Surprisingly it didn’t need a lot doing to it. A good clean, definitely. Maybe paint the woodwork and it would be ready to furnish with her personal things.
Sitting in the ancient wicker chair by the window, Katie visualized the room as she wanted it: bookshelves and pictures, two cream sofas facing each other with a scarlet rug between them. There was a coffee table with a glass top in the kitchen. She’d bring that up to stand between the two settees. The chair she was sitting in could stay where it was by the skylight window.
The CD and DVD collection could go in the corner by the door and the TV would need a shelf or a small table to stand on. She’d need some curtains for the main windows that overlooked the river – not for privacy but to give the room a cosy feeling.
Katie sighed happily. Much as she loved living at Mattie’s, it would be good to have her own space again. Mattie, too, must be finding it difficult to have someone in the cottage, having lived there on her own for so many years.
She glanced at her watch. Time for a quick phone call to Lara before she returned to Mattie’s.
‘Hi,’ she said, when Lara answered. ‘I’m at the flat. It’s almost ready to move into. Another week at the most. I’m thinking of having a flat-warming party. You and Dexter down for the weekend again soon?’
‘Could be if there’s a party on offer,’ Lara said. ‘How’s business?’
‘Early days but ticking over. I’ve got nine members for the club now.’
‘How’s Patrick?’
‘Haven’t heard,’ Katie said briefly. No point in giving Lara any ammunition to have a go at Patrick.
‘Good.’
After a couple more minutes of general chat, Katie said, ‘OK, time to leave you in peace. Give Daisy a cuddle for me. Ciao.’
Pushing the end-call button on her phone, Katie deliberated about phoning Patrick before throwing her phone back in her bag and going downstairs and locking up. Time to go home to Mattie. She wasn’t going to chase after Patrick. If he was determined to ignore her and break off their relationship that way, so be it. It had been fun while it lasted.
Katie was unwrapping a delivery of some lace-weight yarn a few days later when Trisha arrived.
‘Hi. Come to use the clubroom?’
‘No. This is a gorgeous blue,’ she said, fingering one of the balls, before adding: ‘I wanted to ask – do you need a Saturday girl and can I be her if you do?’
‘I do need someone – and for more than just Saturdays. But don’t you want to hang out with your friends on Saturdays? Go up the line to Torquay for some fun? I know I used to jump on the train at every opportunity.’
Trisha shrugged. ‘I’m there most days for college. I need to earn some money – my grant’s all gone.’
‘What are you studying at college?’
‘Textiles and design. That’s why it would be so perfect for me to work here. Much better than waitressing. I can do more days in the holidays if you want, too. Please say yes.’ Trisha bit a fingernail nervously as she looked at Katie.
‘Can you stay now for a couple of hours? Trial run to see how you get on?’
‘Great. I’ll finish unpacking this lot, shall I?’
Katie soon realised Trisha was going to be a great asset. She quickly got the hang of working the till and remembered where things were when customers asked. By lunchtime, Katie felt confident enough to leave her for half an hour while she and Mattie walked Bert and picked up some sandwiches.
When they got back to A Good Yarn, Trisha was serving a customer and Noah Jnr was idly flicking through some postcards.
‘I’m off,’ Mattie muttered. ‘See you at home later.’
‘Hi, Katie,’ Noah said. ‘I’ve come to run Dad’s latest idea past you.’
‘He only wants us to dress up in 1940s clothes and be part of a re-enactment scene in his film,’ Trisha said.
‘Dad’s idea is to show people going about their ordinary lives as the momentous events around them took place – a couple of authentic-looking scenes to open and close the film and a few more to use as a sort of link between things. We need to convey the atmosphere of the era.’
‘My mum still talks about being an extra in The Onedin Line years ago,’ Trisha said. ‘Now it’s my turn.’
Noah laughed. ‘Whoa there, Trisha. We’re not a big-budget TV series. We’re very low key. Are you interested?’ He turned to Katie. ‘A Good Yarn was in business then, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes, but what it was selling apart from blackout material I have no idea,’ Katie said. ‘Would you want to film inside? Apart from the dresser behind the counter, it’s changed. You should have been here a few weeks ago before Leo and I did some alterations.’
