New Beginnings At Glendale Hall

by Victoria Walters

  ‘Things never come along when we want them to, do they? For what it’s worth, I’m thrilled for you. I know how much you’ve wanted to be a mother, and you will be an amazing one. If you take care of yourself.’

  ‘I didn’t know I was going to fall into the Loch, did I? Anyway, it wasn’t the fall… it was all that bacon I had for breakfast that did it I think. Mostly, I feel fine though. It’s just surreal to know there’s someone growing in there.’ I felt my gaze fall on Brodie. He was carrying a big bowl of potato salad outside and gave me a small smile. He hadn’t really said anything to me yet. I knew it was a shock for him to hear the news. And I understood why. There was no denying there was chemistry between us but we both knew that we couldn’t be anything more than friends. I hoped he would want to be that anyway. I couldn’t imagine him fading from my life now but perhaps I was being too optimistic.

  Caroline called Aunt Sally over as they needed her to make her special salad dressing so I took the opportunity to slide over closer to where Brodie was placing the potatoes down. ‘I wish they’d let me help,’ I said.

  He glanced over at me. ‘No need. It’s almost all done now. We’d much rather you rest.’

  ‘I’m embarrassed, to be honest.’

  He stopped what he was doing and came to sit beside me. ‘Why?’

  ‘I don’t like people fussing. I’m used to looking after myself, I guess. Plus, I threw up in front of everyone, which was pretty gross.’

  He grinned. ‘It was but you couldn’t help it. And everyone here cares about you so just let them fuss, it makes them feel better.’

  I nodded. ‘True.’ I really wanted to ask if he cared about me too but I knew that was inappropriate considering what had just happened. ‘I hadn’t planned for everyone to know quite so soon. I’m only just getting my head around it myself. But at least we know why I cried when I saw those bride and groom figurines.’

  ‘Oh, yes. It’s good to know it was hormones and not that you’re crazy.’

  ‘Hey!’ I elbowed him as he chuckled. ‘I guess things will be different with Greg coming up here,’ I mused then. The dynamic of the group would inevitably have to change. Greg and I would have so much to talk about but I wanted to still be part of the wedding celebrations too.

  ‘Is he excited?’

  ‘We were trying for a long time so it’s a shock for both of us. But a good one,’ I added with a smile. ‘I just wish things were better between us, you know?’

  ‘Of course. You’ll work it out, Emily. You just need to have a little faith.’

  ‘That’s your department, not mine,’ I reminded him.

  ‘I’m not talking about God, I mean faith in yourself.’ He patted my hand once before getting up and going back towards the cabin.

  I watched him go, wondering when I had lost faith in myself. I used to be so certain of things. That I wanted to run my own bakery. That Greg and I would get married and have a family and live happily ever after. But things got muddled along the way. I touched my stomach as the others came out with the picnic, hoping that I could get that faith back as Brodie seemed to think I would. My baby needed me to have it not just for myself again, but for it as well.

  Chapter Twenty

  After the enormous picnic had been demolished, our group split off into two. The first group went off to a nearby archery centre for a lesson booked by Beth, and the rest of us decided to take a stroll through the woods, following one of the marked trails.

  Brodie, Aunt Sally, Caroline and John and I set off on the walk. I knew that Brodie was there to keep an eye on me after spotting him and Drew having a quiet chat but it was hard to mind when we were surrounded by such beauty. In the woods, the trees blocked the sun, keeping us cool, and a slight breeze floated up from the lake rustling the leaves. Apart from our footsteps and birdsong; that was the only sound we could hear.

  ‘This place is idyllic,’ Aunt Sally said, beside me. She kept shooting concerned looks at me but I pretended not to notice. I felt fine now that I was back on dry land and had eaten lunch. The sun warmed my shoulders and the gentle pace we moved at was perfect.

  ‘Do you remember us coming here with Mum and Dad when I was little? We got so lost, we only ended up spending like an hour here before we had to drive home again.’

  She smiled. ‘Your father was always hopeless with directions. I think that’s why he moved you all down to London – so he wouldn’t need to drive anywhere again!’

