The Little Orchard on the Lane: An absolutely perfect and uplifting romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  * * *

  The next two weeks were busy – various tradesmen came and went, gradually transforming Asa’s house into the Scandinavian-inspired retreat he’d settled on. At times it was frustrating to live amongst the dust, clutter, debris and constant noise, but still Posy couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt so content, so generally at peace with the world. They’d initially agreed that she’d move into the spare room of the big house when the work began, but she and Asa had got so comfortable around each other that she decided she’d rather stay in the annexe despite the chaos, and everyone was happy to agree.

  She was proud of the way the project was taking shape too, and even more so whenever Asa expressed delight at some new feature or other finally appearing in his home. Days were spent overseeing the work, evenings scouring job sites or sitting with Asa, Giles and Sandra, and she explored her new home in the gaps in between.

  Carmel phoned often, but she was in the middle of a huge commission for a stately home garden so didn’t have time to visit. Posy wouldn’t really have had much time to see her anyway, though Giles and Sandra would probably have liked it.

  Marella called too for the odd chat, and so did Jackson, mostly to complain that he was missing her and to ask if she thought she might come home any earlier than planned. If anything, projects like this always overran, so it was more likely to be the opposite way round, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him that. Instead, she thought, when a suitable moment arose she might ask if Jackson could come and visit them in Somerset. It might be fun to show him around – though she’d probably arrange for him to stay at Sunnyfields with Karen rather than at Oleander House, which, she decided, might be a request too far. They were family, but only just, and she didn’t really know them well enough to take advantage of them in that way.

  On the second Friday of the first fortnight she’d been there, Posy found herself at a loose end. The plasterers were hard at work in Asa’s living room and didn’t really need her to be there. Asa was helping Giles with some accounts and Sandra had gone to Wells to see a client who owned a bar there. Marella would be at work back in London, as would Jackson and Carmel. Posy didn’t want to disturb any of them and her call wouldn’t be welcome anyway if they were very busy. She could have taken a walk into Astercombe or simply around the nearby fields and meadows, and the weather was perfect for it, but she was in the mood for conversation and she wouldn’t get much from the birds and bees out there.

  Maybe Karen would be free for an hour in between her guest duties? Posy called Sunnyfields only for Pavla to answer and tell her that Karen was on her way back from the wholesaler’s. She was sure, however, that if Posy walked over anyway Karen would probably be back by the time she got there; if Posy didn’t mind hanging around in the kitchen while Karen put the supplies away then it would probably be OK to come over for a chat.

  * * *

  Posy arrived to find Pavla on reception duty. She was polishing the glossy wood of the desk, humming to herself, and looked up with a bright smile as she saw Posy walk in.

  ‘Good morning!’

  ‘Hi, Pavla… Is she—’

  ‘One second…’ Pavla interrupted, her gaze going to a spot behind Posy, who turned to see a white-haired gentleman in linen trousers and a golf shirt making his way to the counter. He looked agitated and Posy could see why Pavla felt the need to attend to him immediately.

  ‘Do you need some help?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ve done something very silly,’ he said. ‘I was taking photos with my mobile phone through the window… lovely views from up there, you know… and of course I managed to drop it. I think it’s gone into some flower beds at the back of the hotel but I can’t quite tell where and I can’t see it.’

  ‘You want me to come and look with you?’

  ‘Would you? I’m having a devil of a time working out which bit of garden sits below my window and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be.’

  ‘Of course…’

  Pavla gave an apologetic grimace to Posy as she went outside with the guest. She had to tend to that first, of course, but now it left Posy standing alone in the silent reception not knowing what to do. Wait, she supposed, so she did.

  She waited.

  And waited some more.

  At least ten minutes passed, maybe more, and no Pavla. Perhaps Karen had come in through the back way and was already in the kitchen right now, in which case it was silly for Posy to stand around here. Perhaps it was a tad cheeky, but Karen knew Posy well enough by now, didn’t she? Surely she wouldn’t mind Posy wandering through to find her? As Pavla knew she was coming, perhaps she’d told Karen to expect her anyway.

