‘Why, what’s wrong?’ Pippa asked.
‘Loretta. She’s coming down this weekend. I’m worried about you all meeting her.’ He chewed his lip.
‘But, Fred, she’s your girlfriend, we’ll all welcome her,’ Gus said, reasonably.
‘I know, I just worry, she’s quite different to you.’
‘In what way?’ Harriet asked.
‘She’s not had the same upbringing as us.’ He looked so uncomfortable.
‘Who cares about that. Anyway, Fred, it’ll be fine, we’ll all be lovely to her. And I’m looking forward to meeting her, anyone who tamed Freddie …’ Pippa laughed. Freddie did not.
‘OK, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Now I better eat some eggs before I actually have to collect them.’ There was an edge to his voice that Harriet couldn’t identify.
It had been a whirlwind month at Meadowbrook, in many ways it had been the hardest time of her life, yet it had also been incredibly comforting. New York, not yet a distant memory, was slowly, gradually, slipping more into the past. She was allowing herself to grieve her old life, as well as her father.
She still cried to herself at night at times; she felt her father’s loss so keenly, normally when she was alone. She missed him more and more and hadn’t accepted he was gone. Nor had she quite accepted that her life in New York was over. She still got up in the morning and felt the urge to don a suit and heels, she would feel a pang of loss as she pulled on her jeans and her charity shop clothes. She knew she was a snob, spoilt, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but miss her old life.
It was funny how she barely gave Zach a thought though. She still thought he was all sorts of unmentionable names for what he did to her but she didn’t miss him. She didn’t miss their relationship in the way she missed her job. There was so much about New York she was mourning – the buzz, the smell, the cocktail bars, Mimi, her personal trainer. And most of all work. But Zach, no.
She was getting on with it. That was the best she could do. Grief was thick within her, for so many things, but Meadowbrook was also creeping under her skin. She was split in two: the Harriet who missed being a high-flying corporate woman in New York and Harriet who loved spending time with her family, being outside, growing to love the animal sanctuary. She was finding her old self, whilst not quite ready to let go of the other one.
Living with her siblings for the first time since childhood was proving interesting. It was, in many ways, as if they were getting to know each other again; they were finding their relationship with each other at the same time as finding their own feet. There were times she would look at them and feel as if she knew them as well as she knew herself, other times they felt like strangers.
Gus, underneath the uncomfortable, formal facade was beginning to show glimpses of his old self. He was blossoming slightly, now he had been involved in the gardens and was also sketching. He would take his pad out into the gardens almost daily and it had given him a new attitude. He seemed to be growing more confident in himself, he had even taken to having daily conversations with the pigs who he seemed to be almost growing fond of, Connor told her. It was Gus’s smile that made her feel familiarity, he had a smile which she knew so well and missed greatly. And despite Freddie teasing him that he should be wearing a smock and carrying an easel, Gus was happier than he had been when Harriet first came home. He was also very interested in the gardens, he worked well with Amanda and her team and he was incredibly popular with the gardening club, who he referred to as ‘my ladies’. His ladies certainly loved him. It was almost a spectator sport watching them flirt with him.
Harriet and Gus were tentatively beginning to talk more too, catching up on the lost years as well as reminiscing about their childhood. They were slowly trying to find their way back to each other.
Pippa was more of a puzzle. She was a beautiful carefree girl/woman who, when working closely with Harriet to organise everything, was proving efficient and hard-working, despite never having had a real job. She had been speaking to a number of people in the village who were involved in various activities around Meadowbrook and the animal sanctuary, and it was quickly apparent that her skill lay with people. She had a gentle charm that everyone loved and no one could say no to her. Pippa was also the most emotional of the siblings, she cried about their father the most, heaving sobs which Harriet barely knew how to deal with. However, when Mark arrived for the weekend she became slightly altered. A little more reserved. She did seem genuinely delighted to see her husband, but she held back when he was here, just a tiny amount, but enough for Harriet to notice. She wasn’t sure if she should worry about it, but she was going to keep an eye on it.