Noah shook his head. ‘Just the door and the window, with you and Trisha standing in the doorway wearing clothes that convey the wartime era. We’d hope to film one evening after you close.’
‘OK – provided Mattie agrees. She may not want you to feature the shop at all – in which case Noah Snr will have to look elsewhere for his evocative shot.’
When Katie got home later that evening, she found Mattie in a state of suppressed excitement.
‘I’ve booked my cruise.’
‘Great. Where and when?’
‘It’s called “Discovering the Riviera”. Just look at the ship,’ Mattie said, handing her a brochure full of coloured photographs.
‘Wow. Impressive. When do you go?’ Katie flicked through the brochure pages.
‘Ah, that’s the thing. I’ve taken a cancellation – the travel agent said I’d be silly to turn down such a good deal. I get a first-class cabin and all the extras for a silly price.’
Katie looked at her. ‘When?’ There was a pause before Mattie finally answered.
‘Next Sunday.’ She looked at Katie. ‘You’re sure you’re OK with me going away so soon?’
‘I think it’s great. Wish I was coming with you.’
‘But it’s so soon,’ Mattie said. ‘I thought I’d be here to help you through the first couple of months and then go away.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ Katie said. ‘Now go and start packing. First write out a shopping list – you’ll need some new clothes.’
Katie’s mobile trilled as Mattie went upstairs. She automatically glanced at the caller ID before pressing the button. Patrick.
‘Thought you’d forgotten all about me,’ she said.
‘Sorry. I’ve been busy. Look, there’s a job I’ve heard about that if you’re interested in, I can probably swing for you.’
‘What sort of job and where?’ Katie tried to sound polite and interested as she fiddled with the brochure Mattie had left on the table, but really what was Patrick thinking of? He knew she was committed down here now. From what he was saying, it sounded suspiciously like he was calling in a favour from someone.
‘Assistant production manager up here in Bristol. Starting next week.’
Katie smothered a sigh. ‘Patrick, there is no way I can come back up. The shop is open now and I have to give it my all. The job offer is too late for me.’
‘You could at least say you’d think about it.’
‘There is no way I can even think about taking a job like that at the moment.’
Silence.
‘You haven’t asked me how things are going down here.’
Another silence. Katie heard Patrick sigh before he spoke.
‘So, how are things going? I still can’t believe that you’ve thrown everything away by burying yourself down there.’
‘I don’t feel buried down here,’ Katie said. ‘Actually I’m enjoying it. I’ll be moving into the flat over the shop soon. Come for a visit and see for yourself.’
‘Too much going on up here to get away.’
‘Even for a day?’
‘Afraid so. I’ll give you a ring in the week. Bye.’
‘Bye,’ Katie replied, but the line was already dead.
SEVEN
Mattie was quiet as Katie drove her
to Totnes station early Sunday morning to catch the train to London, from where she’d fly to Nice before boarding the cruise ship. Deep in her own thoughts she didn’t hear Katie’s question the first time.
‘Sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?’
‘Whether you’re happy about the filming at A Good Yarn going ahead?’
‘Filming? Oh, I’d completely forgotten about it. I guess, if you and Trisha want to do it. Any publicity and all that,’ Mattie said, before lapsing into silence again.
‘Are you OK? You don’t seem very happy for someone about to jet off to the South of France and the holiday of a lifetime.’ Katie glanced at her, concerned.
Mattie sighed. ‘I am looking forward to it,’ she said. ‘But I feel guilty abandoning you so soon. I should have gone on holiday later in the season. When you’re more settled.’
‘We both know the cancellation the agent offered you was too good to pass up. Besides you’ll only be gone for ten days,’ Katie said, concentrating on taking the right turning for the station’s cafe parking area. ‘We’re not that busy in the shop yet. Trisha and I will be fine.’
