The Vintage Bookshop of Memories

by Elizabeth Holland

  The drive down was fun. It was yet another lovely but chilly day, May was finally here and the sun had come out to celebrate. They listened to the radio and exchanged memories of seaside holidays as children. Prue’s experiences were very different from Elliot’s. As a child her boarding school would take her year group down to the seaside for a little holiday. She remembered it being so much fun being surrounded by her friends. In contrast Elliot’s family would go to the seaside on a day trip as their one treat of the summer holidays. Despite their differences it was clear that they both had the same appreciation for those short breaks from real life.

  As they arrived at the little beachside town Elliot parked in the public car park and went to pay. Prue stepped out of the car and looked at her surroundings. The place looked just the same as it had ten years ago, in fact she suspected it hadn’t changed since the 50s. The faded deckchairs were still lined up on the promenade with a handful of people sat in them. In the distance stood the pier which housed a rickety-looking helter-skelter with peeling paint and a rather bumpy landing. Prue remembered riding that helter-skelter as a child, the thrill of spinning down the side as you looked out to sea. It wasn’t a memory that she wanted to relive though, especially given that she would most likely end up stuck halfway down, wedged between the wooden sides.

  ‘You ready?’ Elliot called, making Prue jump. She swivelled round to look at him and shot him a quick smile. This was it, they were going in search of her father. Elliot had the address folded up in his back pocket, he had apparently looked it up last night so that he knew how to get there from the car park. Prue couldn’t thank him enough for his support, she didn’t know how she would have got herself through this without him by her side.

  Holding hands they walked in silence up a shaded hill with houses either side. Despite the dilapidated look the houses still had a quaint English seaside feel about them. As they reached the top of the hill and the pavement began to flatten out they took one of the roads to the left. The view from up here was amazing and the houses were situated so that their windows overlooked the dazzling sea below.

  ‘It’s that house there.’ With a jolt Prue eye’s turned to where Elliot was pointing. There was a 1920s style house with big bay windows looking out towards the sea. The garden out front was neatly kept, complete with a little flower bed around the edge. First impressions were good. It suddenly hit Prue that her father could be on the other side of that door. He could even have been hiding behind the net curtains looking towards the odd couple staring up at his house. A sudden wave of nerves crashed over Prue, during all this time she had been so excited at the idea of meeting her father she hadn’t thought about what he might think. He probably didn’t even know she existed. What if he didn’t like her?

  ‘Are you ready?’ Elliot asked, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Unable to speak Prue just nodded and allowed Elliot to lead her up to the front door. There was a pause, as he waited for her to lean forward and knock but when she didn’t move he leant forward and tapped on the door himself. The noise echoed throughout Prue’s head. By now her hands were trembling and she had tears in her eyes. The sudden realisation that her father might reject her had hit her hard. She had enough to contend with at home trying to win over an entire village, the last thing she needed was to have to persuade her father to love her. Prue wanted to run away, as far as she possibly could, however Elliot’s hand in hers kept her anchored to the spot. She had to be brave and do this or else she would always wonder what might have been.

  After a tense few seconds the door swung open and a middle aged woman stood there staring back at them. Prue’s head was pounding as she took in the woman stood in front of her. Was this her dad’s wife? Perhaps he had other children. She could have half siblings just on the other side of this door. Her brain was too scrambled to speak but thankfully she had Elliot by her side who seemed to sense that she was in no fit state to start a conversation.

  ‘Sorry to disturb you. I’m wondering if you can help us, we’re looking for a Robert Darwin?’ Elliot was as charming as ever.

  ‘I’m sorry but we bought the property from Robert almost five years ago.’ Prue felt disappointment wash over her, she had been so close to meeting her father and yet it had been so cruelly pulled away from her. Knowing that he had been there but she was five years too late crushed her.

  ‘Would you happen to have a forwarding address?’ Prue’s ears perked up again, she was so thankful to have Elliot with her as he was able to think and speak coherently.

  ‘I’m afraid not. Sorry I can’t help you.’ The woman was polite but curt, it was clear that she didn’t wish to stand on the doorstop talking any longer. Elliot said their thanks and half dragged Prue back down the pathway. She didn’t quite know how to process what had just happened, all she knew was that she felt exhausted from the flood of emotions.

  ‘Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit down and have a coffee.’ Elliot took her hand again and led her back towards the seafront. Prue followed blindly, hardly taking in her surroundings.

  Eventually they came across a little cafe by the promenade which sold fish and chips. It was almost empty and so they chose a table by the window and Elliot ordered them both a coffee.

  ‘How are you? Sorry that’s a silly question isn’t it.’ For the first time today even Elliot didn’t know what to say.

  ‘Thank you for doing this Elliot.’ Prue smiled and reached across the table to hold his hand.

  ‘I’m sorry we didn’t find your father today Prue. I promise you though that we’ll keep trying.’

  Elliot’s resilience gave Prue a little boost, he was right they could keep trying. One failed attempt didn’t mark the end, it was just the beginning of the search.

