'Go away,' Mia said, laughing. 'I'll be safe with Mum.'
Ella blew Mia and Lori kisses, and Franklin too before racing off down the drive and across the village green to Justin's.
Lori watched her go before turning back towards the cottage. 'So everything's going well again with Ella and Justin then?'
Mia nodded. 'It seems to be. Although between you and me, he still doesn't seem quite as madly in love as he did. But I may be imagining that. I haven't said anything to Ella, so don't mention it, even though she'll be the first to agree it's not as great as it was.'
'Of course I won't. And you, darling? How are things really, with you? Are you honestly as over Garrick as you appear to be?'
Mia shrugged as they reached the front door and stepped into the hall. 'I think I am. I still miss him dreadfully, but I stopped crying myself to sleep after the first week. I've been doing a lot of thinking and I'm sure you were right when you said that it was a crush that got out of control, or something like that. I've sort of loved him all my life and spending so much time with him here, and being so physically attracted to him, made me think I was truly in love. I confused that, and the love of friendship with being 'in love', I think. All I know for sure is that it doesn't hurt much anymore.' They headed towards the kitchen. 'I honestly wish him and Fiona well, but I haven't been able to bring myself to talk to him via Skype or Facetime or anything and I've only spoken to him once on the phone. Ella's been passing messages between us. You know, checking if we're each okay and reporting back to the other one. I'm looking forward to the day when we can chat like we used to.'
'Don't try and rush things,' Lori advised, grabbing a bottle of wine from the rack whilst Mia got the glasses. 'Whether you were truly in love with him or not, doesn't matter now. You were engaged. You were planning to get married. You can't simply brush that under the carpet as if it didn't happen. And speaking of that. Have you taken the dress back?'
'My wedding dress? No.' Mia laughed as Lori poured the wine. 'Ella says I should hang on to it because knowing me, I'll find someone else I'll decide I'd like to marry before too long. Failing which, she says she might need it, if she can persuade Justin to get a move on.'
Franklin appeared in the doorway and grinned.
'I know.' Lori laughed, walking to him and kissing him. 'It's as if we haven't been away. The wine's already being poured and we've only been back five minutes.'
'Not a problem, honey.' He kissed her briefly, turned away, turned back and kissed her again, tipping her backwards and letting his Stetson fall to the floor.
Mia watched them and a tiny twinge of envy welled up inside her. She bent down and retrieved his hat, handing it to him when he finally let Lori go.
He winked at Mia as he took it. 'Well thank you kindly, ma'am.'
She grinned. 'Give my regards to Jet. Oh no, don't. I mean.' She coughed. 'Don't say anything to Jet, please.'
Franklin gave her an odd look. 'Somethin' happen while we were away?'
'Absolutely nothing,' Mia said, picking up her glass and taking several swigs of wine.
Well, it was sort of true. Nothing had happened.
The bloody man had said, 'No.'
Which was probably just as well if what Tom had said was true.
Chapter Four
Mia overslept. But it wasn't really surprising. She hadn't had a good night's sleep since Garrick had left and last night, she and Lori had sat up and talked until two a.m. When she finally fell asleep, curled up beside her mum, even a meteor colliding with Earth wouldn't have woken her. She didn't hear Lori get up, and Ella said it had taken at least five minutes to wake her, and Ella had shaken her, pulled off the duvet, shouted, sung along with the song blaring out from the radio, and finally, wafted two large, steaming mugs of coffee, under her nose.
'I was beginning to think you were dead,' Ella said, placing the mugs on the bedside table and clambering onto Mia's bed. 'Lori's gone for a run along the beach. She went out the back door five minutes after I came in the front. Apparently, she does that now. Runs every morning. Franklin likes to run.' She rolled her eyes and leant over and grabbed the mugs, handing one to Mia before propping herself up against the plush, purple headboard. 'Who knew?' She grinned. 'Remind me never to date a younger man. There's no way I'm going running when I'm sixty. Actually, there's no way I'm going running now. That Frog Hill Run nearly did me in. I'm never doing that again. Are you awake yet?'
Mia shook her head. 'Not really. And must you keep jabbering? My head hurts.'
'That's because we all drank too much wine with dinner, and you and Lori started at noon and carried on after I went over to Justin's. You do realise it's almost nine, don't you? Hettie'll be here any minute. Are you going to tell her about Gill coming to stay?'
