Recipe for Love: A gorgeous Cornish romance (Polwenna Bay Book 5)

by Ruth Saberton

  Symon took a deep breath. “I might live to regret this but, OK, yes.”

  “Really?” Ella hardly dare hope she’d heard him correctly. “You’re going to do it?”

  “I must be mad, but yes, I’ll do the filming and see where we go from there.”

  “That’s brilliant!” Ella gasped. “Thank you!”

  Excitement and relief broke over her like a giant wave and she reached across the table to kiss his cheek. Except that it didn’t quite work like that, because Symon must have moved and suddenly Ella felt his lips on hers. His mouth felt so good, so warm and so utterly right, that before she could stop herself Ella was kissing him and it was a kiss that she never wanted to stop. Like his cooking and his stories, Symon Tremaine was totally addictive.

  Symon’s mouth moved against hers and his fingers cupped her face as he kissed her in return. For a beautiful, fleeting moment Ella floated on air before reality kicked in and she pulled away.

  What was she thinking? Her heart was racing and she felt light-headed. Light-headed and terrified. She never lost control like that. Never.

  “You needn’t think that will happen every time you tell me you’ll film a piece,” she said, doing her very best to rearrange her face into a cool expression, even if her heart was pounding at an alarming rate.

  “Pity,” said Symon. “I was starting to think I could get to enjoy this television lark.”

  His lips, the same beautiful lips that she could still feel against her own, were twitching. Was he laughing at her? Ella couldn’t bear to be laughed at.

  “I have to go,” she said abruptly. “I’ll be in touch with the schedule.”

  Before Symon could reply, she grabbed her bag and was walking away from him. Even though she didn’t turn around, Ella knew he was watching her all the way to the door, as still and as thoughtful as always – except that now she knew there was a latent power beneath the stillness. For some inexplicable, dreadful and compelling reason this thought thrilled Ella more than anything she’d ever known.

  Oh God. What was happening to her?

  From now on she would have to be very, very careful. She was in danger of letting Symon Tremaine get far too close to the real Ella St Milton.

  Chapter 20

  “And then garnish with a sprinkle of dill and serve on a bed of lemon rice.” Symon Tremaine stared confidently out of the television and Emerald, watching the Food and Drink Channel on Ashley’s monster flat screen up at Mariners, felt a surge of pride for her brother. Out of all her siblings residing in the village, Symon was the one she’d spent the least time with, but this was hardly surprising given that his television career had gone crazy over the past few weeks and he’d been flat out.

  This was the first of the shows featuring Symon and the Polwenna Bay Hotel, so the Tremaine family had gathered at Ashley and Mo’s house, where there were about a million satellite channels to watch. As she’d curled up on the sofa next to Alice, Emerald hadn’t been sure quite what to expect. After all, Symon was always so quiet and so serious. Emerald was used to fast-paced American TV where everyone sported dazzling white teeth, were tanned to within an inch of their lives and did their utmost to hold the audience by speaking manically – so this gentle show, with its gorgeous shots of Polwenna Bay and Symon’s genuine eye contact with the viewer, was something out of the ordinary. She’d been glued.

  Of course, she was biased because Symon was her big brother, but to Emerald he seemed like a natural in front of the camera. If anything, he was more at ease on the small screen than he was in real life. He chatted away with confidence and had a certain kind of magnetism; no doubt women up and down England would be dreaming about his slow smile, sculpted cheekbones and sleepy blue eyes. That British accent was to die for and Emerald just knew that if the American viewers saw this it would turn to TV gold. She hoped she could find a link so that her friends could watch.

  She had a TV star for a brother! How awesome was that?

  As the credits rolled everyone clapped and Symon, who’d been watching the broadcast through splayed fingers, shook his head in embarrassment.

  “You were absolutely wonderful, my love. All the girls in England are going to fall in love with you,” Alice said proudly, beaming at him.

  “I don’t know about that, Granny,” said Symon, blushing. “I don’t think I’ve ever cringed so much in my life!”

