Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay

by Katie Ginger

  ‘Shhhh!’ Daisy said, sounding exactly like Hetty.

  John smirked. ‘Is that where you get it from?’ Hetty frowned as her father spoke again.

  ‘I haven’t had an affair you know. I haven’t even looked at another woman since the day I met you. I can’t believe that after all we’ve been through over the years, you’re going to divorce me because I like golfing and gardening?’

  ‘Ha! You mentioned golfing. You broke Hetty’s rules first.’ The teasing died and Daisy heaved a great sigh. ‘Oh, Jeff, it’s not that simple and you know it.’

  ‘What is it then? Don’t you love me anymore?’

  Hetty batted a bee away and in the silence, John’s own heart sounded a heavy rhythm in his chest. He could only imagine what Hetty’s was doing. She looked desolate that her idea hadn’t worked and went to push the gate open. John took her hand and held it firmly in his. ‘Give them time,’ he whispered again.

  Daisy’s clear decisive voice replied to her husband’s question. ‘Have you really not had an affair?’

  ‘Of course I haven’t. Who on earth do you think I’ve had an affair with?’

  ‘I don’t know. Mrs Hobbs? I know she’s been bringing you food since I left.’

  ‘Mrs Hobbs? You’ve gone mad, Daisy. She’s a very kind neighbour but—’

  ‘Do you know for the last six months all you’ve done is moan at me? When I used to get dressed for work every day, you used to tell me how nice I looked. Since I stopped working you haven’t paid me a single compliment.’

  ‘Haven’t I?’ Daisy must have shaken her head. ‘I’m sorry,’ Jeff replied meaningfully.

  ‘And,’ she continued, ‘for the first six months we were retired we used to have lovely days out together and go here and there. Then all of a sudden you decided you didn’t want to spend a single minute with me without any explanation whatsoever. You could hardly even swing a golf club when you were working and used to moan whenever golf was on the telly interfering with Countdown. Now you practise like you’re the next Tiger Woods. Well, I hate to tell you, dear, but I think your chances of a golfing career are slim to none at your age.’

  John studied Hetty’s worried gaze. Was this all going to descend into a row?

  ‘Daisy, I’m sorry. It’s about time I told you the truth, isn’t it?’

  ‘I think you’d better, and if any other woman is involved after all you’ve just said, I’ll cut off your dangly bits with this dessert fork. And I can assure you it will really, really hurt.’

  ‘It’s not that,’ Jeff said. ‘How could I ever want anyone but you, my Daisy?’ He sighed and Hetty leaned in closer to the gate, her face so close to John’s he could see every single eyelash circling her beautiful eyes. ‘I’ve just been so afraid of getting old—’

  ‘You are old!’

  ‘But not just getting old, feeling old. I suppose I became obsessed with my golf swing to try and stay young.’

  Daisy spluttered. ‘What?’

  ‘You know Karl who retired at the same time as me? He was so happy and then he just got afraid to go anywhere or do anything. He stopped coming golfing, then he stopped going out, and now he won’t drive anywhere, not even into town. He’s so afraid of the world now. He’s become a shell of the man he used to be.’

  ‘Really?’ Daisy asked. ‘Why?’

  ‘I think his world just shrank and he forgot who he was. I just got scared that that’d be me if I was at home all the time. So I made sure I was always busy.’

  ‘And then you got tired and ratty and took it out on me?’

  John watched as Hetty rolled her eyes at her mum’s directness, and smiled that mother and daughter were so similar. He was still holding her hand and the feeling of her soft skin under his made every nerve come to life.

  Daisy spoke again. ‘Why didn’t you tell me, Jeff?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’m sorry, Daisy. I still love you very, very much.’

  ‘Oh, Jeff, you great idiot. I love you too.’

  Hetty pulled her hand away and punched the air before running on the spot, silently screaming. John marvelled at the woman before him, and in the silence she looked at him in a piercing gaze that spoke directly to his heart. Retaking her hand, he led her back through the roses. Once they were far enough from the secret garden that Daisy and Jeff wouldn’t hear them, John loosened his grip so Hetty could let her hand fall if she wanted to. She didn’t.

