The Little Shop in Cornwall: A heartwarming and feel good beach read

by Helen Pollard

  ‘Why are you interested?’

  ‘Dad, you’re always saying an inquisitive mind is a good thing. I’m being inquisitive. And I’ll meet people, like I did tonight. You want that, too.’

  She had him there. Except he meant making friends of her own age, and this workshop would probably be middle-aged women. Still, if they smiled at Millie in the street, that was better than nothing, wasn’t it? He didn’t like Millie believing this crystals-cure-all-ills crap, but since Claudia had gone out of her way to explain her stock to him, it would look churlish if he said no now.

  Face it, Jason. You’re cornered. ‘When is it?’

  ‘Thursday, seven thirty till nine thirty.’

  Well, that clinched it, didn’t it? Only that morning, Jeff, a partner at the firm, had invited Jason to dinner on Thursday. Jason didn’t mind leaving Millie alone for a couple of hours in the daytime or after school, but he was less comfortable about leaving her for an entire evening in the new house yet. His mind raced as they parked up and went inside. Jeff knew Jason was a single parent. If he explained that his daughter had an invite too, but it meant he could only be at dinner a couple of hours, he was sure Jeff would be fine about that.

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘Aw, but Da-ad… Wait. Did you say “okay”? Thanks!’

  Millie had obviously been expecting an argument. Jason could tell her it happened to fit with his own sparkling social agenda… or he could wait till tomorrow to tell her he’d been invited out and wasn’t it good that it fit in so well? He felt guilty deciding on the latter, but it wasn’t often his daughter threw her arms around his neck in gratitude.

  Claudia spent the morning of her Wednesday “off” working. Again. Her soap stocks were still too low after the storm, and as the season got busier, soap was one of the things that appealed to idle browsers the most, practically flying off the shelves.

  She only stopped when all her free moulds were filled, and by the time she’d cleared everything away, her arms ached, and her utility room – an add-on at the back of the building that Claudia had always been grateful for, needing the extra space as she did – felt like a prison cell.

  Throwing off her apron, she went upstairs to feed and pet Pudding. After explaining to him that she needed fresh air – which, by the look of the way he was curled up in his armchair, he was not interested in, thank you very much – she went back downstairs, car keys in hand.

  Half an hour and some narrow, winding roads later, she’d parked at Sennen Cove and was climbing up from the harbour area on the South West coastal path. The steep ascent had her huffing and puffing, and her leg muscles wanted to know why she was punishing them when she’d already done so much manual labour lately, but she told them the view would be worth it.

  She was tempted to take a load off her feet when she reached the old coastguard lookout at the top, but she knew that if she did that, her calf muscles might seize up, so she ploughed on. The path levelled and opened out, providing unrivalled views of turquoise sea and grey, jagged rocks. This section of the route, leading as it did to Land’s End, was always popular and already busy for late April, but it would only get busier as spring moved into summer. Now was a good time to enjoy it.

  Past the rusting shipwreck at the base of the cliffs – more recent than its state might suggest, and a sight that fascinated her every time – Claudia eventually chose a large rock off the path and sat to admire the view and just breathe. The breeze was gentle, the sea calm.

  ‘Why couldn’t you have stayed this way last week?’ Claudia said aloud. ‘Why was a spring storm such a good idea?’

  The only answer was the song of an unseen bird somewhere behind her. ‘Hmmph. Pretty song, but it’s a fat lot of use to me. I’m knackered.’

  Pulling her collar tighter to block out the breeze now that she was stationary, she watched gulls circling around the cliffs.

  This is why you’re here, Claudia. It’s all yours, whenever you find time for yourself.

  ‘The storm put paid to that lately.’

  Remember London.

  Oh, Claudia remembered it well enough. It bewildered her that she’d ever thought it was what she wanted. Perhaps it had served her well at the time, but it was hard to see that now. What it had done was earn her a good salary. Her half of the flat, her savings, had enabled her to make this move, own her own business, be answerable to nobody but herself. To bring pleasure to people with the goods she chose so carefully. To integrate into a small, friendly community where nobody knew the old Claudia and so many accepted and liked the now-Claudia. For that, she was grateful to London.

