Escape to Willow Cottage

by Bella Osborne

  ‘I’m guessing that’s us then,’ said Beth, as Jack gave her a huge bear hug and then instantly looked rather awkward and pulled away. ‘First time we’ve won since Easter.’ He looked genuinely thrilled and Beth had to admit that she too was feeling quite pleased with herself. The compere came over to hand out the prizes.

  ‘Um, thanks,’ said Beth, as she really didn’t know what else to say when someone hands you a dozen pork sausages.

  Chapter Six

  Fergus had lost his hearing due to contracting a severe case of mumps as an adult. He had spent the first year after it happened confined to his old flat. A lot of it was shock at the sudden loss of a primary sense but with that comes fear and erosion of self-confidence. Losing his ability to communicate had made him feel cut off and frustrated. Even simple tasks were suddenly much harder and took more effort, for example trying to find out information was no longer just a phone call away. Fergus was shocked too by the number of people who treated him like he was mentally slow just because he couldn’t hear.

  He had made a positive move when he had joined a British Sign Language course and the added bonus had been falling for one of the tutors, Carly. She had introduced him to the deaf community and all the support that brings from people that actually know what it’s like to be in the same situation. Although his experiences were different from those who’d encountered discrimination all their lives he had found learning sign language immediately expanded his social group and set him on the road to recovery. Sadly, some people never do manage to adjust to such a trauma but, with support and all the latest gadgets, Fergus had slowly progressed and was now living again.

  This meant engaging in all aspects of normal life including arguing with your partner. Carly found it was exceedingly difficult to have a row with a deaf person. No matter how competent you were at sign language you couldn’t get the words out quickly enough and if they chose to look away the argument was over. Fergus was looking perplexed and kept signing ‘sorry’, which was probably because he felt she was overreacting a little to the fact that he’d used the last tea bag but, after a sleepless night, Carly was desperate for a cuppa. All of her frustration at the non-proposal was flooding out into tea-gate. She added a couple of digs about him playing games all day and not getting dressed, then grabbed her bag and stormed out. She slammed the door behind her. He wouldn’t hear it but it was likely the vibration would convey her level of annoyance.

  She stood outside the flat door and screamed. It was a primal scream that went on long enough to make a front door open to check what the matter was, which for London, where everyone kept themselves to themselves unless something disastrous had happened, was quite exceptional.

  ‘Sorry, I needed to let that out,’ said Carly, as the door quickly shut again. It had worked, she felt a fraction less frustrated, although her desire for a cup of tea was still raging. Fergus was so laid-back about everything and most of the time that was a good thing but sometimes it drove her potty. She felt it wasn’t unreasonable for her to be thinking about getting married after three years together but she was beginning to wonder if Fergus would ever get around to proposing. She sent Beth a text but when she didn’t respond immediately she called her.

  ‘I’m guessing it didn’t go well as I didn’t get an excited phone call from you last night,’ said Beth.

  ‘Didn’t go well! That’s a bloody understatement. He took me up 257 steps in heels to ask me if I wanted to spend a weekend in a bloody treehouse.’ Carly was indignant.

  ‘Ooh, a treehouse sounds nice, when’s he taking you?’

  ‘Did you not hear what I said? 257 steps up to the sodding Whispering sodding Gallery at sodding St Paul’s.’

  ‘What a lovely thing to do. I think you’re being a bit mean. He’s booked a nice mini-break and he took you to a wonderful place to tell you about it.’

  Carly pouted as she stood on the pavement outside the flat. ‘It would have been a perfect place to propose.’

  ‘Maybe, but there are other perfect places for a proposal.’

  ‘I’d like it to feel like the world has stopped for one moment, just for me. That’s all,’ said Carly with more than a hint of despondency evident in her voice as she moved to one side to avoid being bumped by frowning pedestrians.

  ‘I dare say you would and I’m sure that will happen but, in the meantime, you should enjoy the lovely thoughtful man you have and look forward to your weekend in a treehouse.’

  ‘Thoughtful? 257 steps. In heels!’ was all Carly had to say. She shoved the phone into her bag and crossed the road. She didn’t see Fergus who was watching her closely from the window.

