by Heidi Swain
‘Would it be all right,’ I said as I threw the fabric, needle and all, down on the table, ‘if we just stopped going on about this? Tomorrow can’t come soon enough for me but keeping on about it won’t make the time pass any quicker.’
‘Are you all right, my lovely?’ frowned Annie. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘Of course she isn’t all right,’ snapped Jake.
‘I just want to get it over and done with,’ I said to Annie. ‘I can’t wait to get started on the transformation and in my head I can picture exactly how I want it to look, even though I haven’t been inside yet. I’m just not looking forward to what we’ve got to do before I can get on with it, that’s all.’
‘You do know why I want Holly there, don’t you?’ said Jake.
‘No,’ said Annie.
‘I was asking Amber,’ Jake shot back testily.
‘No,’ I said, in much the same tone as Annie, ‘not really.’
Jake ran his hands through his hair and came to sit with me at the table.
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ he began, ‘I do believe that she meant it when she said she was sorry about what happened, but that hasn’t erased the memory of what actually happened.’
‘Of course not,’ I said.
‘I’ve seen Holly at her very worst,’ he said bitterly, ‘we all have, and although I can’t deny she does seem to have changed, I’m not going to give her any opportunity to go around saying that any of her stuff was broken or missing. When I open that door tomorrow I want her to be there and I want her to acknowledge that no one has been in since I locked the place up all those months ago.’
‘I see,’ I said, some of the pieces of my life slipping back into focus.
That did make sense. If Holly thought we’d broken in without her and that I’d had the opportunity to have a snoop through everything she might well take offence and I could understand that Jake didn’t want to give the old Holly any excuse to resurface. His reasoning for not wanting to go inside the cottage without her left me in no doubt that he still didn’t trust her, even though she had displayed incredible patience in waiting for her possessions. Yes, it was far better to wait and do it all together.
‘Do you really see?’ said Jake, looking relieved. ‘Because what I said about the place before was all true. I just wanted to forget about it, even though Annie wouldn’t let me. To tell you the truth, if you hadn’t come up with your brilliant holiday let idea and I could have got away with it, it would probably have been rotting away forever.’
‘Rotting! Oh God, don’t tell me there was stuff in the fridge?’ I asked, wrinkling my nose at the prospect of seeing for myself the transformation of cheese and milk that had been left for the best part of a couple of years.
‘Probably,’ Jake shrugged, ‘although Holly was a real one for diets. With any luck she was on a dairy-free fad at the time so we’ll be spared anything too gross.’
‘But Annie does have a point,’ I said, ‘we will probably need a skip. The fridge will need replacing for a start, unless of course you fancy tackling the cleaning?’
He looked less than impressed with the idea.
‘Personally,’ I added, ‘I’d be much happier knowing the appliances were brand new, as we’re letting the place out.’
‘And the bed,’ Annie chirped up.
Why did she have to mention the bed? That was the one piece of furniture I was really dreading seeing. Jake shot Annie a withering look and reached for my hand.
‘If you’d rather not come down,’ he said, ‘I would understand.’
‘No,’ I smiled; there was no way I was going to leave them to it. ‘No, it’ll be fine. Many hands make light work and all that.’
I glanced over at Annie and she gave me the merest wink. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Jake, but obviously, judging by what he and everyone else said, there was clearly more to Holly than I had seen and even though I always tried to look for the good in everyone I wasn’t quite ready to leave her alone with my boyfriend just yet.
‘Don’t forget Jess is dropping by at some point this morning,’ Jake reminded me as I fed the hens on Monday morning and set about helping him choose the best set of tools for breaking and entering. ‘You know, I’ve got a feeling,’ he said, thinking back to the job in hand as he looked at what we had gathered together, ‘that there might actually be a key in the back door.’
‘Really? Crikey, that would make life a lot easier, wouldn’t it?’ I said, thinking of the cost of having to replace just one lock rather than two.
‘Yes,’ said Jake thoughtfully, ‘the kitchen door was always locked in the mornings as I recall and I shut us out of the front. It was definitely the front door keys I launched into the river.’
