'Thanks. But to quote you earlier, “I'm not buying that.” There is no way Gill feels even half as much for me as Jet feels for Mia.'
'Oh yeah? And you know that because …?'
'Because he … Because it doesn't matter how I know. I just know.'
'Oh. You can read minds now then, can you?'
'I don't have to. Actions speak louder than … No. That's not what I meant. But actions do speak louder and I can tell by his actions of late that he doesn't love me anywhere near as much as you say he does. And how would you know anyway? Jet may have had a complete transformation but you haven't. Have you ever been really in love, Justin?'
He shrugged. 'Once. A long time ago. But this isn't about me. It's about Gill and I know how much he loves you because he told me. He told all the guys, in fact.'
'When?'
'The night before the wedding when we were all together. He said that he knew how Jet felt because he had also found the love of his life and he never wanted to let her go because he wasn't sure he could live without her. That was you, in case you're wondering.'
'He said that? He really said that?' Wait. Was he drunk?'
'A little. But that just proves it. They say that when you're drunk you tell the truth.'
'Who says that?'
'Everyone. It's a fact. I think. Why do you always ask so many questions? The man loves you. He adores you. Accept it and deal with it and stop behaving like a moody little schoolgirl, okay? Hey. I've got an idea. You said Cathy and Christy didn't know you were coming, so why don't we give them a night of peace and quiet and you come home with me instead?'
'Justin! No. You've just been telling me how much my boyfriend loves me and now you're trying to get me to go to bed with you? That's disgusting.'
He looked surprised. 'I can recall when you couldn't wait to get into bed with me. And often, you didn't wait. You ripped my clothes off more than once in my bakery. But I wasn't trying to get you into bed. As I said, people tell the truth when they're drunk. Let's get you drunk and see what you have to say, shall we? I'll ask Bear and Alexia to join us so you know I won't try anything.'
'Why don't we just get drunk in the pub?'
'Because I've seen you drunk, and a public place is possibly not the best venue for that.'
'I don't want to tell the truth. I mean. There's nothing to tell. This is silly. This is ridiculous. I'm not going to Little Pond Farm with you. I'm not sure I even want to get drunk now.'
'Good. Then let's go to the pub instead and have a drink. And let's ask Gill and Tabbie to join us.'
'Gill and Tabbie? They're not a couple yet, you know.'
'And they never will be, Ella. Please stop being an idiot.'
'I'm not an idiot. But I'd rather not ask Gill and Tabbie to join us, if you don't mind. I'm not in the right mood to meet my competition.'
'I don't mind at all. I'm more than happy to spend a couple of hours in the pub with you. But she's not your competition, Ella. How many times do I have to say it? Gill is not going to ask her out. I'd stake my life and my career on that. Besides, I rather fancy her myself.'
Ella sighed. 'Why doesn't that surprise me?'
Justin laughed, linked her arm through his, coaxed Little M to stand and headed back in the direction of The Frog and Lily.
'I'll tell you a secret, Ella. It surprised the hell out of me.'
Chapter Twelve
'What on earth is wrong with Gill this morning, deary?' Hettie asked Ella, as Ella walked towards her.
Cathy, who was standing beside Hettie on the doorstep of Duckdown Cottage agreed.
'Yes. He was like a burglar who'd lost his bag of swag. Nearly jumped down my throat when I asked if you were in and whether it was okay for me to pop round and say hello.'
Ella grimaced. 'He's cross with me. I was coming to see Hettie. Is that okay?'
Hettie smiled. 'Of course it is, deary. You know you're always welcome here. I was going to watch darling little Daisy while Cathy visited you, but Fred can keep the sweetie-pie entertained while we three girls have a good old chinwag.'
'Where are Christy and Dylan?'
Cathy rolled her eyes. 'Dentist. And I don't know who had the biggest tantrum. Christy or little Dylan.'
She laughed as she stepped back inside Duckdown Cottage, Hettie standing aside to let both her and Ella in.
Hettie closed the door behind them. 'Go through to the sitting room, dears. I'll just pop to Fred's workshop and tell him to come and take over in the kitchen. The paints are out.'