  Leo was finishing his sausages and beans when the theatrical musical doorbell of the B&B hummed the tune to ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. Jean opened the door and preened herself as she greeted Jack. What was it with the women in this village and Jack? He seemed to send them all aquiver.

  ‘Are you ready?’ he called brusquely, after exchanging pleasantries with Jean.

  ‘Yep,’ said Beth, grabbing the rusty keys and gently steering Leo away from the table.

  ‘You’re wearing that?’ asked Jack, blunt as ever, as he gave Beth’s outfit the once-over.

  She looked at her fitted white T-shirt, designer skinny jeans and smart low-heeled leather boots. ‘Yes, what’s wrong with it?’ It wasn’t like she was wearing a skirt and heels as she had the first time she’d investigated the property.

  ‘Nothing wrong at all but you’re about to get absolutely filthy working on the cottage and that outfit will be trashed.’

  ‘These are the least precious clothes I’ve got and if they get trashed then so be it. But I’ll be careful.’

  ‘What do you usually wear for this sort of work?’ asked Jack, his expression curious.

  It was too early to make stuff up and Leo was listening. ‘This,’ she said and walked out of the door with her head held high. Jack shook his head behind her.

  Jean displayed a fixed smile as she witnessed the exchange. ‘Well, have a nice time anyway,’ she said, as she waved them off.

  ‘Here,’ said Jack, handing Beth and Leo small white face masks. ‘It’ll help to stop the dust.’

  ‘Thanks but I’m going to play in the garden,’ said Leo brandishing a tennis ball.

  ‘He’s not had a garden before,’ explained Beth and Jack patted Leo on the back sympathetically.

  ‘You can do me a favour, keep an eye on Doris here,’ he said as the huge dog skidded up the path to greet them. Doris had a dark face but the rest of her short coat was a golden blonde and she was very nearly the same height as Leo. Beth protectively stepped in front of Leo and Doris seized the opportunity to sniff Beth’s crotch. Jack expertly pulled her away as Beth rolled her eyes; sniffing crotches and licking their own private parts was probably the two main reasons why she wasn’t a dog lover. The third thing that Beth disliked about dogs was when they lifted up both their back legs and dragged their bums along the carpet although she had to admit that was always funny as long as it wasn’t your carpet.

  ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ said Beth.

  ‘But, Muuuum,’ moaned Leo from behind her.

  Jack was eyeing her as if awaiting an explanation for her actions.

  ‘It’s a very big dog, and dogs …’ she knew they were all waiting for her to say the word ‘bite’. ‘… dogs can be unpredictable. So, no, I’m sorry but I don’t think so.’

  ‘Shame. That means she’ll have to spend the day in her cage,’ said Jack, looking forlornly at Doris who was happily bashing her tail against his leg.

  ‘A cage?’ Leo looked outraged. Beth looked a little shocked too.

  ‘It’s okay, it’s to stop her wrecking the house.’ The expressions of alarm didn’t change. ‘Seriously, she’s an English mastiff, she’ll eat her way through a wall if I leave her on her own!’

  ‘But still. Putting her in a cage?’ said Beth, eyeing the behemoth of a dog.

  �
��It’s a proper extra-large dog cage but she’d rather be with me, obviously.’ Jack pulled a sad clown face.

  ‘Fine, bring her along,’ relented Beth, and Leo whooped his delight.

  ‘You’ll grow to love her,’ said Jack, as he patted Doris’s flank and the dog promptly wiped her slobbery jowl down the side of Beth’s jeans as she passed. Beth recoiled in disgust.

  ‘I doubt it,’ she muttered.

  A large estate car was parked outside with a ladder strapped to the roof bars. Doris leaped into the boot and Jack jumped in the driver’s seat.

  ‘See you there,’ he shouted as he pulled away.

  ‘Fine,’ said Beth. She didn’t need a lift – she could almost see the willow tree from the B&B, but it would have been nice to be offered one. She put on her sunglasses and took Leo’s reluctant hand.

  When they got to the cottage, Leo checked to see if Ernie was under the willow tree but he wasn’t. Jack already had his toolbox out and was studying the boards that covered the windows and the door.

