Escape to Honeysuckle Hall

by Rebecca Raisin

  She gives me a look that suggests I’m changing as a person. In turn, I give her a smile so stiff I assume it’s what rigor mortis feels like and hastily look away. ‘Oh look a butterfly,’ I deftly change the subject quick as anything.

  I give Maya time to enjoy her breakfast before we head into town. We take a long leisurely walk at my slow pace, not the doctor almost-a-jog that Maya prefers. We head to Rise, the bakery. The scent of freshly baked bread assails the senses before we can even see the little shop.

  ‘You can tell it’s artisan bread by that smell alone,’ Maya says.

  ‘Isn’t it glorious?’ Inside we make our introductions, explain about the camp and the owner Dot invites us to try some of her loaves over coffee.

  ‘I’ll give you a taste tester of the rye, the sourdough, and the cob. I also have a gluten-free bread that tastes delicious.’

  ‘Thank you, they sound divine.’

  ‘Take a seat and I’ll be with you shortly.’

  Maya and I take a booth, and sip our coffees. Locals wander in and shoot the breeze. It’s not only a café cum bakery but a place to catch up on gossip by the looks of it. A couple of women sit at the booth behind us, and suddenly I hear something that makes me pay closer attention.

  ‘Apparently she has a thing for sequins. Jerome said she walked into the Tipsy Tadpole like she was some kind of celebrity, strutting around in ridiculously high heels. Her dress was so short it left nothing to the imagination!’

  Freya in the flesh, gossiping about me!

  I glance at Maya who bites her lip to stop from laughing.

  ‘Well, what’s wrong with that? I love a woman who has confidence,’ the second woman says. ‘My mum used to say, if you’ve got it flaunt it.’ I don’t know who she is, but I like her already.

  ‘Really, Mabel! That’s not the only thing she’s done. I heard she propositioned Sebastian from the antique emporium!’

  What!

  ‘I highly doubt it – that mama’s boy has always made up rumours to make himself look good.’

  ‘I’m telling you now that woman is going to be a danger to this town. Josie from my knitting club mentioned something about her using us innocent residents as a cover for her unlawful activities. She wouldn’t elaborate, but I’m worried. You have to wonder how a single woman of her age can afford such a property … The only answer is illegally, don’t you think?’

  My unchecked laughter soon dries up. Unlawful activities? Now I’ve heard it all! And who is this mysterious Josie from the knitting club? I’m sure I’ve never run into her and now she’s on the gossip train too?

  Mabel scoffs. ‘Josie is a busybody and you should know better than to listen to her! The girl has probably worked her butt off before coming here and just because she’s financially able to afford such a lovely property, that shouldn’t make her a target for those with a jealous streak.’

  ‘She also runs around the woods naked!’

  ‘Now you’re just being wicked, Freya. Who’d do such a thing?’

  ‘It’s true! She’s some kind of pagan; it’s a moonlight ritual. It’s not right, Mabel, and I’ll be the first one to tell her so.’

  ‘That’s your cue,’ Maya says.

  I know I’ll have to stand my ground if I want all of these scurrilous rumours to abate. So even though my legs shake, I stand up and move to their booth.

  ‘Hey,’ I say brightly. ‘I’m not a pagan and it’s not a moonlight ritual. There was a great big hairy spider in my shower and I raced out to find the bug catcher in the hall – I subscribe to the live and let live policy even when it comes to spiders the size of my head. While Sebastian is a lovely guy, he’s not the one for me, and the only propositions that took place were for furniture. The red dress, well, I’m sorry if I offended your sensibilities but my friends gave it to me as a present, and I was brought up to accept such things gracefully. As for illegal activities, if you count my midnight karaoke as criminally bad then I’m guilty as charged. I hope I’ve cleared all that up for you? But you said you’d be the first to tell me, so what is it that you wanted to say, Freya?’

  I squat lower to look her straight in the eye, all the while wondering if this fifty-something woman is the one leaving the mysterious notes. Her puckered-up mouth and her judgemental dark eyes certainly make me think so.

