Coming Home to Cuckoo Cottage

by Heidi Swain

  I simply had to find an opportunity to talk to Jemma again as soon as possible and find out what the ‘crazy plan’ was that she had come up with for the Bailey. Perhaps once I knew the details of that, the rest would simply slip into place. Well, that was what I was hoping would happen, because nothing would please me more than announcing to the world what I was going to do and stop all the chinwagging and speculation once and for all.

  Also on my mind was the fast-approaching party at Skylark Farm, which I really wanted to look forward to. However, wondering whether I would face another confrontation from a disgruntled guest, coupled with the knowing looks that had passed between Marie, Harriet and Rachel when Matt stepped out of the Cherry Tree, had somewhat tempered my enthusiasm for the event. Yes, Matt was hot. Yes, he had been an absolute hero stepping in with his calamine and caresses that morning, but I certainly wouldn’t be adding fuel to the gossips’ fire and calling him to help with any jobs at the cottage now. I would have to resort to flicking through the Yellow Pages and hoping my eyes alighted on some genuine tradesman’s advert, rather than one of these rogue traders you hear so much about on mid-morning TV.

  My resolve to look for an alternative Mr Fix-It didn’t last, of course. One lukewarm bath that evening, which did nothing to soothe my aching muscles or my nettle-scarred calves, sent me scurrying to the understairs cupboard the next morning to check out the fuse box and weigh up whether or not trying to take a shower that day was worth the risk. It wasn’t. From what I could make out, the box was one of those old-fashioned contraptions which required much intricate fiddling and attaching of new pieces of wire somewhere deep inside the mysterious workings every time the electricity went off.

  Needless to say, it was way beyond my skills, which were limited to flicking a switch, and a quick look through some old calendars Gwen had kept in the sideboard confirmed that the power did indeed have a tendency to cut out on a fairly regular basis, but especially when there was a thunderstorm in the vicinity.

  No, this needed sorting out, and as I had been acquainted with just one tradesman since my move, and in spite of those knowing looks between Marie, Harriet and Rachel, he was the one I was going to have to call in the hope that he would be able to engage the services of a competent spark on my behalf, and preferably before I saw sparks myself.

  Dark clouds were beginning to gather on the horizon as I reached for Matt’s number and I had everything crossed that when he came out to assess the work, his van on the drive would go undetected and the matchmakers of Wynbridge would move on to interfering in some other poor soul’s love life.

  ‘What do you think, Minnie?’ I asked, bending down and scooping her into my arms. ‘Do you think I should I ring him or not?’

  She wriggled free and went back to her basket, clearly intent on reminding me that she would tolerate being held and fussed when and if she chose to be. The giving and receiving of affection was still very much practised on her haughty terms and I would just have to accept a cuddle when she deemed I was fit to receive one.

  ‘Sometimes,’ I told her, ‘I think you should have been born a cat.’

  Clearly disgusted by the slur on her performance as a pooch, she turned her back on me and I picked up the phone.

  ‘Matt?’

  ‘Hey, Lottie.’

  ‘How did you know it was me?’ I frowned.

  Surely I wasn’t that predictable?

  ‘Gwen’s name flashed up when the phone rang,’ he explained. ‘I’m going to have to replace it with yours now, aren’t I?’

  ‘Oh,’ I said huskily, biting my lip. ‘Yes, I suppose you will.’

  I didn’t much like the thought of Gwen being nudged off the contact list on Matt’s phone and being consigned to nothing more than memory. Sometimes I could be practical about what had happened, but it was still the little things which had the ability to hurt the most and send me reeling. I still wanted her and Gran to live forever of course, and not just in my heart and mind.

  ‘So what can I do for you?’ asked Matt, clearly clueless that his perfectly innocuous suggestion had had any impact on me at all. ‘Is this a call about the cottage or the “just give me a call” call I was hoping for?’

  ‘Sorry to disappoint you,’ I told him, feeling determined to keep things on a professional footing from the off, ‘but this is strictly cottage business.’

  ‘That’s a shame,’ he sighed. ‘Not that I don’t want the work, of course, but it’s a bummer knowing those cheesy pick-up lines really don’t work after all.’