  ‘Galvanized bolts,’ he said, nodding. ‘That’s good. It means they won’t have rusted. I’ve got just the thing for those.’ He pulled a large spanner from the toolbox and set to work.

  ‘Let’s get these off and see what we’re dealing with,’ said Jack. Beth wasn’t comfortable with Jack dishing out the instructions but she agreed as she didn’t have a better idea.

  As he undid the last bolt Beth stood and took the weight of the large sheet of ply board. At the last second the board slipped in her grasp but Jack stopped it from falling.

  ‘Ow,’ complained Beth, checking her hands – splinters and a broken nail. She breathed out hard; this was starting to look less and less like her kind of thing. Lifting down the board revealed the window. There had once been white paint on the wooden frame but now most of it had peeled off. However, the sight of the series of perfect little square panes in the windows brought a smile to both their faces.

  ‘Georgian windows,’ said Jack, helping Beth to put down the board and lean it against the wall.

  ‘They’re lovely,’ said Beth leaning closer, ‘but not exactly good for keeping the cold out. I expect they’ll need swapping for double-glazed ones.’

  ‘No!’ said Jack crossly. ‘These are a thing of beauty. I’ll put some linseed oil on to protect them until you can get around to painting them but trust me they’ll keep the cold out. It’s the gaps round the edges that you’ll need to sort.’ He indicated where someone’s attempt at filling the gaps was already crumbling away.

  ‘Right,’ said Beth, feeling further out of her depth.

  ‘Flemish bond,’ he said, nodding at the brickwork.

  ‘Is he? I’m not really into films,’ said Beth, distractedly.

  Leo and Doris played fetch with the ball until Doris put a large hole in it. Beth and Jack removed the other three boards and thankfully all but two of the small panes of glass were intact. Jack expertly taped some plastic over the broken ones so that they didn’t let in any rain. They both stared at the largest piece of board covering the front door, which itself was also covered by the sprawling ivy and white flowering plant.

  Jack disappeared to the car boot. ‘Shall we?’ he said as he produced two large pairs of loppers.

  ‘Can I help?’ asked Leo.

  ‘Sorry, mate, these are a bit deadly but you can pull down as much of that traveller’s joy as you can.’ He pointed at the greenery covered in pretty white flowers and threw him some gloves.

  Leo shoved his hands into the gloves. ‘They fit!’

  Beth looked surprised. ‘They’re only those very stretchy ones; I thought they might come in handy,’ Jack said, setting to work with the loppers. Beth stood and watched. She wondered what she was doing. She couldn’t help – she’d never used loppers before and had no idea where to start, they were quite heavy and unwieldy. Every time she lifted them up they seemed to sway off to the right like some kind of giant magnet was pulling them. She put them down. The whole project was looking more and more ridiculous. Doris came up behind her and rested her heavy head against Beth’s hand, her droopy eyes making her look as forlorn as Beth felt. Beth sidestepped away from the drooling creature hoping Jack hadn’t noticed. She picked up the loppers again and tried in vain to control them as she snipped wildly at the air around the plants.

  Thanks to Jack and Leo’s concerted efforts a little while later they were ready for the big front door reveal. The first thing Beth saw was more peeling paint but this time in a shade of bright pink.

  ‘Wow!’ exclaimed Leo.

  ‘I’m glad I’m wearing my sunglasses,’ said Beth.

  ‘It’s not all bad. It’s a pleasant style and the glass is a nice touch.’ Jack pointed to the four small panes that made a bigger square at head height. It was going to take a bit more to convince Beth.

  Jack soon had the boards off the windows at the back of the house and loaded them into the boot of his car.

  They grabbed two takeaway coffees and a squash from Rhonda and then set about the inside. Beth wasn’t sure if it looked better or worse now that the windows were letting in light. They both stood sipping their coffees while Leo sat on the bottom step of the stairs playing games on Beth’s iPhone.

  ‘Okay, boss. What are you thinking?’ asked Jack. Beth was sure she could sense derision in his voice. She was actually thinking ‘Oh shit, I’ve well and truly cocked up here’ but instead she said,

  ‘Number one priority is to make sure it’s watertight.’ She was pleased with the conviction in her words, she almost sounded like she knew what she was doing.

