Harrie, Audrey and Honor left the cosy cocoon of the living room and made their way towards the chapel. It was slow progress because they were ever mindful of the numerous little steps around the priory, but they finally made it to the great wooden door. Honor opened it and the large, cool space greeted them, swallowing up the light from their phones.
‘I think I’ve changed my mind,’ Audrey said.
‘Oh, silly!’ Harrie said, playfully slapping her. ‘Get in there.’
They crossed the space to where their yoga session with Lisa had taken place and started gathering up the candles, placing them in the basket Harrie had collected on their way through the kitchen.
‘What was that?’ Audrey asked a moment later.
‘Probably a bat,’ Harrie said.
‘I thought you were making it up about bats in here,’ Audrey said.
‘Well, it was either that or a very large moth.’
‘Good job Lisa stayed where she was,’ Honor said.
‘Let’s get out of here,’ Harrie said, and they walked cautiously out of the chapel.
Lisa was mightily relieved to see them and the four of them got to work lighting the candles and placing them around the kitchen and living room.
‘How long do you think the power will be out for?’ Honor asked.
‘I don’t mind now that we’ve got light,’ Lisa said.
‘Candles and cocoa – that’s a pretty good combo,’ Audrey said. ‘Let me go and get us some.’
Soon, the four women were curled up on the two great sofas, mugs of cocoa warming their hands. There was something deeply comforting about candlelight, Harrie thought. Perhaps it was that ancient connection to one’s ancestors who only ever knew candlelight. Whatever it was, she was grateful to the storm for giving her this golden moment with her daughter and friends.
‘I had a power cut in my flat last month,’ Lisa suddenly announced. ‘Just long enough to defrost my freezer and cause chaos, but not long enough to stop the band in the flat above from plugging in their instruments and keeping me awake half the night.’
‘Poor Lisa – you really should think about moving,’ Harrie told her.
‘Oh, I think about it all the time. Thinking is free after all.’
‘Remember that power cut at uni?’ Audrey said with a giggle. ‘You were seeing that guy from the maths department. What was his name?’
‘Anton,’ Lisa said, and groaned at the memory. ‘He was explaining algebra or something equally dull and I thought he might stop once the lights went out, but on he went, writing out this boring equation by torchlight. Honestly, I began to doubt my abilities as a young woman that night.’
‘English and maths should never mingle,’ Harrie said.
‘Mum!’
‘Unless it is to make a perfect daughter,’ Harrie quickly added.
‘It seems like such a long time ago, doesn’t it?’ Audrey said.
‘University?’ Lisa said. ‘Yes, thank goodness. I wouldn’t want to go back to it all.’
‘Really? Why not?’ Harrie asked.
‘I just remember being so full of insecurity back then.’
‘And you aren’t now?’ Audrey said with a cheeky grin.
‘Well, I am,’ Lisa agreed, ‘but it’s a different kind of insecurity and it’s one that comes with a pay packet at least.’
‘Would you want to go back, Harrie?’ Audrey asked.
‘No, I wouldn’t,’ she said honestly.
‘Really?’
‘I’ve never wanted to go back. Even now – you know – with what lies ahead.’
Everybody was silent for a moment as if absorbing this information.
‘And I don’t mean to get maudlin or anything,’ Harrie continued. ‘I’ve just never seen the point in going back. I mean, if you could. It’s the same with regrets. I think it’s sad that people have them because everything we experience, everything we feel, makes us who we are and that’s a truly unique person. I wouldn’t want to be any different than I am. Sure, I could probably use little bit more money and might have enjoyed a bit more time off work, but I really don’t think I can complain.’ She smiled, but she saw that both Audrey and Lisa were staring at her with tears in their eyes. ‘Don’t you dare cry!’ she warned them. ‘I wasn’t turning this into a discussion about me.’
Lisa sniffed loudly and grabbed a tissue from somewhere up her sleeve.
‘You’re amazing, Harrie,’ Audrey said.
‘No, I’m not. I just know how to be grateful. I have cultivated an attitude of gratitude!’
Honor tutted. ‘Oh, Mum – that sounds so corny!’