  I began to laugh at the mention of the conversation we’d had on the road the day before.

  ‘To tell you the truth,’ I told him, ‘I’m just relieved that you knew they were cheesy.’

  ‘Hey!’

  ‘Sorry,’ I said, ‘but come on, you have to admit they were bad.’

  ‘When I came out with all that stuff, I was actually trying to pay you a compliment,’ he said faux huffily, the smile still very present in his tone. ‘I was trying to flatter you, you know. Make you feel as pretty as you looked in your lovely summer dress.’

  Suddenly I realised he’d pulled me straight into the flirtatious back and forth I’d been so keen to avoid, but I didn’t resist it. If anything, I felt my spirit perk up. Chris and the others would have been delighted, had they been privy to the conversation.

  ‘Lottie?’ I heard Matt say. ‘Are you still there?’

  ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Sorry. I got distracted.’

  ‘Minnie isn’t giving you the runaround by any chance, is she?’

  ‘Do you know,’ I said, no doubt sounding as amazed as I felt, ‘so far, she’s been as good as gold.’

  I hoped I wasn’t talking anything up.

  ‘Apart from when I’m in the vicinity, of course,’ Matt reminded me.

  ‘Hmm,’ I sighed. ‘Yes, I’d forgotten how much she loves you. Perhaps I should be on my guard,’ I joked. ‘Dogs are supposed to have some kind of sixth sense when it comes to sniffing out unreliable human beings, aren’t they?’

  ‘Oh nice,’ Matt snorted. ‘Thanks for that, and there was me apologising for the cheesy chat-up lines and all you do is throw insults at me.’

  ‘Oh, shut up,’ I retaliated, knowing he was joshing. ‘You know I’m teasing. I wouldn’t have said it if I meant it, would I?’

  ‘I suppose not,’ he said equably. ‘So when do you want me to come and see you, then?’

  I noticed he didn’t ask when I wanted him to come and have a look at the work that needed doing.

  ‘Whenever suits,’ I shrugged. ‘I’m easy.’

  Matt didn’t say anything.

  ‘Well done for resisting that one,’ I applauded.

  ‘It was a stretch,’ he groaned. ‘I was actually biting my tongue.’

  ‘Seriously, though,’ I said, quickly dismissing all thoughts of Matt’s soft, pink tongue, ‘I’m not planning on going anywhere for the next few days at least, so whenever works best for you.’

  I sent up a quick prayer to Thor in the hope that he would keep his storms away from my little cottage and the power lines that supplied it with electricity in the interim.

  ‘Muscles still recovering from the bike ride, by any chance?’

  ‘Not at all,’ I said. ‘I’m actually more worried about getting run off the road again.’

  I wasn’t about to tell him that, yes, I was still feeling pretty wrung out by the journey as well as bruised by the words of the burly brute in the café.

  ‘And how’s the rash?’

  ‘Not quite so bad as it was,’ I said, looking down at my still sore calves. ‘Although it did smart a bit when I had a bath, even though the water was barely warm.’

  ‘And what about the demon driver,’ he asked. ‘Have you seen any more of him?’

  ‘Thankfully, no,’ I said. ‘I haven’t even heard him roaring by.’

  ‘Then I dare say he’s got wind of what happened and has decided to drive the long way home.’

&nb
sp; ‘What, already?’ I frowned. ‘Word really does travel fast around here, doesn’t it?’

  ‘David was moaning about him in the pub last night,’ Matt explained. ‘I was surprised really because they’ve always been such good mates.’

  ‘Well, I wouldn’t want to come between them,’ I said quickly.

  The last thing I wanted to do was cause a rift between old friends. I’d only just arrived and I certainly didn’t want to be known for stirring up trouble on top of everything else everyone had already assumed about me. I wondered if the guy from the café had caught that particular titbit and passed it on to the bookmakers.

  ‘I’m sure you haven’t come between them,’ Matt said sensibly. ‘But you do seem to have forgotten that you weren’t the one driving like a lunatic.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ I said, distractedly chewing my thumbnail and feeling guilty for being the cause of further gossip nonetheless.