‘Why didn’t you have the back door key on the key ring as well?’
‘We barely used that door,’ he shrugged, ‘actually Holly never did. She wasn’t one for gardening. As I recall she never even sat outside. Definitely the front door key,’ he said again.
‘Remind me never to fall out with you,’ I laughed, shaking my head.
‘Not likely,’ said Jake, dropping the tools in a bucket and pulling me into his arms.
‘Oh,’ I giggled, ‘and why’s that?’
‘Because we want the same things, you and me,’ he said, kissing me softly. ‘We haven’t got anything to argue about.’
‘That,’ I told him, thinking of how much I loved Skylark Farm, ‘is very true.’
We were already waiting outside Meadowview Cottage when Holly pulled up in her 4x4.
‘God,’ she groaned, as she jumped out, ‘look at this place. However did you convince me to move in here, Jake? It’s so dark and dingy.’
Jake looked at me and raised his eyebrows.
‘No offence,’ she quickly added, patting my arm.
‘None taken,’ I smiled.
‘As I recall,’ said Jake, ‘you had your sights set far higher than this place, Holly, didn’t you? I don’t think your plans involved us living here for very long.’
Touché! Round One to Jake. I didn’t have him down as the bitchy type but Holly seemed to have a god given gift for bringing out the worst in people. First Jessica had displayed her fiery side and now Jake had bitten back too. I couldn’t help wondering if I would be adding my own name to that list by the end of the day.
‘It won’t be dark and dingy much longer anyway,’ I quickly jumped in before the sniping got out of hand. ‘I’m planning to have all these straggly conifers taken out, then there’ll be loads more light and room for a proper little garden.’
‘Well, thank God!’ laughed Holly.
Jake looked at me and rolled his eyes, picked up the bucket of tools and followed Holly through the gate up the weedy, overgrown path to the front door.
‘I remember you carried me across this threshold,’ she smiled dreamily up at Jake and then looked apologetically at me. ‘Sorry, Amber,’ she said again.
I had an increasingly sneaking suspicion that she was going to try to make this experience just the wrong side of comfortable for me. I could understand that there would be memories flooding out of every corner but I hoped she wasn’t going to draw them all to my attention. My tolerance would only carry me so far and Jake, who was having none of her simpering, seemed to have reached the end of his already.
‘No chance of that today,’ he said, brushing roughly past her and making her step back on to the sodden grass. ‘Come on. I’m breaking in round the back.’
‘I do hope this won’t be too awkward for you,’ Holly smiled as she trotted along in Jake’s wake. ‘Quite frankly I thought you wouldn’t be here.’
‘Oh no,’ I said as the sound of breaking glass met my ears, ‘I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I can’t wait to get a look inside and see what potential the place has to offer.’
‘Well, I hope you won’t be disappointed,’ she said, her voice full of concern, ‘and actually that isn’t quite what I meant.’
�
��Hurry up, will you?’ called Jake. ‘I’m in!’
I knew exactly what she meant and that was exactly why I was there.
Chapter 37
My first job was to send the dusty curtains flying back along their poles and to throw open the windows. The air wasn’t exactly unpleasant, more unmoved rather than musty and damp, which was a pleasant surprise.
While Holly rushed around cooing over this and sighing over that and Jake fixed some plywood over the hole where he’d smashed the glass, I moved from room to room trying to ignore the cosy set up, instead picturing the space transformed courtesy of my cheap and cheerful renovation ideas. Holly did have a point about it being dark and dingy but I knew that I was right about that being down to the overbearing conifers. Once they were down the place would be halfway to transformed and able to breathe.
The kitchen and dining space at the back of the cottage faced east and overlooked what was currently a tiny overgrown garden. The few kitchen units, Jake informed me, had only just been fitted before he and Holly moved in and the simple Shaker style suited my plans perfectly. Apart from a thorough scrub, a fresh lick of paint, some pretty curtains and decorative touches, the room needed little else, and it was the same in the bathroom.
