Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

by Jenny Kane

  ‘You’re probably right.’

  ‘Julian’s not been near me beyond work requirements since that meal.’ Shaun stared towards the producer. ‘Now I think about it, he hasn’t been around much at all lately.’

  ‘Can’t say I miss him in the pub in the evenings.’ Thea watched as Julian turned his charm on the female reporter. ‘Where does he go instead?’

  ‘Haven’t a clue.’ Shaun pointed to the site. ‘I think they’re done. Come on, they could have more questions for us.’

  Thea’s palms prickled as they walked back to the bath house. She’d hoped Shaun would know of an innocent reason why Julian had stopped socialising with them after work. She had a horrible suspicion that it was because he’d got whatever it was he wanted, and no longer felt he had to try and impress the team. Or me.

  *

  Tom held the painting in his hands as carefully as if it had been painted by Renoir. A lump came to his throat as Mrs Harley explained why his son’s artwork was on display.

  The painting was of Mill Grange. The brown square with extra painted squares to the side, which Tom guessed represented the kitchen and the storeroom, had three out of proportion figures stood before it. A man, a woman with a boy between them.

  That’s Helen. Will Sue realise?

  Mrs Harley was talking about composition and how hard Dylan had concentrated on the painting. Sue meanwhile, was saying nothing. Her smile had become tight.

  Plus, that’s not her and Dylan’s home. It’s Mill Grange.

  ‘Do you like it, Dad?’ Dylan was sounding anxious, and Tom was suddenly aware he’d been quiet for a long time.

  ‘I love it!’ He gave his son a hug. ‘That’s the kitchen, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes,’ Dylan nodded, ‘and that’s the bench we sit on for lunch.’

  Passing the work of art back to Mrs Harley, Tom held Dylan’s hand. ‘I can’t wait to tell everyone about it.’

  ‘You can take a photograph of it, if you like, Mr Harris.’ Mrs Harley gestured for Dylan to lay the picture flat on the art table. ‘It’ll be a few weeks before that display comes down and Dylan can take the picture home.’

  As her son and ex-partner shot into action with Tom’s phone’s camera, Sue tartly asked, ‘And how’s his maths and English? Rather more important than art, don’t you think?’

  *

  ‘Would you like to join us for dinner?’ Sue hovered on the doorstep. ‘I’m sure Dylan would like that.’

  Tom could see his son at the far end of the narrow hallway, stacking his trainers onto the shoe rack. ‘I’d like that too, but I promised I’d be on hand tonight, to help with the guests. Making up for time off this afternoon.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Sue turned her face away.

  ‘Anyway,’ Tom said, ‘I thought you booked an early slot at school because you were going out tonight.’

  ‘What? Oh yes, well, I am.’

  ‘Sue?’

  ‘I am! But not until eight. It’s only five now. Plenty of time for you to share fish finger sandwiches and oven chips with Dylan.’

  ‘You said, join us for dinner, not just Dylan.’

  ‘Same thing!’ Sue glowered. ‘What’s with the questioning?’

  ‘Forget it.’ Tom shook his head. ‘As long as I’m not letting Dylan down by not staying, I’d better get back. Don’t want to use up all Sam and Tina’s goodwill before Dylan’s even moved in.’

  ‘He said he’ll have his own room soon because your friend Helen is leaving.’

  ‘Yes.’ Tom kept his gaze focused on the house. ‘She works at the Roman Baths. Mill Grange was a sabbatical.’

  ‘You’ll miss her.’

  It was a statement, not a question, but Sue still managed to sound as if she was sucking a lemon as she spoke.

  ‘Of course I will. We’ve worked together for six months.’ Tom turned away with a wave to Dylan. ‘I should go. Thanks for inviting me along. I’m so proud of Dylan.’

  ‘Me too.’ Sue quickly added, ‘You know I want the best for him, don’t you? Whatever I do, it’s because I love Dylan.’

  ‘Of course it is.’ Unease made Tom look Sue straight in the eye. ‘Is everything alright?’

  ‘I’m fine, it’s just… that painting. It wasn’t here and it wasn’t me. It was of your house and one of your friends. Helen, I suspect.’

  ‘I know. I’m sorry.’

