’t believe I almost thought there was.’

  Allie dropped into the chair, her legs finally giving way. ‘I have nowhere to go.’

  ‘I’m sure Shay will have room in his bed when I’ve been to see his fiancée.’

  ‘You can’t!’

  ‘I can and I will. How could you live with yourself knowing you were going to condemn that woman to a sham of a marriage? Wasn’t it bad enough that you’d des
troyed yours without doing it to someone else’s before it had even begun?’

  ‘Greg, please…’

  ‘Go and pack. I’m calling a cab, and I expect you to get in it.’

  Chapter 28

  Cesca’s visit had been a lovely surprise that afternoon, but Harper had felt uneasy about the news she brought with her for the rest of the day. There were no cast-iron guarantees, she’d said, but she was sending her reports to the British Museum and expected the decision on the find to go Harper’s way. She’d just been up to tell Will Frampton as much, and he’d apparently taken the news surprisingly well. Shay had arrived with typically perfect timing to hear the conversation and had been delighted, of course, whereas Pip had remained carefully neutral on the whole thing – perhaps soaking up some of Harper’s reticence. But as she sat in the bar of the Rising Sun now with them both, Harper couldn’t help but reflect on the growing feeling that neither find nor reward were rightfully hers to keep.

  ‘Do I have your permission to get pissed as a fart tonight?’ Shay asked, putting his second pint of lager to his lips.

  ‘Do you need my permission?’ Harper raised her eyebrows at Pip, who laughed.

  ‘You could join me – we’ve got a lot to celebrate.’

  ‘And I’ve got a farm full of animals to feed at the crack of dawn tomorrow, not to mention thirsty customers. How about you celebrate by giving us a hand?’

  ‘If you can wake me in the morning then you can have me,’ he said with a wink.

  ‘I’ll wake you,’ Pip said. ‘You’d be surprised how persuasive a bucket of freezing water can be.’

  ‘I had something a bit dirtier in mind to be honest,’ he said, giving Harper a knowing look, but she turned her gaze to the bar beyond the table where they waited for fish and chips, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of winding her up.

  What would she do if the door opened now and Kristofer walked in? It had been something she’d tried to imagine all day – him showing up at the tearoom or in the farmyard. Whenever she found herself alone she’d been taunted by erotic visions of him surprising her with a hot kiss in some hidden corner of the farm, the long grass in the fields beyond, in the dappled shade of the cherry orchard out back. She’d press her fingers to those beautiful lightning scars that adorned his chest and caress every inch of them.

  But her daydream was cut short by the pub door opening and someone else walking in.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ she murmured, the action entirely involuntary.

  Shay and Pip both turned to see what had caught Harper’s attention.

  ‘She looks like shit,’ Pip said in a low voice. But when Harper looked at Shay, she caught, just for the briefest second, a look of concern and irritation.

  ‘Has she got a suitcase with her?’ Pip added.

  Harper looked and saw that Allie had dragged in a case behind her, quickly propping it at the far end of the bar. She leaned over to speak quietly to the landlord, who nodded and then ushered her round to the back of the bar and out of sight.

  ‘I wonder what that was about?’ Pip reached for her cider and took a sip.

  ‘I don’t know, but it looks to me as if she’s asked for a room,’ Harper said.

  ‘Greg’s probably had enough of her crazy lies and kicked her out.’ Shay drained his pint glass and stood up. ‘I’m going for a slash and then I’m going to get a top-up – anyone want one?’

  ‘I’m not interested in your slash but I will have another half,’ Pip said.

  Harper shook her head. ‘Not for me.’

  She watched him go to the bar, lean in and have a brief, quiet word with the landlord, then veer off to the gents’ toilets. ‘I wonder if she has split with her husband.’

  ‘Who knows?’ Pip said. ‘Shay seemed pretty quick to jump to that conclusion though.’

  ‘I suppose it’s the most obvious one. It’s not like she’s coming here with a suitcase for a holiday, is it? And I’m pretty sure she’s got nobody else in the village. I wonder why she hasn’t gone to her parents or something, though. They live in Dorset, don’t they?’

  Pip shrugged. ‘Perhaps she doesn’t want to tell them.’

  ‘They’ll find out sooner or later, surely. You can’t keep something like that a secret forever.’

  ‘But you might want to keep it a secret until you get your head around it, I suppose.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Harper said thoughtfully.

  ‘It’s weird,’ Pip added, ‘I saw her husband at the post office this afternoon and he seemed fine, not like someone who was about to kick his wife out. In fact, he asked how you and Shay were. A bit of an odd question considering he doesn’t know you very well and he doesn’t exactly love Shay. Still, he seems a decent fella and I suppose he was just making conversation.’

  ‘I suppose he was,’ Harper agreed. ‘I can’t help but feel sorry for her, though.’

