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

by Helen Pollard

  Well, that’s straight to the point.

  ‘I was hoping to speak to you about Millie – not quite the same thing. She told me about your offer last night.’

  ‘I’m guessing you’re not keen. And no, I don’t need my crystal ball for that.’

  Jason sighed. She wasn’t giving him much leeway here.

  ‘The truth? No, I’m not. I was mad. I spoke to Claudia…’

  ‘Oh? What did she say?’

  Claudia hasn’t spoken to Tanya about my outburst yet? Is that good or bad?

  ‘That I was blinkered. That my stubbornness would only drive Millie in the wrong direction. That Millie has a right to explore new things. That you’re only trying to guide her while she does.’ And a few more things besides, none of them complimentary.

  ‘That’s quite a nutshell you summed it up in.’ Tanya waited, then prompted him with, ‘And?’

  Jason blew out a long breath. ‘Give me some good reasons to agree to this, Tanya, beyond the ones that Claudia already rammed down my throat.’

  Tanya raised an eyebrow. ‘Okay. Well, like I told you before, Wicca respects nature and the planet – values I assume you’ve instilled in your daughter. It’s also to do with harming none. I can’t imagine you have a problem with that, either.’

  ‘No, but… You said something about believing in gods and goddesses?’

  ‘Some do, some don’t. Millie can choose. All she needs is an open mind.’

  ‘As opposed to a closed one like mine?’

  Tanya sighed. ‘Alright, let’s try this: Wicca is a very individual path – of learning, of self-development, of self-empowerment. It honours women all over the world; recognises past sacrifices. Surely that’s as good a path as any for your daughter to follow, isn’t it?’

  The woman was so damned reasonable. And as Claudia had pointed out, she had nothing to gain by doing this.

  ‘What about crystal balls? Spells?’

  Tanya hesitated, as though knowing this was where she could lose him. ‘Scrying is a way of going into a relaxed state that allows us to “see” more than when we’re hyper-alert and too aware of everything around us. You let Millie do meditation, don’t you?’

  ‘I… Yes.’

  ‘As for spell-weaving? That’s about intent, partly – choosing a spell would help Millie think about what she wants or needs to manifest, which is a good thing.’ She smiled reassurance. ‘I promise you I’d lead her in gently; make sure she understands every stage. Not push her if she loses interest.’

  Jason studied Tanya’s earnest, elfin face. He might not share her beliefs, but he believed in her sincerity.

  He broke the silence. ‘Okay. I’ll speak to Millie.’

  The look of surprise on Tanya’s face was blatant. ‘You’re doing the right thing, Jason. I’ll be careful with her, I promise. Get her to call me.’

  ‘Will do. Thanks, Tanya.’

  Closing the connection, Jason sighed. He still had the problem of Claudia to deal with. Yes, he’d behaved badly, but he was tired of apologising. He’d already given in to Tanya. He couldn’t face another major headache tonight.

  Is that how you think of Claudia, Jason? As a problem? A headache? If you do, then perhaps a cooling-off period wouldn’t go amiss.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Since she had to drive to Falmouth for an evening at Tanya’s, Claudia had an excuse to spend her Wednesday off at one of her favourite places on the way there – Glendurgan Garden. Three valleys of exotic plants and trees leading down to the beach… The perfect place to lose herself, exploring, deliberately pushing all thoughts and worries from her mind and concentrating on her surroundings.

  By the time she arrived at Tanya’s, she’d found an equilibrium of sorts.

  ‘Go out or stay in?’ Tanya asked her.

  After her day outdoors, Claudia found the idea of hunkering down in Tanya’s tiny cottage claustrophobic. Besides, if they stayed in, Claudia would probably spend the evening crying. In public, she’d have to restrain herself.

  ‘Can we go out?’

  ‘There’s a new place opened that does a few veggie dishes. Let’s give it a try, shall we? After a glass of wine at the pub.’

  Once they were seated in Tanya’s local, busy for midweek, Tanya asked, ‘Any news from the police?’

  ‘No. I doubt there will be. If anyone had seen anything, they’d have come forward by now.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Claudia. Now, about Jason…’

  Assuming she was after the latest rundown, Claudia told her about their row over Millie, ending with his accusation that she was trying to be the girl’s mother.