  “You actually didn’t look that bad – for a ginger,” Nick told Symon kindly.

  “Take that back, squirt,” said Symon, and the brothers tussled for a moment until Jake dragged Nick away and sat on him. Emerald watched in fascination. This was exactly what she’d imagined it would be like to be a member of a big family. Childhood insults, scuffles, old rows and a shared history were all things her siblings took for granted, but witnessing them made Emerald feel sad and a little bit jealous. She felt even less a part of things now that she was here and watching from the sidelines.

  Go figure.

  “Ouch! Get off me, fatso!” Nick squeaked as Jake pinned him down.

  “Make me,” grinned Jake as the two boys wrestled. “Danny? Sy? Want to bundle?”

  “Not near the sculpture!” Ashley cried in alarm as flailing limbs narrowly missed what looked a pile of twigs balanced on a tennis ball.

  “Boys! Calm down!” Alice Tremaine shot her grandsons a look that had them sheepishly returning to the sofa in seconds. Emerald was impressed. Her grandma might look frail but Alice was tougher than she seemed. Just look at how she was still refusing to go and talk to Jonny St Milton even though he was sending flowers and letters most days.

  “It’s not about you, my love,” Alice had promised when, worried that she’d caused a rift between the elderly couple, Emerald had spoken to her grandmother about it. “This situation’s arisen because Jonny isn’t listening to me and I’m far too long in the tooth to be ignored! If we’re going to get married, he has to understand that I need to be listened to. He’s a good man but he’s also a stubborn old fool!”

  Emerald hoped her grandmother was telling the truth because she hated to think that she’d caused any upsets. Jimmy was relaxed and happy with her being around and the others all seemed to have accepted it, but sometimes she still wondered. Maybe it was time she thought about heading home?

  “Have you finished the TV work now?” Jules was asking Symon, who spread his hands in a gesture that implied he had no idea.

  “I thought I had, but it seems that the producers have suggested three more segments for future shows. And of course, Ella’s really keen to proceed.”

  “I bet she is,” muttered Mo. “Tell her where to go, Sy. Don’t let her push you around.”

  “No, that’s your job, my angel,” said Ashley mildly.

  Mo glared at him. “You might have been taken in by her, darling, but I know a harpy when I see one!”

  “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Ashley demanded. “Is this because I once went on a date with Ella? You can’t still be holding that against me! It was before we were even together!”

  “Of course she can, mate: she’s a woman,” grinned Nick, and Ashley rolled his eyes.

  “I don’t hold it against you. I just think it shows a huge lack of judgement on your part,” Mo said sulkily. “Evil Ella is foul.”

  “She’s not so bad once you get to know her,” Symon commented.

  His sister rounded on him. “Just because you fancy her, don’t make the mistake of thinking she’s a decent human being!”

  “Of course I don’t fancy her.”

  “So you were just snogging her face off in the beach café to pass the time? Don’t deny it! Saffy Jago saw you.”

  “Busted!” crowed Nick.

  “I wasn’t snogging her face off, as you so delicately put it. We’d just agreed to do the TV show and we were celebrating. Granted we got a little swept up in the moment but it didn’t mean anything,” Symon countered. “Christ, Mo. What are we? Six?”

  His voice was soft but
Emerald noticed that Symon’s cheekbones were stained pink and his hands were clenched into fists. He was fighting to keep his temper. Jeez. Sisters sure knew how to wind brothers up and Mo had really touched a nerve.

  “She was a cow when she was six too,” spat Mo.

  Symon shook his head. “That was more than twenty years ago! For heaven’s sake! Ella’s not had it easy, Mo, and she works bloody hard too. Why don’t you give her a break? You might even find you’ve got more in common than you think.”

  “Drown me now if that’s the case,” said Mo. “Come on, Jake, tell this poor deluded man what Ella’s really like! And you, Summer. You’ve been on the sharp end of her tongue.”

  But Jake shook his head. “Everyone deserves a chance, Mo – and, besides, Sy’s right. Credit where credit’s due: Ella works her socks off.”