‘And lumbering you with Bert as well,’ Mattie continued, shaking her head. ‘I’ve told Leo that you’ll ring him if there’s an emergency or anything and he’s promised to look in on you every day.’
‘Mattie, you didn’t! I’m a big girl now. I don’t need Leo or anyone to keep an eye on me,’ Katie said.
‘Makes me feel better. Leo doesn’t mind.’
Katie bit back the words ‘No, but I do’. No point in upsetting Mattie before her holiday. She’d tell Leo herself to back off at the first sign of him interfering.
As the two of them walked across the footbridge linking the two platforms, Mattie said, ‘I could cancel – say I’m ill. I’d get my money back then.’ Mattie added thoughtfully, ‘I did feel sick this morning.’
‘Mattie, stop it. That was just excitement. You’re going. You’re going to have a fabulous time. Just make sure you look out for those shipboard Lotharios. Look, the train’s coming,’ Katie said. ‘Promise me one thing, though?’
‘What?’
‘If there are any Americans on board – please don’t push them overboard.’
Mattie laughed. ‘Difficult, but OK, I promise.’
‘Right, in you get,’ and Katie carried Mattie’s suitcase onto the train before quickly stepping back down onto the platform. ‘Have a lovely time.’
By the time Mattie had struggled through several carriages and found her reserved seat, the train was hurtling through the Devonshire countryside. Smiling her thanks at the woman who stood up to let her reach her window seat, Mattie sat down.
Staring out at the passing scenery, Mattie tried to quell her misgivings. Hopefully Katie was right and she would have a fabulous cruise but she still wasn’t convinced she’d made the right decision going away so soon after Katie had taken over the shop. At least Leo would be keeping an eye on her, whether Katie appreciated it or not.
It was strange being alone in Mattie’s home that evening and Katie moved around restlessly. Bert too was missing his mistress, nuzzling into Katie’s hand every now and again for reassuring strokes.
‘Sorry, old boy, afraid you’ve got to make do with me for a bit,’ Katie said, giving him an extra biscuit and a cuddle.
Standing by the kitchen window, she looked out across the river towards Kingswear where street-and house-lights were beginning to twinkle in the evening dusk.
What would she have been doing this weekend if she’d still been in Bristol? No doubt Patrick would have persuaded her to go to an art gallery Saturday afternoon and the evening would have been spent watching some foreign film with incomprehensible subtitles before going on to a late night party in the trendy Waterside area where Patrick lived. Sunday would have meant the Sunday papers in bed, a late lunch with friends before returning to her own flat and getting ready for another week at work.
Patrick had no doubt continued his weekends in the same vein. Maybe he’d already found someone to replace the part she’d played in his life.
What would her life have been like now if she’d never left down here, if she’d settled for a job on the local paper, married a local boy, perhaps become a farmer’s wife – had a child – children? Mentally, Katie shook herself.
Pointless going down the road of hypothetical questions. Like Mattie kept insisting: the past was the past. The present was all that mattered and the future of A Good Yarn. Making herself a coffee, Katie decided to try to work on the shop accounts.
Half an hour later she sighed, closed the laptop and pushed it away. It was no use, she couldn’t concentrate any more.
Her mobile phone rang, shattering the quiet and making her jump. Noah Snr.
‘Katie, it’s Noah Snr here. I was wondering if we can film you and Trisha tomorrow evening?’ he asked. ‘About 6.30? I’ll get Noah Jnr to drop some clothes in for you to choose something from during the day.’
‘Fine. Any idea how long it will take?’
‘An hour at the most. And then I’ve reserved a table at the hotel for dinner as a thank-you. I hope you and Trisha are free?’
‘I am,’ Katie said. ‘I’ll check with Trisha. Thank you.’ As she ended the call, Bert began barking frantically at the front door.
‘Katie, open the door. It’s me. Leo.’
‘What are you doing here?’
‘Thought you might appreciate some company? I’ve brought supper.’
‘Look, I know you’ve promised Mattie you’ll keep an eye on me while she’s away, but this is a bit over the top, isn’t it?’ Katie said as Leo proceeded to empty a carrier bag of food onto the table.
