New Beginnings At Glendale Hall

by Victoria Walters

  ‘Come down whenever you’re ready and we’ll head off to the village,’ Beth called back to me.

  I walked back to my bedroom and closed the door. I knew that before I could have a shower and go out I really needed to return Greg’s call. I didn't think I’d ever left it that long without getting back to him, even in the early days of our relationship, and if the shoe had been on the other foot, I would have been worried about him. I needed to check in with him at the very least.

  Flopping on the bed, I crossed my legs and put my phone on speaker to call him, closing my eyes and willing myself to stay strong.

  ‘Babe,’ he answered straight away. ‘Thank God, I was worried. Are you okay?’

  My heart betrayed me by melting a little at his obvious concern for me. ‘I’m fine, I’m here in Glendale. Safe and sound,’ I replied, hoping my voice was steady.

  ‘Well, that’s good. I wondered if you were ever going to call me back,’ he added in a soft voice.

  ‘Me too, if I’m honest,’ I replied. There was no point in keeping from him how hurt I was. He needed to know that.

  Greg sighed. ‘Em, I really am sorry. I’ve been thinking about it… I am so ashamed about what happened. I can’t defend myself. I was drunk but I should have known better. I think, though, I was lonely.’ His voice dropped. ‘Things haven’t been great between us, have they? I haven’t felt close to you for so long. It’s been so hard for us, not getting pregnant, you know? Sex became this painful thing for us as nothing was happening, so I think maybe I couldn’t deal with that, but instead of talking to you and telling you how I felt, I… I did this disgusting thing. I hurt you. I hurt us.’ He sniffed then. ‘And I never meant to. I wish I could go back and change it. I feel so bad, I really do.’

  I closed my eyes, squeezing out a tear. I didn’t think he would admit to being upset about us not having a baby. I thought it was mostly me that was finding that hard. Could I accept that as a reason to cheat? I wasn’t sure about that, but perhaps his admission did make me understand it just a little bit more. ‘I’ve found it so hard trying for a baby and getting nowhere. You know I think we should talk to a doctor about it but—’

  ‘I know,’ he interjected quickly. ‘But I’ve felt scared, like I’m not enough of a man if I can’t… but it’s different now. I can’t lose you, Em. Let’s go. As soon as you’re back. Let’s get help. Let’s make our baby.’

  God, it was so hard not to be swayed by his words. The promise of my longed-for baby. I didn’t know what to say. He was offering me everything I had wanted twenty-four hours ago but was it all too little and late?

  ‘Please think about it,’ he continued, perhaps sensing that I was wavering. ‘I swear to you I’ll never do anything like this ever again. Coming home and finding you gone… it was like my world had come crashing down.’

  ‘That’s how I felt when I saw that text,’ I said then, my voice firmer. ‘You’re the reason I’m here.’

  ‘I know, I know. I’m so sorry.’

  I knew I had to hang up before I gave in. ‘Let me go now. I need to think things through, okay? Give me some space, please.’

  ‘Can I still call you, though? Please. I can’t go for weeks without talking to you!’

  I sighed. ‘Of course we can speak, but I need to catch my breath. I never thought that you could do this. It’s made me unsure, of everything.’

  ‘God, don’t say that. Never be unsure of how much I love you. I know that things haven’t been great but we can change that, can’t we? This can be fixed, I know it.’

  I swallowed. I knew we should have dealt with our problems sooner instead of hiding from them, and now we had ended up like this. It wasn’t all his fault, I knew that, but even so, I never would have cheated on him, despite all our problems. I still loved him and I was so hurt by what he had done. Could we fix us? I wished I was as certain as he seemed to be. ‘I really need to go now. Beth needs me,’ I said, ducking the question for now.

  Greg sighed, defeated. ‘Okay. Well, I’ll call you tomorrow, then? Please don’t make any rash decisions. Just know that I love you and I know that we can work this out.’

  I said goodbye and hung up quickly. Hearing his voice made it so hard to think clearly. My head said he was wrong but my heart hoped that he was right. I got up slowly and headed for the shower, hoping the hot water might help to clear my head because I felt more confused than I had ever felt in my whole life.

