The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane_Part Two_Summer secrets

by Emily Harvale

  'No, it isn't,' she mumbled into his chest, breathing in his musky aftershave.

  'Sorry. I didn't catch that. Look at me, Mia. Please look at me.'

  Slowly, very, very slowly she raised her head to look up at him.

  'There,' he said, his voice husky and a look of tenderness in his eyes. 'That's not so bad, is it?'

  She gingerly shook her head.

  'What about if you turn around and look at the sea now. Don't panic. I'll keep my arms around you.' He began to twist her gently around until her back was against him and his arms were around her front. 'Lean against me and put your hands in mine. You're perfectly safe. Now breathe slowly in and out. Deep breaths in and deep breaths out.'

  Mia did as she was told and slipped her hands in his, resting her arms on his forearms and making him hug her close as she filled her nostrils with sea air and let her chest rise and fall rhythmically. Something inside made her want to do this.

  'Okay?' He put his head against hers and whispered in her ear. 'I'll never let anything happen to you, Mia. You have my word on that.'

  For the first time in more years than she could remember she was standing on the sand, within inches of the sea. And as amazing as it seemed, she felt safe and unafraid.

  Chapter Seven

  'I can't believe you did it,' Garrick said when she returned to the cottage.

  'I wouldn't have been able to if Jet hadn't distracted me with, let's say, an interesting conversation. I was so engrossed I didn't realise how close we were to the water until he pointed it out.'

  'That must've been some conversation,' Ella said, having got back from Justin's at the same time as Mia returned from her walk. 'Are you sure it was the conversation and not Jet's dreamy eyes?'

  Mia grinned. 'His looks may have had something to do with it.'

  'So Bear's now history?' Garrick didn't sound pleased.

  'No. If Bear asks me out, I'll go. Unless someone else I like asks me first.'

  Garrick frowned. 'Jet didn't ask you out?'

  Mia sighed. 'I wasn't talking about Jet, but no, he didn't. Garrick? Will you go with me to the beach tomorrow? I want to go each day until I'm brave enough to go alone. And I want to check the tides to make sure it's going out, like it was today. That'll make me feel safer, somehow. Will you show me how to do that? I can Google it, I suppose.'

  'Of course I will. If I'd known you were eager to fight your fear I'd have taken you myself long ago, but you always screamed blue murder when anyone suggested it. What made you do this now?'

  Mia laughed at that. 'Jet made me. Seriously, I had no intention of facing my fear. I'm a wimp. I'll admit it.'

  Every day for the next week, Mia went to the beach, even if it rained, which it did on two of the days. She still couldn't go alone and she didn't get as close to the sea as Jet had taken her, but each day she got a little closer and each day was a triumph to her.

  On Tuesday, it was Bear who took her, having asked her in the pub on Monday night if he could see her again. Mia was so pleased that all the villagers seemed to have forgiven her, Ella and Garrick and had welcomed them back into the fold, that she didn't dare say no in case she upset them all again by refusing him. It was ridiculous, but Mia hadn't been thinking clearly for a few days now. Not since Jet had come to the cottage on the Friday morning and Hettie Burnstall had spread her gossip. Mia had meant to have a word with Hettie on Monday morning about that, but her hour had clashed with Mia's beach walk and Mia had left it to Ella to pay Hettie. She planned to speak to her on Thursday, but by then, things had settled down so well and Hettie seemed more subdued than she had been. Once again, Mia put it off.

  A walk on the beach during lunchtime with a semi-terrified woman probably wasn't the date Bear had in mind, but the hour they spent together on Tuesday made Mia see him as a possible boyfriend. When he asked her on a date for Saturday night, she happily said yes.

  Garrick took her again on Wednesday and she almost plucked up the courage to ask him if he felt more for her than friendship, but he spent most of the time talking about how things had improved with Alexia since he'd told her Mia was dating Bear, so Mia pushed the question to the back of her mind.

  On Thursday, Justin and Ella went with her. Justin held hands with both of them and Ella told him that was the only chance he would get to have a threesome, so he'd better make the most of it. The poor guy looked terrified until he realised she was joking.

