A Rose Petal Summer

by Katie Fforde

  ‘Do I have to let them share a bedroom?’

  ‘Not if you don’t want to. Which is why it’s better if they stay with you. Nothing would stop them if they slept at the house.’

  Rather to Caro’s discomfort, Skye put an arm through hers as they set off home. ‘Is there anything you can tell me about Joe?’ she asked.

  Thinking of the trouble Skye had put her to made Caro wonder if there was a case for saying something snippy about toy boys but she wasn’t going to sink to that level. ‘He’s a really nice man. That’s all.’ The fact that he was basically a really nice man who liked his independence and hadn’t had a serious girlfriend since Caro had known him wasn’t something she felt obliged to pass on.

  When Caro got back she found Lennie and Alec in the morning room. It was particularly full of mounted heads and dark oak furniture. The curtains hung in ribbons from the window and while it might have got morning sun, it obviously didn’t get it at any other time. Nor did it get dusted.

  ‘We’ll put Dad in here,’ said Alec. He was much more relaxed now, which Caro put down to good malt whisky.

  ‘It’ll take a bit of clearing,’ said Lennie. She was relaxed too, but a bit more realistic.

  ‘It’s perfectly doable though,’ said Caro. ‘We’ll just take out all the furniture and store it somewhere. Give it a jolly good clean and then put back only what there’s room for after the hospital-standard bed Murdo will need.’

  Alec gave her a broad smile, which Caro also put down to the whisky.

  ‘What about the wedding?’ said Lennie.

  ‘Oh! I forgot!’ Guilt made Caro blush. ‘Scarlet wrote you a card asking about it. You weren’t supposed to just get a text from me. But it’s in my case. I’ll go and get it.’

  ‘No rush,’ said Lennie, ‘a text from you was fine, but it was sweet of her.’ She continued to survey the room. ‘Do you think we’ll need this room for the wedding too?’

  ‘They’d need everywhere, every inch,’ said Caro. ‘I mean, I’m only assuming, but the bigger the space they use the more you can charge.’

  ‘What can we charge?’ asked Lennie.

  ‘We’d have to research it but I think at least ten thousand pounds.’

  ‘That is an awful lot of money,’ said Lennie. She sighed. ‘But we’ll need every penny if we’re bringing Murdo home.’

  ‘And buying back the land,’ said Alec.

  ‘Maybe we have to do one or the other?’ said Lennie. ‘Maybe we’re crazy to even think of having Dad here, with private nurses and things.’

  ‘The nurse Alison – you know the one we gave a lift to? She’s longing to stop nursing in Glasgow and being near where she lives,’ said Alec.

  ‘That’s not the problem,’ said Lennie. ‘It’s money!’

  ‘We’ll find it somehow. And if we don’t buy back the land, we don’t.’ Alec was determined. ‘I’ve wasted years of my life not spending time with my father, sulking, being difficult. I’m determined to make it up to him now.’

  ‘Good for you!’ said Lennie and Caro blinked away a tear. It was wonderful that father and son were becoming close at last.

  ‘I’m just going to ring the hospital,’ said Alec. ‘See how Dad is. I might get to speak to someone who can tell us when we could possibly move him.’ Alec went out of the room.

  ‘I don’t think his mobile works in here,’ said Lennie, possibly a bit embarrassed by his abrupt exit.

  ‘That’s OK. No need to worry but—’

  Lennie took the hint. ‘Oh, my dear girl! You must be exhausted. You should go to bed.’ She paused, obviously thinking. ‘I think the pink room would be best although I’m afraid the bed isn’t made …’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Caro. ‘I know where the airing cupboard is. I’ll do it. You’ve got things to do here. But I will go up if you don’t mind.’

  As Caro found sheets and other bedding and made up her bed she realised that all hope of getting together with Alec had gone. And although there were lots of practical reasons why he was showing no interest in her romantically, surely if he felt about her in the same way she felt about him, he’d have given some indication?