‘There’s nothing corny about it. Everyone knows that they should count their blessings yet how many people actually do?’
‘What do you mean?’ Lisa asked.
‘I mean, how many people sit down and examine the things they’re grateful for?’ Harrie asked, and was greeted by silence. ‘Okay, we’ll do it now. It’s really best to write a list, but that’s not going to be very practical in a power cut, so we’ll just go around the room and see what we’re grateful for today, okay?’
‘She’s slipped into teaching mode,’ Honor said.
‘I’ll start,’ Harrie said, laughing at her daughter’s summation, but not letting it put her off. ‘One of the things I’m grateful for today is seeing misericords for the first time with Samson.’ She paused. ‘Honor? Come on – you’ve done this with me before.’
‘All right. Let me think.’ Honor paused. ‘Okay – I’m grateful for swimming in the pool and gazing up into the sky to see a pair of white doves flying overhead. Lisa?’
‘What?’
‘Your turn.’
‘Oh, I’m not ready. I’m still thinking this whole thing through.’
‘It doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering like winning the lottery or seeing your favourite movie star in the local post office,’ Harrie told her. ‘It can be really simple things like making a nice meal for lunch or watching the butterflies in the lavender.’
‘Okay, then,’ Lisa said. ‘I’m grateful for my session of yoga this morning with Alfie.’
‘Oh, yes?’ Audrey said and, even though the light was soft, Harrie could see she’d raised a suggestive eyebrow.
‘We made very good progress,’ Lisa added.
Audrey grinned.
‘Your turn, Aud,’ Harrie said.
Audrey tossed her head back and looked up at the shadowy space above them. ‘I’m grateful for being here with you all.’
‘Oh, that’s a cop-out!’ Lisa said. ‘We’re all grateful for that!’
‘Can you be more specific?’ Harrie asked her, taking a sip of her cocoa.
Audrey pursed her lips. ‘I read a very good chapter of my book just before the lights went out.’
Harrie laughed as a flash of lightning lit up the room and thunder rolled across the sky above the priory.
‘Blimey, that’s close!’ Lisa said. ‘Are we safe here? I mean with the tower and everything?’
‘Well, it’s stood for the last few hundred years. I don’t think it’s going to fall tonight,’ Harrie said. ‘At least, I hope not. I’ll ask for a refund if it does.’
They all laughed, the candlelight soft on their faces.
‘I’m grateful for this cocoa,’ Lisa said, ‘and even more grateful that there’s a gas stove so we can heat up some more.’
‘Yes, time for a top-up,’ Audrey said.
‘I’ll do the honours.’ Honor got up and took everyone’s mug.
‘Ha ha! Honor is doing the honours!’ Lisa laughed.
Honor turned to look at her. ‘I am so grateful for your sense of humour!’ She shook her head as she left the room.
Harrie got up. ‘You know what? I’m suddenly starving. Anyone else?’
A moment later, they were all in the kitchen and Audrey made her way to the fridge, shining a candle inside it.
‘What do you fancy, Harrie?’ Audrey asked. ‘There’s only a
bit of worn-looking salad.’
‘Let me have a look.’ Harrie pushed Audrey gently aside. ‘What’s this pie?’
‘Mrs Ryder left it, but it’s meat,’ Audrey said.
‘Give me a slice.’ Lisa turned round from the cooker. ‘I had a piece before and it was delicious. It’ll be just as good cold too.’
‘Anyone else?’ Harrie asked. Audrey and Honor said they’d have some and Harrie placed the pie on the table and got four plates out with forks and a large serving knife.
Once the cocoa was piping hot and had been poured into mugs, the women sat at the table. Harrie served up the pie and nobody seemed to notice at first. Perhaps it was because she was half hidden by the flickering candlelight. Honor was the one to raise the alarm.
‘Mum!’ she screamed.
Harrie’s eyes widened. ‘What?’
‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m having a bit of supper.’
‘But that’s meat!’
‘I know,’ Harrie said, taking another forkful. ‘Oh, wow! That is so good!’ She closed her eyes to relish the taste.