  The storm wasn’t the end of the world. She could have done without it, but it had brought Porthsteren together, helping each other, prioritising repairs, cleaning up the beach. Community at its best. Claudia’s community. The storm was only a blip. This was going to be a good season for her.

  What about Hester’s Cauldron?

  ‘Let’s cross that bridge on Saturday, shall we?’

  Chapter Nine

  ‘I need to stop at the General Store,’ Jason told Millie as they drove down the hill on the way to her crystal workshop and his work dinner. ‘I should take wine. Don’t know if Jeff likes red or white. Better take one of each.’

  ‘Are you nervous about dinner with your bosses?’ Millie asked him – over-perceptively, in his view.

  ‘A little,’ he admitted. ‘People act differently outside of work hours, let their guard down, but you need to be careful what you say when you don’t know people well enough yet.’ He glanced at his daughter. ‘Like you at school, I imagine. It’s different in class compared to social activities out-of-school.’

  ‘I guess. But I enjoyed drama yesterday. Phoebe wants me to go again next week.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  ‘Will everyone be couples at your dinner?’ Millie asked.

  ‘I assume so. Both the partners are married.’

  ‘Won’t that be awkward for you?’

  ‘I hope not.’ Pulling up outside the General Store, he winked at her. ‘I could’ve taken you as my plus one.’

  Millie made a scoffing noise and gestured at her deep purple tunic-thingy over black leggings. ‘I don’t think I look the part.’

  ‘And I don’t think middle-aged dinner parties are your thing.’ Not sure they’re mine, either. He took out his wallet. ‘How much is the workshop?’

  ‘A fiver.’

  He happily handed the note over. ‘Back in a mo.’

  ‘These are fancy,’ Libby commented as she put his bottles through the till. ‘Going anywhere nice?’

  ‘Just dinner with the bosses.’

  ‘Is Millie going with you?’

  ‘No. She’s got Claudia’s crystal thing.’

  ‘Me too! She’ll love it, I promise. Claudia knows so much, and she has a great way of explaining it all.’ When Jason made a non-committal noise, Libby lowered her voice and said, ‘Shall I let you into a little secret?’ Taking his lack of comment as acquiescence, she went on, ‘When Claudia first moved to Porthsteren, there were rumours.’

  At this, Jason paid attention. ‘What kind of rumours?’

  ‘Rumours she might be a witch.’

  Funny how Claudia didn’t mention that when she joked about being friends with a witch.

  ‘As in pointy hat, broomstick…?’

  ‘No, silly.’ Libby batted his arm. ‘Just a modern witch, you know.’

  Just a modern witch? No, Jason didn’t know.

  Sensing his distaste, Libby hurried on. ‘It was only a case of everyone being bored by the end of winter, if you ask me. Claudia arrived in the spring, and what with her shop having all that New Agey stuff and her dressing so bohemian-like and making her own concoctions, and that strange-looking cat of hers, people let their imaginations run away with them.’

  I should say they did. ‘But you all came to your senses?’

  ‘Oh, yes. Claudia knows things, like all about what she sells, and she’s
always ready to listen and help, but we soon found out she’s not an actual witch.’

  Jason had a mental picture of the villagers getting the old ducking stool out of storage. ‘How?’

  ‘She told us so.’

  ‘She knew about the rumours?

  ‘My ’ansum, of course she knew. You don’t live here without hearing rumours, do you?’ She winked. ‘You’ll find that out soon enough. Talking of witches, have you heard about the new shop opening around the corner? Hester’s Cauldron?’

  ‘No, I hadn’t.’ Jason needed to be on his way, not get embroiled in a new strand of speculation. ‘Well, I’d better go. Thanks.’ He lifted the bottles of wine to show he meant for the goods, not the free gossip that had come with them.

  Libby glanced at her watch. ‘Gosh, I ought to get a move on, too. Enjoy your dinner.’

  She might as well have said, ‘Enjoy your appointment with the firing squad’.

  ‘Need a hand?’

  Sarah came into the meeting space as Claudia placed folding chairs in a semi-circle. Crystals were laid out on small tables dotted in between, so people could easily access them.