'Nine?' Mia yawned. 'Is it really?' She glanced at the clock and groaned. 'I suppose I'd better get up. Did you say Mum's gone running?'
Ella nodded. 'Yep. She's meeting Franklin on the sand. They arranged it last night.'
Mia took a gulp of coffee and yawned again. 'She didn't mention it. I could've gone with her and gone swimming while they ran.'
Ella laughed. 'Yeah right. You can't even wake up, sleepy head. But I've got news. Want to hear it?'
Mia shifted position so that she could look Ella in the eye. 'Don't ask silly questions. Of course I do. News about what?'
Ella grinned, smugly. 'News about whom. I bumped into Fred at the bakery this morning. He was buying one of those extra special, scrummy blueberry muffins Justin bakes. You know the ones. With the lavender frosting and the edible Violet petals.' She beamed at Mia and drank her coffee.
'That's it? That's your news? Hold the press. Fred is buying muffins.'
'Not muffins. Just one muffin. A special muffin. Oh, for goodness sake, Mia. You really are asleep. Who loves Justin's blueberry muffins but says she only ever buys one on a very special occasion, like Prince Gustav's birthday?'
'Hettie. So?'
'So Fred bought her an extra special muffin. And he slipped an engagement ring among the petals.' Ella laughed. 'Fred's going to propose to Hettie. In fact, he's probably doing so right about now. Which is why you need to get up. I told Lori and she's going to be back by nine-thirty. Hettie'll want us all to see the ring.'
'Oh my God! Really?' Mia put down her mug and threw back the duvet. 'Why didn't you tell me right away?'
Ella shrugged. 'You could see if she wants to wear your wedding dress.'
'Oh, very funny.'
Mia dashed into the shower and was washed, dressed and downstairs in the kitchen shortly after nine-thirty, but there was no sign of Hettie.
'Do you think everything's all right?' Mia glanced at Ella who was making fresh coffee.
'Perhaps it's taking longer than expected,' Ella said. 'Or perhaps they're … you know. Having celebration sex.' She winked.
Mia shivered dramatically. 'Thanks. That's not a pleasant picture you've just put in my head. Should we call round? What if something's happened? What if she said no? What if—'
'There's the doorbell.' Ella nodded towards the front door. 'That can't be Hettie because I left the door unlocked and she always tries it before she rings the bell. I'd go, but I'm busy making coffee.'
Mia sighed. 'I'll get it. Whoever it is, is pretty impatient. I bet it's Hettie and she's doing this for dramatic effect.'
'Or Franklin. He probably forgot he was meeting Lori on the beach and he's so excited to see her, he can't stop ringing the bell.'
Mia strode along the hall. 'Okay. I'm coming.' She opened the door and her mouth fell open along with it. 'Jet!'
'Is Lori here?' He seemed anxious and his mouth was a firm hard line when he looked at her.
'No. She's with Franklin on the beach.'
He shook his head. 'She isn't. Franklin's at the farm. I've come to get her. Don't panic. It's not serious. But there's been an accident and Franklin's hurt. It's only cuts, bruises and possibly a broken wrist. Plus he'll have one hell of a
headache, but Bear's with him and he says Franklin's fine. I've come to get Lori before she hears it from someone else. She's on the beach, you said? May I take a short cut through here and go and get her?'
'Yes. Yes of course.' She stood aside to let him pass. 'Are you sure he's okay? God! It wasn't that harvester thing was it?'
'He's okay, considering,' he said, giving her an odd look. 'And no, it wasn't the harvester.' He marched along the hall.
She followed quickly behind him but he didn't give her another look.
'Jet?' Ella said, from the kitchen doorway. 'Did I hear you say there's been an accident?'
'Yes. I'll tell you about it later. I want to get Lori. Excuse me.'
He walked right past her and out onto the deck and then into the garden, dashing towards the beach as Mia and Ella exchanged worried looks.
'Coo-ey!' Hettie's cheery tone rang out from the open front door. 'May we come in, deary? We've got exciting news.'