  Freya blushes to the roots of her hair. ‘You shouldn’t be eavesdropping.’

  ‘You shouldn’t be spreading malicious lies, but here we are.’

  Mabel speaks up. ‘I’m sorry you had to hear all of that, Orly. It’s one of the downsides to village life. Someone new comes along and stirs up envy in those who don’t know any better. I’m Mabel, and I hope we can be friends.’

  ‘Lovely to meet you, Mabel. I’d love to be friends. Maybe you could drop past the hall for a coffee whenever you have a free moment.’

  ‘Consider it done.’

  With a nod I slip back into the booth with Maya. ‘I like this new Orly. She’s badass.’

  ‘Did you just say badass in an American accent?’

  She shrugs. ‘So sue me.’

  We laugh as Dot brings us fresh bread to taste and I tell her I’ll put in a running order for the camps. After the bakery we head to the delicatessen and the butcher, where I introduce myself and explain about the camps and what I’m hoping to achieve. I find a new sense of vigour from the visit to town and I know no matter what gossip has been said about me, the only way to face it is to show myself around town more, so they know the real me, and not the one who’s been whispered about. It’s time to stop hiding!

  We head back home with an armful of groceries for lunch with Leo. After we unpack them we make our way to the hall so I can show Maya the work Leo has quoted on and explain the repairs.

  She says, ‘Once it’s all spruced up it’ll be a fun place to stay. More of a luxury retreat than a camp. I’d expected tiny dorm rooms but these are more than adequate for guests, especially having their own bathrooms. When I think of camps, I’m taken back to school, where we had those god-awful stretcher beds lined up, and the showers were half a mile away and we were always worried the boys were peeking in. But this is nothing like that at all.’

  I laugh. ‘God, I remember the same kind of thing. And it seemed like it was always bloody freezing when we had to make the trek to the showers. This is infinitely more of a luxe escape and I want to it to be perfect so that everyone who stays here leaves with a new outlook on their lives.’

  ‘You’re very clever to think of all of this. I must admit my earlier doubts now seem so unfounded, I should’ve known that you’d make this place a destination, rather than a town people simply pass through.’

  ‘I’m not quite there yet, Maya, but thank you. I didn’t think you’d come back when you saw the cottage for the first time. I couldn’t see your car for the dust you left behind when you scarpered out of here.’

  She laughs. ‘Yeah, you’re right. It was just a shock, I guess. I’m used to clean and clinical, and it was such a huge change from your London pad. Maybe part of me had hoped you’d change your mind and come back – the selfish part. But now I see you belong here. I know you’ve got a way to go, and it will be a long game, but somehow you suit this place, this new life. You don’t have that same harried look you had in the city, even though you’re still busy, it seems like a different kind of busy and that you’re relishing it, rather than getting through it like you did before.’

  I’m touched she’s noticed, because that’s exactly how I’ve felt here. Like I’m home, for some inexplicable reason. That all roads led me here. And if I believe hard enough, magic might happen. What that means is still fuzzy, but the murky shape of it’s there. ‘I am relishing it, Maya. Especially the wearing of flat shoes, and no make-up. I always envisaged myself in this kind of life, but I guess I thought it’d be after marriage and babies when big-city living lost its appeal but I still had the safety net of savings, and a husband who could commute or work close to home. Doi
ng it alone makes it all the sweeter. No one can take it away from me, except the bank and I won’t allow that to happen.’

  ‘It won’t. Show me the rest of this magnificent hall then, before you make me buy the property next door, with this charming life you’re painting for me.’

  I show Maya to the long open parlour that the campers will congregate in together. It’s disarmingly spacious with its high ceilings, but somehow cosy with parquetry floors and decorative leadlight windows spotted throughout. At the far end is a grand fireplace. ‘This is almost royal,’ she says awed. ‘I see why Esterlita thinks you should hook up with the gentry.’