  Chapter Fourteen

  To say Prue was disappointed, after their failed attempt to find her father would be an understatement. However, it had fuelled her motivation to find him. They had traced him to one of his previous addresses and so it was only a matter of time before they eventually discovered his current location. Elliot had been searching all week, asking contacts and looking into local records but nobody seemed to know anything about Robert Darwin. Meanwhile, Prue had busied herself setting up a meeting for herself and the villagers on Saturday evening. After some persuasion she had arranged for everyone to meet at the cafe. It was now Friday evening and she was a ball of nerves but not just because of Saturday’s meeting. After their disastrous first date Elliot had asked to take Prue out for dinner this evening. Like a teenager with a crush she had giggled and accepted and so here she was standing in front of the mirror scrutinising her outfit.

  Prue was the first to admit that her fashion sense was a little unusual, for this era anyway. Tonight she had opted for a pair of bright red swing trousers and a white silk blouse. Her hair was in its trademark curls and she had even taken the time to match her lips to the colour of her trousers. Prue hoped that it was good enough for wherever they were going. The nerves only worsened as Prue heard Elliot’s car coming up the drive. It was silly, she’d seen him a few nights during the week. The fact that tonight was labelled as a date had added a layer of stress and expectations. Prue always worried that people judged her on appearance, however when they got to know her she was far from a 40’s housewife. She was opinionated and motivated and nobody would stand in her way when she set her mind to something. Prue only hoped that Elliot was being genuine with her and not just looking to wind his father up by dating public enemy number one.

  Elliot had promised to take her for dinner somewhere that nobody would recognise her and for that she was grateful. The last thing she wanted was to have people whispering about her and shooting her hateful glances as she tried to relax on their date. Elliot beeped his car horn letting her know that he was there. Prue took a deep breath to steady her nerves and made her way outside to greet him. Elliot was standing next to his car dressed in black skinny jeans and a white shirt. Prue felt herself swoon slightly as she took in
his appearance.

  ‘You look amazing.’ Elliot smiled as he gave her a quick kiss before opening the car door for her.

  ‘You look amazing too.’ Prue shot him a quick smile as she climbed into the passenger side of his car.

  A few minutes later they were driving along the road that led out of the village. Prue felt herself relax as they left the hostile environment behind them and headed towards their date. Now that she was with Elliot and they were outside the village her nerves had turned into excitement at the prospect of an evening in his company. Rather than asking lots of questions about where they were going Prue tried to relax and just enjoy the journey with Elliot by her side.

  All too soon they were turning into a little side-road with an inn to the left. It was beautiful, with ivy growing all around the imposing Georgian building. There were lit torches on either side of the front door and above it in fancy lettering was the name ‘The Bullfinch’. It looked beautiful and very out of place in the middle of nowhere.

  ‘It’s a little over the top and it’s a tourist hotspot but I knew we’d be safe from any of the villagers.’ Elliot explained as he saw the awe on Prue’s face.

  ‘It’s beautiful. I’m quite excited now.’

  With a smile on both their faces they walked hand in hand into the pub and were seated at one of the tables towards the back of the restaurant. The Bullfinch had an air of discreetness about it. The lights were dimmed and the tables were set far apart, giving everyone their own privacy. It may not have been what Prue was used to but it was perfect for their first dinner date. The waiter came to take their drink orders and before they had even had the chance to look at the menu a bottle of red wine was presented to them.

  ‘I want to come here for dinner every night.’ Prue sighed, feeling content with a glass of wine in hand and a risotto on its way. She wanted to remember every second of this evening sitting here with such an amazing person staring back at her. Elliot’s eyes were soft as he asked her questions about her childhood and leaned forward in interest listening to her replies.

  ‘So what about you Elliot Harrington? So far I know that you’re a rebellious character who enjoys winding up his father. What were you like at university?’

  ‘I’m afraid I might be a bit of a disappointment to you. I wasn’t very rebellious, unless you consider drinking on a Tuesday evening rebellious?’

  ‘I’m afraid not. Where did you go to university?’ Prue wanted to know everything she could about the bewildering man sat opposite her.

  ‘I went to Sussex.’ His answer was short as the food was placed down in front of them by an over eager waiter who slopped Elliot’s gravy all over the table. Prue sat in silence watching as the waiter apologised over and over whilst mopping up the mess. They had gone to the same university. Fate was something that Prue believed deeply in, it was a mindset that she had been forced to adopt from a young age after losing her mother. Everything happens for a reason. If their paths had almost crossed before, was that fate? Had fate been trying to pull them together for years?

  ‘We were at the same university.’ Prue commented once the waiter had cleared up the mess and walked away.

  ‘We would have been there around the same time too, unless you took a year out?’

  ‘No, I went straight to university. It’s crazy to think that we’ve been living so close to each other for our entire lives and we’ve only just met properly.’

  The night was a blur of good food and brilliant conversation. Prue felt herself becoming even more enthralled by Elliot’s charm and good nature. They may have come from different backgrounds but they were united in being outcasts. Prue was convinced that they were meant to be together, they had been living their lives in parallel just waiting for their paths to cross.

  By the end of the night Prue’s face hurt from laughing so much, she was sure she had never had so much fun on a date before. Like a gentleman Elliot drove her home and left her on the doorstep with a kiss. He had promised to come over the following afternoon and help her prepare for her impending meeting with the villagers. Prue was giddy with excitement and lust as she let herself into the manor and took herself straight to bed.

