A Rose Petal Summer

by Katie Fforde

  ‘Like I said, I think we could work together, Caro. I certainly need someone.’

  ‘And what do you want me to do? You said you’d explain when you got the drinks.’

  Still he hesitated but then he leant forward. ‘I need you to be my eyes and ears here while I have to go and attend to some business. This business here isn’t urgent yet, but it could become so at any time.’

  ‘OK.’ She nodded, encouraging him to go on. ‘As long as there’s something in it for me.’ She hoped her smile indicated her willingness to help if the terms were satisfactory.

  ‘I need to know if anyone has offered on some land that’s for sale. On the Glen Liddell estate.’

  ‘The McLeans’ land?’

  He nodded. ‘The thing is, they don’t know it’s on the market. Yet. But of course they will find out. I need to get this land sold before they can stop it.’

  ‘But how can you sell their land? I don’t understand?’ This time she was being completely genuine. She’d known, or suspected, he was trying to sell the land but how was a mystery.

  ‘Do you know what power of attorney is?’ he asked.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ‘So that’s his plan.’ Caro was lying on her bed at the B & B, talking to Lennie on the phone. ‘When he was factor for Murdo, he got him to agree to a power of attorney. In the event of Murdo losing mental capacity he would take over. He advertised the land for sale when he heard about Murdo’s first stroke so he could get in quickly before anyone could stop him.’

  ‘I just can’t believe it!’ said Lennie, for about the seventeenth time. ‘Who but Frazer would take advantage of a vulnerable old man he pretended to be so fond of.’

  ‘I know. We’re just lucky in a way that he’s got so many dirty deals on the go that he has to leave this one to attend to another,’ said Caro, also going over old ground. ‘And of course I’ll tell him he doesn’t need to worry as often as I can.’

  ‘Surely you don’t need to have any more to do with him?’ said Lennie, fizzing with indignation over the phone.

  ‘I may have to keep in touch,’ said Caro, ‘but obviously, not from choice.’ She thought back to the drinks she had shared with Frazer and shuddered. He had tried to kiss her goodnight and her skin crawled again with the memory.

  ‘It’s good we don’t need to guard Murdo day and night,’ said Lennie, ‘and I managed to speak to a doctor. He’s had a bleed on the brain and they’re thinking about operating but of course it’s very risky. But if it did go well Murdo could possibly be moved to the cottage hospital near here which would make life so much easier.’

  ‘Oh goodness, yes. Being three hours away from him must make it so difficult.’

  ‘Absolutely.’ There was a pause. ‘So, what will you do, Caro? You must be longing for the thought of your own bed. The older I get the more I want that.’

  ‘Yes.’ Caro sighed. She did want the comfort of home but there were so many more things she wanted, things she hardly dared think, let alone share with anyone.

  ‘We’re so grateful to you, Caro,’ said Lennie. ‘You’ve done so much for us at this difficult time. I don’t know how we can repay you.’

  Caro swallowed, suddenly a little tearful. ‘I’ve been glad to help. I think I’ll go home first thing tomorrow but do tell me if you need me again. I’m very fond of Murdo, as you know.’

  ‘Of course we’ll cover your flights for you. I’ll sort it out now.’

  Lennie was being kind and obviously appreciated what she’d done for the family, but Caro didn’t want gratitude, not really. What she did want was a chance for her and Alec to continue what they’d started in France. But with Frazer’s machinations and Alec having to sort everything out, it didn’t look as if that would ever happen.

  She lay awake for a long time before she finally drifted off, although she had to be up early to get her flight. She had a lot to think about, and one of the things was a text from Rowan. It had arrived at eleven o’clock, and was faintly hysterical. You’ve got to help me! Mum is being a tyrant! Please come back to the barge as soon as you can!

  Caro didn’t engage, she just told Rowan she was on her way and would be back mid-morning the following day. Then she switched off her phone.

  ‘What’s been going on with you lot? I’ve only been away a couple of days!’ said Caro. She had dumped her bag in the wheelhouse and gone straight down to the saloon. There were four people looking at her as if she were a creature from outer space. She knew three of them, but one was a young man who she guessed was the cause of Rowan’s distress. ‘You were expecting me. I did tell you I was coming.’