  Chapter Eight

  Glendale village was about a twenty-minute walk from the Hall and the summer sun was out in full swing when we reached it. Walking into the High Street, my eye was immediately caught by the colourful hanging baskets above each shop. When I had last been in Glendale, it had felt like a ghost town with most of the shops boarded up, and no one in sight. But today, all the shops were open, bar one, and there were lots of people making use of them.

  ‘Morning, Beth,’ a man said, nodding his head as he passed us, walking into the farm shop, which I knew was run by Drew’s brother Rory, and his partner, and Beth’s best friend, Heather.

  ‘Hi, Mr Walker,’ she replied. ‘Glad your leg is doing better.’ She waved then to a woman walking past us. It seemed like she knew everyone here.

  ‘There’s so much more life in the village,’ I said as we made our way towards the Glendale Hall shop. We passed the library that Beth and Heather had helped keep open, and I glanced at Beth, who beamed with pride. She had worked hard to make all of this possible. Obviously, she had had her grandmother’s money but people had given up on the village and she had rallied the community, and rebuilt it. ‘You’ve done an amazing job,’ I added with a smile. ‘Who would have thought the girl who had run away all those years ago would now be the saviour of the community?’

  Beth chuckled. ‘Quite the turn around, huh? But, seriously, it hasn’t all been down to me. The community has really got behind it.’ I knew though that she and her mother had offered discounted rents in a profit-share scheme so local businesses could return to the shops. As well as the farm shop, and the Glendale Hall shop, there was also a small convenience store, a florist and a butcher’s. I looked down the road and saw Glendale Arms, the village pub at the end, the steeple of the church rising up high in the distance behind it.

  ‘We are hoping to open up a café here again,’ Beth said then as we passed the one premises still vacant. ‘We think that would be the final, perfect addition but with all the wedding planning, it’s been put on hold for the summer,’ she explained as she led me to the Glendale Hall shop. All the family helped make or buy things for it, and they all served in there, although they had a full-time manager as well.

  ‘I think that sounds great. Cake always cheers a place up,’ I replied as we walked into the shop. I smiled at the pretty wedding display Caroline had created. ‘Is the whole town involved in this wedding?’

  Beth rolled her eyes. ‘Yes! Don’t get me started. My mother has roped pretty much everyone into it and she decided we should stock all sorts of wedding things in here but they have been selling well so I think she was right, unfortunately. I leave that to her. This is my baby…’ Beth showed me the gardening area of the shop, the passion and pride in her voice clear as she talked me through everything.

  ‘These are really cute,’ I said, picking up one of a pink watering can that had been filled with pretty flowers.

  ‘Would you like one for your garden?’ Beth asked.

  ‘I don’t know…’ I looked up at her, and the room seemed to tilt around us. I felt a little unsteady suddenly, the colour draining from my face.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, looking at me in alarm. She took the watering can from me and then took my hand, and led me outside back into the sunshine. ‘Are you okay?’

  I just shook my head. My legs were shaky, and I really wanted to sink down into a chair.

  ‘Right, we need to talk,’ she said, firmly, steering me towards the pub. Seating me in the pretty beer garden, she ducked inside and returned
with two cold orange juices. I was relieved it wasn’t coffee. ‘Now, I know you, and I know that you like to help everyone else but yourself but you’ve come up here so suddenly… I know there’s something wrong and I’m not going to let you carry the burden of it all by yourself,’ she said firmly, reaching for my hand and squeezing it. ‘What’s going on, Emily?’

  I took a sip of juice to gather my strength. The cool sweetness made me feel less faint than I had a moment ago. I had actually been worried I was going to pass out in her shop. I took a deep breath. ‘I found out that Greg’s cheated on me. He slept with the girl I work with at the bakery,’ I told her all in a rush, only letting out a breath at the end. I stared at my glass unable to bring myself to look up and see the pity that was undoubtedly on her face.

  ‘Oh my God,’ she said slowly. ‘I’m so sorry, Em.’ She squeezed my hand again. When I finally had the courage to look up, her face was twisted in anger, not pity. ‘I can’t believe he would do that to you!’