  ‘That wouldn’t surprise me,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘I can’t wait to tell Mum and Dad about the baby. I think I’ll wait until I can do it face-to-face though – make it more special.’

  ‘Good idea. They will be so excited.’

  I smiled. She was right – they would be. Especially because I hadn’t given them any hint that things were anything but rosy between me and Greg.

  Caroline called Sally over then to show her some pine cones that she thought they could do something with at the Glendale shop so I wandered over to where Brodie was.

  ‘Look,’ he whispered. I followed his gaze to where a deer stood in a gap between the trees, watching us warily, the sun beaming down on top of it. My breath caught in my throat as we watched. There was a rustling sound to our left and the deer’s head spun around and it was gone in an instant.

  ‘Wow,’ I said, feeling privileged to have seen it.

  ‘Nature is amazing, isn’t it?’ We began walking again. ‘I’m so glad Drew persuaded me to come.’

  ‘You weren’t sure?’

  Brodie looked down as he navigated around a tree stump. ‘I have the type of job that makes it difficult to make friends. Sometimes people are wary of having a minister come along to things for fear that it’ll put everyone on their best behaviour or something.’

  ‘Well, you know that wouldn’t happen with me.’ I smile. ‘I wouldn’t have thought of that. I suppose you work so closely with people, you can’t always know when they cross over from parishioners to friends.’

  ‘Exactly. But Drew even moved it mid-week so I wouldn’t have to miss Sunday service.’

  ‘I don’t have that trouble working in a bakery – I know that everyone is just being nice to get cakes out of me,’ I joked.

  ‘People really will do anything for free baked products.’ We walked on for a bit in silence, moving further away from the others. ‘How are you feeling really – after earlier?’

  ‘I’m fine.’ I felt him look at me. ‘Really, I promise. I must say I prefer this to trying archery though.’

  ‘Me too. I was never very good at things involving hand-eye co-ordination.’

  I snorted and he raised an eyebrow. ‘Sorry. My mind went to the gutter then.’ He looked away but not before I caught a slight blush to his cheeks. I hid a grin. Brodie was so easy to tease, it was becoming one of my favourite things to do. ‘Can you hear that?’ I asked then, pausing. I could hear the sound of running water.

  ‘This way,’ Brodie said, heading off to the side. I followed him eagerly and we found ourselves in a small clearing, in front of a waterfall trickling down rocks into a stream that wound itself through the forest. We walked over to it, stunned into silence by its beauty. ‘Here.’ Brodie got out two pennies from his pocket. ‘This is definitely a wishing waterfall.’

  ‘Isn’t that wells or fountains?’ I asked, taking one of the pennies sceptically.

  He shrugged. ‘Worth a shot, right?’ He flipped his penny in, closing his eyes for a moment. I found myself longing to know what he had wished for.

  I hesitated, feeling a little silly, but he told me to go for it. I closed my eyes and threw my own penny in. ‘I wish for everything to work out the way it’s supposed to,’ I thought as hard as I could. It seemed to be the safest wish for me to make right now. We watched our pennies float down to the bottom, and I hoped our wishes would come true.

  ‘There you two are!’ Aunt Sally emerged from the trees followed by John and Caroline and, weirdly, it felt like some kind of spell had be
en broken.

  * * *

  The sun was only just starting to set over the Loch despite the fact that we were well into the evening. Drew and John had built a fire and we sat around it on the overturned logs left there for cabin users, watching the sky turn orange above the water below us. We had gorged ourselves on barbeque food for dinner and now were toasting marshmallows like we were kids again.

  I had grabbed a blanket from my room and wrapped it around my shoulders as the air turned chilly around us. I was a little jealous of the others drinking whisky and wine, apart from Izzy of course, who sipped lemonade and little Harry who was fast asleep in his pram off to one side. My contentment floundered a little when I tuned back into the conversation around me, and I heard Caroline snap at her daughter.

  ‘I just don’t see why he has to stay. He doesn’t live far away, he can get a taxi home, surely.’

  ‘He’s my dad. He’s family. I want us all to stay in the Hall and have a breakfast together before we go on our honeymoon,’ Beth replied, her voice quiet and calm, unlike her mother’s.