  Although she was tired, she lay awake between the slightly bobbly sheets, on a mattress that had seen very much better days, on a bed that creaked every time she moved. The pillows were lumpy and smelt musty. She cursed herself for not bringing her own pillow, or at least some lavender oil to sprinkle on everything.

  But it wasn’t discomfort that kept her awake, it was deciding what to do with herself.

  She had promised Scarlet she’d help with her wedding and it would be cruel to leave Lennie to do it unaided while Alec was obsessed with turning at least part of the house into a hospital. Which meant she had to stay.

  Although it was late, she sent Frazer a text, telling him there was no change with Murdo.

  She wished she hadn’t. A text came back immediately saying, Really? I might need to speed things up a bit.

  Immediately she was not only wide awake but extremely worried.

  Eventually she got up and went downstairs. She knew there was a bottle of whisky in the kitchen cupboard in the same way that she knew that in Skye’s house there was a bottle of Rescue Remedy. It was just one of those things.

  She found the bottle and then made herself hot milk. A spoonful of honey and a big glug of whisky would almost guarantee she’d sleep. She’d sort out the world in the morning.

  As she took her mug upstairs she wondered where Alec was. The cottage where he made the perfume? Or was he in his but and ben? She didn’t think it was in the house. Her female instincts would have told her.

  As she woke properly, having slept badly, she realised she did need to find Alec and fast. She had to tell him about Frazer. She could have told his sister, but Lennie was flustered enough already, what with the prospect of her invalid father needing to be brought home and a celebrity wedding all going on in a house that hadn’t seen a paintbrush in fifty years.

  Having made a cup of tea and found some bread and butter – it was at least an hour before Heather would appear – Caro thought she’d have a walk round the estate. A walk would help to clear her head. And then she needed to find Alec.

  Somehow she wasn’t surprised to see the outline of a man and a dog on the foreshore of the loch. She might never be his soulmate but she was fairly in tune with him.

  She put the mug which she’d taken out with her and was now empty into the pocket of the old mac she’d borrowed and went to join him. It was a beautiful morning. The loch was like glass with threads of mist touched pink by the rising sun.

  ‘Hey!’ he said softly as he heard her approach.

  ‘Hey to you too,’ she replied, unable to help herself smiling, revealing how ridiculously pleased she was to see him.

  George, Murdo’s disreputable dog, ran up to her.

  ‘Don’t you dare pee on me!’ Caro said, greeting the dog but keeping out of range.

  ‘What are you doing up so early?’ asked Alec. ‘I’m walking the dog and thinking, obviously.’

  ‘It’s so beautiful it would be worth coming just for this, but I came looking for you. I had a text from Frazer last night.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Bit worrying. I’d texted him to tell him there was no change with Murdo and he said he thought maybe he should speed things up a bit.’

  ‘God.’ Alec didn’t speak for some moments. ‘The thing is, I’ve got an appointment with the solicitors this morning. We’ve got to sort out getting rid of this power of attorney he’s set up.’

  Caro sometimes wished she didn’t have such a strong sense of duty; now was one of those times. ‘Would you like me to go in and sit with him?’

  He brightened. ‘Could you? That would be amazing. But do you really want to go all that way and sit with the old man?’

  ‘Now he’s awake he’s quite entertaining,’ she said, ‘although we’ll have to think of something to tell him so he doesn’t think I
’m minding him. I’m sure something will occur to me.’

  ‘I’ll ask Ewan to drive you in.’

  ‘It would be better if I drove myself. I expect I could borrow a car? Then I could come back when I want.’

  ‘Of course you can borrow a car but supposing Frazer turns up and things get nasty?’ He frowned, his concern obvious.

  ‘I’ll manage,’ said Caro. ‘There are always people around in a hospital. But it would be far safer if we could get Murdo into the cottage hospital. He can’t come home until the room is ready, and it would be so much easier now if he wasn’t three hours away.’

  ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ said Alec, leaving Caro in no doubt that Murdo would be in the cottage hospital very soon.