Chapter Five
It had been a crazy day and by five p.m. all Mia wanted to do was soak in a hot bath and have an extremely early night. But Gill would be arriving any minute, so she couldn't. Instead, she and Ella made a large bowl of mixed salad, laid out a plate of ham, and another of cheese from Little Pond Farm together with a selection of bread and rolls from Justin's bakery. It wasn't much but it would have to do.
'He's just come from France,' Ella said, grinning. 'They live on bread and cheese in France. The salad and ham will be an added bonus.'
Mia grinned back. 'I'm sure he'll understand when we explain that, what with the drama over Franklin's accident and the excitement over Hettie and Fred's engagement, going to the shops was the last thing on our minds.'
'Yeah. If he doesn't like it, there's always the pub. And Justin did make a special cake for dessert, so it's not all bad.'
'Is Justin going to be joining us for supper?'
Ella shook her head. 'No. He says he's got some people he needs to meet tonight. Something to do with The Frog Hill Hounds. He can't cancel because it's important, apparently.'
'That sounds intriguing.'
Ella shrugged. 'He was a bit cagey about it. But he swears it's business and not another woman, so I suppose I'll have to trust him.'
Mia glanced up from laying the table. 'Don't you then? Trust him, I mean.'
'I do. I think. But sometimes it seems as if he's keeping something from me and to be honest, I'm getting a little tired of it. I told you. It hasn't really been the same since that bloody fortune-teller.'
'Oh God. Don't start with her again. I'm still trying to figure out what mine meant. Especially the bit about Tom. It's weird, but I can remember almost every word that woman said. I simply can't make sense of most of it.' She stepped back and inspected the table to see if she'd forgotten anything. She hadn't. 'I saw him briefly today.'
'Tom?' Ella got out wine glasses. 'When?'
'After Jet took Mum to Little Pond Farm and Hettie and Fred had left. He called round. You'd gone over to Justin's. Tom didn't seem himself either. I told him about Franklin's accident and he was really shocked. And when I told him that Franklin was actually driving Jet's car at the time, so it could have been Jet, not Franklin who ended up crumpled against a tree, he almost looked cross. Anyone would think he's got a thing for Jet.' She grinned. 'But it was weird, wasn't it? The fact that it was Jet's car.'
'Why's that weird?' Ella poured them each a glass of wine. 'We need one after the day we've had.' She winked, before continuing: 'Brakes fail all the time. Well, maybe not all the time, but sometimes.'
Mia took the glass and sipped her wine. 'I suppose so. Jet clearly felt guilty though, didn't he? He said a couple of times that it was his fault because he'd asked Franklin to move the car for him and if he'd moved it himself, Franklin wouldn't have been hurt.'
'Yes, but Jet would've been, so that's just silly.'
'I know. And I shouldn't be saying this, but if Franklin had come to tell us that something had happened to Jet, I don't think I would've been as calm and controlled as Mum was. I would've been screaming and crying and behaving like an even bigger idiot than usual.' She sighed. 'I know all that stuff Tom said about Jet is probably true, but when I opened the front door and saw him standing there, my heart skipped a beat, I swear it did. I was so happy to see him I almost threw my arms around him and kissed the arrogant git.' She shook her head. 'And he was so concerned that Mum found out straight away that Franklin was okay, and that she didn't hear any horror stories via the village gossips. If he was really as bad as Tom says, he wouldn't have been so thoughtful, would he?'
Ella rolled her eyes. 'Are you now thinking that perhaps Tom did lie about some of those things he told you about Jet? I said he could've made them up to remove his competition.' She grinned. 'A vicar who lies. Well, there's a novelty. Not.'
Mia grinned back. 'But I can't believe Tom's like that either. Oh I don't know. I'm so confused about everything.' She flopped onto a chair and sighed. 'At least Franklin's fine. That's the main thing. And it was lucky he was simply moving the car so he wasn't going very fast. Jet races down that drive. I've been in the car with him so I know. Imagine that. He wouldn't have been able to stop and would've gone headlong onto Seaside Road, and been hit by oncoming traffic.'
Ella laughed. 'Sorry. It's not funny. But oncoming traffic? If more than three cars go along that road per day I'll be amazed. The chances of one being at that precise spot at that exact time is probably about a billion to one. He may've smashed into the hedge opposite the drive and possibly even got some broken bones, but I don't think anything too serious would've happened. There's no point in speculating anyway. It wasn't Jet, it was Franklin, and he's fine, apart from the broken wrist and the cuts and bruises. Now what time did that guy say he'd be arriving?'