‘Wait a minute – did you just eat meat?’ Lisa said from across the table.
‘What kind is it?’ Harrie asked. ‘No – don’t tell me. I probably don’t want to know.’
‘Oh, my god!’ Audrey laughed. ‘It must be the power cut and the fact that she thinks we can’t see her.’
‘I’m not hiding anything. I’m simply having some pie.’
‘You’re not vegan anymore?’ Honor asked.
Harrie shrugged. ‘I think Mrs Ryder actually made this pie for me. It would be rude not to at least try it.’
Honor was still looking shocked, but Audrey was just laughing.
‘Good for you, Harrie!’
‘What does it taste like?’ Lisa asked.
‘Pretty similar to yours, I imagine,’ Harrie said.
‘I bet it doesn’t,’ Lisa said. ‘How long is it since you’ve eaten meat?’
Harrie shrugged. ‘I think I was about fifteen when I gave it up.’
‘And you’re eating it from now on?’ Lisa pressed.
‘Don’t get excited,’ Harrie warned. ‘I’m not about to order a rare steak or anything.’
‘I can’t believe it, Mum.’
‘What’s the big surprise? I’ve tried this vegetarian/vegan thing for years now. I just fancied something different. After all, look where so-called healthy eating got me. And I tell you what – I’m going to buy some cookies tomorrow and more cake too. Maybe even a bag of jelly babies. God, I miss those!’
Everyone was silent for a moment.
‘Here, Harrie – have another slice of pie,’ Audrey said at last, and they all laughed, breaking the tension.
‘And let me buy you the cake at least. I do believe I owe you,’ Lisa told her, making Harrie smile.
The rain was getting heavier now, battering against the mullioned windows. Harrie got up from the table and walked across the room to look out into the garden, but nothing much was visible.
‘Where are you going?’ Audrey asked a moment later as Harrie picked up a candle. Audrey did the same.
‘Don’t you lot go leaving me again!’ Lisa said, grabbing a candle herself and following them both.
‘What on earth are you doing, Mum?’ Honor asked as Harrie moved to the front door and opened it.
‘I want to listen to the rain,’ she said.
‘You can listen to it with the door closed – it’s deafening.’
‘Yes, but I can feel its mist here on my skin. It’s so refreshing!’
Audrey joined her. ‘I’ve never liked storms,’ she said. ‘They always make me headachy.’
‘I love them,’ Harrie told her. ‘All that passion and emotion. It’s like living in a chapter of Wuthering Heights.’
‘I think it’s beginning to ease off now,’ Audrey said.
Harrie turned towards her. ‘Listen!’
‘To what?’
‘That soft patter of the rain on the leaves of that tree.’
Audrey cocked her head to one side, listening intently. ‘I’ve never heard that before. It’s lovely. We don’t have many trees where we live and, if we did, I never have the time to just stand and listen to them.’
‘Let’s get closer,’ Harrie said, suddenly grabbing Audrey’s hand.
‘What? Oh, no – Harrie!’
Before she could protest further, Harrie had dragged Audrey outside into the rain.
‘Harrie!’ Audrey yelled.
‘Isn’t it wonderful?’ Harrie cried. ‘So refreshing!’ She threw her head back, closing her eyes and feeling the rain on her face. It was lighter now and the thunder had rumbled right across the sky to frighten a different county, leaving behind a gentler heaven.
‘What on earth are you two doing?’ Lisa’s voice shrieked from the front door. ‘You’ll get soaked!’
‘Come on out!’ Harrie called.
‘No way! You’re crazy.’
‘Come on!’
‘I’m wearing my favourite blouse!’
Just then, the lights in the priory came back on, flooding the garden. Everybody cheered.
‘Come on, Lisa!’ Honor shouted as she herself ran outside.
‘Oh, no! Please don’t make me do this!’ Lisa yelled back before shaking her head and running across the lawn to join them, squealing as she went. ‘You lot are crazy!’ she said, but she was smiling now.
They all laughed and then did a sort of silly, funny dance and, all the time, the rain kept falling, soaking into their clothes and plastering their hair to their faces.