  ‘No, thanks. I’m good. What are you still doing here?’

  ‘We were sorting out more book donations, but we’re heading home now. How many are coming tonight?’

  ‘Twelve. I’m happy with that. Any more would make it less personal.’

  ‘You look tired, Claudia. Is this my fault for saying we should do something positive business-wise?’

  ‘Not just you. Tanya suggested a workshop. I need to do it.’

  ‘Worried about Hester’s Cauldron opening on Saturday?’

  ‘I’m trying not to. Tanya said there’s no point in worrying until we know what it is, and she’s right. But they know how to whip up a marketing frenzy, I’ll give them that. They’re the talk of the town.’

  ‘I know. Everyone’s speculating.’ Sarah smiled. ‘Well, I’ll leave you to it. Evie’s planned a movie and popcorn evening. How about you? Any fun on the agenda?’

  ‘Tanya’s coming tomorrow evening.’

  ‘Good. Say hi from me.’

  When Sarah had gone, Claudia filled the kettle, then went downstairs and up to her own flat to fetch a tin of home-made oat and raisin cookies she’d baked the night before while practically dead on her feet. She couldn’t bring herself to buy them – she always served home-made cookies at her workshops.

  Pudding tried to sidle through the door with her, almost tripping her up in the process.

  Catching herself, she glared at him. ‘Do you have to do that? One of these days, I’ll break my neck, and then who’ll indulge your every whim?’

  The cat looked up at her with amber-green eyes, then rubbed against her legs.

  ‘If that’s your idea of an apology, it’s accepted. You can come if you behave and don’t spend the evening batting crystals around the floor.’

  As she reached the foot of the steps, cat in tow, Millie appeared.

  ‘Sorry I’m early,’ she said, nervously chewing her bottom lip. ‘Dad had to go to dinner with his bosses, so he dropped me off on the way.’

  ‘No problem,’ Claudia said brightly, anxious to put her at ease. Millie would be the youngest there this evening. ‘Come on up.’ When they were inside, she opened the tin. ‘Want a preview of the cookies?’

  Millie picked one and took a bite. ‘Mmm. They’re great!’

  ‘Thanks.’ Claudia put the lid back on. ‘They’ll have to stay in the tin for now, though, otherwise Pudding will have them.’

  Millie bent to stroke the cat. ‘He eats cookies?’

  ‘Ha! I once left a batch cooling while I went out for an hour. When I came back, they looked different. I couldn’t work it out for a minute, then I realised all the raisins were missing. The little so-and-so had nipped them all out with his teeth!’ She glared at the cat. ‘Yes, it’s you I’m talking about. And very lucky you were, too. Raisins aren’t good for you. Be thankful you’re not a dog.’

  ‘A dog?’

  ‘Dried fruit damages dogs’ kidneys, apparently. I looked it up when I realised what he’d done. It can affect cats, too, but he got away with it.’ She wagged a finger at Pudding. ‘That might have been one of your nine lives, mister, so watch it!’

  Pudding gave her such an indignant look that Millie burst out laughing – still an unusual event, Claudia suspected.

  Pudding, not remotely fazed by the chastisement, stalked across the room, jumped up on the front table, climbed into the box Claudia had used to bring her crystals up from Healing Waves, twirled three times and settled down for the evening.

  ‘Stress? Gosh, that’s a broad one.’

  The evening had gone well, and they were near the end – Claudia hoped – of her question-and-answer session. ‘There isn’t really just one crystal for that. It’s better to ask yourself why you’re stressed.’

  ‘Can you give us an example?’ Libby asked.

  ‘Okay. Do you need to feel more focused because stress has your mind all over the place?’ Claudia held up a yellow crystal. ‘Citrine. Would it help if you felt more organised? Do you need better sleep? Fluorite and howlite can help with aspects of stress. But when in doubt… Can anybody guess?’

  ‘Amethyst!’ The shout came back from several of the group.

  ‘How well you know me!’ Claudia noticed Millie touching her necklace. ‘Yes, if you’re not sure what you need, amethyst’s my go-to crystal.’ Claudia held a large, rough crystal up to the light. ‘Look at that purple! For me, it instantly brings peace and calm.’

