‘It’s what I want. What we both want, whatever happens afterwards,’ he said, stealing a glance at Jess, whose arm tightened around his back. ‘So you guys go and do what you want to. You only have one life.’
‘True …’ Will looked at Adam. ‘Is everything all right, mate?’
‘Yeah … Shall we go and see the Athene?’ said Adam, which Jess knew was code for ‘let’s have a proper talk’.
Will hesitated, then nodded. ‘I think we’d better. Is this something I need to hear with a large pint in my hand?’
Adam slapped him on the back. ‘I think we’ll both do that later.’
EPILOGUE
Early July
With Adam’s arm around her back, Jess’s heart lifted when she saw the farm gate ahead of them. It was late in the afternoon and they’d caught the ferry from St Mary’s after arriving on the lunchtime flight. The airport and the harbour had been very busy, the ferry packed with visitors now that holiday season was in full swing. The air was warm and a gentle breeze blew from the west, rippling the shallow sea like a silken ribbon. As they walked home, carrying their bags, the heathland and hedgerows around them were thick with wildflowers.
There were a few people around when they pushed open the gate. The chug of a quad bike, the cry of gulls and bleating of goats blended with the distant drone of a small plane overhead. It was a quiet time of year for the farm with Will, Gaby and many of the seasonal workers gone and only the permanent staff manning the phones, doing the admin, looking after the chalets and essential farm work.
They stopped by the top field and leaned on the fence, taking in the farm and the rest of the isles dreaming amid a silver sea under a hazy sun.
Adam gazed out over the fence. ‘Do you think I’ve done the right thing?’ he said. ‘People think we only went for a break in Cornwall …’
‘That’s all they need to know.’ Jess rested her head on his shoulder and he tightened his arm around her. They had been for a break, but they’d also been to see a genetic counsellor in Truro and discussed Adam’s options.
‘It helped a lot to talk through what having a predictive test would mean,’ he said. ‘And I’ve realised that I don’t want to know and that it’s not cowardly not to want to know. I’d rather live with the fifty per cent risk of not having it, than the certainty of knowing I have.’
‘I told you I’d stand by you, whatever you did – or didn’t.’
‘Talking to the counsellor helped me understand that the fears I had – still have – and that the way I reacted was understandable, even though I still regret every second of hurt I caused you.’
She laid her head on his shoulder. ‘That’s behind us now.’
‘I’ve also realised that I want to get on with my life, whatever it brings. Even if I do have the gene, it might be years or decades before the condition affects me, so it’s more important than ever to make the most of every minute. Who knows, maybe there will be some new treatment on the horizon by then too. I feel I’ve already wasted so much time and I don’t want to waste any more.’
‘Good plan.’ She smiled, but Adam still looked downcast. It had been an emotional trip even if it had given him some peace of mind in other respects.
He cleared his throat. ‘Do you think,’ he said quietly, ‘that you’d ever think about marrying me?’
Jess couldn’t speak for what seemed like an age and when she did, she sounded strange to herself. ‘Definitely.’
‘What? Think about marrying me or actually do it?’
She gasped in exasperation. ‘Actually, do it.’
Adam’s smile was so wide, she thought it might crack his face. After what they’d been through, this moment was so sweet, she could hardly bear the happiness. No matter what the future held, it didn’t matter, because she and Adam were a thousand times stronger together than they were apart.
When they stopped, Jess giggled as she spotted Len watching them with a disgusted expression on his face.
‘Shall we tell our parents first or Will and Gaby?’ said Jess.
‘Will and Gaby,’ said Adam.
‘Now?’
‘Like I said, there’s not a moment to lose.’
Adam pulled out his phone and opened up WhatsApp. ‘Smile!’ he said, taking a selfie of the two of them, grinning like maniacs. He typed a caption: ‘The future Mr and Mrs Pengelly’.
‘I don’t know if they’ll get it. It might be the middle of the night in Adelaide,’ he said.
Half a minute later, during another kiss, Adam’s phone buzzed. There was a picture of Gaby and Will hand in hand in a beautiful garden, both with floral garlands around their necks. Will was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Gaby had a white floaty maxi dress with exotic camellia in her hair and a posy in her hand. The message read: ‘Congratulations! But we beat you to it. Lots of love, The new Mr and Mrs Godrevy.’
Jess squealed in delight. ‘Oh my God? They haven’t, have they? Mum will kill him! What about her hat? What about the reception? She always wanted Erlicheers and Daymarks at our weddings. I’ve heard her talking to my auntie about it!’
A new message came through showing Will and Gaby holding up a glass with the words, ‘PS We’re coming home for a party next month. We’ll phone Mum and tell her tonight. We are SO happy for you two. Xxx’
‘Those two. What are they like?’ said Jess, still wondering what her mum’s reaction would be when she heard about the ‘secret’ wedding. For her own part, she was thrilled. She’d spoken to him and seen him on Skype while they’d been travelling, and could see he was happier than he’d ever been. She couldn’t have wished for more for her brother.