  ‘You know’, Hetty began, crinkling her brow as she thought. ‘The secret garden would be a great pre-bookable spot for boutique picnics, maybe romantic evening meals. I can see it now – secret garden dining.’

  ‘That’s a great idea.’ How was she thinking about saving his family at a time like this? She should be so caught up in her own achievements and relief that she didn’t have time. Could he hope she cared about him as much as he cared about her?

  ‘We could even team up and rent it as an outdoor event space for small, intimate gatherings.’

  ‘Could it make enough money to save us?’ He wasn’t sure if he was asking the question of himself or Hetty. ‘Could it—’ John stopped, overcome by her concern, her empathy, her intelligence and her beauty. ‘Do you know you’re absolutely incredible?’

  ‘Am I?’ Hetty adjusted her glasses and her eyes darted downwards.

  John took a small tentative step towards her, but with a giant leap of faith, he dipped his head and kissed her.

  ***

  Hetty felt the power of the kiss in every cell of her body, right down to her feet. An intense wave of emotion tingled each limb and set her head and heart on fire. She squeezed her eyes shut and kissed John back, feeling completely that this was the right thing to do.

  ‘Wow,’ he said when they pulled away from each other.

  Hetty’s chest rose and fell with a big, magnificent breath. ‘Yeah. Wow.’

  The delicate smell of the roses filled the sweet summer air as John moved his hands from Hetty’s waist and cupped her face to kiss her again. Then he rested his forehead against hers. ‘When this is all over, can I take you out to dinner sometime?’

  ‘Hmm?’ Hetty mumbled as his hands dropped to her waist again. They were warm and strong and wonderful. She’d had good kisses before, but these had been incredible. Her body trembled under the weight of her feelings as she finally admitted to herself that her heart belonged to him. Ever since she’d started to get to know him, she’d been falling in love. There’d been an immediate attraction, but she’d felt such a loyalty to Ben and all they’d had together, it had taken her a while to realise just how strong it was. Her feelings for John had melted into every fibre of her being until they were a part of her. She loved his steadfastness, his kind, caring nature, everything about him.

  ‘So, what were you saying?’

  ‘About what?’ Her voice was faint and sounded far away.

  John laughed but held on tight. ‘We were talking about business.’

  She suddenly became animated again as her heart raced for a different reason. ‘Oh yes! I was going to say that if you get the bookings you could then get a business plan together and build an actual restaurant.’

  ‘We could renovate one of the old barns. Or there’s an abandoned farmer’s cottage we’ve been looking at selling.’ He was sounding like an excited schoolboy but Hetty didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she was sharing his enthusiasm.

  ‘Is there?’

  ‘Yeah, that way.’ He pointed in the opposite direction of the food festival.

  ‘But in the meantime, if you open the house to visitors, host the food festival each year, and do the secret dining thing, that’s a pretty good start. If you convert a barn or a cottage you could run small retreats. I know this place that does yoga and Pilates retreats, and art and creative writing, that sort of thing. You could do day ones too. Or we could start them now.’ Her brain was speeding up, thinking about different options. ‘For now, you could run them in the summer and use the secret garden and lodge people at the house,
but there’s so much potential here.’

  John threw his head back and laughed, but then he pulled her in for another kiss. ‘Shall we check on your mum and dad?’

  Hetty slid her hand into John’s and they walked back to the secret garden. She could feel his eyes on her, as if checking she wasn’t changing her mind. Hetty glanced over from time to time to reassure him. As they neared the gate to the secret garden, Hetty was concerned to see it was open.

  Had it all gone downhill after they left and her mum had stormed off in a temper? Or her dad for that matter? But several voices were merging, happy together in genial chatter.

  Peaking their heads through, they saw Rupert talking animatedly to Jeff, pointing out flowers and plants. He was standing straighter, and his body seemed stronger.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ John whispered to Hetty already pulling away, worried he’d ruined her plan. ‘I’ll get rid of Father.’

  ‘No, it’s fine. He seems really happy talking to Dad. And look …’ Hetty pointed to where her mum had hooked her arm through Jeff’s. She couldn’t stop smiling. ‘Let’s go and say hi too.’ Hetty led John in still holding his hand and everyone turned to look at them.