  ‘Do we wear it?’ Alice asked, her usual expression of worry back now the evening was drawing to a close. For a short while, she’d looked almost like she’d forgotten whatever troubled her.

  ‘Yes, you can wear it, or carry one in your pocket to handle. If you meditate, try holding one in each hand. Don’t forget we have meditation here every Tuesday.’ Claudia smiled. ‘Well, that’s it. If anyone wants to come down to Healing Waves, the till’s open for the next twenty minutes.’

  Everyone followed Claudia downstairs and into her shop, making a beeline for the crystals, keen with their new knowledge. The group slowly trickled out, most with purchases – a bonus, not a given – until just two remained.

  ‘Millie, is everything okay?’ Claudia asked.

  ‘Yes, thanks,’ Millie said from her position near the door. ‘I texted Dad to say we’re finished. He’s on his way.’

  ‘Did you enjoy tonight?’

  ‘Yeah. It was interesting. Thanks.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ Claudia turned to her remaining customer. ‘Alice. Anything I can do for you?’

  Hovering at the counter, ostensibly to pet Pudding who had followed them down, Alice glanced nervously over at Millie. Her shoulders visibly dropped with relief as the teenager left with a wave when a car horn beeped.

  ‘I – er – couldn’t decide which would serve the right purpose.’

  Claudia drummed up an encouraging smile, even though all she could think about was her bed, and led Alice to the crystal shelves.

  ‘Are you stressed? What do you feel you need?

  ‘Well, I… Maybe courage?’

  Courage for what? ‘Hmm. Carnelian, perhaps?’ Claudia indicated tumblestones in varying shades of red.

  As Alice’s hand hovered over them, waiting for one to speak to her as Claudia had instructed in the workshop, Claudia noticed the woman’s hand was shaking – the tiniest tremor, but it was there.

  ‘It depends what kind of courage,’ Claudia added cautiously. ‘Some stones offer protection, for example.’

  Alice jolted. ‘Protection? Why would I need protection?’ She giggled nervously. ‘No, courage is okay. Anyone would need courage with my mother-in-law coming for the weekend!’ Her hand shot out and grabbed a stone near the top. ‘This is fine.’

  Claudia smiled, pretending to fall for the obvious cover-up. ‘Okay. But there are others, if that doesn’t do the trick.�
�� She took Alice’s money. ‘Anything else you need?’

  Alice shook her head, although Claudia got the impression there was. ‘No. Thanks.’

  Claudia walked her to the door. ‘Did you enjoy the workshop?’

  At that, Alice’s face lit up. ‘Oh, yes. I find it all so fascinating!’

  ‘Good to hear.’ Let’s fish a little. ‘It was all women again tonight. George didn’t fancy coming?’

  ‘Hardly! He thinks it’s all utter rubbish.’ Alice’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘No offence, Claudia.’

  ‘None taken. I know plenty who agree with him.’ Jason Craig, for one. Claudia let out her reel a little further. ‘Did George take the mickey about you coming tonight?’

  ‘No. I… I told him I was going for a drink with the girls from work. It’s easier that way.’

  ‘I understand.’ Claudia made a zipping motion across her lips. ‘Don’t worry, he won’t hear about your nefarious activities from me. Goodnight, Alice. Take care.’

  There was no need for Jason to call at Healing Waves on his way home on Friday. He’d had a long week.

  But Millie had phoned to ask if she could go to Phoebe’s after school, to which he’d given his blessing… although it occurred to him he ought to meet this Phoebe some time, in case Millie was getting in with the ‘wrong sort’, as his mother-in-law would put it. Jennifer had an obsession about her granddaughter getting in with the wrong sort. He sometimes wondered whether she’d considered him the wrong sort when he’d married Gemma.

  Anyway, he had a good reason to call in. Or was it an excuse? Well, it would only take two minutes.

  ‘Jason! This is becoming a habit,’ Claudia said as he entered.

  She came around the counter to greet him, wearing a knitted cotton sweater in varying shades of blue over navy linen trousers that showed off her figure, without showing off her figure.

  As if that makes sense.

  Pudding lifted a lazy head from his basket, saw it was nobody of interest, and went back to sleep.