  'Bloody Nora,' he said, mimicking Ella. 'You nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought you meant it.' He was surprisingly strait-laced for a man who spent most Saturday nights covered in baby oil, gyrating on a stage.

  Garrick accompanied her on Friday. Once again, he spent the entire time saying how wonderful Alexia was and how he was sure they'd soon be having sex. Mia was surprised they hadn't already. He seemed to spend every evening in the pub and Alexia made it pretty obvious she was willing. Perhaps Garrick was back to his former self and his spontaneity was over.

  On Saturday, Bear took her to the beach as part of their date. The times of the tides were gradually changing and low tide had been at three, so when they arrived just after eight it was high tide and the sea was choppy. Mia wasn't yet brave enough to venture too close, and for some reason Bear didn't inspire the same confidence in her as Jet had done. They walked across the dunes and Mia kept one eye focused on the sea, just in case. Afterwards, they went to The Frog and Lily for a drink and something to eat. Jet, who Mia hadn't seen since Sunday was there and as soon as she saw him she raced to the bar to tell him where she'd been.

  'I've walked on the beach every day since Sunday,' she said, beaming at him.

  He glanced over her head towards Bear and nodded to his friend. 'That's great, Mia. Mattie would be proud of you.'

  She rather hoped he would be proud of her, but he didn't seem that interested.

  'I hoped to see you at choir practice on Tuesday but you didn't come.'

  He shook his head and studied his pint of beer intently. 'Busy week. Lots to do on the farm.'

  'Maybe I can help.' He shot her a doubtful look and she hurried on: 'I'd like to do something to thank you. If it hadn't been for you I wouldn't have felt the sand between my toes this week, or smelt the salt air up close, or felt the sea spray on my cheeks, or watched the gulls soar over the waves and dogs chase sticks into the water.' She saw the twitch of his lips but it vanished before it had a chance to take hold.

  'That's nice. I'm pleased for you. But you'd have done it eventually, with or without me.'

  'I wouldn't!' She lowered her voice from the shriek. 'Is something wrong? Have I done something else to annoy you?'

  'No. I'm tired that's all. It's felt like a very long week. So you're dating Bear. How's that working out for you? I assume you didn't ask Garrick.'

  'Shush.' She glanced around and waved at Bear who was chatting to Toby at the other end of the bar. Garrick and Ella stood beside him, as Alexia leant provocatively on the bar, her ample bosoms a fraction of an inch from Garrick's hand. Not that Garrick seemed to notice. 'I'd like to keep that just between you and me. As you can see, everything's rosy with Garrick and Alexia.'

  'Is it? If my girlfriend wore a T-shirt that low cut and stuck her breasts that close to me, I wouldn't be chatting to her brother, I can assure you.'

  Mia gasped as Jet drank his beer. 'She's working. He can hardly have rampant sex with her on the bar, can he?'

  Jet sniggered. 'Rampant sex? Okay. I'll go with that. I'm not suggesting they have rampant sex.'

  'Don't make fun of me,' she snapped. 'What's wrong with rampant sex?'

  'Nothing whatsoever. I wouldn't mind a bit of rampant sex myself.'

  The twitch was back and this time it spread across his mouth until it reached his eyes, which seemed to dance as he looked at her. Or perhaps that was wishful thinking.

  'Then why did you laugh like that when I said it?'

  'It's always about sex with you, isn't it? As I was saying before you snapped at me, I'
m not suggesting they have sex, rampant or otherwise, but he could at least show some interest.'

  'It's not always about sex with me. I can't even remember the last time I had sex. Oh yes, I can. That's why I got fired. Not that we did have sex. My boss just thought we had when he found us sprawled across his desk.' She saw the look of curious amusement on Jet's face. Why on earth had she said that? 'It was an office party and he was my boyfriend.' She cleared her throat. 'But this isn't about me. Are you suggesting Garrick stands there with his eyes as good as clued to Alexia's boobs? How romantic.'

  'No. Tell me more about the desk.'

  'No. What should he be doing then? In your opinion.'