She chuckled to herself as she walked towards the kitchen which led out to the garden and Fred's workshop-cum-shed-cum-mancave. She stroked Daisy's hair as she passed the kitchen table.
'Coo-ey, Fred, darling. I need you.'
Fred's head popped out of the half open door and a massive grin spread across his face, rippling his wrinkles and putting a sparkle into his elderly eyes.
'I thought we had company, my sexy little angel.'
Hettie gave a burst of laughter. 'Shush. You handsome devil. We do. And Ella's just popped in for a chat. Would you be a sweetheart and look after dear Daisy? I know you're trying to get the shelves I wanted, finished, but–'
'I'm hot on your heels,' he said, stepping out into the sunshine and closing the shed door behind him. 'If this lovely sun stays out, I'll take Daisy down to the beach for a paddle. May as well get out and make the most of it before it rains again.'
'What a good idea. Thank you, my darling.'
She kissed him on the lips and hand in hand they walked back into the kitchen.
'Want to nip down to the beach and see what's washed up on the shore?' Fred asked Daisy who was still sitting at the kitchen table, her tongue sticking out at one side of her mouth, her little brows furrowed in deep concentration.
Her head shot up and her eyes opened wide as she dropped her paintbrush, which rolled off the table and onto the kitchen floor splattering bright yellow paint across the tiles.
'Sorry, Grandma. Shall I clear it up?'
Hettie's heart nearly burst from her chest. 'No, my dearest darling. I rather like it, don't you? But maybe I'll clear it up later. You run along and have fun with Grandpa Fred. Don't forget to put your cardi on. It's warm in here and it's warming up nicely outside but there'll still be a chilly breeze down on the beach.'
'Yes Grandma.'
Daisy seemed to enjoy saying the word 'Grandma' almost as much as Hettie loved hearing it.
Daisy wasn't Hettie's real granddaughter, of course. Hettie had no children of her own. But since Leo, Hector's illegitimate son had started dating Cathy, who had, like Leo, come to the village for Christmas and never left, they had all begun to form an unlikely yet completely natural family bond. A bond that meant the world to Hettie. And to Fred too. A bond that only grew stronger day by day. A bond that both Cathy and Leo said they treasured. One that Hettie was determined would last for the rest of her days, no matter how long that might be.
Hettie loved Daisy as if the seven-year-old were her own flesh and blood, and Leo too, because he was Hector's flesh and blood. She loved Cathy because, well, because Leo loved her and that was good enough for Hettie. Add that to the fact that Cathy was a kind, caring and loving woman, who had been through her own trials and tribulations and that was enough for Hettie to welcome her with open arms.
Hettie watched Daisy take Fred's hand after Fred slipped Daisy's little red cardigan around the child's shoulders and told her to pop her arms inside. He grabbed her bright yellow raincoat from a hook near the door and tucked it under his arm. He had a way with children and it was clear that Daisy loved Fred too as she smiled up at him.
'Thank you, Grandpa.' She turned back and waved at Hettie as she stepped outside into the garden and the warm sunshine, which was growing stronger by the minute. 'See you later, Grandma.'
Hettie blew her a kiss. 'Oh yes, my dearest treasure. Grandma will see you later.'
She watched Daisy and Fred clamber over the sand dunes
towards the sea and wiped away a tear before it had time to fall, took a deep breath, folded her arms beneath her ample chest and walked towards the sitting room.
'Anyone want to place a bet on which one of those two comes back soaking wet and covered in sand from head to foot, dears? I'll give you a hint. It won't be Daisy.'
She shook her head and chuckled as she sat in her plush new chair – the chair Fred had bought her just one week ago, to make sure she was comfortable.
'We can move it in front of the window if you like,' he'd said. 'Then you can watch everyone in Lily Pond Lane as they come and go.'
'Maybe later,' she'd replied. 'For now it's good where it is, right next to yours.'
They used to sit next to one another on the sofa, but that was old and it was getting so uncomfortable for Hettie now. Her new chair was so much better. It rose up at the press of a button and down again when another was pressed. It reclined and a footrest popped up. Even the back cushions plumped up on demand and the headrest could be adjusted to the perfect position.
'Ouch,' said Ella, slipping her hand beneath her bottom. 'Either there's a spring sticking out of this sofa, or you've dropped a pin or something. Or maybe Prince Gustav's got out and bitten me on the bum.'
