Kai shuffled his papers into a stack, and waited.
“Kai is double-checking the safety aspects and the mobility aids. We want to make sure Imelda can get around every inch of the lodge if she so desires.”
“Got it,” Micah said, scribbling notes.
“Isla, where are you at?”
The gardens were taking the longest to do because there was only Isla to do it, and the weather hadn’t been ideal. Most days she sat out there in driving winds and sheeting rain, until I pulled her inside, and admonished her with the war cry, you’ll catch your death. It reminded me of my mother – she’d do the same thing when I was younger, like she was paying some kind of penance weeding our garden in inclement weather.
Isla fidgeted with her hair. “There’s so much to do, and I’m worried we’ll run out of time. I’ve been concentrating on clearing the west side, so at least it’s tidy, but I was hoping to get some flowers planted and the fountain up and running, but the grounds… well they seem to go on forever.”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “You’ve done a great job, Isla. Seriously. I’ll try and think of a way to get you some extra help. In terms of resources and equipment, just let me know what you need and we’ll order it. It would be great if the fountain did get finished.”
Kai spoke up. “We have got a couple of people coming in – someone coming to look at the electric water pump, and another guy to fix the render, and then Isla can plant the water lilies.” We chatted for the next hour, our notepads filling with last minute jobs. Stress tried to creep into my shoulders, but I pushed it away, giddy with the thought we were almost there, if only we worked doubly hard once more. I only hoped everyone had enough in the tank to do it.
Everyone scurried away, ready to round up help and get the jobs done. Outside was a flurry of activity, men jostling as they went to and fro to the bins, some hooting and hollering about lending a hand.
With the furniture delivery imminent, I didn’t have time to help Isla out in the garden – cleaning the lodge would take an age and we just didn’t have the people power. I did the unthinkable and called Mom, hoping she’d be amenable to my request.
“Clio, hi,” she said. “No more fires?”
I detected a touch of empathy in her voice. I double-checked the phone to make sure it was in fact my mother’s number. “Not yet, but the day is young.”
She tutted.
“Mom, I need your help. I know you’re not keen on Cedarwood for reasons I can’t fathom, but will you come and trim the hedgerows? Our landscaper is swamped and we’re running out of time. I can’t really afford any more helpers.”
“So you found it?” she said, her voice anxious.
“Umm?” The hedges surrounded the front of Cedarwood as a boundary line, they weren’t exactly hidden.
“The maze.”
“The maze? No!” Micah and I had played all over the ground of Cedarwood as children and had never come across a maze. “Where’s the maze?” And how on earth did she know about it?
“It’s on the eastern side of the estate, near the lake.”
“We haven’t got that far back yet.” There were a collection of chalets on the eastern border, more spacious with extra bedrooms.
“Leave it hidden, please. I’ll help you if you promise me that.”
“Well…” Part of me wanted to drop the phone and run through the grounds to find it… first though, I hoped Mom would explain herself. “Why?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. But will you do me that one thing?” There was an edge to her voice, as if she was one step away from screaming.
I sidestepped her demand. “Did you used to work here?”
“A long time ago, for the summer.”
“And?”
“And then the doors were closed.”
“Why, what happened?”
“It’s such a long story, Clio, and I’d rather not get into with you over the phone.”
I tried to gauge every nuance in her voice for clues to what had taken place. Did I detect a brief hint of guilt? I couldn’t be sure. Not wanting her to shut down completely I asked again, “So Mom, I’m really in a bind, can you help with the hedges?” And hoped in person I’d get some answers.
“If you promise me you’ll leave the maze hidden.”
“I guess that leaves me no choice. OK, it’ll stay hidden for now.”
It was almost impossible not to yell tell me your secrets! But everything was baby steps with Mom. Her standing on Cedarwood soil was a start.