  ‘What’s all this then?’ asked her dad, crossing his arms over his chest, nudging Rupert who responded with his gentle smile. Hetty looked down at her hand held tightly in John’s and giggled as they began talking.

  Her mum came forward and Hetty released him, moving to meet her. ‘You didn’t tell me you fancied the lord of the manor,’ she whispered.

  ‘I didn’t quite realise it myself, actually, Mum.’ But now she had, she felt light and free, like the world was just beginning and it was full of promise and opportunity.

  ‘What about Ben? I always wondered if you two would get back together.’

  Hetty thought about the beer tent. He was probably still there. ‘Ben is the same as he ever was, Mum. I don’t think he’s ever going to be ready to grow up and commit. Maybe one day someone special will make him change his mind, but that special someone isn’t me. And I’m okay with that.’ Her mum gave her hand a squeeze. Hetty hesitated before asking her next question. ‘And you and Dad?’

  ‘This isn’t easy for me to say, darling, but …’ She sighed and Hetty’s heart shot up into her throat. Her plan had been working so well. ‘You were right. We did just need to be together again, and actually talk to each other properly. Your dad was scared of getting old! Can you imagine?’

  ‘Really?’ Hetty laughed. She wasn’t going to say she’d been listening at the gate.

  ‘Yes, how silly. I told him not to be so daft. We’ve got this old together I’m sure we can manage to get a little older.’

  ‘I’m so pleased for you, Mum.’ Hetty wrapped her mum in a hug and felt her dad’s arms circle round her as well.

  ‘Thank you for doing this, poppet. You’re a very clever girl.’

  ‘Dad, I’m 38.’

  ‘Then you’re a clever old girl.’

  ‘Hey!’ She punched him on the arm as they released her, glad to see her dad was back to his old self. She noticed John standing a little further away and reached her hand out. He came to her side to take it.

  ‘Now, this one,’ said Rupert, bringing a delicate shoot over as if it was a tiny baby bird, ‘is a cutting I took from that rose bush there. I think it’s going to settle in nicely as long as I look after it properly.’

  John stared, aghast at his father’s full and complete sentences. Jeff studied the plant as Rupert talked on. ‘I haven’t seen my father this happy for a long time. He hasn’t spoken like that since the fire. Especially to a stranger. I think he likes your dad.’

  Hetty smiled. ‘I’m so pleased.’

  The moment’s peace was interrupted as Lucinda came bustling into the secret garden, followed by Jaz and Felix.

  ‘John, John – oh, hello.’ She paused on seeing them all there, her manner at once formal, but her eyes were shining with unshed tears. ‘I’m so sorry to interrupt, may I just borrow my son for a moment, please.’

  John stepped forward. ‘What is it, Mother?’ His voice had lost the giddy lightness of the last half an hour. Felix stood behind Lucinda, shamefaced, keeping his eyes on the ground. ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Felix told me about the investment.’ Unable to hold them back, a few tears escaped and ran down her thin cheeks. She was suddenly very fragile and delicate and Hetty wanted to go to her too. ‘We’re completely ruined this time, aren’t we?’

  John put a hand on Lucinda’s shoulder. ‘Not quite, Mother. It’s not going to be easy, but Hetty and I have a few ideas.’

  Hetty stepped forward and he took her hand once more. The way he looked at her made her feel unstoppable, something she’d never felt with Ben, even when things were at their best. Not that she needed the confidence boost, but it cemented their relationship in her mind. ‘Hi, Mrs Thornhill – I mean, Lucinda.’

  The tears dried a little and Lucinda’s expression changed when she saw Hetty. A knowing look came to her eyes. Had she seen some sign of John’s feelings when they were together? Or had he talked about her? The thought that he had made her skin tingle.

  ‘The food festival has been a massive success, so that should help you in the short term, but there are a number of different options we can look at too. For now, there’s private picnics and boutique dining here in the secret garden. All pre-booked so you know what’s happening and when—’

  ‘As well as opening the house to visitors more often,’ John added. ‘Would you mind, Mother?’