  ‘No suppose about it, and anyway, I reckon David’s got a soft spot for you, Lottie Foster.’

  ‘Do you?’

  ‘No doubt in my mind,’ he said seriously. ‘He and Gwen were very close, had been for years. I reckon he’s taken you under his wing; sees himself as a bit of a father figure even.’

  ‘Well, I’m sure he’d be a very good dad,’ I said wistfully. ‘Not that I have any personal experience in what makes one, of course.’

  ‘What about your dad?’ Matt asked. ‘Wasn’t he up to the job?’

  ‘I never knew him,’ I said bluntly. ‘Or Mum, for that matter. She left when I was little so I grew up with my gran and grandad.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, sounding every bit as awkward as most people did when they discovered that I had been abandoned by the one person in my life that I should have been able to rely on. ‘That must have been tough.’

  ‘Not really,’ I said honestly. ‘My grandparents were wonderful to me, as was Gwen.’

  I was rather taken aback that I had mentioned my upbringing to this man I barely knew. Ordinarily it wasn’t up for discussion with anyone, but there was something about Matt’s easy-going manner and natural friendliness that had encouraged my confidence.

  ‘So you really are on your own, then,’ he reminded me. ‘Aren’t you?’

  ‘Of course not,’ I said firmly. ‘I have Minnie.’

  ‘Well, just make sure she’s off on her holidays or something when I turn up.’ He laughed. ‘Otherwise I’m not getting out of the van.’

  ‘I’ll check my insurance,’ I told him cheekily. ‘Make sure I’ve got some sort of public liability cover.’

  ‘You do that,’ he laughed. ‘See you soon, Lottie Foster.’

  Later that day, Minnie and I went back down to the yard to have another look at the caravans. We had just reached the greenhouse when she began to bark excitedly and prance about on all fours.

  ‘What’s got into you?’ I said, quickly turning around on the assumption that someone had arrived. ‘What is it, you silly dog?’

  Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a sudden movement behind the greenhouse and out darted a hare. It was slightly smaller than the one I had startled on the road the day before, but with its massively powerful hind legs and elongated ears, it was still quite a size.

  I fully expected it would leap away the second it spotted us, but it didn’t. It simply sat in the middle of the drive and stared at the pair of us. We were so close I could see its striking amber eyes in minute detail. It was wild and yet tame, feral but calm, and I watched with interest as it stretched out a leg, had a quick clean between its toes and then, in its own time and with absolutely no concern for either Minnie or me, hopped back behind the greenhouse, through the boundary fence and away into the field.

  I had always admired the hares from afar when I used to visit as a youngster, but close encounters with two in as many days left me feeling truly blessed. Cuckoo Cottage was certainly a magical place and I was delighted that magic hadn’t disappeared when Gwen died. Whatever I ended up doing here, I vowed there and then that I would do everything within my power to ensure that the wildlife and landscape would be well protected.

  ‘Was that a friend of yours?’ I asked Minnie, as we watched the hare move across the field. She woofed in response then shot off down to the barns, clearly intent on gaining entry and ambushing anything that moved. ‘Don’t worry about me,’ I called after her. ‘I’ll catch you up.’

  I hadn’t been poking about for many minutes when the sound of dogs barking met my ears. I made a grab for Minnie’s collar, but she was too quick for me and dashed outside to discover who had entered her domain. I followed cautiously on, hoping I wasn’t about to have to referee some horrendous dog fight, but I needn’t have worried.

  Two golden Labradors and one shockingly submissive Minnie were rolling about the dusty yard, clearly more intent on becoming acquainted than tearing each other apart.

  ‘Don’t panic!’ shouted a dark-haired young woman wearing patterned short wellies and a warm smile. ‘I wouldn’t have dreamt of letting them out if I didn’t think Minnie was going to be pleased to see them.’

  Clearly she was another local who was familiar with the personality of my temperamental little terrier.

  ‘She really has got herself quite a reputation around here, hasn’t she?’ I said as I watched the happily reunited trio circle around one another with much sniffing and tail-wagging.

  ‘Oh yes,’ said the woman. ‘I reckon she’s every bit as famous and revered as her former mistress.’