  Twenty-four

  Thursday April 2nd

  They were the last people left in the drawing room. The guests had turned in, tired after a week of open air and physical exercise, all bemoaning that they’d have to leave in the morning, with calls of “the week’s gone so fast” and “we must come again”.

  Sam and Tina had gone to bed and the fire had been dampened down for the night.

  Getting up from her armchair, Helen joined Tom on the sofa. Beyond a brief thumbs up, to let her know it had gone well at school, they hadn’t had a minute alone since Tom had returned to Mill Grange.

  ‘So, how was it?’

  ‘Amazing. Dylan has settled in really well. His maths and English are good for a lad of his age, and you already know his reading is good.’

  ‘Was his teacher alright with you?’ Helen laid her head on his shoulder as Tom’s hand automatically sought out her curls, teasing them between his fingers. ‘Sue hadn’t said anything bad about you?’

  ‘Mrs Harley was very nice. All she said was that she hoped I’d settled into my new job, and that she’d arranged for all the correspondence Sue gets, to come to me too.’

  ‘Sounds good.’

  ‘Umm…’ Tom laid a hand on Helen’s denim-covered legs. ‘I’m sure Dylan will tell you about it tomorrow.’

  Helen’s body melted under Tom’s touch as she battled to stay focused. ‘Should we tell everyone about us before Dylan arrives tomorrow, or once he’s settled in?’

  ‘Maybe we should tell Dylan first. But we have to tell everyone soon! Sitting across the room from you and not touching you is driving me nuts.’

  Helen laughed. ‘And there I was thinking army boys were taught patience and self-restraint.’

  ‘Only when there’s a possibility of being shot. Rest of the time, we’re as impatient as the next man… especially when sat next to someone we have the serious hots for.’

  Returning Tom’s kiss, Helen caught sight of a child’s reading book out of the corner of her eye. It was one of Dylan’s. ‘He will be okay with it, won’t he?’

  ‘You and me, you mean?’

  ‘Well, umm… if you are in my room with me sometimes, won’t he want to come in and stuff?’ She blushed at the thought of them being interrupted, ‘I adore Dylan, but I’d hate to embarrass him or…’

  ‘For him to catch us in flagrante delicto?’

  ‘Well, yes.’ Even Helen’s freckles blushed at the thought.

  ‘Umm…’ Tom pulled a curl out, curious to see how far it would straighten before pinging back into a tight spiral.

  ‘Are you with me, Tom?’

  ‘Oh God, yes.’

  Helen gulped as she saw the lust in his eyes. ‘Tom, I was talking about not compromising your son!’

  ‘Sorry, yes. Of course.’ Letting go of the curl, Tom gave himself a shake. ‘That settles it, we need to tell Dylan and everyone tomorrow, and see if there is a key that fits your bedroom door.’

  Helen’s already red face lit up like a beacon. ‘No way! They’ll all know why we want to lock the door.’

  ‘But they’ll know we’re having sex anyway.’

  ‘Yes, but—’

  Tom reached out a hand. ‘It’s okay, I get it. Them knowing is one thing, but advertising the fact is something else entirely.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Helen took his hand as they stood up, ‘I did wonder… I mean, not if you don’t want to or anything, but…’

  ‘What?’ Tom wrapped her close. ‘What is it, love?’

  ‘Well, if you wanted, just while I’m here, umm…’

  ‘Umm?’


  ‘You could share with me. If you wanted… I mean, I don’t mind if you don’t want to and…’

  Silencing her with a kiss, Tom whispered, ‘I want to. Very much.’

  ‘And Dylan, he won’t mind? I mean—’

  ‘For such a confident woman in the workplace, you’re adorably shy when it comes to, what my nan called, “shenanigans”.’

  Helen gave him a playful shove. ‘I told you, I’m out of practice.’

  ‘Then let’s practice some more.’

  Friday April 3rd

  The Mill Grange team waved enthusiastically as the people carrier, taking the week’s guests back to Tiverton Parkway, wound its way down the drive.

  Sam nodded in satisfaction. ‘Another good week. Thanks everyone.’

  Spinning around to the house, ready for a debriefing session, Tina gestured towards the backdoor. ‘I’ll grab some hot drinks and cake. See you in the garden?’

  ‘I thought we’d aim for the bench by the fortlet if that’s okay.’ Sam turned to Helen. ‘It would be good to have a report on progress. After all, it isn’t long until you leave us.’