  ‘I can’t get my head around it,’ I agreed.

  ‘What did he have to say for himself?’ she demanded.

  ‘That he’s sorry, that it will never happen again. All the right words. And things haven’t been great between us for a while, which isn’t only his fault,’ I told her.

  ‘That doesn’t excuse cheating!’ she cried.

  ‘I know, I agree. But it makes it more complicated, you know? All the issues we’ve had with conceiving… it’s taken its toll.’

  ‘I know,’ she said, softly. ‘But he should never have done that to you.’

  ‘I still love him. I don’t know what to do.’

  Beth sighed. ‘I think you did the right thing in coming up here, giving yourself some time and space to think it all over. I wish I could help but only you can decide what you want to do.’

  I met her gaze. ‘But do you think I should leave him?’ I was certain that Beth would never put up with a man cheating on her.

  Beth’s face gave into the pity then. ‘I can’t answer that. Only you know how you feel, and what your relationship is like. But I do know that you deserve someone who loves you and respects you and treats you well. Okay?’

  I could feel myself start to well up again. ‘Thanks, Beth,’ I said, grateful that I had someone I could turn to. ‘Please don’t say anything to Aunt Sally, will you? I’ll tell her… I just need time to get my head around it all. Decide what I want to do, you know, before I tell my family?’

  She nodded. ‘Of course.’ She checked the time on her phone. ‘Now, I need to meet the minister but do you want to wait for me here?’

  ‘No, I’ll come. Anything to take my mind off things,’ I replied, feeling better for having told someone what was going on. It was horrible to admit the truth about Greg but I did feel lighter for having done it, and I knew that Beth was the last person to judge anyone.

  ‘Everything will work out okay, I promise,’ she said, standing up and holding out a hand. I took it and she pulled me up with her, tucking her arm through mine as we strolled towards the church. ‘Neither Drew nor I are particularly religious but my family have always felt that you should get married in church. I used to imagine Drew and I getting married here when I was younger but when we started planning, we both really wanted to get married at the Hall. So, the minister has agreed to give us a blessing after the civil ceremony. He’s been really nice about it, actually. He was quite close with my grandmother before she died. I think she confessed a lot of her sins to him,’ Beth said with a wry smile. She and her grandmother had had a difficult relationship but were able to make peace with one another before she died last Christmas. She pushed open the heavy door to the church. Inside, it was dark and cool and it was empty, save for the minister who was up at the altar, with his back to us. ‘Prepare yourself,’ Beth added in a whisper to me. She had one of her wicked grins on her face and I was immediately intrigued. I followed her up the aisle.

  ‘Brodie,’ Beth called up ahead.

  The minster turned around with a wide smile. He was tall and was wearing jeans with a black shirt and clerical collar, trainers on his feet. I raised my eyebrows as we reached him, realising why Beth had been grinning – he was really good-looking. He had short, sandy-coloured hair and big, blue eyes, and broad shoulders with arms that suggested he worked out in the gym. He also looked like he was around my age. Not what I was expecting at all. ‘Beth, it’s lovely to see you again,’ he said, giving her hand a firm shake.

  ‘This is Emily Prescott – she’s come to stay from London,’ Beth said, gesturing to me. ‘This is Reverend Stewart – or Brodie, as he likes us all to call him.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you, Emily,’ Brodie said, holding out his hand. I shook it, feeling the warmth of his skin spread into my own. He met my eyes with a steady gaze and gave me a warm smile. ‘One of the bridesmaids, I seem to recall?’

  ‘That’s right, although she won’t let me call her that,’ Beth said.

  ‘When you reach your thirties, I don’t think you can let yourself be called a bridesmaid,’ I replied with a laugh.

  ‘I take it she won’t be in a long pink dress either, then?’ Brodie let out a deep laugh, which echoed around the church. ‘Come through and let’s go over some of the details for the service, okay?’ He held out his arm to let us pass. We walked out of the back of the church into a small room, which housed a kitchenette, and a table. Brodie told us to take a seat and asked if we wanted tea or coffee. Beth had a coffee, of course, and Brodie tea, but I couldn’t face anything.