  ‘Allie? I don’t know why. She’s no angel.’

  ‘Not many of us are. She looked like she was in a bad way just now, and if she’s as deluded as Shay says then she needs help from her husband, not throwing out onto the streets.’

  ‘She’s in a pub.’

  Harper turned to Pip and frowned. ‘You know what I mean.’

  ‘I do, but it’s not your problem.’ She raised her cider glass and looked at Harper over the rim as she drank. ‘You’ve got enough of your own.’

  ‘I’m fine. In fact, it looks like we’re about to be more than fine.’

  ‘You and Shay?’

  ‘All three of us. I won’t leave you out of the reward.’

  ‘Never mind the reward. What about Kristofer?’

  Harper cast an anxious glance around the pub. She lowered her voice, even though she knew Shay was in the toilets. ‘I wish I’d never told you now,’ she hissed.

  ‘So you’re still planning on marrying Shay, letting him share the reward and move into the farm even though you’re madly in love with someone else?’

  ‘I’m not in love with someone else!’

  ‘Doesn’t look that way to me.’ Pip sat back and regarded her coolly. ‘What is this misplaced sense of duty for? Do you think Shay would behave like this if the situation was the other way around?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Liar.’

  ‘Look, I know you’ve never liked him but—’

  ‘I like him well enough. I don’t trust him – that’s the issue, and I’ve never hidden that from you.’

  Harper’s gaze went to the toilet doors again. ‘What would you say,’ she began slowly, ‘if I told you that I’m thinking of letting Will Frampton have the reward money if we get it?’

  A slow smile spread across Pip’s face. ‘I’d say that I never thought anything different was going to happen.’

  ‘And you don’t mind?’

  ‘It’s never been my decision so how could I mind? I know how you love life on the farm just as it is, and how much it means to you after all you went through in Weymouth. I guess a large amount of money like that would bring its own risks as well as rewards.’

  ‘I know. I’m already paranoid enough about Ricky getting wind of it; I don’t want him turning up at the farm. I know he wouldn’t be entitled to anything and Shay would protect me, but I just don’t want to see him, and I don’t want to do anything that might grab his attention and lead him here. It might sound weird to most people, but the reward money would benefit me more if I gave it to Will than it would if I kept it.’

  ‘I get where you’re coming from. Shay might have something to say about it, though.’

  ‘I know, and I’ll have to talk to him about it when the time comes. I just feel… I don’t know; I just feel it will bring more problems than it solves. Does that sound weird?’

  ‘No. I think you’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Will too… Am I right?’

  ‘Not like that,’ Harper said with a faint smile. ‘But I do think he’s a lovely, misunderstood man.’

  ‘Yes, I think Cesca was taken aback
to hear you say that.’ Pip grinned. ‘It’s quite hard to see for most people.’

  ‘But when I showed her the vase he gave us she did say she thought it was a lovely gesture.’

  ‘It’s probably the last vase you’ll ever get from him now that you’re set to get his money.’

  Harper was saved a reply by the sight of Shay emerging from the toilets.

  ‘Food not arrived yet?’ he asked, but his mood had visibly darkened since he’d left them.

  ‘No,’ Pip said.

  ‘Typical.’ Shay sat down and started to drum on the tabletop as he scanned the room. ‘I just want to eat and get home for a bit of telly.’

  ‘I thought you wanted to stay out and celebrate?’ Pip said.

  ‘I’m going to have a word with Dave, see where our meals are,’ he replied, ignoring Pip’s comment and going to the bar.

  ‘Weird,’ Pip said as they watched him. ‘And you’re still sure you want to marry him?’

  ‘Shut up, Pip,’ Harper said. ‘Please just shut up.’

  * * *

  Cesca stared at the contact for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and clicked to delete. That was it – Paolo gone from her life at last. The idea had occurred to her, as sudden and unexpected as a breeze through an open window, and as she sat at her desk and worked to catch up on what she hadn’t been able to get done during the week, she had been compelled to act on it. She hardly knew how she felt now that it was done, only that it had been a long time coming.

  Casting a glance around the office that seemed oddly vast and daunting without Duncan there, her thoughts went back to Will. The responsibility for his family’s jewels had gone, but not the memories of the time she’d spent with him. Pointless to dwell, of course, and had it not been a Saturday morning, when sensible people like Duncan were at home instead of sitting in the office, then he would have been there, gently teasing her melancholy. She’d become too involved in the case, just as Duncan had said she would, and she had nobody to blame but herself. It wasn’t only that she’d stupidly fallen for Will, but she was missing everything about it – Kristofer and their shared enthusiasm for the research, the village and residents of Cerne Hay, Silver Hill Farm with its charm and tranquillity, the stately home that bore the same name, its faded grandeur all at once beguiling and moving…