  Rowan came to, got up and threw herself into Caro’s arms. ‘I’m going to run away again! There’s nothing else I can do!’

  ‘Honey,’ said Scarlet, sounding tired, ‘don’t do that.’ She picked up her knitting, which seemed to be a new hobby.

  ‘There’s no need to panic about this,’ said Joe, ‘really there isn’t.’

  Everyone sounded as if they’d been dealing with Rowan’s melodrama for a while. Caro doubted if there was anything she could say that would make things better but she was prepared to give it a go.

  ‘Let me make some tea for you,’ said the young man. ‘I’m Aaron. I’m an actor. I was on the drama course that Scarlet was on. Rowan came and sketched us at work. I hope you don’t mind me being here.’

  Caro liked him instantly, and thought she probably would have liked him even if he hadn’t offered to make tea. ‘That’s fine, Aaron. You’re welcome.’

  When Caro had tea, toast and Marmite set in front of her, she said, ‘So what’s the story?’

  Rowan collapsed next to her on the banquette. ‘Mum’s being SO unreasonable. She says I have to go back immediately.’

  ‘Honey,’ said Scarlet, ‘the deal was you could stay with me while I did my course but my course is nearly over now and you should go home.’ She had obviously said all this before but Rowan wasn’t able to accept it.

  ‘I hadn’t met Aaron then!’ said Rowan, flinging her hands in the air in a dramatic gesture she might well have picked up from the acting course she’d only supposed to be sitting in on so she could sketch the participants.

  Caro ate her toast and drank her tea without speaking. She felt responsible. While she hadn’t actually encouraged Rowan to run away from home the first time, she did enable her to stay. She had made it possible for Rowan to visit art schools, to see the world beyond the beautiful glen she had been brought up in. It had never occurred to her that Rowan might fall head over heels in love. But of course he was probably the first good-looking young man she had ever seen and falling in love would be something she’d want to do. It was part of the rebellion of running away to London. ‘How did your interview at the art school go?’

  ‘Brilliantly,’ said Scarlet. ‘They were really impressed with her portfolio.’

  ‘I can’t apply until next year though,’ said Rowan, ‘and I want to spend the time travelling with Aaron. I want to see the world!’

  The mother in Caro flew into alarm mode, hastily disguised by another crunch of toast. Was Rowan sleeping with this young man who was hardly more than a boy? And were they taking precautions? ‘I can’t see that working for Skye, sweetie,’ she said as calmly as she could.

  ‘She’s gone batshit,’ said Rowan, her words revealing that the gently reared girl who’d come down from Scotland had probably gone forever.

  ‘The thing is, love,’ said Caro, ‘you’re awfully young to go backpacking round the world. I’d worry about Posy doing it, and she’s twenty.’

  ‘But she has gone round the world though, hasn’t she?’ said Rowan, who obviously had this argument ready prepared. ‘All the way to Australia! We want to go to Australia!’

  ‘She went on a plane, to Australia, to spend time with her father,’ said Caro. ‘It’s not the same as backpacking, really it isn’t.’ Although as she said it she realised that she’d gone backpacking round Europe when she was abo
ut that age which was when she met Alec. But she hadn’t been seventeen and had been a lot more worldly-wise than Rowan.

  ‘So you asked Skye and she said no?’ Caro needed to be clear. Had Skye just gone batshit for no particular reason (not entirely unlikely) or had the words ‘backpacking’ and ‘Australia’ cropped up in the conversation?

  Rowan sighed dramatically. ‘I just said I had a boyfriend – I said we wanted to spend time together. I may have said something about travelling.’

  When Caro had first met Rowan she’d been quiet, thoughtful and shy. Now she was very much her mother’s daughter, prone to exaggeration and a bit self-obsessed. Maybe London had released this inner diva or maybe it was First Love. Either way, Caro still had a lot of sympathy for her.

  ‘And did you say he was an actor?’

  Aaron nodded and Rowan blushed.

  ‘OK,’ Caro went on. ‘So you rang Skye and said, “Hey, Mum, I’ve got a cool actor boyfriend and we’re going round the world together. Isn’t that great?”’

  This made Rowan giggle. ‘No!’

  ‘But maybe you weren’t that tactful? You didn’t pick your words?’