  Feeling guilty that she hadn’t told Sam if she was staying or not, Helen led the way across the gardens. As she walked, a voice at the back of her head asked why she hadn’t said anything to Tom about Sam’s offer to stay yet.

  What are you waiting for? Last night you asked Tom to move into your room, so why haven’t you said you’ll stay at Mill Grange?

  She thought again about the job she was contemplating giving up, her house in Bath and all the people she knew there.

  But they’re just people I know. Here I have friends.

  Another thought collided with the others as she caught Tom’s eye.

  If we tell everyone we’re a couple, Sam will assume I’m staying anyway.

  Pulled from her introspection by their arrival at the bench, Helen saw Tom pat the seat next to him, so they should sit together. Sam hadn’t appeared to notice, or if he had, hadn’t thought anything of the gesture.

  ‘How’s the book thinking coming on, Helen?’ Sam slid into his seat, laying his ever-present clipboard of lists and notes on the table between them.

  ‘The chapter headings are planned. I’ve sent an outline sketch to the publisher. If they okay it, then it’s just a case of gluing my butt to a chair and writing it.’

  Tom looked at her proudly. ‘Of course they’ll like it. It’s going to be amazing.’

  ‘I agree.’ Tina smiled as she lay down the tray of refreshments.

  ‘Thanks.’ Helen tried not to meet Tina’s eyes, which plainly stated that if Tom hadn’t declared himself, he was a fool because it was damn obvious he was in love with her.

  Tina knows. We’re going to have to tell Dylan soon.

  Oblivious to the subtext going on around him, Sam pulled a piece of paper from his notes. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but there is so much happening at the moment, I’ve prepared some formal minutes for this meeting, rather than the usual catch up and check in.’

  ‘Good job I brought cake then.’ Tina sliced up some lemon cake as Sam made a start.

  ‘We have had some excellent feedback from the week’s guests once again.’ Sam held up the questionnaires they asked each guest to complete before they left and passed them to Tina. ‘Once again we have some wonderful endorsements we can add to the website, and we’ve had more interest in the archaeology skills certificate we’re running from next July.’

  ‘Is Landscape Treasures still up for sponsoring that?’ Tom pulled his notebook from his jacket pocket.

  ‘Absolutely. Once Shaun has finished in the Cotswolds, he has a month before filming again. He’s agreed to use that time to work out the requirements with you Tom, and Thea of course.’

  Helen shifted on her seat. She could feel the words ‘but not with Helen’, hanging unspoken over the bench. She’d have to give Sam an answer soon. Why haven’t I? What’s bothering me?

  Sam picked up his mug of tea and raised it towards Helen. ‘How’s progress fortlet wise?’

  Relieved to be on safe ground, Helen slipped into professional archaeologist mode. ‘If you look at the original geophysics plans that Ajay and Andy did for Shaun when the site was first discovered, you’ll see that we have almost opened each point of interest.’

  Laying out the original plan and placing her own working dig plan next to it, Helen pointed out each room that had been opened, each corridor, store and courtyard. She talked of sleeping quarters for the small household of soldiers and how they were probably supporting themselves from the land with the help of supplies from nearby rural settlements. Her finger ran across the plans as she spoke of supply routes and journey times to Exeter and the nearest main fort at Rainsbury. By the time she’d stopped speaking, Sam and Tina were looking very impressed.

  ‘Well no wonder you’ve been asked to write about this place.’ Tina dabbed up some cake crumbs with her finger. ‘You know it inside out. I’ve no idea how we’ll—’

  Helen cut across her friend, not wanting the fact of her leaving mentioned. ‘As soon as Thea is here tomorrow, I’ll give her the full rundown on the dig, so she knows where I’m at. I don’t think it will take much more than a month to finish uncovering everything. Then it’ll just be a case of solidifying what we have.’

  Sam nodded. ‘Which brings me to the next point. Thea and Shaun should be back late tomorrow. While it will be fantastic to see them, and have a few more hands on deck, we are without paying guests now until April twentieth.’

  Helen doodled on her pad as she asked, ‘But bookings are good for the week of the twentieth, Tina?’

  ‘Fully booked that week, and every week until September. Then things trail off rather.’

