‘I know.’ Amy returned his comforting squeeze. ‘I’m really thinking of asking Mum and Dad if they could be included in the business somehow just to make life easier …’
‘No!’ Bob was vehement. ‘Over my dead body! Neither Paul nor Judith – nor those children of theirs – deserve a meal ticket at our expense. Don’t even think about it!’
Amy leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Throughout their marriage, Bob had been the solid, dependable rock. Whatever horrors had arisen, he had coped with them in his calm, capable way, and their marriage had been all the stronger for it. But now …
She sighed. This awful bitterness between Judith and herself was something Bob had no control over.
Before long, she and her sister would have to have a meeting with their parents and thrash this thing out once and for all.
She groaned at the thought and Bob grimaced in sympathy.
‘Amy …’ He came to sit beside her, speaking as though he could read her mind. ‘What’s really troubling you? Surely it’s not Paul and Judith? They’ve been singing the same song for ages, they’ll soon get tired of it. And the kids are fine.’
‘I don’t think they are.’ She opened her eyes again. ‘Megan’s far from fine she certainly shouldn’t be thinking of marrying Peter just because they’ve always been together.
‘Mitchell –’ She shrugged. ‘Well, Mitchell and that Brennan girl seem to be joined at the hip.
‘Even Matt and Sally are like angry cats most of the time these days. I sometimes wonder if we did the right thing in providing them with all this.’
‘We didn’t have much choice,’ Bob commented, settling back in his chair and watching the flames leaping up the chimney. ‘We needed them to come into the business – and we had the space here to provide them with homes. You don’t think we should have cast them out to struggle on their own, do you?’
‘I’m beginning to think maybe we should have. And I know your mother thinks they’re all mollycoddled.’
‘Oh, Mother!’ Bob laughed. ‘She’s an old reprobate! For goodness’ sake, Amy, if she was a youngster now she’d probably be a New Age Traveller or something – just to shock people! No, I think we should just count our blessings. We’ve got each other, a nice little business, a home, and three children who are making their way in the world. Most people would be contented with a lot less.’
Amy knew he was right, and it certainly wasn’t discontentment that she felt. But even in the cosy glow of the lamplight and with the log fire crackling comfortingly, she couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
There was a little doubt niggling away in the back of her mind, a little doubt that was growing bigger by the minute. Somehow she sensed the family’s cosy life was about to be rocked on its foundations.
Chapter Four
Our Secret
Having left Luke in the garage, Cicely Phillips shivered inside her sheepskin coat. She ought to call back in on Bob and Amy to tell them she was going home. She felt they really needed some time on their own, and although she welcomed the fact that they included her in their family life, there were times when she found it hard to bite her tongue.
For instance, if it was up to her, Judith and her family would be sent packing with a few home truths, and she was dying to be the one to do it.
And Mitchell should be allowed to see Jacey Brennan if he wanted to. Jacey was maybe a little unconventional, but Cicely really couldn’t see why Amy should object to her so much.
As for Matt and Sally … Cicely’s frown softened and she hurried along to tap on their door.
Sally, her hair escaping prettily from its confines as usual, smiled when she pulled it open and saw her visitor.
‘Gran! I wasn’t expecting you this evening! I thought you were having tea with Bob and Amy and then shooting off to one of your wild evenings.’
Cicely grinned as she stepped inside.
‘Bessie Archer’s Saturday night bridge parties cannot be described as wild! And anyway, I thought I’d spend some time with my favourite granddaughter – if that’s all right.’
‘Wonderful!’ Sally assured her as she led her through to the sitting room. ‘But I wouldn’t let Megan hear you call me that!’
‘Ah, yes – Megan.’ Cicely’s eyes twinkled. ‘You’ll never guess what she’s been up to.’
She scooped Kim’s toys off the sofa onto another chair and settled herself beside the gas fire, gratefully accepting the glass of sherry which Sally proffered.
‘Is the coast clear?’ she asked. ‘I mean, we can gossip, can’t we? Where’s Matt?’
‘Bathing Kim.’ Sally sat opposite her. ‘He can’t hear us. What’s all this about?’