Freddie was the most unchanged. Still charming, funny, rude, selfish and hedonistic. He was the laziest by far. Yes, he turned up to the sanctuary most days, but Harriet had watched him charming whoever was working that day into doing any dirty work. He collected the odd egg, and carried the bucket of chicken feed, but that was pretty much all he did.
And at night, after dinner, where he would outdrink everyone, he would keep going until he was ready to pass out. He got away with a lot, did Freddie, as always, and Harriet wasn’t yet sure how to deal with him. She was going to mention it to Gus; perhaps he could speak to him, man to man.
While she was getting to know her siblings again she was getting to know herself. Mainly through the animal sanctuary. She had got to grips with the structure, the costs, the admin, but more than that she had got to know its heart. And the animals were stealing hers.
She loved going to the office, speaking to the staff, visiting the animals. She was often found in the field with the ponies, Gerald and the goats – raking hay and mucking out – which didn’t even bother her – making sure they had food, petting them, and she and Connor were slowly becoming reacquainted too. She’d forgotten how well they always got on, despite the odd bicker. He made her laugh; she enjoyed teasing him. She couldn’t help but notice how many women were vying for his attention – but he never seemed to notice – and his lack of ego, the exact opposite of most the men she knew in New York.
At the same time, she and Hilda were becoming an unlikely team. The dog gravitated to her whenever she visited and she had been persuaded by Jenni to take her out. Hilda was a boisterous dog who had a lot of energy and she had become her enthusiastic jogging companion. She was the most endearing dog that Harriet had ever met, energetic, soppy and constantly bouncing around. Jenni and Connor said that the exercise with Harriet calmed her a bit, wore her out at least, but when Harriet left her back at the kennels she would always whine and look sad. Harriet was finding it harder and harder to walk away. Often, Pippa and the dog walking volunteers would be walking the calmer dogs and Harriet and Hilda would bound past them, not sure who was trying to keep up with whom.
She would have loved to take her home but Harriet had to be realistic. Not only did they have to think about Fleur’s kittens – although she suspected Hilda would have loved them – but also what would happen after this year? They had only committed to a year at Meadowbrook and Harriet had no idea where she would go after, what she would do. She couldn’t let Hilda be abandoned for the second time, so, sadly, keeping her was out of the question. But leaving her after their daily jog was becoming increasingly hard.
Weekends at the Manor were becoming routine for different reasons. And wonderfully, Fleur was now here most weekends. Sometimes just for one night, but other times for the entire weekend, and that was making Gus blossom even more. Harriet could see their relationship growing easier with each passing weekend. They were still awkward around each other at times, polite even, and Fleur sometimes acted like a typical teenage brat which left Gus scratching his head, but on the whole their relationship was growing, along with the beautiful gardens. Harriet was also getting to know her only niece and she was so grateful that she finally had the chance to do so. Fleur’s mother, Rachel, could be difficult and, at times, tried to change arrangements, but Fleur was now older
and beginning to stand up to her, which made things much easier for Gus, who never stood up to his horrible – Harriet’s opinion – ex-wife.
And Fleur was so in love with Harry and Zayn, the kittens, that she wanted to spend more time at Meadowbrook, she had phoned her mother a number of times to extend her stay, stating the kittens needed her. Fleur was headstrong, which reminded Harriet of the awful Rachel who had bossed Gus about so much that he barely knew who he was anymore, but Fleur also had her father’s compassion and a softer side to her than her mother. Thankfully.
Gwen was also in love with the kittens who were naughty, spoilt and had the run of the kitchen, utility and soon would be going out into the gardens. Goodness help them if they ruined Gus’s flower beds. But having Fleur there was good for them all and as each of them got to know their niece better, it cemented the family unit. A family which missed its head, their father, but also was beginning to value each other, regardless.
‘So what’s everyone doing today?’ Freddie asked, nibbling a piece of toast and bringing Harriet back to the present.
‘Gardening club,’ Gus said. He folded the paper and put it on the table. ‘Well later anyway, pigs first.’
‘Oh Gus and his hareem,’ Freddie laughed. Gus smiled.