  ‘I can’t believe he said that!’ Tanya was livid. ‘He’s an arse. Just wait till I speak to him again!’

  ‘Don’t you dare. He’ll think I’ve asked you to turn him into a toad or something.’

  ‘No need. He already is a toad.’

  ‘That’s unkind to amphibians.’ Claudia frowned. ‘Wait. What do you mean, “speak to him again”?’

  Tanya sighed. ‘It’s a long story. Let’s get to the restaurant, shall we? Or we won’t get a table.’

  Claudia followed Tanya through the streets of Falmouth, admired the Moroccan-influenced décor of the restaurant and ordered a lentil burger.

  ‘What do you mean by “again”?’ she repeated. The suspense was killing her.

  ‘Jason called me last night,’ Tanya admitted. ‘He got my number from my website.’

  ‘What? Why?’

  ‘He agreed to me meeting up with Millie.’

  ‘What?’ Knocking her water glass, Claudia carefully mopped up the spill.

  ‘Could you find a different response, Claudia? I’m going to get bored with that one soon.’

  ‘But I don’t understand!’

  Over the meal, which Claudia barely tasted, Tanya filled her in. While they talked, Claudia realised that Tanya looked a little stunned at the turn of events herself.

  ‘Well, that’s good, I suppose,’ Claudia finally said, pushing her plate away.

  Tanya frowned at her lack of enthusiasm. ‘I’d’ve said it was quite a result. Millie phoned me earlier, and we agreed a date.’

  ‘So why hasn’t Jason let me know?’ Claudia asked.

  ‘Maybe he hasn’t got round to it yet.’ But Tanya didn’t seem convinced.

  Claudia thanked the waiter for her mint tea and sipped. ‘Or maybe, even if he’s done a U-turn on Millie seeing you, it doesn’t mean a U-turn over what he said to me.’

  Thin-lipped, Tanya said, ‘I would’ve challenged him about that, if I’d known. He only told me he’d spoken to you and that you’d been rather… strident.’

  Claudia sipped her tea again, hoping it would settle her stomach, but it made no difference. ‘Could we go? I need fresh air.’

  Slipping off their shoes, they walked back to Tanya’s along Gyllyngvase beach. The fresh air was downright chilly now, but Claudia didn’t care.

  ‘What will you do about Millie?’ Tanya asked.

  ‘Jason made it clear he doesn’t want me so involved with her. The fact that he agreed to her seeing you doesn’t alter that.’

  ‘You can’t drop Millie like that.’

  ‘No, but I can back off. I’ll have to work with her on Saturdays as usual, but there’ll be no more giving advice, no heart-to-hearts, nothing beyond chatty conversation.’

  ‘Do you think you can do that at this stage?’

  Claudia’s lips set in a hard line. ‘I can try.’

  ‘What about Jason?’

  ‘What about him?’

  When Claudia swiped at a tear, Tanya tutted. ‘You’re in a relationship with him, Claudia. You slept together. More than once.’

  ‘I don’t think he sees it as a relationship. Just because he gave in to the attraction between us doesn’t mean he wants to deal with the consequences.’

  ‘You think he regrets getting involved?’

  ‘Honestly? Yes. Involvement with any woman would affect Mi
llie, but he’s ended up with one who has wacky ideas he can’t cope with and doesn’t want his daughter exposed to.’

  ‘That’s bollocks!’ Tanya snapped. ‘He might have thought of you that way at first, but not now. I know it’s been like pulling teeth with him every step of the way, and he doesn’t always agree with you, but he does respect you.’

  ‘I’m not sure that matters.’ Claudia sighed. ‘The fact is, he’s happy to have sex with me, but he doesn’t want me to get ideas above my station when it comes to his daughter.’

  ‘I’m not sure that’s quite fair…’ Tanya began.

  ‘You’re defending him?’

  ‘No. I’m trying to understand him.’

  ‘Well, good luck with that.’

  Waking way too early and unable to get back to sleep, Claudia left a note for Tanya and set off home. If she was back at Healing Waves by seven, she might even have time to make a batch of soap – although she’d have to bring Pudding down to sit and watch. He never liked her overnighting at Tanya’s. Too little attention. Too little food.