The sitting room was small but cosy with a tiny wood burner and front facing windows. The space would easily accommodate four and I could imagine how snug it would be with the fire lit and the wind raging outside. I tried not to think about Holly and Jake sitting together on the sofa feeding one another marshmallows and wearing matching sweaters.
‘Isn’t it a hole?’ said Holly, shaking her head. ‘I did try and warn you. There’s no way I’m going to secure many bookings if it stays looking like this.’
‘Actually I think it’s wonderful,’ I said, looking at Jake who grinned back. ‘In fact,’ I told her, ‘if I wasn’t so happy up at the farm I’d even consider moving in here myself. And while we’re on the subject, Holly, you won’t need to worry about the bookings because once I’ve got the place ready I’ll be sorting them out myself.’
Holly choked on her insulated coffee mug that she’d brought with her.
‘Oh. Well,’ she called over her shoulder as she left the room, ‘the commission on somewhere like this would have hardly made it worth the effort anyway. I won’t be long,’ she added. ‘An hour, two tops, and I’ll be out of your hair.’
‘Do you really like it,’ Jake asked when he was sure she was out of earshot, ‘or did you just say that to wind her up?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘I really mean it, it’s lovely. Not as homely as I’d imagined, but you know, each to their own.’
Truth be told I had expected the place to be as chic as Holly, but it wasn’t. If anything it was even more barren than the flat I’d left behind in London. I’d been bracing myself to face paintings she and Jake had picked out together and photo frames crammed on every surface, capturing the wonderful life they’d shared. That is, before Holly showed her true colours and revealed her grand plans to move them up and out, but beyond the odd Ikea lampshade and vase, there was nothing. The cosiness that I’d first shied away from when I crossed the threshold came more from the cottage itself and the snug dimensions of the rooms rather than anything of sentimental value.
A sharp rap on the front door made us both jump.
‘That’ll be Jess,’ said Jake. ‘Shall I run round and head her off so their paths don’t cross?’
‘No,’ I said, laughing at his panicked expression, ‘you stay here and I’ll go and meet her.’
‘Sure?’
‘Of course I’m sure,’ I said, planting a kiss on his stubbly cheek. ‘I think I can trust you not to run off with Holly while I’m gone.’
Jake looked at me and shook his head.
‘Only if you do decide to elope,’ I said, ‘would you leave the key on the front step because I can’t help thinking this little place has had enough of being shut up.’
‘She’s in there then,’ said Jessica in a loud sing-song voice the moment she saw me.
‘Yes,’ I hissed in a hushed tone, ‘she’s in there.’
I had no idea which room Holly was in but I wasn’t taking any chances. I didn’t want her hearing Jessica running her down. The day was going to be tricky enough without having to smooth out any arguments or problems that could be avoided.
‘Come on,’ I said, ‘let’s head up to the house and check on Annie and you can tell me what it is you want to talk about.’
Annie was as amazed as Jessica that I’d left Holly and Jake alone at the cottage.
‘You can’t trust her,’ she said for the hundredth time, and Jessica joined in where she left off.
‘You don’t know what she’s like,’ Jessica chimed in, shaking her head defiantly.
‘Yes, but what you both seem to be forgetting,’ I said sternly as I poured us all tea, ‘is that I can trust Jake and I do know what he’s like.’
‘That’s true,’ said Jessica.
‘It is,’ said Annie, ‘but I still wouldn’t put it past her to try something.’
‘Annie!’ I scolded, beginning to feel cross and increasingly paranoid. ‘Please stop.’
‘Sorry,’ said Annie, dunking her shortbread.
‘Yes,’ said Jessica, ‘me too.’
As Jessica requested we walked back through the orchards having stopped on the way so she could have a look at Pip and admire Blaze.
‘What a start this pair gave you to your time at the farm!’ she laughed. ‘I can’t believe you’ve only been here, what is it now?’
She tried to count up on her fingers and I did the same.
‘Must be around three months,’ I said eventually. ‘Is that right? It can’t be, four maybe. It seems so much longer to me, but I don’t think it is.’