The tradespeople who’d stayed around for the ballroom reveal said goodbyes and drifted off to their vehicles. We waved to them as they drove away, their faces weary but triumphant. There was only the four of us now, and whoever I could rope in to help. And while I was happy we were getting closer to the result we wanted I was still sad to see them go. They’d given it their all, and wouldn’t be here to see the finished product – the place dressed to impress for the party.
Isla cuddled up to Micah. She seemed a perfect fit, the way her hand entwined with his. “I might go warm up in front of the fire,” Isla said.
“Let’s all go inside, I’ll make cocoa?”
We trampled inside, our boots dewy from the wet grass. Even I’d relegated my heels recently, not only because I tripped over anything and everything like some blustering fool, but because it was damn cold. Maybe we’d be in for a snowy, white Christmas if this kept up. The thought sent tingles of excitement through me, imagining decorating the lodge for the festive season, and the parties we could host here. But one step at a time…
Inside we gathered in the front parlor, a spacious room that was now furnished with sumptuous chairs with fat cushions. Micah added more wood to the fire which shot up tiny sparks like fireworks. I hurried to the newly installed kitchen, made a pot of cocoa and brought it back with mugs and marshmallows. The craftsman had finally answered the phone, and feeling sorry for us with the fire, and our deadlines, sent his entire team the day before to fit it out. Everything was done by the skin of our teeth at Cedarwood, and I hoped in time we’d be more organized.
Isla helped me serve the warm drinks before we settled into the soft folds of the couches once more.
“So,” Isla said, taking a sip of her hot drink. “Did you wangle any help for the garden?”
I smiled, having completely forgotten to tell her about Mom, and her surprise knowledge. “Yes, my mom is coming.” I went to tell her about the maze, but stopped, remembering my promise. “Just so you know, my mom – Annabelle – she can be a little… reserved. Don’t take it the wrong way, she’s just introverted.”
Isla tilted her head. “Annabelle’s your mom?”
I raised a brow. “Yes. Do you know her?”
“I’ve been having breakfast at Puft and I chat with her most mornings. She’s always very interested to know what’s going on here. I thought it was odd she hadn’t visited you here, but she said she helped Aunt Bessie in the kitchen…”
“She asked you about Cedarwood?” That was a very different spin to the one my mom had been giving me this entire time.
“Every day.”
“She’ll be here soon, so if you can show her what you want her to do that would be great.”
So Mom wasn’t as disinterested as she led me to believe. Why wouldn’t she ask me herself about Cedarwood? And what happened in that maze?
Chapter Fourteen
Mom and Aunt Bessie arrived wearing old clothes and work boots, ready to tackle the garden with Isla. I watched Mom’s reaction as she wandered the grounds, her face pinched, her shoulders slumped. As soon as she was out of earshot I said to my aunt, “What happened in the maze?”
My aunt’s lip wobbled. “It’s a long story, and not mine to tell. But she has her reasons. She got the shock of her life when you turned up announcing yourself as the new owner. She didn’t see that coming. Tread carefully, Clio. This is a huge step for her, coming back.” Aunt Bessie’s jovial nature was gone, repl
aced with quiet concern.
“Why won’t anyone tell me what happened? I’m not a little girl any more, I’m sure I can handle it.”
She patted my hand. “It shaped her life, and it almost broke her. So let her tell you in good time, OK?”
“I don’t see why she just can’t confide in me.” I tried not to be petulant, but really, what could be so bad?
Aunt Bessie shrugged. “You think she’s aloof, cold, but she’s not, not really. It’s a way to protect herself, her heart. She loves you more than you could ever know…”
I frowned. “She’s got a funny way of showing it.”
“It’s self-preservation.”
I could read between the lines, and understand what my aunt meant, but sometimes it was hard not to be bitter about it all. I didn’t see the need for secrets, for hiding behind smokescreens, but I guess it was her way.
My aunt gave me one of her face splitting grins. “I promised your dad I’d always look out for you both. He’d have been really proud of you, you know.”