  As she drove, she thought about Jason. He’d spoken to Tanya but not had the grace to tell her? To explain himself or apologise?

  That was disappointing. And it hurt. She’d shared so much of herself with him. Her past, her body, her hopes and fears – all given freely. And all, as far as she could see, thrown back in her face.

  The sight of the police car outside her building made her heart stop. The Porthsteren Page Turner or Healing Waves? Her gut told her the latter. Parking crookedly next to the patrol car, she rushed to the front of the building.

  Her shop window was shattered, glass spread across the terrace in front and sprinkled copiously within – over her window display, in and among her goods.

  ‘Ms Bennett?’ It was the same young police officer who’d attended the previous week. His familiar face was small consolation to Claudia. ‘We’ve been trying to reach you for the past hour.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I was staying with a friend. I think my mobile’s on silent.’ Stop babbling, Claudia. ‘When did this happen?’

  ‘Someone over the road heard the noise and came to investigate about…’ The officer glanced at his watch. ‘An hour and a half ago.’

  ‘Five thirty in the morning?’

  ‘The perpetrator obviously didn’t want to be seen. Not long after that, you’d get dog walkers, joggers.’

  ‘Perpetrator?’

  He pointed into the ruined display. Three large rocks from the beach, perhaps picked up just yards away, lay among the rubble.

  Claudia sank to the ground, her head in her hands. ‘Oh no.’

  The policeman kindly crouched so that he was at her level. ‘Ms Bennett, do you have any idea why you’re being targeted like this?’

  ‘Targeted?’

  If her parroting his every word annoyed him, he didn’t show it. ‘The graffiti could just have been wanton vandalism – although the symbols suggest otherwise. But now this? I’ll ask you again. Do you know who could be targeting you?’

  ‘I can tell you who.’

  Jason had rounded the corner like a hurricane… and he was the last person Claudia felt able to cope with right now.

  ‘Jason, what…?’

  ‘I was on my way to an early site meeting. Saw the police car.’ He looked over at the damage, then back at her. ‘Are you alright?’ He stopped short of wrapping his arms around her, although she sensed he wanted to.

  Well, he can keep his arms to himself.

  ‘Yes. I was at Tanya’s.’

  ‘We met last time,’ the officer said. ‘Mr Craig, isn’t it? You were saying?’

  Recognising what he was about to do, Claudia murmured a warning. ‘Jason…’

  But he gave her that stubborn look she knew meant he wouldn’t be shifted. ‘I have my suspicions.’

  Claudia glared at him. ‘Suspicions aren’t proof, Jason. That’s how poor Hester was hounded out of here, remember?’

  ‘We’re not talking about an old healing woman.’ Both of them ignored the poor police officer, lost at the reference to the Moon legend. ‘We’re talking about two melodramatic and vindictive young women.’

  Claudia shook her head. ‘Bad-mouthing me is one thing. Damaging my reputation to improve theirs? Maybe. But serious vandalism… I can’t believe they’d go this far.’

  ‘I can.’

  ‘So you’re going to chase them up into the hills with a pitchfork?’

  At this, the young officer looked alarmed. ‘Er. Ms Bennett, Mr Craig…?’

  Jason turned back to him. ‘There’s been acrimony between Hester’s Cauldron and Healing Waves.’

  At this, the officer gave him an enquiring look. ‘Would you care to explain, sir?’

  Jason did. Claudia wasn’t at all keen on his commandeering attitude or his strategy with the police, but she was impressed by the swift yet careful way he summed up the series of problems with Amber and Raven. To her surprise, he ended by reiterating that although it had been very unpleasant, he had no proof that they would go this far – he merely felt it might be a lead worth following.

  Claudia only hoped the police officer assumed that Jason doing all the talking despite her being the owner was down to her being upset rather than incapable of speaking for herself.

  When he’d left, she turned to Jason, saying in a clipped voice, ‘You need to get to work.’

  ‘Looks like I’m taking the day off.’

  ‘You said you had an early site meeting.’

  ‘Too late now. Another colleague’s there. He can handle it.’ He took out his phone and walked towards the beach as he spoke.