'It's old, deary. But then aren't we all?'
'Oy. I'm not old.' Ella stood up and studied the seat. 'It's a spring. Look. Right there. Are you getting a new one?'
Hettie frowned. 'I hadn't realised it was quite that bad, dear. Perhaps.'
Cathy tutted but laughter filled her eyes and her voice. 'You are, Hettie Turner. Leo's already said that if you're not going to pick one yourself, he'll pick one for you and if you don't like it when it arrives, you've got no one but yourself to blame.'
'And as we told dear Leo, we can't have him buying us a sofa. We'll get around to it.'
'Nonsense.' Cathy glanced at Ella. 'Help me make them see sense, Ella. Leo can afford it and he's happy to do it. He wants to do it. And it'll benefit us too. We don't want to get a spring in our bottoms every time we come to visit. And what about Daisy, Hettie? Do you want her hurt by a nasty spring?'
'Of course not!' Hettie was shocked by that comment and sat bolt upright. 'I'd never want anything to hurt the dear little girl. Or you and Leo for that matter, dear. I hadn't thought about that. You're right. If Leo's sure he really doesn't mind, then we'll take him up on his kind offer to take us to the showroom. But he's not paying for it. We've still got money from the sale of Fred's house, which is how he bought me this wonderful chair. But he ordered this online from a specialist. We'd need to go to a store to try out sofas, dear, which is why we've put it off. Leo works so hard. We didn't want to spoil his weekend by traipsing around a furniture store until we needed to, that's all, dear.'
'Take my word for it, Hettie,' Ella said. 'You definitely need to.'
'That was easier than I thought,' Cathy said, beaming at Hettie and then at Ella. 'Phew. I'll phone Leo the minute I get back and tell him the good news. He'll be so pleased. But he'll still want to pay for it and I honestly think you should let him. He wants to do something nice for you and Fred, Hettie. Please let him do this.'
Hettie sighed. 'I can't see why buying us a sofa would make him so happy, but all right then. If he insists.'
'Yay.' Cathy waved her arms in the air, stopping suddenly, a horrified look on her face. 'Oh God, Ella. I was going to make some coffee. Honestly, I'm so forgetful these days. I don't know what's wrong with me. And tired too. Christy says it's the weather. The rain's been getting us all down. It's wonderful to see the sun at last.' She leant back in her seat and stared out of the window for a moment before bolting upright and jumping to her feet. 'There, you can see what I mean about my memory. I was going to make some coffee.'
She laughed as she hurried towards the kitchen.
Hettie glanced across at Ella. 'Why is Gill cross with you, deary?'
'What?'
Ella was fidgeting on the sofa, obviously trying to find a comfy spot and Hettie waited until she was settled.
'I asked why Gill is cross with you.'
'Oh right. Yes that. Um. Bit of a misunderstanding.'
'A row you mean, deary?'
Ella pulled a face. 'A difference of opinion. I'd rather not talk about it.'
Hettie crossed her arms beneath her chest. 'Well, if that's how you feel about it, I completely understand.'
'You do?'
'Yes, my dear. I do. We'll let the subject drop.'
'We will?'
Hettie nodded. 'So why were you coming to see me?'
'I wanted to ask you about the favour you were asking Gill. I assume that's why he was here this morning.'
'It was. Didn't he tell you he was coming? That's unlike the two of you.'
Ella shrugged. 'He was in bed last night and fast asleep when I got home. I didn't want to disturb him so I slept in one of the other bedrooms. He was gone this morning by the time I got up and I was going to ask if he'd been here. But you told me he had before I got to ask you.'
Hettie sighed. 'I know you said you don't want to talk about it dear, but clearly you do. Let's wait for Cathy to bring the coffee, shall we? She's far better at giving advice.'
Ella gave her the strangest look but neither said a word until Cathy returned a minute or two later with a tray bearing three mugs of coffee and a plate of chocolate digestives.
'I could murder one of those,' Ella said, grabbing a biscuit from the plate. 'You don't mind, do you?'