  It took only another twenty seconds for Posy to make her choice, and she followed the corridor that she guessed led to the kitchens. She’d never actually been in there, but she’d seen Karen and Pavla rush in and out around mealtimes and the door had a sort of kitchen-y look about it – one of those swing-both-ways ones that you saw in restaurants. She gingerly gave it a push and peered round it.

  ‘Karen…?’

  There was no reply but a sudden horrible thought occurred to her. What if Ray was in there? Posy had never actually met Ray – Asa joked that he didn’t think Ray existed because barely anyone ever saw him – but if he was and Karen wasn’t that could be very awkward and more than a little embarrassing for them both. Posy had no issue talking to a stranger – she wasn’t as shy as Karen said Ray was – but she would have to explain why she’d decided to wander into their kitchen uninvited. After the incident with Lachlan and then this, she might well get a reputation in Astercombe as a serial trespasser.

  Thankfully, however, there was no Ray. No Karen either, which was slightly more disappointing. Posy could still smell the remains of one of Ray’s legendary fried breakfasts on the air, and was attacked by the smallest pang of envy that she wasn’t a guest being treated to the morning feast. The dishwasher hummed and sloshed in the corner and recently cleaned worktops gleamed in the sun from the windows.

  ‘Hmm…’

  She hesitated for a moment, uncertain if she should sit and wait or go back out to find Pavla, but then a voice from behind made her twist to look with a start. Karen was standing in the doorway.

  ‘Hello, you,’ she said, breezing in. ‘Pavla said you might come over; you must have been running to get here so quickly.’

  Posy grinned. ‘You scared the life out of me!’

  ‘Did I? Sorry about that. I try to be as non-threatening as possible but I can understand how this wrinkly face and mop of insane hair looming towards you might be a bit unnerving.’

  Posy laughed. ‘It was just so silent in here. Then you spoke and I nearly peed myself!’

  ‘Oh dear!’ Karen said with a grin of her own. ‘Well, it’s lovely to see you anyway. Did you come for something specific or did you just fancy a chat?’

  ‘A chat mostly. If you’re not too busy, that is.’

  ‘I’m never too busy for you, my love. I’ve got some things to put away, but if you don’t mind chatting while I do it, I don’t mind either.’

  ‘Pavla said you’d say that.’

  Karen smiled. ‘Sometimes I think Pavla knows my habits better than I do. Let me get these things out of the car and I’ll be with you.’

  ‘Is there a lot? Want some help bringing it all in?’

  ‘I’d appreciate that.’

  Posy followed Karen out to the battered old Land Rover parked on the driveway at the front of the guest house and between them they brought Karen’s supplies in. It took four trips, even with them both going at it, and by the time they’d finished Posy had worked up a sweat. Karen rewarded them both with a cold glass of fresh orange juice and Posy sat at the countertop on a high stool while Karen (who insisted it would be quicker to do it alone because she knew where everything went) put her supplies away.

  ‘How are you finding it at Oleander now that you’re a permanent resident?’

  ‘Not quite perma
nent,’ Posy reminded her. ‘Although I must admit it’s starting to feel like home. There’s the odd time I still feel a bit as if I’m imposing myself on them but that’s more often when I’m at the big house. Even then it’s mostly when Giles and Sandra have other things I know they need to attend to but they’re helping me instead. They don’t ever say I’m in the way – it’s just me being paranoid, I suppose. Asa’s a lot of fun, though.’

  ‘I think Giles and Sandra let him get away with a lot too,’ Karen said briskly as she stowed a large box of washing powder in a pantry cut into the kitchen wall. ‘They treat him more like their child than Giles’s younger brother – and not much younger at that.’

  ‘What do you mean? He works just the same as they do… just different jobs.’

  ‘They don’t give him anything too taxing, though. And if he wants to go off and do other things that day, they let him. You must have noticed it.’