I smiled, trying to conjure a memory of his face to mind, but only recalling a fuzzy picture of a man with a smile like my aunt’s and the same big, blue eyes. “I hope so,” I said. “Sometimes I feel like there’s a presence next to me here. Just every so often, when I’m alone, the shadows deepen… I wonder if it’s him?”
“Could be. When we were kids he always promised he’d haunt me if I didn’t give him half my marbles. Of course, he was still alive back then so I paid him no mind…”
We laughed and continued into the lodge. “Let me show you around.” Would the secret come out by itself? I wondered if I found the maze whether it would reveal itself to me, the mysterious event that happened there so many years ago and made my mom the person she was today.
***
I woke to the bleating of my alarm clock. I hit the buttons until the screeching stopped, and pulled the rugs back over me, settling down. Until I remembered. The party!
Today! I threw the covers to the side, and raced to the shower. There was no time to fill the claw-foot bath for a proper soak, so I quickly scrubbed myself awake, eyeing the gold faucets, the re-grouted tiles, and the ornate antique mirror hanging over the vanity. As I applied make-up my phone pinged with a message from Amory: Good luck tonight, darling! Show them how it’s done! xxx
Her message gave me the boost I needed. I texted back: Thanks, Amory, wish you were here xxx
Ten minutes later, dried and dressed, I fluffed my not Carrie Bradshaw curls, and took the stairs two at a time, down to the lobby, almost taking Kai out, who stood at the foot, folder in hand.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?”
“FIRE?” I screeched. “Not again!” Wild-eyed with terror, I sniffed the air, only detecting the scent of Kai. Woodsy, spicy, and manly.
He grabbed my hand. “It’s just an expression… albeit a bad choice under the circumstances. I need you to breathe, take five deep centering breaths.” His beautiful serene lips twitched, like he was making a joke of his own foibles.
I kept my eyes on his and followed by example. Breathing, schmething. I couldn’t focus. “Kai, let’s breathe later. We have to dress the room, and about five million other things!” I pulled him by the arm, into the ballroom.
Once more, he tried to get me to focus on his face. “Clio. I get that you’re excited. It’s a big day for the lodge. But it’s quarter past six in the morning. At least have a decent breakfast, some herbal tea, and then we can get moving. Definitely do not have any coffee. You’re already wired.”
A manic laugh escaped me. This was my favorite part of being an event planner. The day of. It’s where everything (hopefully) came together, the room came alive with decorations, the champagne glasses polished to a shine and waiting patiently to be filled with liquid stars. Fairy lights strung, glittering in each window… but today was even more special, more sentimental than any party I’d done before, and I only hoped Edgar and Imelda loved every second of it.
“OK, yes. No coffee, good idea.”
In the kitchen Kai brewed a pot of tea, and I surveyed the newly installed kitchen, making sure it was spotless and ready for Georges. It was shiny and new but still I felt a twinge for the older kitchen, which was now relegated to the scrap heap.
It dawned on me how early Kai was. It was a record, even for him. “Why are you here already, Kai?”
“I wanted to go over everything, make sure it’s right, in case we need to touch up paint or anything else before the party. I’m nervous too. I don’t want anyone tripping over an uneven floorboard or brushing up against wet paint, if we retouch.”
I nodded. “Yes, good idea. One last safety check. Though I moved all the tables and chairs into the ballroom last night.”
He raised a brow. “You moved them all? By yourself?”
I laughed. My legs felt like lead today after all that heaving. I hadn’t banked on them being solid oak. “I couldn’t sleep. It was one less thing I’d have to do today. I meant to get them moved yesterday, but we ran out of time.” I flexed my bicep which was actually more concave than convex. “All part of the job.” I said.
He shook his head. “You should have asked me, I’d have helped.”
“It’s OK. Let’s go over our list.”
An hour later, Micah and Isla found us in the ballroom, setting up the framed photos of Imelda and Edgar and their family and friends. Kai was placing them in a pattern along the walls, with temporary hooks. Their smiling faces buoyed me, as they stared from each grainy photo.