  I laugh, remembering the previous night and Esterlita’s answer to every problem being a man. ‘Isn’t it? And it’s surprisingly well maintained. All I’ve asked Leo to do in here is polish the wooden wainscoting, and check the windows are sealed well enough for winter. Once the repairs are done, the antique emporium are delivering my order. I’ve got some beautiful Persian rugs coming and I found some wrinkly old dark leather chesterfields that will go quite nicely in front of the fire. The dining table here—’ I point to a long rectory table big enough to fit twenty people that was a relic from a former owner ‘—he is going to sand back and stain. And the benches too.’

  ‘I can’t believe someone left that behind.’

  ‘It was shoved up against the wall and covered with old mattresses. Let me tell you that was not the most fun I’ve ever had, carting those stinky things to the skip bin, so I’m happy I’ve been rewarded with the beautiful table.’

  ‘This place must have a thousand stories.’ She leans against the wall, and folds her arms.

  ‘I can’t wait to discover them.’

  ‘Well, it’s time we opened that quote and see what the damage is, eh?’ We wipe dust from one of the benches and sit.

  I take a deep breath and open the email attachment on the phone with Maya leaning over my shoulder. ‘It’s not too bad at all!’ she exclaims.

  Leo has quoted for the work to be done within a two-week timeframe including extra labour for a very reasonable price. Almost too reasonable. ‘At this rate I can probably ask him to tidy up the garden too. At least have it neatened up ready for the first camp. What do you think?’

  Maya nods. ‘I think get as much done as humanly possible so you’re free to focus on getting camps booked. Your survival here is going to be down to that. And I know that’s your forte, but spreading the word takes time and money.’

  ‘Yeah, so much time! Let’s take some pics while we wait for Leo so I can post online.’ We take some close-up arty pics of the hall. I’m careful not to show the dingy side – that will all be fixed soon enough.

  An hour later we’ve snapped some beautiful photos that show just how pretty the property is. The dense woodland behind is a riot of colour with fragrant wildflowers, and an abundance of orange-pink honeysuckles whose sweet perfume swirls around us as we disturb their sunbaking by traipsing among them. I imagine campers striding out in small groups to hunt for floral treasures to display in their suites.

  ‘Once the lawn area is tidied it’s going to be perfect for games of bocce.’ I add a note to my list to buy some sets, and look into other lawn games that we can store in the hall for campers to use on their downtime. ‘Maybe cricket, a badminton set, a few footballs.’

  ‘Sporty activities will go down a treat and give you a break from hosting.’

  The community garden is overrun but the bones are there. ‘We should get this going as soon as possible,’ I say to Maya. ‘That way campers can forage for herbs and salad ingredients when they’re here.’

  ‘Yes, let’s make a start on that today.’

  I add that to my list: potting mix, herbs, lettuces, chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers.

  ‘What about an outdoor kitchen? Or at least a bigger barbecue? If you can make the campers self-sufficient that’s even better for you.’

  ‘Yeah, they’ll do all their own cooking; I’ll supply the ingredients. Although Es wants to cook them some Filipino specialties because she says if I’m in charge of food they’ll all die, so I think that’ll be a nice personal touch. They’ve got the shared kitchen in the hall and I have a new fridge coming.’ I consult my notes, wondering just how far the budget will stretch now that Leo’s quote is a lot less than I banked on. ‘An outdoor kitchen is a great idea, Maya. Would it be more cost-effective for Leo to build one with an extra-long hot plate to cater to bigger groups?’

  ‘It would be better in the long run.’ We both jump at the voice. And I turn to face him, the sight of him making me tongue-tied once more.

  Chapter 14

  ‘Leo,’ I say, gathering my senses. ‘You’re early.’

  ‘No, we said lunchtime. It’s just after.’

  I glance at my watch. ‘The morning has run away from me.’ My heart beats staccato, probably because he snuck up behind me.

  ‘What did you think of the quote?’ Even his voice is lovely, deep and velvety. Exactly the kind of man I want to avoid. He’s the type that every woman would swoon over, which puts him in the risky category. Anyway what am I even saying?! He’s going to be my carpenter, not my boyfriend, for crying out loud! With the soft sunlight falling across him, he quite takes my breath away. No use pretending he’s not mesmerising, like looking at a price of artwork that’s enthralling. Yikes. I need to discuss this with the wild roses … at least they don’t judge.