  ‘Probably not quite well enough,’ said Rowan.

  ‘I’ll tell you what I think it is,’ said Caro. ‘It’s fear of the unknown. You’ve never had a boyfriend before. If she met Aaron, she’d probably feel quite differently about it. Although I don’t think there’s anything in the world that would make her let you go backpacking before you go to art school.’

  ‘Caro’s right, you know,’ said Joe. ‘If Skye met Aaron, and saw what a beautiful person he is, she’d really like him.’

  Caro suspected Joe was talking about Aaron’s inner beauty rather than his Hugh Grant forehead and manly nose. Skye, she suspected, would be more womanly in her reaction and just see how gorgeous he was.

  ‘So what are you saying?’ asked Rowan.

  ‘That you should do what all good girls do and take your boyfriend home to meet your mum!’ said Caro, smiling in an effort to make this seem less daunting.

  ‘What! Take him to that madhouse?’ Rowan seemed poleaxed by this simple suggestion.

  ‘It’s not a madhouse,’ said Caro. ‘I don’t know about your house; the main house is a bit eccentric, but nothing Aaron wouldn’t be able to cope with.’ She smiled at him, aware they were talking about him as if he wasn’t there.

  ‘I couldn’t do that to him,’ said Rowan protectively, flinging her arms round his knee, which was the nearest bit of him she could reach.

  Caro’s patience was being tried. ‘He’ll cope.’ She gave him another inclusive smile so he didn’t feel objectified by their conversation. ‘Wouldn’t you, Aaron?’

  Aaron nodded. ‘Of course I’ll go and meet your mother, Ro – if that’s what it takes. And it sounds like a beautiful place.’

  ‘I’d love to go up and see where you live,’ said Joe. ‘Why don’t I go with you both?’

  ‘Brilliant idea!’ said Caro. ‘Joe will protect you from Skye’s wrath.’

  ‘Skye is a very pure spirit,’ said Joe, quiet but firm. ‘But this is a rite of passage. She will need support.’

  Scarlet looked up from her knitting. ‘Rite of passage?’

  ‘Accepting that your little girl is finally a woman is a milestone. Not always easy.’ Joe smiled his gentle smile and Scarlet put down her knitting.

  ‘I haven’t looked at it like that before,’ she said. ‘And you’re right. My mother couldn’t bear it when men started looking at me.’

  ‘She was jealous?’ asked Rowan, horrified by the idea.

  Scarlet nodded. ‘But my mum’s weird.’

  ‘So’s mine!’ said Rowan.

  ‘She’s just a bit overprotective,’ said Caro, who did think Skye was a bit weird.

  ‘Anyway.’ Scarlet got up. ‘I have to go and get ready. David has come back from the States early and will be here to pick me up soon. Isn’t that just great?’

  ‘When?’ asked Caro, her eyes whipping round the saloon to check how messy it was before she decided if it was great or not.

  ‘Not until three,’ said Scarlet, ‘but I have to make myself beautiful for him.’

  Caro didn’t disguise her laughter at this. ‘Darling, you’re so lovely, you could borrow Joe’s overalls to put on and still look sensational.’

  Scarlet blushed. ‘Thank you. But you know how it is: he’s been mixing with adorable Hollywood starlets, all trying to get his attention. I don’t want him to think I feel I’ve got him now and don’t have to make an effort any more.’

  ‘Ridic,’ said Caro, hoping she didn’t sound desperately out of date.

  Caro was sorting out her clothes for washing when her phone went. In spite of generally being a sensible sort her heart leapt and then fell again when she saw it wasn’t Alec. It was Skye. Just for a second she allowed herself to consider not accepting the call but she knew Skye would only ring again.

  ‘Skye! Hi! How are things up there?’ she said breezily. ‘Is Murdo OK?’

  ‘Of course he’s OK. He’s strong as an ox, even when he’s in a coma!’ snapped Skye. ‘I’m not ringing about that. It’s Rowan.’

  ‘Do you want to speak to her? Is her phone out of charge? Teenagers, eh. I’ll just call her.’

  Caro could almost see Skye’s eyes flash with irritated fire via the phone. ‘I want to speak to you. I want you to sort out the mess you started. Get her back here immediately!’