‘They’re full of surprises …’ said Adam. ‘Uh-oh. I think Len’s after you.’
Len was heading straight for them, scowl on his face.
‘Oh dear. It seems as if our “holiday” is over. He’s on the warpath, judging by his face.’
‘He always looks like that,’ said Adam and Jess laughed.
Len caught them before they’d reached the packing sheds. ‘Bloody good job you’re back. Now look, I’ve got a problem with a wholesale order for September. It could be the making of us, but not if we can’t handle it …’
Jess interrupted the flow. ‘Hold on a second, Len. Can this wait until we’ve had a chance to dump our bags in the house and say hello to Mum?’
Len huffed.
Adam glanced at Jess. ‘And actually, Len,’ he said, swelling with pride, ‘I’ve just asked Jess to marry me.’
Len stared at Adam and then at Jess. ‘Right. Congratulations. I hope you’ll both be very happy,’ he said. ‘Now, about this order …’
Leaving their bags in the middle of the yard, with Len muttering ahead of them, Jess and Adam followed him. Life on the farm never stopped and she wouldn’t have it any other way. In the fields ahead of them, the bare earth showed not a hint of the green shoots that would peep out in a couple of months’ time. Yet, Jess knew the flowers were there, only waiting for the right moment to push their way through and burst into life.
Acknowledgements
When I first decided to write a book about a flower farm, I knew it could make a wonderful setting for a romantic novel but it also needed a lot of research. Both have proved true! So first and foremost, I have to thank the Scilly flower farmers who helped me with this novel. My apologies for anything I’ve got wrong – either accidentally or on purpose.
I’ll never forget my afternoon at Churchtown Farm on St Martin’s, the home of Scilly Flowers – www.scillyflowers.co.uk where owner, Zoe Julian, took time out of a busy schedule to show me around her family’s beautiful flower fields.
Special thanks to Juliet May, Jess Vian and Drew of Juliet’s Garden and Seaways Flower Farm – http://www.julietsgardenrestaurant.co.uk for answering my questions on narcissi production. During my visit, Jess also told me about the work of the Blue Box Flower Company – http://www.scentednarcissi.co.uk/ which was very helpful.
I would
never have even thought of writing this series without my friend, Hilary Ely, who inspired my love of Scilly. Thanks to reader, Carol Hill, and her husband for their advice on water pumps and to Kirsteen Mosson who won my contest to name the Godrevys’ boat, Kerensa. For the brainstorming sessions in the pub, I’m indebted to my author friends, Liz Hanbury and Nell Dixon. Thanks also to my bookseller friend, Janice Hume, for her support and for the line about an ice cream, I owe Julie Shackman a large drink.
Writing a story may be a solitary process, but getting a book onto shelves and e-readers needs a talented and energetic team. I have a fabulous group of professionals behind me, including Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks, who is a brilliant editor and advocate for my work. Ditto the incredible Team Avon: Helen Huthwaite, Sabah Khan, Elon Woodman-Worrell, Elke Desanghere and Jade Craddock who help to make my stories sparkle and bring them to as wide an audience as possible. Huge thanks too, to the many bloggers who read and review my books and tell readers about them.
I can hardly believe that this is my eighteenth published novel and for each one, my agent Broo Doherty has championed my work and been a great friend too.
Finally, my family are officially The Best Ever. John, Mum and Dad, Charles, Charlotte and James. ILY xx
About the Author
PHILLIPA ASHLEY writes warm, funny romantic fiction for a variety of world-famous international publishers.
After studying English at Oxford, she worked as a copywriter and journalist. Her first novel, Decent Exposure, won the RNA New Writers Award and was made into a TV movie called 12 Men of Christmas starring Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Hopkins. As Pippa Croft, she also wrote the Oxford Blue series – The First Time We Met, The Second Time I Saw You and Third Time Lucky.
Phillipa lives in a Staffordshire village and has an engineer husband and scientist daughter who indulge her arty whims. She runs a holiday-let business in the Lake District, but a big part of her heart belongs to Cornwall. She visits the county several times a year for ‘research purposes’, an arduous task that involves sampling cream teas, swimming in wild Cornish coves and following actors around film shoots in a camper van. Her hobbies include watching Poldark, Earl Grey tea, Prosecco-tasting and falling off surf boards in front of RNLI lifeguards.
@PhillipaAshley
Return to the little Cornish Isles …
Coming July 2018. Pre-order your copy here.
If you loved Spring on the Little Cornish Isles, don’t miss Phillipa Ashley’s stunning Cornish Café series
Buy your copy here.
Buy your copy here.
Buy your copy here.
Also by Phillipa Ashley
The Little Cornish Isles series
Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles: The Driftwood Inn
Spring on the Little Cornish Isles: The Flower Farm
The Cornish Cafe Series
Summer at the Cornish Cafe
Christmas at the Cornish Cafe
Confetti at the Cornish Cafe
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India
http://www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London,SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
Spring on the Little Cornish Isles: Flower Farm Page 30