‘Well –’ Cicely took a deep breath and proceeded to tell Sally all about Megan’s transformation, Peter’s unexpected arrival for the dinner and dance, and the fact that she had found Megan and Luke together, looking somewhat flustered.
‘Really?’ Sally’s green eyes danced delightedly. ‘Oh, good for Meg! She’s always been so straitlaced – and Luke Dolan is gorgeous! I don’t blame her! Not that I’d swap Matt for him, of course, but given the choice between Peter King and Luke Dolan – well …’
‘Exactly!’ Cicely nodded. ‘Of course, Meg went off to her do – I told Luke that she had to. She has to finish with Peter first. I wonder what Bob and Amy will make of it?’
Sally considered just how her parents-in-law would react.
‘Dad’ll probably be shocked,’ she concluded. ‘I’d think Mum will be pleased, in the end. I wonder what made her change her hair and slap on make-up though? I mean, Megan never usually bothers about that sort of thing … ’
‘I’d like to think she did it for herself – but whatever the reason, it’s a vast improvement.’ Cicely commented. ‘And what are you laughing at?’
‘Nothing.’ Sally giggled. ‘I was just thinking – it makes a change for me and Matt to be the only Phillips children toeing the party line for once!’
‘Well, that won’t be for long, will it?’ Cicely glanced towards the bathroom door. ‘Have you mentioned anything to Matt yet?’
‘I’ve dropped massive hints – but every time I think I’ve picked the right moment to discuss the business, he changes the subject. He keeps telling me to be patient – that he’s got plans of his own.’
Cicely shook her head. ‘Well, they certainly needn’t involve buying that shop in the High Street, because I’ve signed the lease. You should be able to start decorating next month.’
Sally leaned across and hugged her. ‘You know how grateful I am. As soon as we’re up and running I’ll start paying you back. I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Gran. It was so important for me to have my own business. I want to prove that there is life in Appleford outside Lavender Cabs!’
Cicely returned her hug warmly. ‘I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll give me a whole new lease of life. And after all, all that money was just sitting in the building society. We’ll be a wonderful partnership, Sally, dear, you dealing with the aromatherapy side of things and me with my flower and herb remedies. I’ve got all of my mother’s recipes still – I can’t wait to try them out.’
Sally laughed. ‘You’ll be a living ad! You’ve never had a day’s illness in your life, have you?’
‘Not that I can remember!’ Cicely agreed. ‘Since I was a child there’s always been a remedy for everything. All my sniffles and aches and pains were nipped in the bud by a quick dose of something that smelled evil, but tasted like nectar.’
They giggled together and raised their glasses to their – so far – secret alliance. Sally just wished she had been able to tell Matt. She knew he would explode when he heard that Sally’s Floral Oils was already a reality.
‘And you won’t have to worry about a childminder for Kim, will you?’ Cicely continued. ‘We’ll just have her in the shop with us. There’s a lovely little room at the back and that enclosed garden – it really couldn’t be better.’
They smiled at each other again, then jumped guiltily as the door opened.
‘Where’s Kimberley?’ Sally looked at Matt in alarm. ‘You haven’t left her in the bath, have you?’
‘Don’t be silly! She’s bouncing around in her cot. Oh, hi, Gran, I didn’t hear you come in.’
Cicely smiled, then, carefully placing her sherry glass amidst Kim’s building bricks and fluffy toys, she stood up.
‘Why don’t you two have a nice chat while I go and coo over my great-granddaughter? After all, you’ve done all the hard work.’
Once she’d disappeared from the room, Matt sat in the place Cicely had just vacated.
‘Is Gran here for any special reason?’
‘She just popped in for a chat before heading off to her bridge party.’ Sally wasn’t going to tell him about Megan, not yet. She’d save it for later, to soften the blow of her announcement and make him laugh. ‘And a glass or two of sherry and a cuddle with Kimberley, of course.’
‘Of course.’ Matt stretched his legs out in front of the fire. He felt warm and contented. The wind was howling outside, and there was a possibility of snow forecast, but he was safe and snug with the two people he loved most in the world.