  “She made sure that Justin was nowhere near me when the wedding took place,” added Summer. “She even called to reassure me that there wouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Did she?” Symon’s attention was straight there when he heard this.

  Summer nodded. “I thought it was you who’d asked her.”

  “No, I never mentioned it. That was all Ella’s doing,” Symon said slowly.

  “And she’s going to be part of the family when Alice and Jonny get married,” added Jules.

  “Looks like I’m outnumbered by the Ella St Milton fan club then,” said Mo bitterly. “Well, Jules? Haven’t you got a Bible verse for me? He who is without sin casting the first stone or something? Logs and splinters in eyes?”

  Jules said gently, “Those aren’t my first choices. I’d go for John, chapter thirteen, verse thirty-four myself: ‘love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’”

  “Make me feel really crap, why don’t you?” said Mo. “Oh, have an Ella love-in then, if you all must. I’m going to check on Isla.”

  Once Mo had flounced out of the room things calmed down considerably. Alice and Summer made tea, as usual; they seemed obsessed with the stuff, for reasons that escaped Emerald. Meanwhile Symon, who didn’t seem to be enjoying his new-found fame, sloped off to the restaurant, and Nick and Jimmy decided to have an early pint in the pub. Wondering what she could do to help, Emerald went to find Mo, only to catch her and Ashley in the middle of a heated debate on the upstairs mezzanine. She was about to slip away when the mention of her own name made her freeze.

  “For God’s sake, stop fussing! Now Emerald’s here I can concentrate on riding. It’s not a difficult course and I know I can win!”

  It was Mo, sounding just as angry as she had earlier, only now her temper was aimed at Ashley.

  “I don’t want you out competing, Mo! It’s bloody dangerous.”

  “You’ve always known that, Ashley! You bought me The Bandmaster, remember?”

  “That was before we had Isla,” Ashley’s voice was low and tight with emotion. “If having your sister helping out at the yard is encouraging you to risk your neck then I’d rather she didn’t help at all!”

  Emerald felt as though she’d been walloped in the chest. She liked Ashley. He was dry-witted and they’d chatted a bit about California. To discover that he thought she was causing a problem came as a physical blow.

  “Encouraging me? I’m not a child!”

  “I can’t lose you, Mo!” Ashley said quietly.

  “Well, now you know how I feel!” Mo yelled back. “Would you like to tell me just how many Nurofen you’ve been taking lately and why?”

  Although she didn’t understand quite what they were quarrelling about, Emerald knew this wasn’t a subject she was meant to overhear. Somehow she was responsible for causing Ashley and Mo to argue, and that had never been Emerald’s intention.

  Upset, she crept back down the stairs and out of the front door. She wasn’t sure where she was going but Emerald needed some space.

  Jules loved the view from Mariners. The house felt as though it was perched on the headland and poised to soar over the bay. Sky and sea met in a sweep of a thousand shades of blue and as the waves broke onto the dark sand, their crashing mingled with the cries of the gulls. This was the soundtrack of Polwenna. As she stood at the garden gate, Jules wrapped her arms around Danny’s waist and rested her head on his shoulder. How very blessed she was.

  Being with Danny was like spending time with her best friend, only a million times better. He knew her inside out and from the very start she’d felt connected to him, as though he had a direct line to her heart. She’d always been able to be open and honest with him, so not telling him about her worries about the future felt wrong. Usually there was nothing she kept from Danny – and if they were to stand any chance of taking their relationship to the next level, it needed to stay that way.

  In the days that had followed their meal at The Plump Seagull, Jules had felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. On the surface she’d been her normal self, but whenever she’d been alone she’d replayed the evening over and over again, wincing when she recalled the excited Jules who’d dressed up for the occasion with such delicious anticipation. What a fool! Danny was a wonderful man and she loved him with all her heart but he’d been badly hurt in love. Getting married again was a step he’d have to think very carefully about, when or if he chose to take it. Had a man’s quiet thoughtfulness ever been misinterpreted so badly?