  ‘I’ll do my best, Skye. I have already told her she should go home. So has Scarlet – you know? The actor who’s been staying here? We both impressed on her that she should go home. But she won’t without Aaron.’

  ‘The boyfriend? This boy she’s known for all of five minutes? Well, she can’t! I won’t have him in the house.’

  ‘Honestly, Skye, the one bit of advice I’ll pass on is, if as a parent you show huge appreciation for the boyfriends they bring home, they go off them very quickly. And Aaron is really sweet. He looks like a young Hugh Grant,’ she added, not sure if this would mean anything to Skye.

  ‘Can you promise me that will happen?’

  ‘No, I can’t promise you anything, but I can almost promise when you meet him you’ll feel better about it.’ Skye really was a piece of work, she thought.

  ‘You’d better bring them up, then,’ said Skye grudgingly.

  ‘Joe said he wanted to come up, if you don’t trust them to manage the airport on their own,’ Caro said firmly. ‘And I don’t see why you can’t come and collect them.’

  ‘I’m busy!’

  ‘So is everyone else, Skye. But it seems you don’t need to worry. Someone is doing your bidding for you.’ Caro stopped trying to hide her irritation. ‘Ring back when you’ve arranged flights.’

  ‘Can’t you …?’

  ‘I could but I’m not going to. Bye, Skye.’

  Caro left her cabin and went to join the others in the saloon. Rowan and Aaron had tidied it and Rowan was winding up the flex on the vacuum cleaner. Caro felt a surge of fondness for them and realised she’d miss them even though she’d only just met Aaron.

  ‘Oh, that looks better!’ she said. ‘And I’ve heard from Skye. She’s fine with Aaron going up to stay with you as long as Joe goes too. Where is he?’

  ‘I think he said he was doing some t’ai chi,’ said Aaron.

  ‘I don’t know when your flights are,’ Caro went on. ‘Skye is arranging them.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ said Rowan. ‘She’s never booked a flight in her life. She says going on those websites affects her aura and gives her panic attacks.’

  ‘We all feel like that,’ said Caro crisply, ‘but we just have to get over it.’

  A few hours later, Aaron and Rowan were sitting in one armchair, squashed but happy. Caro was sitting next to Scarlet on the sofa and could feel the excitement fizzing in her as her knee bounced up and down. It was very sweet.

  ‘I know it’s silly,’ said Scarlet. ‘But I haven’t seen David for
a while and I can’t help feeling fluttery.’

  ‘I get that,’ said Rowan, sighing.

  ‘I understand, and it’s lovely,’ said Caro more briskly, ‘but why did you want to meet him here? Wouldn’t it have been easier for you both if you’d met him at the hotel?’

  Scarlet shook her head. ‘No paps here. And we love the barge.’

  ‘But there are people,’ Caro said, looking at Aaron and Rowan.

  ‘That’s cool!’ said Scarlet. ‘You’re like my family now.’

  David knew the code to get in by now and so Scarlet was listening for his step on the gangway. The moment she heard it she was up and off.

  ‘Like a rat up a drainpipe,’ said Joe, who had stopped doing t’ai chi and was making a drink.

  Caro giggled. The thought of Scarlet, so beautiful, being described as a rat was funny.

  ‘Will you be lonely when we’ve all gone?’ asked Joe.

  Caro nodded. ‘For a little while but then I’ll enjoy having my own space. It’s been so hectic and so strange lately. Normality will be good for me.’

  It was a little while before Scarlet and David came down to the saloon. Scarlet looked happily rumpled and David just looked very happy.

  ‘Welcome, David!’ Caro allowed herself to be enveloped in a warm hug, smelling slightly of something delicious. ‘How are you? Would you like a beer or something?’

  ‘Just a cup of British tea, please.’

  While Caro was making this, she listened to David.

  ‘So, honey, what’s the most surprising place I can tell you I went while I was back in the States?’

  Scarlet gave up guessing quite quickly. ‘So where?’

  ‘Visiting your mother.’

  There was a small scream. ‘You visited Mom? I can’t believe it! She let you in?’

  ‘It took some work, I can tell you, but eventually she thought she ought to find out something about the rascal her daughter had set her heart on.’

  ‘I never thought I’d hear those words.’ Tears sparkled in Scarlet’s eyes.