  Lucinda considered for a moment. ‘No, I don’t think I would actually. I rather enjoyed showing everyone around earlier.’

  ‘And then later,’ Hetty continued, ‘once we’ve got proper business plans together, we could look at converting one of the cottages so you can host health and well-being retreats.’

  Felix frowned. ‘Health and well-being retreats?’

  But, as usual, Hetty was undaunted; she had that feeling in her gut again, and hairs rose on her arms once more, just as they had at the business forum. ‘Yes. They’re very popular at the moment. We could run yoga and Pilates ones, art or writing retreats. As well as renting it just as a holiday cottage. I think it could be hugely successful and provide year-round income.’

  The scowl fell from Felix’s face and he stared at his shoes. ‘I’d be interested to see whatever plans you and John firm up. And if you needed collateral for a business loan, Elizabeth and I have already agreed we could use our house.’

  John spoke up. ‘That’s kind of you, Felix but I hope it won’t be necessary. Right now, they’re just ideas, but we can all sit and discuss them together. I’m sure we’ll figure out a way that suits everyone without us losing even more than we have already.’

  Felix nodded in reply. ‘I’m – I’m very sorry, John, for not listening to your advice. You were right to be cautious. And I’m sorry for what I said.’ He held out his hand for John to shake, which he did.

  ‘Apology accepted.’ John and Felix went off, heads together as John talked about their ideas.

  Lucinda stepped towards Hetty, taking her in a huge hug. ‘I knew you’d be good for him as soon as I met you.’ She stepped back and Hetty, for once, was unable to speak, taken aback by such a show of emotion. ‘I’m just glad he’s actually done something about it rather than wasting all his time planning to tell you how he feels but never actually doing it. That boy overthinks everything. It’s nice to see him listening to his heart for once.’

  Hetty’s heart was so filled with joy she could barely speak. John and she were so alike, and she could see a bright and happy future before her, fulfilling and filled with love. John was everything she’d been looking for though she hadn’t really known it at the time.

  ‘So, Hetty,’ John said, returning, and resting his hands in the curve of her waist. ‘I asked you earlier, but you never actually gave me an answer. Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?’

  A
smile so big it filled her soul spread across her face. ‘Yes, I really would.’

  And though it would technically be their very first date, she knew him so well it felt like it would be their fiftieth. But then, you had to start somewhere, she supposed.

  Epilogue

  One Year Later

  Hetty turned to John and saw him swallow. He looked so nervous and she bit down the giggle in her throat. ‘Do you want me to do it?’ she whispered.

  ‘No. No, I can do this. I can do this.’ He nodded to himself then cleared his throat. ‘Thank you, everyone, for coming to the official opening of the secret garden boutique dining experience!’

  A round of applause greeted them from the small select crowd they’d invited to attend this momentous occasion. In the secret garden, with its new glass roof, and in front of a few journalists and all their family and friends, Hetty and John toasted their new business venture.

  ‘It’s such a pleasure,’ he continued, ‘to welcome you all here to celebrate this innovative project with us. We’re very happy to be starting an exciting, new, financially stable chapter in the history of Thornhill Hall.’

  Secret garden dining had been a huge success. They’d been fully booked and even during the winter people were keen to use the space for romantic dinners. At first, they’d added more tables and chairs, then had a heater installed, and so on and so forth. And today they were celebrating the installation of the glass roof that would enable them to use the space all year round. It was proving a tremendous income stream for the estate.

  Though Hetty still had her own events business and John his antiques, they were now working jointly on the retreats idea and it was already beginning to take off, with some prospective partners visiting today. The help they’d received from Jaz had been amazing and her organisation skills had impressed even Hetty.

  Among the guests, their parents sat grinning like idiots. Lucinda, under her huge hat, wiped a tear from her eye and Rupert, in an old suit with grubby fingernails, smiled on. Hetty’s second home wasn’t exactly solvent but they were making headway and it now looked like it was only a matter of time before they could say for certain the house was safe. John had moved into her tiny seaside cottage. There was no way she could have given it up or left Stanley the limpy seagull to fend for himself, but they were still close enough to Thornhill Hall to be there when things broke, or when holes in the roof appeared, which they still did.