  Jet put his pint glass on the bar and moved closer to her, sliding an arm slowly around her waist and leaning forward to whisper in her ear. 'He could do this, for starters.' He drew away from her so suddenly that she nearly lost her footing. 'Sorry. I forgot you're here with my mate.' He grabbed his glass and knocked back his beer in a matter of seconds. 'Come on.' He took her hand in his and for one brief moment she thought he was going to take her out of the pub. Instead, he took her back to Bear.

  'Hi mate.' Bear slapped Jet on the arm. 'What were you doing over there?'

  'Apart from trying to seduce your new girlfriend, you mean? I was discussing something with Alec, until Mia came over to tell me that she's as good as beaten her phobia.'

  Bear smiled. Either he hadn't heard the seduction part or it didn't bother him. 'She still has a long way to go, but she's making steps in the right direction. And I hear she has you to thank for it.'

  Jet shook his head. 'Nope. She has herself to thank for it. She overcame her fear herself. I just stood behind her and admired the view.'

  'You did a lot more than that,' Mia protested.

  'Right place, right time. That's all. Got to go. See you at training tomorrow?' Jet directed the question to Bear.

  'Yeah. See you tomorrow, mate.' He nodded, smiled, turned his attention to Toby and ordered some drinks.

  'You're leaving?' Mia hoped that didn't sound as desperate as it felt inside.

  'Chickens to put to bed.'

  'Let me help. I can help. You made me feel safe near the water. I'm sure you'll make me feel safe in a barn filled with chickens.' Damn. She hadn't meant to sound so keen. And she'd forgotten she was on a date.

  Jet raised his brows and smiled, shaking his head. He leant forward and lowered his voice. 'Now that's romantic, Mia.' But before she got a chance to reply, he turned and walked out of the pub.

  Chapter Eight

  Other than a short walk along the beach on Sunday morning, Mia spent most of the day scrolling through the photos on her laptop yet again. She still couldn't believe that Mattie could have lived in such a tiny place as Little Pondale for twenty-five years and that the only confirmed photo of her was the back of her head at a Christmas party in The Frog and Lily, the year she arrived.

  What was also odd was that everyone Mia had spoken to said how much they liked and respected Mattie, how wonderfully friendly and caring she was, and yet not one of them – not one – could tell Mia anything about Mattie's life before she arrived in the village. It seemed Mattie knew everything about everyone, but no one knew anything about Mattie. She had a knack for getting people to open up and bare their souls, it seemed, whilst keeping the door to her own, very firmly closed.

  Mia was at a loss to know what to do next to try to discover anything about Mattie and expected the week to be much the same as the week before. She would continue to ask questions in the hope that someone would finally shed even a small patch of light on Mattie's history. She would strengthen her determination to beat her fear of water. And she would revel in the peace and tranquillity of country life, something to which she was slowly growing accustomed.

  But early on Monday morning the peace was shattered by what sounded like a woman's scream. Leaping out of bed, Mia rushed into the hall, bumping into Garrick.

  'That wasn't a fox,' she said, having become acquainted with the vixen's nightly call. 'That was human.'

  Garrick nodded and raced downstairs with Mia at his heels. Ella stood, shaking in the doorway.

  'Ella!' Mia shrieked. 'What is it? Are you okay?'

  Ella shook her head and pointed a quivering finger at the doorstep.

  Garrick ran to her and pulled her back into the hall before a burst of laughter escaped him. 'Bloody hell, Ella. It's only a frog. And it isn't even real.' He bent down and picked it up, holding it in the air. He squeezed it between his fingers and it sounded like a mouse. Ella screamed and hid behind Mia.

  'You know she doesn't like frogs,' Mia said, giving Garrick a reproachful look.

  'It's a dog's toy,' he said, squeezing it again so that it emitted a second squeak.

  'It's a bloody frog!' Ella yelled. 'I don't care if it's not real. Keep it away from me. I can't stand the things, you know that. And it's all your fault. If you and Barry Hopkirk hadn't put one in my bed when I was a kid, I wouldn't be the wreck I am now whenever I see one close up.'

  'Sorry, sis. I'll take it to the pub with me later. For now I'll chuck it in my van.'