  When he came back, she said, ‘Let me guess. Millie has flu? You sprained your ankle? The car’s got a flat tyre?’

  ‘I told them a friend has an emergency.’

  Oh. That made it so much harder to tell him what a pig he’d been this week.

  He gave her a knowing look. ‘I assume you’re mad at me on two counts. Firstly, for overriding you with the police. That had to be done, and you know it.’

  Claudia gave a small nod. She accepted that. The damage was more serious this time. For the sake of her business, she couldn’t allow the situation to escalate.

  Jason placed a hand on his chest. ‘Secondly, what I said on Monday? I apologise wholeheartedly. It was uncalled for.’

  Claudia opened her mouth to respond, but as she glanced around, she saw that they were beginning to get an audience of walkers and joggers. It was like being in a goldfish bowl. And when Sarah and Evelyn came around the corner…

  ‘We can discuss it later,’ he said quietly. ‘Let’s just deal with this for now.’

  ‘You can’t—’

  ‘I’m a grown man. I can do what I like. And you can’t do this on your own.’

  And so followed another day where Healing Waves was closed and business was lost. More phone calls – to the insurance company, to the emergency glaziers, and to Tanya, who offered to come over but changed her mind when she heard Jason was already there.

  Meddling matchmaker.

  Jason was invaluable with the clearing up, taking on the bulk of the glass removal, sweeping and vacuuming, while Claudia judged what stock might be safe to keep. As Sarah and Evelyn had found after the storm, anything nearest the front of the shop had to go – it was unsafe to sell. What if someone used her soap and cut themselves on a slither of glass? Or rummaged in a cloth bag they’d bought and sliced a finger? All the while, she pushed to the back of her mind what this would do to her insurance premiums.

  Sarah or Evelyn appeared at regular intervals with hot drinks and snacks to keep them going, and when, by five-ish, they had done the best they could and the window was boarded up, Jason called things to a halt.

  He’d been right – she couldn’t have done all this alone, or certainly not as quickly. The fact that he’d risked disapproval at work and let others down in order to help her, with no hesitation whatsoever, went a long way to make up for
his recent misdemeanours.

  ‘Smugglers’ Inn to eat?’ he asked.

  Claudia hesitated. This morning, she’d still been so disappointed in him, and now they might be going to the pub together? ‘What about Millie?’

  ‘She’s at Jessica’s. I’m picking her up at nine thirty.’

  Exhausted, Claudia went up to her flat to feed Pudding, then allowed him to drive her to the pub and buy her a glass of wine. But it soon became apparent that they wouldn’t get any peace, what with locals coming over to commiserate and gossip about who might have done such a thing. Claudia wondered how much they were gossiping about her and Jason sitting together, too. Word must have got around that he’d spent the entire day helping her. With Millie to think of, that wasn’t good.

  After twenty minutes, she whispered, ‘Beans on toast at my place instead?’

  Jason smiled in relief. ‘Perfect.’

  After they’d eaten their simple supper, Jason made decaff tea. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.

  Claudia sighed as she stroked her much-neglected cat, his expression making it clear that he didn’t appreciate not having her full attention more often.

  ‘It’s yet another setback, isn’t it? It costs me time and money while I’m closed, then while I restock. Tourists don’t come to Healing Waves because they need something – they come because they like the look of the place. It won’t attract them over the next few days.’

  ‘I know. Look, about telling the police, if it wasn’t the Hester’s gang, then nothing’s lost – the police having a word with them might make them think twice about disrespecting you in future. And if it was them, even if it can’t be proved, they’ll stop there.’

  ‘You’re right.’

  Jason cupped his ear with a hand. ‘I’m sorry?’

  Claudia gave him a look. ‘I said, you’re right.’

  ‘Okay. I won’t gloat.’ When she slapped his arm, his expression became serious again. ‘Claudia, I am sorry about the other night. You’ve done a lot for Millie. What I said about trying to be her mother… It wasn’t fair.’

  Claudia merely nodded. It was good that Jason wanted to apologise, but what he’d said still smarted, so she turned to the main reason they’d argued – Millie’s burgeoning interest in Wicca. ‘Tanya told me you’d agreed to her helping Millie.’