  ‘Well, with an ego the size of Minnie’s,’ I replied, ‘I’m sure she’s absolutely delighted about that.’

  The woman laughed and bent down to fuss her dogs.

  ‘This pair are Bella and Lily,’ she said, straightening back up. ‘And I’m Amber. I live at Skylark Farm.’

  ‘You’re the lady who issued the party invitation Mags dropped round then,’ I smiled. ‘Thank you so much.’

  ‘You’re most welcome,’ she beamed.

  ‘So it really goes without saying that you already know who I am,’ I said. ‘Don’t you?’

  ‘Of course,’ she cut in. ‘You’re Lottie Foster. I know that; we all know.’

  ‘Quite,’ I said, chewing my bottom lip. ‘Apparently, I’m the current new attraction in Wynbridge who has wheedled her way into receiving this beautiful bequest.’

  Amber nodded her head.

  ‘Not that I’m suggesting that you’ve come to have a nose around or anything,’ I panicked. ‘That’s not want I meant at all.’

  ‘I know that,’ she said. ‘And I haven’t come to add weight to the cuckoo theory either.’

  I had been hoping that Chris was mistaken about how far the silly name-calling had spread, but clearly he was spot on.

  ‘Well, that’s a relief,’ I said. ‘I can’t begin to tell you how horrible it is to know people are talking about me behind my back.’

  ‘Oh, I can sympathise with you there,’ she said again. Her tone was genuine and the frown that accompanied it suggested that she really did know what I was getting at. ‘I left the anonymity of London behind a few years ago,’ she explained, ‘so I know exactly how you feel, but don’t worry, you’ll soon be old news. Before long someone else will come along and you won’t be the new girl any more. There’s always gossip of one kind or another,’ she reminded me. ‘You just have to brazen it out until people get bored.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ I agreed. ‘But I’ve never felt so scrutinised in all my life. I keep worrying that I won’t live up to expectations or I’ll do something silly and make the situation worse.’

  I tried to say it as if it was a joke, but actually there was a lot of truth behind the admission.

  ‘I promise you’ll be fine,’ said Amber, coming to give me a nudge before linking arms as if we were lifelong friends rather than recent acquaintances. ‘You just have to stop over-thinking everything and worrying about what’s being said in town. Now come on,’ she said briskly
, ‘tell me what you were up to before I so rudely interrupted?’

  Chapter 11

  Arm in arm, Amber and I walked slowly back down the yard so I could lock up the barn. I had no intention of showing her what was inside. I hadn’t shown anyone, not even Mags, but she spotted the vans before I had a chance to pull the big door shut.

  ‘Oh wow,’ she gasped. ‘My goodness. I always wondered what Gwen kept down here, or are these yours, Lottie?’

  ‘Well, they are now,’ I explained, following her inside and knowing I couldn’t deny their existence, ‘but it was Gwen who collected them. They’re part of my legacy apparently. I’m still trying to fathom out exactly what it is she wanted me to do with them.’

  We hadn’t been chatting for many minutes when I realised the dogs had disappeared.

  ‘Doubtless they’ll be in the field,’ said Amber sensibly. ‘I really wouldn’t worry.’

  ‘But I do,’ I admitted. ‘I know Minnie knows this place like the back of her paw, but I can’t help worrying about her. It’s such a big responsibility, suddenly having her to look after on top of everything else.’

  ‘It’s because she’s your link to Gwen,’ said Amber, aiming an emotional arrow straight to the very heart of the matter.

  I could feel hot tears pricking the back of my eyes and I nodded in agreement, afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get the words over the lump in my throat. Without saying anything more, Amber stepped quickly forward and gave me a hug. I hadn’t realised I had been holding back the tears, but judging by the brief torrent her kind gesture unleashed, I clearly had.

  ‘Come on,’ she said, handing me an embroidered cotton handkerchief once the moment had passed. ‘Let’s go and call the dogs and have a slice or two of the cake I’ve got tucked away in the truck.’

  We locked the barn and, having tracked down the three dogs, leant over the gate and watched them bounding about the field, their tongues lolling and their exuberance gradually waning. In the distance, I could just make out the hare I’d seen earlier hopping along the furthest boundary.