‘Sally – when Gran’s gone, we ought to talk.’
‘What’s wrong with now? There’s a good film on later – and I’ve actually timed supper right so that we can eat it on our knees in front of the telly while we watch it.’
‘Hmm – what I’ve got to say might cause you a bit of indigestion,’ he said on a warning note, and she raised her eyebrows.
‘Really?’ Much as she loved Matt, she had to admit he wasn’t noted for his sense of humour. Mitch seemed to have inherited both his brother’s and his sister’s share of fun. ‘Well, shoot, then.’
He glanced towards the closed door. He didn’t really want Cicely overhearing what he had to say. Well-meaning she might be, but he knew his grandmother was hardly the soul of discretion.
He lowered his voice. ‘It’s about your aromatherapy business.’
‘What about it?’ Despite the heat from the fire, Sally suddenly went cold. Surely Matt couldn’t have heard that Cicely had bought that empty shop? ‘You’re not going to try to talk me out of it again, are you?’
‘Far from it.’ Matt smiled. ‘I think I’ve got the answer.’
‘Oh?’ Sally was pretty sure she didn’t want to hear what was coming next. ‘And what’s that? That I should forget all about it until Kim’s old enough to go to school?’ She shook her head. ‘If that’s what you want to tell me, Matt, then don’t. I’ve said it a million times – I want to bring money into this house that has nothing to do with Lavender Cabs or Lavender Lane Garage or –’
‘Sally, will you shut up for a minutes and listen to me?’ He was laughing as he caught hold of her hands. ‘I said I had the answer – and I have. I’ve sold my shares in Lavender to Paul and Judith.’
The Appleford Rugby Club Dinner and Dance was in full swing by the time Megan and Peter arrived.
‘You’re late,’ Peter’s friend Toby said, indicating their places at the table. ‘We didn’t think you were coming. But – wow!’
‘What?’ Peter remembered to hold out Megan’s chair, and she gave him a small smile. ‘Wow what?’
‘Megan!’ Toby leaned towards her. ‘You look absolutely gorgeous. Good enough to eat. If that’s what delayed Peter then it was well worth waiting for!’
‘It wasn’t,’ Megan said shortly. ‘What delayed him, I mean. But thank you, anyway.’
The first course was served almost immediately, and Megan concentrated on pushing her prawns around the dish. She couldn’t eat.
The drive had been awful. Peter had been profusely apologetic, she’d been offhand, and they had made most of the journey in silence.
Her heart still thundered at the memory of Luke’s kiss. She had always thought he was attractive, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that he felt anything for her.
And now Peter was being the epitome of the loving boyfriend! Megan speared a prawn and groaned.
Jacey had been watching them and she leaned towards Mitchell with an amused grin.
‘Your sister looks like she’d rather be anywhere else but here!’
‘We’re hardly rugby club material ourselves, are we? And Megan wasn’t to know that your brothers let us have their tickets at the last moment …’
Jacey stared at him with amusement.
‘Don’t you talk to each other? In our family we all talk non-stop.’
‘I’ve noticed.’ Mitch laughed, managing to stroke Jacey’s bare shoulder and eat at the same time. ‘Yeah, we do normally. But Meg’s been distracted this week – I think she’d had a fall-out with Mr King there. She’s been doing all the extra shifts she could. We haven’t seen each other much.’
‘Even though you all live in the same bungalow?’
‘Mum and Dad made sure we all had our own apartments as soon as we wanted them. We don’t have to see each other if we don’t want to.’
‘It sounds perfect,’ Jacey sighed, thinking of her own small home where her parents and five brothers and sisters all crammed together in noisy, happy harmony.
Mitch laid down his fork and looked at her. She was simply the most beautiful girl in the room, with her deep blue dress accentuating the sapphire of her eyes.
He wished his parents would see the good side of Jacey, instead of dwelling on her wild and crazy antics …
Halfway through the main course Peter leaned across the table to Megan.
‘Isn’t that Mitchell down there?’ he indicated. ‘With Jacey Brennan?’ Megan peered across the crowded room and exclaimed.