  Once he had made their drinks, Brodie joined us at the table. ‘Have you thought any more about your vows?’ Brodie asked, pulling out a file and picking up a pen.

  ‘We’re going to write our own vows. The registrar said it’s best to finish the civil service and then have your blessing straight after that.’

  He nodded. ‘That’s usually the way we do it, yes. This is what I would plan to say.’ He passed over a card with the prayer written on it. ‘But let me know if there’s anything there that you might want to tweak. Show it to Drew as well.’

  ‘It’s lovely,’ Beth said, looking down at it, moving it so I could read it too. ‘And the choir were happy with our choices?’ she asked him. Glancing back at me, she explained, ‘The church choir have kindly agreed to come and sing during the ceremony. We’re not allowed any religious content during the civil ceremony so they’re going to sing some love songs then once it’s over and we have the blessing, we’ll have a couple of hymns. Family favourites.’

  ‘Yes, that was all fine with them,’ Brodie replied. ‘So I think we are all on track now.’

  Beth beamed. ‘Perfect. I’m so grateful for all your help. It’s going to be a beautiful ceremony. We just need the sun to stay out for it.’

  ‘I’ll have a word,’ Brodie replied with a wink.

  I glanced at him, surprised again. He saw my face. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met such a young minister.’ I found myself blurting out the thought in my head without thinking and felt myself blush immediately afterwards.

  He chuckled. ‘Well, we all have to start somewhere, don’t we?’

  ‘Of course, yes. I just meant…’

  ‘He’s teasing you,’ Beth said. ‘He caused quite a stir in Glendale when he arrived three years ago. The last vicar died on the job.’

  I gasped and looked at her in horror.

  ‘I’m not making that up,’ she promised. ‘He had a heart attack just outside the church.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ I said, then I looked at Brodie in horror. ‘Oh no! I didn’t mean…’

  He held up a hand. ‘It’s fine, relax, Emily. You won’t get struck down for saying that. I don’t think, anyway.’ He laughed at my face. ‘I don't think your friend has met a minister who has a sense of humour before.’

  Beth laughed too. ‘No, I don’t think she has. Right, we shall leave you in peace. But you’re coming to the party on Saturday, right?’ she asked, standing up. I jumped up too, eager to esc
ape my embarrassment.

  ‘I’ll be there,’ he promised before turning to me. ‘It was lovely meeting you, Emily.’

  ‘You too, I said, quickly, unable to meet his gaze. I felt his eyes on me as I followed Beth out of the side door, the sunshine brilliant after the dimness inside.

  Beth burst out laughing as soon as we were alone.

  ‘Shut up!’ I said, elbowing her in the side.

  ‘Don’t worry, I don’t blame you. He’s so good-looking it’s sometimes hard to think clearly. Just don’t tell Drew I said that,’ she said, trying to calm down.

  ‘As long as you swear not to tell anyone what a moron I was back there.’

  ‘I’ll take it to my grave.’ She saluted me and then started laughing again. Despite everything that had happened, I burst out laughing too, and we were hiccupping as we started off back in the direction of the Hall.

  Chapter Nine

  Sitting at the kitchen table of Glendale Hall, surrounded by cookbooks and my phone full of internet tabs open, I started sketching out ideas for the wedding cake. In the oven, a sponge was baking, emitting a delicious smell around me, even if I did say so myself.

  Adding food colouring to the shopping list that was growing by the minute, I looked up as the French doors opened and in skipped Izzy, followed by her grandmother.

  ‘What smells so good?’ Izzy asked, as she bounded over, pulling off her school tie eagerly.

  ‘I’m trying out a recipe for your mum’s wedding cake,’ I explained, smiling at her.

  ‘Ooh, that’s exciting! Gran, can we have some lemonade please? I think that would go really well with cake.’

  ‘How do you know you’ll be allowed any cake?’ Caroline replied with a roll of her eyes as she went to the fridge.

  ‘Emily said I was chief cake taster, didn’t you?’ she said, widening her eyes to try to make me agree with her.