‘Don’t knock it. In fact, Fred, can you come help me today, we’ve got quite a lot to do and it wouldn’t hurt for you to get a bit involved. After all, you’re meant to be helping to arrange the open gardens, and the gardening club are pivotal to that,’ Gus said, and Harriet shot him a grateful look.
‘After the chickens, sure.’
‘Don’t forget or I’ll come and find you.’ Gus pursed his lips as if to say that he would brook no argument. Harriet was impressed with his assertiveness. Freddie groaned.
‘Great, that’s decided,’ Harriet said quickly before Freddie could argue.
‘While you two are busy with the animals and the gardening club, Harriet and I are going into Bath today,’ Pippa said.
‘What for?’ Gus asked.
‘We’ve got a meeting,’ Pippa explained. ‘An old school friend of mine, Bella, she just moved back to Bath to set up a small PR consultancy. She might be able to help us with publicity for the animals.’
‘We’re going to pay for PR?’ Freddie asked. ‘I thought the idea was to make money not spend it.’
‘No, we don’t have any, Pippa is going to charm her into working with us for free,’ Harriet told him. ‘Right, well I have to go and get ready, Pip, see you in fifteen minutes.’ Harriet stood up and left the dining room.
She went to her bedroom, brushed her hair, checked her make-up and enjoyed dressing more carefully as she selected a dress and heels. She wore jeans, T-shirts, flip-flops, trainers or wellies most of the time now; putting on something more like her old attire made her feel that her corporate self hadn’t disappeared completely. She’d shrunk from view, certainly, but Harriet wasn’t ready to hang up her power dressing completely.
‘Shall we grab some lunch?’ Harriet suggested. They’d had a constructive meeting with Bella, who had said she’d come up with a proposal and also promised to give her time for free while she had it. Harriet was relieved, but actually Bella seemed grateful to have something to kick-start her consultancy, even if she wasn’t being paid. Bella was Pippa’s age, short, elfin dark hair, big brown eyes, and having failed to meet Mr Right in London had decided to move to Bath to try to sort out both her work and personal life. Harriet liked her. She was attractive, wholesome-looking, and at the same time ambitious and organised.
‘Sure, I’m so hungry,’ Pippa said. Today she was wearing a wide-legged trouser suit, a scarf in her hair, and she looked so beautiful. ‘And I have all the money from my allowance.’
‘Should be enough to get us a sandwich,’ Harriet joshed.
They found a café, got themselves seated and ordered.
‘It’s quite nice to be just the two of us,’ Harriet said. And rare, so rare.
‘And to be out of the house. Did you like Bella?’ Pippa asked.
‘Very much. I think she’ll be good, and well done for persuading her to work for free. I’m thinking perhaps we put Fred in charge of liaising with her.’
‘You think Freddie’s up to it?’ Concern worked its way across Pippa’s face.
‘He’s a bit of a mess, isn’t he?’ Harriet felt deflated. ‘I thought giving him more to do might, you know, help him pull himself together.’
‘I think losing Dad might have hit him harder than he’s admitting. He doesn’t talk about his business at all, and well, I’m relieved we are going to meet Loretta to be frank, I’m hoping she’ll sort him out. I’m worried he’s self-destructing.’
‘I know, so if he has to get involved in the PR it might give him a bit more structure.’ It made sense to Harriet.
‘Um, she’s quite persistent is Bella, he won’t be able to fob her off that’s for sure.’
‘Well, fingers crossed this works.’
‘And then we need to do something about you.’ Pippa reached out and took Harriet’s hand.
‘But—’ she started but was saved by the arrival of their paninis.
Chapter 12
‘This is Loretta,’ Freddie said, dramatically. They were gathered in the drawing room, having pre-dinner Martinis, by now a Freddie tradition.
‘Hi,’ Loretta trilled in an accent that could be London or maybe Essex? Harriet wasn’t sure.
‘How lovely to meet you, we’ve heard so much about you.’ Mouths gaped open as Mark kissed Loretta’s cheek. They had heard very little about her, practically nothing.