  ‘I don’t mind him but the fact that he’s insisting that she stays too…’

  I looked away, embarrassed to be witnessing this argument. Caroline’s husband had left her for another woman but Beth always maintained that their marriage hadn’t worked for a long time and they were both a lot happier now that they were apart. I could understand though why Caroline didn’t want to embrace her ex’s new love.

  ‘Why are you getting so bothered?’ John asked her then, mildly, from the other log. ‘They already live together, this isn’t news to you, love.’

  ‘Don’t patronise me,’ Caroline flung back at him. ‘I know my husband ran off with another woman, the divorce is almost all signed, sealed and delivered but does that mean I have to accept him bringing her into my home, our home, and rubbing it in my face?’

  I glanced at Brodie who was studying the marshmallow he was toasting very closely. It was so awkward being present for this family row. Kate and Heather started talking loudly to Izzy to try to distract her but we could all clearly hear every word. I felt bad for John. Beth had told me he had loved Caroline for many years even when she was still happily married to David so this couldn’t have been easy for him. I supposed that even though Caroline was happy with John, she was still angry with her ex, and his betrayal. And I could completely understand that. Why did relationships have to be so complicated?

  ‘Mum, you’re overreacting. Why is it upsetting you this much? Dad is happy with Cathy, and you’re happy…’

  ‘It’s the principle of it, Beth. It’s my house and I don’t see why I should have to put up with his fancy woman staying there.’

  ‘God forbid we all actually move on or something,’ John said then, standing up abruptly and walking away from the group.

  ‘John!’ Caroline called out after him but he disappeared into the trees. ‘For goodness’ sake. Now look what you’ve done!’ she snapped at Beth before hurrying after John, disappearing from view.

  Beth sighed. ‘It’s still always my fault despite how much progress I think we’ve made,’ she hissed to Drew.

  ‘You said we could tell stories,’ Izzy piped up, going to sit between her parents. ‘That would be more fun than all this arguing.’

  ‘I’m sorry, love, you’re right,’ Beth said, stroking back her daughter’s hair. She sighed. ‘Sorry, everyone.’

  ‘I have a good campfire story,’ Brodie said loudly, clearing his throat. ‘And I promise it isn’t Bible-related,’ he added, throwing me a little grin. I relaxed back on my log, glad he was trying to diffuse the tension. We all turned to him to listen. ‘It was a dark, and stormy night…’

  I pulled my blanket closer around my shoulders as Brodie told us his ghost story, expertly making us all forget the argument. I could see why he was a popular minister – he told a story well and held everyone’s attention in the palm of his hands. The sun set fully as he talked, the glow of the fire becoming our only light, and a delicious shiver ran down my spine.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Beth let me borrow her car to pick up Greg from the train station on Saturday. My couple of days at the Loch felt suddenly far away as I battled the traffic in Inverness city centre, showing how used to peace and quiet I had become already. It was nowhere near as hectic as London, of course, but it was still a shock to my system.

  I was nervous to see him. It was only my second weekend in Scotland, but so much had changed. So, coupled with the traffic, I was feeling quite frazzled when I finally made it to the station and pulled into a free parking space. Checking the time, I jumped out and hurried into the station. Greg’s train should have already come in. I stopped in the doorway spotting him standing with a suitcase beside him, searching the crowd.

  ‘Greg!’ I called and waved and I saw his face light up, which relieved some of the tension I was feeling.

  ‘There you are!’ He reached out for me and pulled me in for a long, tight hug. I relaxed into his warm arms. He picked me up then and spun me around, making me squeak, before rubbing a hand across my stomach. ‘You are positively glowing, you’ve never looked more beautiful,’ he whispered into my ear.

  I couldn’t stop the smile his words brought to my face. I pulled back to look at him. He had stubble across his chin just how I liked it, and he smelled like home. ‘How was the journey?’

  ‘Long and boring. I’m starving. How about we find somewhere for lunch?’

  ‘We can go into the village before we go home,’ I agreed, leading him out of the station.