  I cough and gather my senses, which all too often seem to fly away when I most need them these days. ‘I thought your quote was very cheap. Are you sure you’ve covered all of your expenses?’ The last thing I want to do is take advantage or have him change his mind and add a few more zeros on the invoice at the end when he realises he’s quoted too little.

  He grins and it lights up his beautiful face. ‘I think you’re used to city prices, Orly. The quote is fair for both of us.’

  Maya nods. ‘He’s got a point. We are used to being charged the London tax,’ she says with a laugh. ‘Everything is triple the price!’

  I’m still not convinced. I did ring around and get some prices over the phone from other carpenters and they came in a lot higher. ‘Well, if you’re sure? You can always crunch the numbers again before we agree on the job.’

  ‘Trust me, Orly. I’ve checked and rechecked. I’m sure. So you’re not going to make these amazing camps and then sell up and head for the Bahamas?’

  It’s not the first time Leo’s implied I’m the sort to take the money and run. Why does he care? ‘The Bahamas sounds nice, but I’d probably fry with my English rose skin and all.’ I laugh. ‘Why, Leo, will it bother you if I leave?’ I don’t mean it to sounds as flirty as it does but I can’t snatch the words back.

  A blush creeps up his neck. ‘I’d like you to stay. For the benefit of all future campers.’ He coughs.

  ‘Right. I’d like to stay too. For their benefit.’

  ‘Unless you’re here to make a quick buck, and in that case the quote will be triple.’ He grins.

  ‘No, Leo, I’m not here for that, I promise. The only thing that would make me sell up would be if my business fails and believe me, I don’t want that to eventuate.’

  ‘Neither do I. There’s been some speculation that you’re here to develop this place and move on to the next. Not that I put much faith into what I hear in town. Still, sometimes it does make a person curious about where these stories come from.’

  ‘Yeah, I’d like to know too. It seems these fictions are gathering momentum rather than dying down, which is a bit of a worry.’

  ‘It’ll slow down eventually.’

  ‘I hope so.’ Why are they all so untrusting? I look back at the prices Leo’s quoted and know no matter what he’s heard he hasn’t charged me the new-person tax. Maybe there is hope.

  ‘If you’re happy with the quote I can start on Monday.’

  I tilt my head. ‘I’m really happy with the quote. I was hoping you’d also tidy up the fruit trees and if you can
build an extra-large outdoor barbecue area that would be fabulous too. Just let me know how much I’m in for to make certain and we’re good to go.’

  Esterlita arrives and after much fanfare drags Leo away to show him something and Maya grabs my elbow hissing, ‘Can’t you see what he’s doing?’

  ‘Quoting for the hall repairs?’

  She rolls her eyes. ‘He’s trying to work out if you’re genuinely going to stay in Eden Hills.’

  ‘Yeah, he made that abundantly clear. So?’

  She slaps her forehead. ‘So if you are staying, then maybe it’s worth getting close to you. Risking his heart …’

  I shake my head. ‘I don’t know how you managed to join those dots, Maya. Seriously.’

  She gives me a long look like she’s trying to hypnotise me into thinking the same way. ‘I can read between the lines.’

  Our conversation is interrupted as Esterlita drags Leo back. Is he really puzzling me out like she says? For a moment I pretend it’s true.

  With the sun behind him, lighting up the blond of his hair, he looks like he fits here too. I imagine him as if he’s just come in from tending the garden, his hands blackened with earth, his stomach growling for sustenance. I get lost in a little scenario, picturing Leo kissing the top of my head, as I sort my stamps, waiting for his return, carrying his booty: plump sun-warmed tomatoes for the salad …

  ‘What salad?’ Maya asks alarm written on her face.

  Oh, please God don’t let me have spoken out loud again! ‘I really do love tomatoes, which are not a vegetable but a fruit, did you know that? And what a fruit! More like a vegetable. It’s not every day you see fruit in a salad is it? Well … unless it’s a fruit salad, that is.’