‘I’m Harriet, Loretta, welcome to Meadowbrook,’ she said, hoping she didn’t sound as stiff as she thought she sounded. Loretta was what could only be described as a knockout.
‘I’ve been dying to see the old ’ouse for ages. It’s like real old, yeah?’ Loretta said.
‘Well yes, hundreds and hundreds of years.’ Gus blushed as he gave her cheek a kiss.
‘Yeah, fought so. But it’s lovely,’ she added. ‘I mean, when Fred said he lived in a manor I fought it would be all draughts and leaky roofs and tatty.’ Loretta laughed.
‘Right, well as you can see it’s not.’ Pippa’s cheeks reddened, the way they did when she was annoyed. Harriet put her hand on her arm. They could all be a bit overprotective about Meadowbrook.
‘Oh no, it’s actually quite lovely, and I can assure you there are no leaks! Has Freddie given you the tour?’ Mark cut in quickly. Harriet was grateful that Mark was taking charge. She had no idea why they were all behaving so awkwardly, but then maybe it was because Freddie had never had a serious girlfriend before.
And Loretta was gorgeous. Almost as tall as Freddie, she was slim, with long, thick glossy hair, which reached down her back, looking as if she had stepped out of a shampoo advert, which she may have done given that she was a model. She was wearing a pair of jeans so skinny they looked painted on, heels, and a see-through black top which exposed a very small black bra. She definitely brought glamour to Meadowbrook.
‘Wow, I can’t believe you’re a model,’ Fleur said, impressed as any twelve-year-old girl would be.
‘Well it ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, darlin’. Never eating, always posing, I’m looking to give it up, settle down, maybe write a book or somefing.’
‘Great,’ Harriet said quickly. Loretta didn’t quite come across as the literary type. Even Freddie choked on his Martini at this statement.
‘Well, delighted to meet you anyway,’ Mark said. ‘With the Singers all so close, us partners must stick together,’ he laughed.
‘Perhaps after dinner we can go to the pub, I love a country pub, with those funny local types,’ Loretta said.
‘That would be lovely, Pippa and I are definitely in,’ Mark gushed. ‘I mean, if that’s all right with you, darling?’
‘Of course,’ Pippa replied, agreeably.
‘Can we go, Dad?’ Fleur asked, looking hopeful.
‘It might be a bit late, sweetheart, but if you want we can watch a film after dinner, your choice?’
That seemed to placate her.
Gwen put her head round the door, to announce dinner was ready, unfortunately she wasn’t joining them, as there was bingo in the village hall.
‘This is a top house,’ Loretta said, again, as she toyed with her food. ‘I can see us living here,’ she added. Freddie had a coughing fit, and Gus slapped him on the back repeatedly.
‘I agree, and I said the same to Pippa. This would be an ideal house for us to raise a family in,’ Mark added, beaming.
Harriet was irrationally horrified. How dare they talk about Meadowbrook as if it was theirs? Or that they had any claim on it.
‘Well the house will belong to all of us, so unless we all live here together, that’s not going to happen,’ Harriet snapped, sounding more severe than she intended.
‘And that wouldn’t work, would it?’ Gus added reasonably, calmly shooting his eyes towards Harriet in warning. ‘As fond as we are of each other, I’m not sure all of us could do that.’
‘Of course not,’ Freddie added, quickly.
Harriet knew she had overreacted, but she was still seething.
‘Well, of course,’ Loretta started. ‘I just meant it was a lovely place, and I’d love to live in a house like this.’ She sounded confused, but her face didn’t show it, although her face didn’t move.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap,’ Harriet had the grace to apologise. ‘I think with Dad gone we’re all a bit sensitive about Meadowbrook.’
‘Which is understandable,’ Mark concurred quickly. ‘But, Harriet, we don’t mean for you to think we want to take the house off you.’
‘Thought never crossed my mind.’ Harriet smiled. Although it had. She had to stop being so ridiculous.
‘Anyway, what with Freddie’s business and stuff, it’s all up in the air, isn’t it?’ Loretta said.
All eyes turned to Freddie. He turned the colour of Loretta’s nails.
A Year at Meadowbrook Manor Page 11