I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I’d been living at Skylark Farm and immersed in country life for years. So much had happened in such a short space of time that it didn’t feel possible that I had ever had time to live any other kind of life. It was true that I had settled in quickly; just the thought of moving back to London and picking up the threads of my old life made my stomach churn.
For the moment my promise to have a meeting with Simon about the Dubai job seemed like something that was looming on someone else’s horizon. It certainly didn’t feel as though it had anything to do with me. Perhaps I could resolve the matter by email, but I wasn’t going to worry about it just yet. I had ages left before my time was up and he was expecting me to make a decision.
‘Well,’ said Jessica, laying her hand on my arm as I closed the orchard gate behind us, ‘however long it’s been it feels like forever to me.’
‘Really?’ I smiled, thrilled that she felt the same way.
‘Really,’ she said.
I remembered that she had asked to come out and see me with something specific in mind and, suddenly aware of how long Jake had been with Holly down at the cottage, I tried to push the conversation along.
‘So,’ I said, ‘was there something specific you wanted to talk about?’
‘Yes,’ said Jessica smiling.
‘Well,’ I told her, ‘you know, if there’s anything I can do to help with the wedding I will. My corporate skills might be a bit rusty but I’m sure I’ll soon get the hang of them again.’
Jessica laughed and we linked arms.
‘So am I kicking arse?’ I asked. ‘Is the caterer dragging her heels or the photographer not pulling his weight?’
‘No, nothing like that,’ said Jessica, ‘but there is something I want to ask you.’
‘Go on,’ I said, ‘it isn’t like you to be lost for words!’
Jessica stopped and turned to face me. Her face was flushed and her usual confidence and self-assuredness seemed to have slipped a little.
‘OK,’ she said, licking her lips. ‘I know we haven’t known each other very long even though it feels like we have, and I was wondering,’ she smiled shyly, ‘if you would consider being my b
ridesmaid.’
‘Really?’ I squealed.
‘Really,’ she laughed. ‘Harriet is the old-maid of honour and I have a curly haired little niece lined up for cute and I was hoping you’d consider filling the role in between?’
‘Jessica,’ I told her proudly as I wiped away a tear, ‘I would be honoured to be your bridesmaid and fill whatever role necessary.’
‘Excellent,’ she grinned, squeezing me tight, ‘I knew you would.’
‘There’s only one stipulation,’ I told her, pulling myself free, ‘no taffeta, oh and no meringues.’
‘OK,’ said Jessica, sounding disappointed, ‘how do you feel about bows and layers of shocking pink lace?’
Arm in arm we made our way back down to the cottage. It was all quiet as we entered the kitchen. I’d told Jessica she could come in to tell Jake the news but only if she promised to play nice with Holly.
‘Where are they?’ she mouthed to me, heading towards the hall.
I shrugged my shoulders and followed on behind. I didn’t find the fact that she was whispering particularly encouraging and I felt my heart somersault when I heard hushed voices in the bedroom. Jessica put up her hand to stop me and we held our breaths as we listened through the closed door.
‘Oh my God, it’s huge,’ Holly gasped, ‘even bigger than I remember.’
‘I bet you never thought you’d see it again, did you?’ Jake laughed. ‘I’m surprised it’s come out to be honest. Do you dare grab it?’
‘I can’t,’ said Holly, ‘what if it tries to bite me?’
I’d heard enough. I burst through the door to find Jake and Holly standing on the bed staring up at the ceiling looking terrified.
‘What the hell is going on?’ I gasped.
‘Oh thank God,’ said Jake, his shoulders dropping as he caught sight of me, ‘thank goodness you’re back.’
He shot off the bed and out of the door leaving Holly rooted to the spot.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked him as he cowered behind me holding out a plastic jug he’d snatched from the bathroom.
‘The ceiling,’ he said with a shiver, ‘look.’
In the corner of the ceiling above the window was potentially the biggest spider in the known free world. I knew Jake absolutely hated them and apparently so did Holly. I smirked to myself at the thought of leaving her there for the rest of the afternoon, but my humane side won the tussle and I knew I couldn’t do it.