  He still seemed distracted but Jules knew now that Danny was pondering the job opportunity rather than gearing up to propose. She was broken-hearted at the thought of him rejoining the army and moving to London, even if it was only during the week. Nonetheless, for the past few weeks she’d been putting on a brave face. She was excited for him because Jules knew just how much Danny loved the army, but on a selfish note she would miss him terribly if he went. She didn’t want him to go. She wanted to be with Danny all the time and in every way. She wanted to marry him. As they stood wrapped in each other’s arms, Jules knew she had to tell him the truth.

  “Dan, we’ve been together for a while now,” she began, “and it’s been the most incredible time of my life.”

  “Same here,” Danny said, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head. “I’ve never been happier. I mean that, Jules. I love you with all my heart. I know things have been a bit weird lately with the job to think about, but it doesn’t change the way I feel about us. I want us to be together.”

  Jules flushed with pleasure. Danny loved her and she loved him. It was simple – so what was she worrying about? It was time to be brave.

  Here goes, Jules thought.

  “So if you love me and if I love you then maybe we should think about—”

  “Emerald?” Danny called out, interrupting Jules. “Hey! Are you OK?”

  His new sister was hurrying down the path, her ponytail bobbing and her feet almost tripping over in her haste to be away. Her face looked pinched and unhappy.

  Although Jules was frustrated at not being able to finish her piece, her heart went out to the teenager. What a time of it the poor girl had had since she’d arrived.

  “I’m fine,” Emerald said, shoving open the gate and hurtling onto the path. “Just fine!”

  “When a woman says she’s fine I’m always terrified,” Danny remarked. “Usually it means the exact opposite.”

  “You’re learning fast,” Jules said. “Obi-Wan has taught you well.”

  Danny laughed and Jules loved it that they had so much in common. This particular joke between them had resulted from Jules having to sit patiently through all the Star Wars films. Aside from this, their lengthy conversations on all kinds of topics had forged a special bond between them, so that they now shared their own language and secret codes (most of which would have been utter nonsense to anyone else, of course). They were a strong couple, Jules told herself, and they would make it through whatever life decided to fling at them – and if that was Danny leaving for London, then she’d pray hard for courage and patience.

  “Shall we go after her?” Danny asked.


  “I will. You’d better wait for Morgan though,” Jules said. “I’ll catch her up.”

  Danny kissed her and Jules set off after Emerald. It didn’t take long before she spotted her heading towards Fernside woods to take the shortcut back to the stables.

  “Emerald!” Jules called, waving. “Wait up!”

  She jogged along the path, a stitch sewing up her left side until she drew level with the younger girl.

  “You walk fast,” Jules gasped, bending over to catch her breath.

  Emerald shrugged one shoulder. “I guess.”

  “You wanted to get away? Something upset you?”

  Another shrug. That was a yes then.

  “Look,” said Jules once she had her breath back, “you can tell me to push off if you like but I’m a pretty good listener and I also have a good selection of biscuits at my house. Or maybe I ought to say cookies? Biscuits are scones in America, aren’t they? You eat them with gravy, don’t you?”

  Oh dear, she was babbling now. Shut up, Jules! The poor girl will think you’re the local nutcase. Actually, maybe she was? Jules certainly felt like it some days and Sheila Keverne acted as though she thought Jules was barmy.

  But Emerald was nodding.

  “Sure, I’d like that. You know these guys too, whereas I just get it all wrong.”

  “I’m sure you don’t,” said Jules. “In fact, I think you’ve coped brilliantly. A new country and a new family would be enough for anyone to deal with, never mind having the Tremaines thrown into the mix. It’s not you: they really are as crazy.”

  Emerald laughed. “That’s a neat way of putting it! I think maybe all you Brits are?”

  Jules smiled. “How else could you explain a nation that’s so fond of Marmite?”

  Emerald made a gagging sound. “Nick puts that on his toast like chocolate spread. I nearly hurled when I tried it.”

  “So there you are. It really isn’t you. It is definitely us,” Jules said.