'Anytime now. He told me he thought he was about thirty minutes away when he phoned. That was thoughtful of him, wasn't it? To let us know he was almost here.'
'Perhaps he wanted to give us time to roll out the red carpet or something.'
Mia tutted. 'Don't be mean. Just because he's got a posh accent, it doesn't follow he'll be the pompous git you think he is.'
'I bet he looks like a nerd, with greasy hair, spots and glasses perched on the end of an exceedingly long, hooked nose.'
'And maybe a hunched back for good measure.' Mia gave Ella a sarcastic grin. 'I think he's got a lovely voice. And he seemed friendly. Anyway, I don't care what he looks like. All I'm interested in is what he can tell me about Mattie. Oh. That must be him now.' Mia put her glass on the table the moment she heard the doorbell, and turned towards the hall.
'Unless it's Jet, who's come to tell you he's decided he wants to sleep with you, after all.'
'Yeah right. The man hardly looked at me today and I think he said about five words to me in total. It definitely won't be Jet.'
It wasn't. But Mia was still surprised when she opened the front door. Gill was nothing like Ella had suggested, although he did have glasses. Expensive glasses by the look of them and they sat perfectly on his slim, aquiline nose.
'Hello,' he said, beaming white teeth between shapely lips on a tanned face. 'You must be Mia. I'm pleased to meet you.' It was a handsome face, framed by lustrous, wild and wavy chestnut brown hair that shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight. His eyes were almost as intense as Jet's, but not quite as blue and he definitely took care of himself. He wore a red, white and green checked cotton, short-sleeved shirt, hanging loose over tailored khaki shorts and his long, athletic-looking legs were dark mahogany. He was clearly an 'outdoors' kind of man and, judging by the boat shoes he wore on otherwise bare feet, possibly one who liked messing about on boats. Although that didn't necessarily follow. Mia owned a pair of walking boots, but she didn't do much walking over rough terrain. Even his aftershave smelt divine as it wafted towards her on the warm breeze. 'Apologies for being a tad later than anticipated. I was stuck behind a tractor on Seaside Road.'
'Sorry?' Had she really
been staring at him? 'Oh yes, that happens, but no apology is necessary. You must be Gill. Hello. You're only five minutes later than you said, and we hadn't expected you to be precise.' She gave a little laugh. 'Please come in. We've got a salad and some bread, cheese and ham but nothing more exciting, I'm afraid. It's been a bit of a mad day and we didn't get time to go shopping, especially as they're miles away.' And now she was waffling. She stood aside to let him in and when she closed the door, he followed her along the hall.
'Bread and cheese sounds perfect. But you shouldn't have gone to any trouble. I had a rather large lunch with my friend in Paris, so I'm not very hungry. Thank you though. It was kind of you to think of me.'
'It wasn't just for you,' Ella called out from the kitchen. 'If you don't want it that leaves more for … Bloody Nora. You can't be Gill.' She blinked several times as Gill stepped into the kitchen. 'You're not at all what I expected.' She raked his body with disbelieving eyes.
Mia grinned as Gill scanned Ella from head to toe. It was like a moment from a movie.
Gill smiled broadly. 'Oh? You're exactly what I had imagined, Ella. I assume from the sarcastic tone, that you are Ella. I think I'd recognise your voice anywhere.'
Ella blushed. She actually blushed.
'Sit down, Gill,' Mia said, still grinning. 'Would you like a glass of wine? It's only cheap stuff, not vintage or anything, which you no doubt usually drink.'
He dragged his gaze from Ella and sat, and although he furrowed his brows a touch at Mia's comment, his smile somehow remained intact.
'What makes you think that?' He laughed. 'Vintage port, on occasion, yes. Although I'll admit my grandfather did have an extensive wine cellar and I have been drinking some particularly good 2005 Burgundy while we were sorting out his estate. In fact, I've got some in the car. I'll grab one for when we eat.'
'We're eating now,' Ella said, finally regaining her composure. 'We're starving.
'Now? But it's only …' He glanced at his patently expensive watch and then his gaze shot from Ella to Mia and back again. 'Of course. I'll go and get it.'
The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part Four: Trick or treat Page 3