  'You're going to take a toy frog to the pub?' Mia queried, fighting back a grin. 'Are you sure you want to do that?'

  'Someone may be missing it. As I said, it's a dog's toy. Someone's dog must have dropped it.'

  Ella glared at him. 'On our doorstep? Don't be ridiculous. Bloody Nora! This is that curse of Frog's Hollow thing Hettie told us about!' She shot a worried look at Mia. 'But none of us have been to the place, have we?'

  'I haven't,' Mia said, more concerned now that she had been reminded of the curse.

  Garrick shook his head. 'It's nothing to do with a curse. If it wasn't left by someone's dog, one of the foxes could've taken it from someone's garden, thinking it was edible and dropped it here when it realised it wasn't. There are any number of reasons why it might be here, but not one of them is because of a curse, Ella, so forget that right now, or Mia will start panicking about it.'

  'Yeah,' Ella said, taking a deep breath. 'You're probably right. There's nothing to worry about, Mia. But please put it in your van right now, Garrick. Just looking at it is making me feel queasy.'

  Garrick smiled reassuringly, grabbed his keys and with nothing on his feet, he tip-toed down the drive towards his van and tossed the frog inside.

  'Where were you going at this time in the morning?' Mia glanced at her watch. 'Or need I ask?'

  Ella forced a smile. 'I was going to get some bread, but I'm not sure I'm up to it right now. I think I need to sit down. Bloody frogs. I can't stand the things.'

  'It doesn't stop you going to the pub,' Mia pointed out.

  Ella gave her a shove. 'Not even a frog could do that. Actually, it could, but a picture of one doesn't bother me, it's only when I see them in the flesh, or something that looks real that I break out in a cold sweat.'

  'I'll make coffee,' Mia said, taking Ella by the arm and leading her into the kitchen. 'I love these light mornings, don't you? And just think, in a little over a week, it'll officially be summer. Bear told me that around here, summer starts on the first of June, so we're already two weeks in. Farming communities often go by the meteorological calendar, apparently. Or was it the lunar calendar? Or the Julian calendar?' She shrugged. 'I can't remember. He was telling me about Midsummer Night and that's how we got on to the subject. It's actually on Midsummer's Eve that they all go naked bathing in the pond, so he said. That's the 23rd of June. It's all a bit confusing because summer for us starts on the 21st of June and that's the longest day, but Midsummer's Day was set way back when and it's always on the 24th. I think that's what he said.'

  'What in God's name are you babbling about?' Ella asked, flopping down onto a kitchen chair. 'If that's your way of getting me to forget the frog, telling me about naked bathing in a pond that's the source of this whole business really isn't helping.'

  'I thought knowing that summer is sort of here, at least in Li
ttle Pondale, might cheer you up. Added to the fact that you'll soon get to see all the guys in the village, naked. Although I expect you've already seen Justin starkers. Come to think of it, I've as good as seen that.'

  'I haven't.' Ella opened the packet of chocolate digestives Mia handed her. 'We've fooled around but we haven't stripped off and leapt into bed yet. He wants to take things slowly.'

  Mia shook her head as she filled the kettle. 'That man continues to amaze me.'

  'Which man?' Garrick joined them and sat across the table from his sister.

  'Justin,' Ella said. 'We're talking about the Midsummer thing. It's on the 23rd apparently.'

  'I know. It's already in my diary.'

  'You keep a diary?' Mia was surprised.

  'A work diary so that I can schedule orders, but I put personal things in it too. Did you know as far as most of the village is concerned, it's already summer and–'

  'Yes, we know,' Mia and Ella said simultaneously.

  'But did you know there's a Village Fête, a Kite Festival, the Frog Hill Run as well as the naked bathing?'

  'My cup runneth over,' Ella replied sarcastically. 'These country folk certainly know how to have a good time, don't they? Although, those things do all sound as if they might be fun. Apart from the running bit. When are they?'

  'End of June, early July, I think. The Village Fête's in August. Alexia told me about them last night.'

  'That means Mum will be here for them. Her ship docks on the 21st. She messaged late last night to remind me and to say she'd like to come straight here. I told her that would be great. It's okay with you two, isn't it?'