  ‘Which is why,’ Sam flapped his to-do list before him, ‘I thought we’d open the house and gardens for Easter.’

  There were general murmurs of approval as Tina said, ‘I’ve got two hundred small Easter eggs ordered from the village shop. I wondered if Dylan would help plan where to hide them Tom, or do you think he’d rather not know, and enjoy hunting them down himself?’

  ‘He’ll love hiding them.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Tina scribbled a note on her pad. ‘Maybe you could help Dylan with that, Helen? We’ll hide them around the house and grounds on Easter Sunday.’

  ‘How much are we charging, did you decide to stick to £2 per child?’ Tom asked. ‘I’m still happy to take posters to Dylan’s school.’

  ‘Thanks, Tom.’ Tina scribbled, ‘do poster’ on her list. ‘And it will be £5 per person to go into the house. I’m hoping Mabel will still help do tea and coffee.’

  ‘I’m sure she will. Especially now Bert’s home again.’ Helen felt herself relax now the emphasis was off her role at Mill Grange. ‘Will Thea do a guided tour? She told me she led them during your Opening Day back in July.’

  ‘I haven’t asked her.’ Sam turned to Tina. ‘Have you, love?’

  ‘Not yet, but I’m rather hoping she will. I have a few wedding things I want to ask her about, so I’ll mention doing tours at the same time.’

  Sam smiled. ‘After bribing her with Sybil’s scones?’

  ‘Naturally.’ Tina laughed. ‘You’ll come too, won’t you, Helen? I need all the help I can get on the wedding front.’

  ‘Well, yes. If you’d like me to.’

  Not leaving anyone time to ask if Helen would still be around by then, Sam ploughed on. ‘I want to take this fortnight to crack on with future plans and wedding plans. As you know, we intend to marry here, but my parents wish us to marry in Malvern. So we’ve invited them here in the hope they fall in love with the place. They are due tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow? But that’s when Dylan comes?’ Tom looked panicked.

  ‘Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten. My parents are just coming to see the house. I can’t imagine they’ll be here for more than a few hours. Dylan’s presence won’t be a problem.’

  Tina nodded. ‘He might even help.
Look how quickly he won a place in Bert and Mabel’s hearts.’

  Sam, who thought his parents a very different kettle of fish to Mabel and Bert, glanced up at Mill Grange. It was a far cry from his parents’ Queen Anne mansion, but he’d get them to see its charms if it was the last thing he did.

  ‘We should crack on. Beyond our usual Friday tasks, there is a great deal of housework to do. I’m sure you’ll have lots to do to get your room ready for Dylan, Tom. Is there anything else you need? An extra chest of drawers or a little desk, or anything?’

  ‘Thank you, perhaps a little table for Dylan to draw at, but otherwise we’ll be fine.’ He glanced at Helen. ‘Because, the thing is—’

  ‘The thing is,’ Helen interrupted, ‘I’ve said Tom can take my desk for Dylan. Be easier than lugging extra furniture up there this weekend.’

  Not glancing at Tom, Helen stared at an increasingly suspicious looking Tina. ‘Would you like me to change the bed linen, Tina, so you can get a few of your cakes made to wow Lord and Lady Malvern?’

  Twenty-five

  Friday April 3rd

  Don’t panic. I haven’t changed my mind. I just thought we should tell Dylan first as agreed – and soon – I think Tina has guessed. Hope you understand. H xx

  We’ll tell him tomorrow. T xx

  Thanks for understanding. I’ll make it up to you. H xx

  Looking forward to that! T xx

  Helen blushed and her chest tightened as she read Tom’s last text. Relief mixed with guilt as she pulled an armful of linen out of the cupboard, ready to make up the rooms that had been occupied all week.

  With a nagging feeling that she didn’t understand why she’d used Dylan as an excuse not to tell everyone about her and Tom yet, Helen hoped Tina wouldn’t want to talk about her leaving for Bath.

  *

  ‘There’s something rather lovely about the smell of newly laundered sheets, don’t you think?’

  Tina flapped an Egyptian cotton sheet towards Helen, who waited on the opposite side of the bed in the manor’s main bedroom.

  ‘Absolutely.’ Helen inhaled the scent of fresh air and cotton as they smoothed the sheet into place. ‘I assume we’re making up this room in case Sam’s parents decide to stay overnight?’