  Posy hadn’t really. But now that Karen mentioned it, perhaps she could recall occasions where Asa had more or less pleased himself how and when he made his contributions to the family business.

  ‘I suppose they think he’s still a bit fragile,’ Karen continued mildly.

  Posy frowned. ‘Fragile?’

  ‘Asa was always Philomena’s favourite – there was no denying that. It hit him harder than anyone when she died, though he tries to pretend it’s not true. He got especially attached to her once his father died so it hit him just as hard when she struggled to accept his coming out.’

  Posy sipped at her juice. ‘When was that?’

  ‘Let’s see… Asa would have been in his early twenties. His mother was never prejudiced, of course, but I think she struggled with the idea. And then there was the thing with Drew…’

  The wrinkles on Posy’s forehead deepened. ‘Drew?’

  Karen turned to her, suddenly looking mortified. ‘Oh… you didn’t know? I thought…’

  ‘I know there’s a reason Asa wants to gut his house and make it totally different, and I know it’s not just that he fancied a bit of a change. Does it have something to do with this Drew character?’

  Karen shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, my love, but if Asa hasn’t told you any of this then it’s not my place to. Please don’t take offence—’

  ‘Of course not,’ Posy said. ‘I completely understand.’ Although, truth be told, she didn’t. She found it frustrating to get half a story and then for Karen to clam up, but pushing it probably wasn’t going to help.

  She paused for a moment, deep in thought.

  ‘I know you can’t tell me any more but when did Drew leave? Was it recently?’

  ‘Just before Philomena died earlier this year – which is pretty bad timing by anyone’s reckoning.’

  ‘And I suppose it’s common knowledge in the village?’

  ‘People know Drew has gone,’ Karen said. ‘It would be hard for anyone to miss his exit. As for who knows what about the circumstances of his leaving…’ She shrugged.

  ‘So Drew lived at Oleander House? With Asa?’

  ‘That’s partly why they had the annexe refurbished, so that Asa and Drew could live there together and Asa wouldn’t have to leave Oleander House.’

  ‘So Asa was in love with Drew?’

  ‘You don’t need me to tell you all this – I’m sure you can work it all out for yourself. In fact, I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job.’

  ‘Still, it’s only guesswork. You could say yes or no to my questions and then you wouldn’t technically have told me anything at all.’

  ‘Technically I’d still be gossiping.’

  ‘You’d be helping me out by arming me with the information I need so I don’t put my foot in it or upset Asa by saying the wrong thing.’

  Karen stopped what she was doing for a moment. She folded her arms and grinned at Posy. ‘You’re a cunning little madam, aren’t you? You’d get military secrets out of James Bond himself—’

  She was interrupted by a tap at the back door.

  ‘Karen…?’

  Before she’d had the chance to reply the door opened and Lachlan walked in. For a moment he stared at Posy. Clearly, he hadn’t expected to find her there. However, Posy surmised quickly, he had expected the back door to be open, was fairly confident he’d find Karen in the kitchen, and was very used to letting himself in. What did all that mean? Did it mean he visited in this way a lot?

  ‘Now’s not a good time?’ he asked, his gaze tracked on Posy as if on a wire. Karen looked at her too, and suddenly Posy felt uncomfortably conspicuous.

  ‘Not really,’ Karen said. ‘Was it something urgent?’

  ‘Quite urgent.’

  ‘So urgent I need to speak to you about it immediately?’

  ‘Well,’ he began, but Karen spoke again.

  ‘Could I phone you about it later?’

  ‘Um…’ His gaze flicked to Posy again, mistrusting, doubtful… and something else, though she couldn’t quite tell what. She only wished he would stop looking at her that way because it was making her feel hot and uncomfortable. Right now she was wishing that invisibility was a thing people could actually achieve. ‘It’s actually… a quick word is all I’m after…’

  ‘About what, Lachlan?’

  Another hesitation, another searching look at Posy before turning back to Karen and realising that he needed to spit out whatever it was. ‘About Pavla…’

  Karen frowned. ‘What about her?’

  He plunged his hands into his pockets.