  ‘Home? Forgotten all about me and London already?’ He said it teasingly but his look was more serious.

  ‘Of course not. You know what I meant,’ I told him as we reached Beth’s car.

  ‘I’ve just missed you, that’s all.’ He threw the case into the boot and climbed in beside me. ‘I even went to Molly’s the other day for a brownie, I missed you so much.’

  I looked at him, my tension returning instantly. ‘And saw Steph?’

  He sighed. ‘No, of course not. I went in on her day off. I haven’t seen her since you left, I swear. You know I wouldn’t do that again. Especially not now.’ He gazed at my tummy. ‘You’re blooming, really, babe. You look gorgeous. There’s something about you… you’re sexy. Really sexy.’ He stroked his hand along my thigh. I was glad I had worn a long skirt and not a short one.

  ‘We have a lot to talk about,’ I replied pointedly. I didn’t want him to think all was forgiven now I was carrying his baby or that we’d fall into bed together as soon as we got back to the Hall. It was annoying that he looked so good though and that pregnancy did seem to make me feel sexier. I shook my head to clear away the thought.

  ‘I know.’ He removed his hand and settled back in his seat. ‘I’m not going to apologise for fancying my girlfriend like hell though, okay?’ He grinned and it was impossible not to smile back at him. ‘I’m going to take that smile as a sign that you still fancy me too.’

  I rolled my eyes. So much for my absence having dented his ego. And yet his attitude was almost comforting in its familiarity. Something that had attracted me to him in the first place. He hadn’t been like any of my exes. His confidence had made me feel confident in return. I wasn’t quite sure when or how I had lost that.

  We drove to Glendale village and I parked outside the pub. It was another sunny day albeit with a chill in the air. Greg took my hand as we walked in and I found myself glancing around to make sure no one I knew was there. I wasn’t quite sure why. We found a table in the beer garden and Greg brought over a beer for himself and an elderflower cordial for me.

  ‘I bet you’re missing the wine already,’ he said as he sat down across the table from me.

  ‘Some men would stop drinking in solidarity,’ I replied, giving him a look over my sunglasses. He just snorted and took a big gulp of the beer, draining half of it in one go. I raised my eyebrows. ‘I take it you’ve been going out a lot since I came up
here?’

  ‘What else was there to do?’

  I sipped my drink, hating that I immediately wondered if any women had been involved in these nights out of his. I never worried before, even when he was out with his work mates – although they were a rowdy lot when they were off duty and women were attracted to a group of firemen like honey to bees, I had trusted him. Now I wondered if I had just been naïve and it had always been a case of when, and not if.

  ‘Do you know what you want to eat and I’ll order when I get another beer?’ Greg asked then, having already finished the pint.

  ‘I’ll have the fish and chips, please,’ I replied, trying not to look surprised that he already needed a second drink. At this rate, we’d arrive at the Hall with him pissed. He sloped off inside and I tilted my face towards the sun, hoping that I was just overreacting because I couldn’t have alcohol myself any more.

  Over lunch, Greg asked about what I’d been doing at the Hall. I told him all about the Loch Ness trip, leaving out my fall and sickness as I didn’t want him to worry, and about the wedding preparations. ‘Unfortunately, I’m going to have to get baking when we get back but there’s so much to do, you won’t be bored.’

  ‘I don’t care as long as we’re together,’ he replied, making my heart melt a little bit. He finished his burger and put his cutlery down. ‘You’ve mentioned this Brodie a lot?’ The question was asked casually but I didn’t miss the slight edge to his tone. A small part of me, one that I didn’t like to foster, was a little bit pleased that he seemed jealous. I knew I had nothing to feel guilty about so where was the harm in letting him feel some of what I had felt after finding out about Steph?

  ‘He’s the minister, he’s around a lot, what with the wedding and everything… you’ll like him, I’m sure.’ I took a sip of my drink.

  ‘Ah, the minister.’ He looked pleased and I hid a smile. When he saw Brodie for himself, he would definitely look a little less smug. I was certain of it. ‘I’m so glad I’m here to be with you and look after you. I can’t wait to take you back home after the wedding. The house has felt really weird without you.’