  ‘Lovely summer we’re having, hasn’t been any rain for weeks. How about you check upstairs for any obvious signs of leaks and damp patches and I’ll be back shortly.’

  Beth didn’t have time to query what he was planning to do as he had already left, so she carefully went upstairs and started looking around. It was very difficult to identify damp patches under the general grubbiness. She exhaled loudly; how were you meant to get a house that was this dirty clean again? Would it ever be clean again? Actually, had it ever been clean? Then she thought of the photograph of the lovely smiling Elsie who was so selfless as to have taken in and raised Ernie. Beth was sure Elsie would have kept the house clean; it must have been in Wilf’s later years that things had got out of hand.

  Every room upstairs was wallpapered and she had vague recollections of helping her dad as a child with removing wallpaper with warm wet sponges and a scraper. It had taken most of a half-term holiday for them to do one room, it would take for ever to do the whole cottage on her own. She heard voices outside and then an odd whooshing noise, and then she felt the sensation of ice-cold water trickling over her. She looked up to have her face washed by a steady stream of water coming through the ceiling above.

  ‘Shit!’ She stomped to the nearest window and tried hard to ignore the sight of the dingy bathroom that surrounded her. She struggled to open the window to shout at Jack who was merrily hosing down the roof but the window wouldn’t budge. By the time she had made it downstairs and pointed out the dripping to Leo who was lost in a game, the noise and water had stopped.

  Jack sauntered into the cottage. ‘Did you find any leaks?’ he asked with a smirk.

  ‘You bloody idiot! I’m soaked. What if that gets in the electrics?’ Beth shook her hands and droplets of water flew off her.

  ‘Electrics are switched off. I assumed you’d be getting a professional to check those over before trying them.’

  Beth wanted to scream. She hated pretending she knew what she was doing and she hated Jack’s smugness. He was obviously playing games.

  ‘Yes, the electrician is already booked but dousing everything, including me, in water is not the way to find out where the leaks are!’ She made a show of pulling her hair into a ponytail and wringing it out.

  ‘Okay, so how would you have done it?’ Jack looked intrigued.

  ‘Well, I … I would have looked for damp patches, like
you said before and … gone up on the roof to check the pointing.’ She wasn’t entirely sure she’d used the right term but she had heard her dad talk about pointing before so it was worth a punt.

  She noticed that Jack momentarily raised an eyebrow, perhaps she was on the right track.

  ‘Don’t let me stop you,’ he said. ‘The ladder is outside.’

  Beth swallowed hard. She was okay with heights when she was inside and safe like in a lift or looking out on a spectacular view; then she was fine. Climbing up ladders, on the other hand, she was not good at but she wasn’t going to back out of this obvious challenge. ‘Fine, could you hold the bottom for me?’

  Jack failed to suppress a schoolboy smirk. ‘Sure thing.’

  The first few steps were fine. She kept telling herself it was like going up stairs, only it wasn’t. Her foot slipped a fraction. She squealed and tried to hide it with a cough. She didn’t want to fall. Beth was trying hard to control her breathing but the fear was making it speed up. She clutched the cold metal tightly and slowly moved her hands up as she took another step.

  ‘You okay?’ said Jack.

  ‘Wonderful,’ lied Beth, as she muttered a string of inaudible obscenities to herself.

  Each step was a fear conquered as she went higher and higher. She was suddenly very grateful that she hadn’t bought anything taller than a cottage. As she neared the roof a thought struck her. What the hell was she going to do when she got there? She had no idea how to check the pointing. She didn’t even know what pointing meant. When her feet were at last level with what remained of the cottage’s ancient guttering, she slowly moved her head so that she could scan a section of the roof.

  ‘Are you getting on the roof?’ called Jack, followed by something that could have been a cough or a laugh or a bit of both.

  ‘Um, no, I can see perfectly well from here,’ she replied, her voice shaky.

  ‘What’s the pointing like?’

  Beth stared at the tiles, row upon row of them. They all looked the same, all shimmering wet as the summer sunshine glinted off them. ‘I think they’re okay.’