  ‘It’s… work-related,’ he said.

  ‘She doesn’t work for you anymore.’

  ‘I know, but…’

  He looked at Posy again, and at this point she was about ready to tell him to stop. But, she supposed, judging by his next careful statement, that he was perhaps wondering how much he could say in front of her.

  ‘I’d like to talk to her anyway; I’d only take a minute,’ he said.

  ‘Does this mean I have to go back on duty myself now, since you’re so determined to distract my staff when they’re supposed to be working for me?’

  Posy detected a faint smile on Karen’s face, but still Lachlan looked flustered – not a state that Posy would ever have associated with the granite-featured Scot. He glanced uneasily at Posy again. If any portable object had been within her grasp, this time she might have thrown it at his head.

  ‘Oh… I see…’ he began. ‘You’re… this is a social visit?’

  ‘Yes,’ Karen said. ‘Would you care to join us for a glass of orange juice and a chat?’

  ‘Maybe I’ll come to find Pavla later then… Sorry…’

  Posy resisted the urge to raise her eyebrows in disbelief. Not that she knew him well, but in the space of about ten minutes she’d seen many emotions in Lachlan’s face that she would never have expected: humility, uncertainty, almost desperation. And an apology – certainly the first one she’d ever heard fall from his lips.

  It was weird but Karen, at least, had some sort of influence over him that nobody else had; or it certainly looked that way from what Posy had seen today. And he wanted to see Pavla but he was pretty cagey about it. That was intriguing too. What did he want her for? He’d said it was work-related but perhaps it was personal, or maybe it was to do with the fact she’d once worked for him? Was he looking to line up that seasonal help Sandra had said he’d need once the harvest began? But hadn’t Sandra also said she didn’t think there was much money to pay seasonal workers?

  As these thoughts ran through Posy’s head, Lachlan ducked out through the back door and was gone.

  ‘Try around one thirty – she has a break!’ Karen called after him, but whether he heard her or not was anyone’s guess.

  There was a beat of silence in the kitchen, during which the sound of the back door closing died away, and then Posy turned to Karen.

  ‘Is he alright?’ she asked, convinced that he wasn’t and the notion of it unnerving her. Whatever had passed between them before now, she wou
ldn’t want to think of him in some kind of trouble.

  ‘Depends on your definition of alright.’

  ‘Does he want Pavla to work for him again?’

  ‘She’d never do that.’

  ‘Does he know that, though?’ Posy asked, wondering if this was Karen the boss talking, or Karen the woman who was very fond of Pavla and might be terribly hurt at the idea that the employee she’d come to rely on so heavily might even think about leaving her.

  Karen went back to storing her groceries. ‘I’d say so.’

  Posy frowned slightly. It was a mystery, but one she ought to have left alone because it was really none of her business. Instead, she found herself wanting to track down Pavla too, if only so she could ask her about it. She looked up at Karen.

  ‘Does Lachlan have serious money troubles?’

  ‘Some,’ Karen said. ‘I expect Giles and Sandra have told you that.’

  ‘A little. They said he’s only been here for two years and that he was once an airline pilot. Where did he move from?’

  ‘I’m not entirely sure.’

  ‘He lives alone now at the vineyard,’ Posy continued, ‘but has he got anyone anywhere? A wife… husband? Kids? He can’t just have dropped from the sky,’ she added, repeating what Sandra had said. ‘He must have a past.’

  ‘I expect so,’ Karen said simply, and then gave a smile that said she had no intention of saying anything more on the matter.

  ‘All these secrets I can’t be in on,’ Posy continued with a mock pout of disappointment. ‘It’s hardly fair – I tell you all my gossip.’

  ‘Do you?’

  ‘Yes,’ Posy said, knowing full well that she didn’t but deciding that she wasn’t ready to share the story of her real parents with Karen or anyone else in the village just yet.

  ‘Well, that’s your gossip to tell,’ Karen said airily. ‘You can have as much of mine as you like when it’s about me, but some things aren’t mine to gossip about.’