Leo shook his head. ‘No, we’ve both got to eat, might as well do it together. It’s not a gourmet meal. Just cold roast chicken and salad, followed by raspberries and clotted cream – still your favourite?’
Katie smiled and gave in to the inevitable. ‘Definitely. OK. Mattie left some wine in the fridge – I’ll fetch the glasses.’
‘This is delicious,’ she said minutes later. ‘I hadn’t realized I was so hungry.’
‘Mattie get away all right this morning?’ Leo asked.
‘Yes, although she was threatening to cancel almost up to the moment she got on the train,’ Katie said. ‘I think she was worried about being on her own.’
‘She’ll soon make friends once she’s on board the boat,’ Leo said, helping himself to more chicken.
‘Do you know what it is with Mattie and her dislike of all things American? Is your Dad the same? And Clara? Does he ever mention her? Mattie absolutely refuses to discuss anything to do with Clara – her own sister!’
‘No, Dad’s not bothered about Americans. As for Aunt Clara, well she’s pretty much a forgotten subject in our house but I know she dreamed of being a GI bride, which my grandparents forbade when Operation Tiger happened and changed everything anyway.’
Katie took a sip of wine. ‘It’s strange, isn’t it, how when you’re growing up, the adults around you are just that, adults. The fact that my parents, your parents, Mattie, all had a life with their own desires, ambitions and secrets never entered my head for a single moment.’
‘It’s a generation thing,’ Leo said. ‘The new generation regards the old one as just that, old and of no interest. Until they start to get older too and finally realize that no one is unique.’
‘Do you know how Clara died?’
‘No.’
Katie put her glass down and fiddled with the pepper grinder in the centre of the table. ‘The thing is, I think Mattie could do with talking to someone about Clara. These days she’d be offered counselling to help with a tragedy like losing a sister, but I bet all that time ago it was a question of keeping a stiff upper lip. Clara’s death had a huge effect on Mattie’s life.’
‘If Mattie doesn’t want to talk about it, even now, there’s not a lot you can do,’ Leo said.
‘Leo?’ Katie hesitated and Leo
looked at her, waiting.
‘Do you think I’ve done the right thing coming back? Taking on the shop? Maybe it would have been better for Mattie to have sold up and made a complete break of things. She’d have enough money in the bank to give her a good life.’
‘I think you’ve done exactly the right thing for Mattie,’ Leo said. ‘Whether you’ve done the right thing for you, is the question.’ He looked at her thoughtfully.
‘Actually I’m really enjoying being back down here. My main worry is Mattie – and hoping I can make the shop a success like she’s convinced I will.’ Katie sighed. ‘There’s so much that can go wrong: a rainy summer with no tourists, the locals not supporting the club, stocking the wrong things….’
‘Tiggy, stop it. You always did over-analyze things. Mattie will come back from her holiday reinvigorated and you’re going to make A Good Yarn into a runaway success.’
He poured the last of the wine into their glasses. ‘How’s the flat shaping up? I’ve got some free time so I could come and give you a hand with things.’
‘I’ve sorted the first floor. Need to organize some furniture – like a bed and a table and chairs. I’m starting on the attic room next. Luckily it doesn’t need much doing to it.’
‘There’s an auction out Cornworthy way soon. The Old Vicarage is being sold. I could run you out there – take a trailer with us, in case you buy anything.’
‘Sounds great, thanks. As for helping with the attic room, you’ve done so much already, I can’t expect you to do any more.’
Leo opened his mouth to protest but sighed instead, before downing his wine in one go.
EIGHT
Trisha turned up at the shop late Monday afternoon to try to find something she was happy to wear for the filming.
‘These are gruesome, aren’t they?’ she said, inspecting the bag Noah Jnr had left earlier. ‘I was hoping to wear something pretty. And where’s the make-up girl?’
Katie laughed. ‘Oh, Trisha, I don’t think there will be a make-up girl. Women didn’t wear much in those days and I think Noah Snr wants us to look as ordinary as possible.’
Shadows of Conflict Page 5