“That looks amazing,” Isla said. “I love the different sizes.” She walked up to survey the biggest photo, the one that took pride of place in the middle. “Is that their wedding day?” Imelda wore a simple shift dress, and Edgar a suit with pant hems that sat just above his ankle, no doubt a borrowed suit that he still managed to look debonair in, despite it being stretched to fit over his lanky frame. It wasn’t their clothes you focused on, it was the light in their eyes. Happiness radiated from the picture – it gave me goose bumps, trying to imagine that they had fifty years of wedded bliss from that day forward. Their separation in the war only made their reunion sweeter, for how lucky they must have felt when Edgar made it home alive… unlike so many of his friends.
“Yes, they were married in the chapel at Cedarwood,” I said. “See the lake in the distance?” I pointed to a patch of glittering water that was gray in the photo.
Isla’s eyes filled with tears. “They still look the same,” she said. “Sure they’ve aged, but they’ve both still got those same smiles, like they’re sharing a secret.”
I slung an arm over her shoulder. Edgar and Imelda were firm favorites with everyone who worked here, not just for their graciousness in thanking everyone, and inviting them to their anniversary party, but because they were good, honest people, who made everyone feel like they mattered. “The secret is their love. Can you imagine knowing you’ve got someone on your side, no matter what, for the rest of your life?”
Micah stood just off to the side of Isla, and they exchanged a look, one of longing and hope, I moved away, not wanting to intrude on whatever was passing wordlessly between them. I could have been totally wrong, but I had a feeling there’d be another wedding at Cedarwood soon…
Kai sensed the moment too, and said, “Clio, could you help me in the lobby for a minute?”
Like children we dashed into the sumptuous room, and covered our mouths giggling. Kai composed himself first. “Is there something in the water here?” he joked. “Sends everyone into a tizzy of romance?”
I nodded and said seriously, “Yes, I do a special love dance when there’s a full moon, and Gemini is rising in Taurus, seems to be working so far.”
He shook his head and laughed. Gazing at Kai from under my lashes, my heartbeat sped up, but it was just the idea of love that caused it, the thought of having something like Imelda and Edgar. Or something like what was blossoming between Micah and Isla.
Maybe I
was destined to be single? The wedding planner who made other people’s wedding days perfect – and had the biggest dream wedding board on Pinterest – wasn’t capable of love herself.
“I’m going to miss this place,” he said.
Kai got the call the day before, another job awaited him in Vermont. He was leaving the day after the party. And after the Vermont job he was heading to San Francisco for a job over the Christmas period. I wanted to say so many things, to beg him to stay and help renovate the chapel and make me climb the godforsaken mountain… but I didn’t say a word because what did we have? A friendship, and that was all. I had no claim on him. “I wish you could stay.”
He cast his eyes to floor. “I’ll be back one day to visit… and you won’t remember me, you’ll have so many faces passing through.”
Silence filled the space. As if I’d ever forget Kai.
“Let’s go back and hang the tulle from the ceiling,” he said eventually, his eyes not shining the way they usually did.
Micah and Isla were unpacking boxes of candles, ready to adorn each table. Isla jumped up when she saw me and inched over to the door, motioning me to follow. “I told him,” she whispered. “You were right. About everything.”
I gave her a hug, and resisted the urge to jump up and down. “I knew it!”
“You know the offer you made?”
“About staying on?”
She nodded. “I’d love to if it still stands. And not only because of Micah, I don’t want you to think I’m the type of person who clutches onto any man…”
I thought of her racing around the streets on her motorbike – she wasn’t the type to let a man dominate her. “I know that.”
“It’s more that I finally feel like I fit, I can stop running for a while and make friendships that will last, you know?”
I smiled, understanding she’d found a place to put down roots, to make a life with people she trusted, who wanted so much to be there for her. “I totally get it, Isla. And I’m so glad you chose us.”
“OK, I better get back to it.” She couldn’t hide her happiness, it radiated from her.
Celebrations and Confetti At Cedarwood Lodge Page 12