‘I’m calling time!’ Lisa said at last.
‘Me too,’ Honor agreed.
‘Oh, don’t go!’ Harrie said. ‘I thought we could walk around the garden.’
Lisa laughed. ‘In the dark and rain?’
‘There won’t be any moths in the rain,’ Audrey pointed out.
‘Don’t be long!’ Lisa added, leaving with Honor.
‘They’re not much fun, are they?’ Harrie said.
‘You really want to walk in the rain?’
‘You know what? I think I just want to sit.’
‘In the rain?’
‘Sure. Why not? Have you ever just sat in the rain before? Without an umbrella, I mean?’
‘No, of course not!’
‘Neither have I,’ Harrie said. ‘Come on.’ She took Audrey’s hand and they sat on a bench dimly lit from the light now spilling from the priory windows. Audrey let out a laugh. ‘See? Isn’t it amazing?’
Audrey linked her arm through Harrie’s and the two of them sat in happy silence together as the gentle rain fell upon them.
Chapter 18
Audrey thought it was probably best that she didn’t tell Mike about spending half the night sitting in the rain because he’d only worry about her. So she kept it as a wonderful secret and talked to him about other things instead.
‘Jack sends his love,’ Mike told her.
‘How is he?’ Audrey asked.
‘He’s got a new girlfriend.’
‘Really? Do we know her? What’s her name?’
‘Erm, Pippa,’ Mike said. ‘Or Poppy.’
‘Oh, Mike! Can’t you remember?’
‘It’s Pippa. I’m pretty sure it’s Pippa.’
‘Well, find out and let’s invite them both over for dinner as soon as I’m back home.’
There was a pause and then Mike said, ‘There’s something I want to tell you and I don’t want you to get angry or worried or upset, okay?’
‘What is it?’
She heard Mike take a deep breath and there was another pause before he told her what he’d done.
Harrie was in the kitchen when Audrey came downstairs.
‘There you are! Did you sleep okay?’
Audrey nodded.
‘I’m so glad we had that storm last night,’ Harrie went on. ‘I’ve been worrying about things I won’t see again.’ She looked out o
f the window. ‘I probably won’t ever see snow again.’
‘Don’t say that,’ Audrey said. ‘We might get some next month, what with global warming and everything!’
Harrie laughed as she turned from the window and then she frowned. ‘Hey – are you okay?’
‘Not really.’ Audrey walked towards the kettle to put it on. ‘I’ve just spoken to Mike.’
‘He’s not threatening to take you home again, is he?’
‘No,’ Audrey said. ‘Mind you, there might not be a home for me to go home to.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Mike’s had an estate agent round to value our home. Can you believe it? The minute I’m gone, he pulls a stunt like that. And he expects me to relax!’
‘Why did he do that?’ Harrie asked.
‘He wanted to see how much the place is worth and, well, it’s worth so much more than we thought. It’s in between three different tube stations, you see, and the price is ridiculous even though it’s the tiniest two-bedroomed terrace.’
‘And he wants to sell it?’
‘He wants to move right out of London. He keeps talking about Norfolk.’
‘Wow! That’s – erm – rural.’
‘You’re telling me! What the hell would I do in Norfolk?’
Audrey grabbed a mug from the cupboard, dumped a teabag into it and then poured the freshly boiled water into it.
‘It’s where Mike grew up and he’s got this crazy idea that we should set up a little bed and breakfast by the coast.’
‘And I take it you’re not as keen as he is.’
‘How did you guess?’
Harrie smiled then gestured to the table and they sat down facing one another.
‘Have you thought about it?’
‘Yes, and it’s not going to happen.’
‘Why not?’
Audrey almost spluttered on her tea. ‘Why not? You know why not! I love London and I’ve just set up my own school.’
‘I know,’ Harrie said, ‘but don’t you think it might be fun to try something different?’
‘That’s what I’m doing with my school.’
‘Yes, but that’s been so stressful, hasn’t it? I don’t think it’s making you happy.’
‘Has Mike been talking to you again?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘I wouldn’t put it past him to put you on his payroll.’
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