  Once in bed she found herself wondering what her mother and father’s first date had been like. The diary was still on her window seat where she had left it and so she climbed out of bed and sat down next to it. The moonlight was flooding in from the gap in the curtains, the light reflecting off of the dragonfly on the cover of the diary. Prue couldn’t wait any longer, she wanted to know how their first date had gone.

  ◆◆◆

  3rd June 1994

  I suppose I should have dated this entry 4th June 1994 since it’s now 2am in the morning but the evening started on the 3rd.

  Oh diary, I’ve had the best night of my life. Robert picked me up at 6pm, as promised. The look on mother’s face was hilarious as he pulled up outside the manor in his beaten up Ford. She gave me a look and without a word turned and shut herself in the library. I know that despite her coldness she’ll still want to hear about my night over breakfast tomorrow.

  I bought a new dress for the date, a little black dress. Feeling very grown up I made my way outside to see Robert stood there in a suit! He looked amazing.

  We drove a little way out of the village and he took me to a little pub. It was small and quaint but perfect. We ate dinner in the candle light and I didn’t stop smiling all night.

  Diary I am certain that there’s nothing about Robert that I could ever dislike. After tonight, I’m convinced he’s my soulmate.

  Once we had finished dinner we bought a bottle of wine and took it back to the bookshop. The shop may be a shell at the moment but we still had a lovely time. We spread a blanket out on the floor, lit some candles and just sat there talking for hours and hours on end.

  Finally, he dropped me off at the bottom of the drive and gave me a kiss goodnight.

  I’m seeing him again tomorrow.

  Goodnight diary.

  ◆◆◆

  Prue’s emotions were mixed as she put the diary back down. She felt a happiness within her at the thought of how much her parent’s had enjoyed their first date. It sounded like perfection. However, a small part of Prue’s brain couldn’t help but realise how similar their dates had been. Was history about to repeat itself in Ivy Hatch? With a heavy feeling in her heart Prue made her way back to bed and laid there in the darkness trying to empty her mind. History couldn’t repeat itself, Prue wouldn’t let it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The ball of nerves in the pit of her stomach returned with a vengeance the following morning. Well, that and a disgusting red wine hangover. Elliot had been driving last night and so she had polished off the entire bottle, bar one glass, on her own. Prue was also still going over her mother’s diary entry that she had read last night, it had left her with an odd feeling. All-in-all she was feeling rather fragile on the day that she needed to be at her best. Prue wrapped her dressing gown around herself, slid her feet into her slippers and made her way downstairs to make a coffee. As she was half way down the stairs she stopped as she caught sight of the mess in the hallway. Her heart rate picked up and she felt her stomach churning. The pane of glass next to the front door was shattered and on the floor lay a brick with what looked like a note wrapped around it. With tears in her eyes Prue sat down on the step and pulled her phone out, she couldn’t cope with this on her own. With her friends in Brighton so far away there was only one person Prue could call. With trembling hands she scrolled through her phonebook for Elliot’s number.

  ‘Elliot Harrington speaking.’ Despite everything Prue still felt a thrill go through her at the sound of Elliot’s sleepy voice.

  ‘Elliot, it’s Prue. Sorry have I woken you?’ As hard as she tried, Prue couldn’t keep the tremble from her voice.

  ‘Prue, what’s wrong?’ Elliot sounded wide awake now. Prue took a deep breath, she hated having to rely on someone else but what else could she do? She
was scared.

  ‘I was wondering if you could come up to the manor. Now.’ Prue was too frightened to prioritise her independence right now. Who knew who had thrown that brick, they could still be lurking outside. With a sudden chill Prue realised she hadn’t even been able to check the backdoor. What if there was someone in the house with her?

  ‘Prue, what’s going on?’ Elliot asked, there was the sound of movement and a jingle of keys.

  ‘Someone’s thrown a brick through the window.’ Saying it out loud made it feel real. Up until now Prue had felt like she was in a dream, staring down at someone else’s problem. It was her problem though and only she could rectify it. Elliot stayed on the phone to Prue until he pulled up outside and she was forced to move from the stairs to unlock the door. As soon as the door was unlocked he pulled Prue into his arms and slowly the tears began to fall, landing onto what looked to be Elliot’s pyjama top. Eventually Prue pulled back and Elliot took her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

  ‘Did you see anyone?’ He asked, as they both looked around at the mess and the shattered glass littering almost every surface.

  ‘No. I think there might be a note attached to the brick.’ Prue pointed towards the weapon, lying surreptitiously in the middle of the hallway. She went to walk over to it but Elliot pulled her back.

  ‘You mustn’t touch anything until after the police have been.’

  Prue was taken back by the statement. She hadn’t even thought of contacting the police, it would make sense but did she really want to continue to anger whoever had done this? Prue didn’t need to do much soul searching to know the answer to that question. She didn’t want to anger anyone. There was a part of her that was angry and frightened but she didn’t want to risk things escalating even further. This had been a wake-up call, she really was hated in the village and this was the proof.