'Help yourself,' Hettie said, smiling at her. 'I had more than my share of biscuits when I worked for Mia last year and we sat around the kitchen table discussing Mattie and her will. To think, I hadn't even met Fred back then. So much has happened hasn't it, dears, and in such a short space of time?'
'Getting nostalgic, Hettie?' Ella asked, her mouth full of biscuit.
'A little, deary. So you were asking about Gill and my favour?'
'But why was he in such a strop?' Cathy queried. 'Have I missed that bit?'
'A misunderstanding,' Hettie said.
Cathy glanced at Ella. 'Oh, I see. You've had a row?'
Ella frowned. 'Not a row, exactly. There were no raised voices. Although I must admit, I suppose I did sort of storm out.'
'Sometimes that makes things worse. It's often better to get everything out in the open and try to resolve the issues. Never go to bed on an argument. That's what my granddad always told me.'
'They slept in separate beds last night,' Hettie confided.
'Thanks, Hettie.' Ella glared at her and grabbed another biscuit.
'Oh dear. That's never good.' Cathy shook her head. 'And this morning?'
'Gill was gone before she got up.'
Ella covered her mouth as she spat out biscuit crumbs.
'Hettie! I'll tell Cathy, thank you very much.'
Hettie shrugged and sipped her coffee.
'Gone?' Cathy tutted. 'You need to sort this out, Ella before it blows out of all proportion.'
'I will. When I know where Gill is. But for now I wanted to know about Hettie's favour.' She looked Hettie in the eye. 'You wanted him to find a map of the village, didn't you?'
Hettie shifted uncomfortably. 'Yes, deary. I did.'
'From the 1600s?'
Hettie nodded. 'Yes. Or around that time. Something from about 1612 up until about 1630 would be perfect. And any later maps too. Just in case.'
'In case of what? Why do you suddenly want an old map of the village?'
'I'm interested, that's all deary. All that intrigue with Mattie's will gave me a taste for it. I'd like to see what the village looked like back in the old days and see if everything is the same now as it was then. Taking into account that it's several centuries later.'
Ella stared at her. 'It's merely a coincidence then that this Tabbie woman arrives and wants Gill to help her research the history of the village from, oh guess what? The 1600s and onwards until the present day.'
Hettie's coffee went down the wrong path
and she coughed and wheezed until Cathy took her mug from her and slapped her on the back.
'Are you okay, Hettie?' Cathy asked.
Hettie put a hand to her chest and nodded. 'Thank you dear. Yes, yes. I'm fine.'
'I didn't mean to upset you,' Ella said, perched on the edge of the sofa as if ready to fly to Hettie's aid; a contrite expression on her face.
Hettie smiled. 'You didn't upset me, dear. To answer your question, I have no idea why this Tabbie Talbaine wants to research the village history. I'd never heard of her until Gill told me about her today. He said it's because she's staying with …' Hettie found it hard to say the name out loud but she persevered. 'She's staying with … Aurelia Jenkins.'
'And?' Ella and Cathy asked in unison.
Hettie sighed. Ella was clearly not going to stop asking questions.
'Some people say Aurelia is descended from a long line of witches, dating back several centuries. Gill says Tabbie is interested in tracing the history back to Jennet de Witt, Aurelia's ancestor who came here in 1612.'
'Some people?' Ella furrowed her brows and leant forward. 'Not you, Hettie? You don't believe it? That's surprising, seeing as you were the one who told us all about every single myth, legend and weird superstition in this village. Including the curse of Frog's Hollow. You believe in all of those things but you don't believe in witches.'
'I didn't say I don't believe in witches!' Hettie banged her mug down on the coffee table.
'Wow! Okay, Hettie. No need to shout.'
'Calm yourself, Hettie.' Cathy placed a soothing arm around her.
Hettie shook her head and forced a smile. 'I didn't mean to snap, deary. I'm not sure if I truly believe that there are witches today, but I do believe that Jennet de Witt was a very powerful person in ways we don't understand. She escaped the Pendle Witch Trials and settled here. What I don't believe is that Aurelia inherited the gift.'
'Fair enough.' Ella smiled at her. 'That still doesn't explain why you want the map. And please don't give me that line about being interested in how the village looked centuries ago. Is it because there's a hidden treasure or something?'
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane Page 8