‘Heavens! It certainly looks like it. I wonder how they got tickets? I wouldn’t have thought this was their kind of thing.’
Peter smiled. It was the first time this evening that Megan had made any attempt at normal conversation.
‘Meg …’ Tentatively he touched her hand but she jerked it away and tried to concentrate on the roast beef in front of her.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered, looking miserable, then went on, ‘Meg, we’ve got to sort things out. Look, I know I’ve been pig-headed and taken you for granted – but I’ve really missed you this week.’
‘Have you?’ Giving up the pretence at eating her meal, she laid her knife and fork together. ‘Why?’
He blinked. ‘Why? Well, because we’ve always been together, ever since school. Oh, I know we’ve had quarrels in the past – but this week is the longest we’ve been apart except for holidays …’
‘Yes, I suppose it is,’ Megan agreed.
‘And didn’t you miss me?’ Peter coaxed.
Megan’s heart sank. How could she tell him she honestly hadn’t given him more than a fleeting thought – and even that had been mainly in anger?
‘Well, I’ve been really busy …’ she hedged, then took the bull by the horns. ‘And anyway, I think we had been seeing too much of each other.’
‘Well, I don’t think we were.’ He trapped her hand with his own, and this time she didn’t try to withdraw it. ‘I think we just saw each other the wrong way. Look, you’ve been brave enough to change your appearance – and I do like it, Meg, honestly – and I think if we changed a few other things, our relationship would be so much better.’
‘What sort of things?’ She looked into his earnest face, trying hard not to think about Luke Dolan’s blue eyes. ‘Not see each other so much, do you mean?’
‘No, I don’t – oh!’ He sighed as the waitresses arrived with the pudding course. ‘I’ll tell you later,’ he muttered.
The speeches seemed interminable as Mitch and Jacey, their arms entwined, sat politely through them.
‘Oh, thank goodness we don’t have this sort of palaver with stock cars!’ Jacey sighed. ‘It’s all so pompous! By the way, have you told your mum and dad about going to the race meeting at Warwick yet?’
‘Not yet.’ He twisted a str
and of her hair round his fingers. ‘They’re used to me racing locally – but I haven’t broken the news about the away fixture yet. What about yours?’
She lifted his hand and kissed it. ‘Oh, mine were fine – they always are. They just said not to kill myself, because they couldn’t afford the funeral – like they always do. I said it would mean a weekend away, and they just laughed and asked if you were going.’
‘And?’
‘I said yes and Mum said I’d probably be away for at least a week, then.’
Mitchell shook his head. Not for the first time, he wished his own parents would treat him with the same free and easy attitude.
The speeches over, the band returned to the podium, and couples began to drift on to the floor.
‘I can’t dance to this!’ Jacey giggled. ‘I thought they’d have a disco.’
‘Not a hope.’ Mitchell held out his hand. ‘Come on, Miss Brennan. I’ll teach you.’
‘You can’t waltz!’ Jacey grinned, melting into his arms. ‘Can you?’
‘Of course I can waltz. Gran Phillips taught us all how to waltz, how to play poker, and how to mix cocktails at an early age. She said that would cover us for every eventuality.’
Megan and Peter had also taken the floor. Peter danced stiffly, with very little sense of rhythm, but Megan was used to it.
She closed her eyes, allowing herself to dream of being in Luke’s arms …
‘Hi – Megan?’ Her brother’s voice made her eyes snap open. ‘You look incredible.’
‘Thanks.’ Megan smiled warmly at him. ‘Hello, Jacey.’
Jacey grinned. ‘That’s a first. A member of the Phillips family speaking civilly to me!’
Megan pulled a face. ‘We’re not that bad, are we?’
‘Pretty daunting.’ Jacey giggled as they waltzed apart again, and she looked up at Mitchell. ‘At least – most of you are …’
She’s – very – er –’ Peter frowned as Mitchell and Jacey disappeared in the throng.
‘Very what?’ Megan snapped, feeling jealous of the way Mitchell and Jacey looked at each other. ‘Happy? In love?’
‘Common, actually,’ Peter said with a disapproving sniff. ‘I know that’s what your parents think.’
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