  Caro tried not to think about the many, many things she’d rather be doing on a beautiful morning in Scotland than driving to Glasgow to guard a sick man. They did run through her head, of course, and one of them was getting the house ready for the wedding. Caro loved transforming things, and knew that getting rid of half a century of rubbish and keeping only the good pieces would be her idea of top fun.

  She’d been with Murdo for several hours and was wondering if she could go back to Glen Liddell – Murdo was asleep and all seemed quiet – when a nurse came in.

  ‘Oh! It’s Alison, isn’t it?’ said Caro, recognising her.

  ‘Yes! Hello, Caro. Everything’s been arranged; we’re moving him. It’s a good time, we’re not busy and we could do with this bed,’ she said.

  They were chatting gently about the move, how Murdo would respond and other such things when Frazer appeared at the door.

  ‘Did I hear you say you were moving him?’ he asked.

  Alison and Caro stared at him. Then Caro got her brain into gear. ‘Yes! Let me tell you about it.’ She took him by the arm and whispered, ‘I don’t want to talk in front of the nurse. Come into the day room; there shouldn’t be anyone there just now. Actually,’ she went on, thinking quickly, ‘it would be better if we went right outside then I can talk freely.’

  Luckily, Frazer seemed content to follow Caro outside into the car park.

  ‘They’re moving him!’ she said as if imparting information he didn’t already have. ‘As an emergency!’

  Frazer didn’t bother to hide his satisfaction at this piece of news. ‘Oh! Why?’

  Caro shrugged extravagantly. ‘I don’t know the medical details but they’re trying to save his life!’

  ‘Do you know where they’re taking him?’

  ‘Edinburgh.’

  ‘Which hospital?’

  Caro had no idea about hospitals in Edinburgh. She bit her lip and shook her head. ‘They did say which one but I can’t remember. I’ll know it if I hear it.’

  ‘The Royal Infirmary?’

  ‘That’s it. But you need to get off soon. They said something about blue lighting him.’

  ‘Are you going too?’

  Caro shook her head. ‘I’ve got to report to the family and they’ll go. Which is why you’ve got to get off now! The hospital will be ringing them and they’ll set straight off!’

  When at last Caro saw Frazer leave for what she sincerely hoped was the Royal Infirmary at Edinburgh, she called Alec and told him what was going on.

  ‘I’ll stay with Murdo until I’ve seen him safely in the ambulance. But honestly, I deserve an Oscar for that little performance.’

  ‘I’ll arrange it,’ he said warmly. ‘And I – we – are really, really grateful for this. You could have literally saved the old man’s life.’

  ‘I don’t want gratitude,’ Caro said but didn’t finish her sentence. I did it for love, she said in her head.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The kitchen was crowded when Caro went down the following morning. Heather was there as well as Lennie, Rowan and Aaron. (Aaron had come for some cow’s milk – he didn’t fancy hemp, or any of the other plant milks that Skye’s fridge supplied.)

  After the greetings, hugs, questions, answers and oft-repeated thank yous, Caro eventually sat at the kitchen table with wholemeal toast and Marmite. Lennie sat down opposite.

  ‘While you were guarding Murdo, I was in conversation with Scarlet on the phone. She is so nice! Who’d have thought she’d be so normal?’

  ‘I know. And when you see just how lovely she is, it’s even more amazing.’

  ‘Well, I will see her soon. They’ll be here about midday. I managed to get them the best room at the hotel, which, I imagine, is being cleaned to within an inch of its life.’ Lennie sipped her tea. ‘Their usual trade is a bit more rustic.’

  Caro considered. ‘David and Scarlet do seem really relaxed and they were fine on the barge but maybe when they actually see what it’s like up here they may think it’s just too – authentic.’

  ‘Oh, I hope not! Now I’ve got my head round it, I’m really looking forward to putting on a wedding. It’s the sort of thing I’d never have considered when Murdo was at full strength but with him safely in the cottage hospital – near but not in the house – it seems a really good idea. We have the scenery and we could always have a marquee, with midge netting for when the little devils get bad.’

  Caro could tell that Lennie had been thinking about it a lot. ‘The thing about being a wedding venue is, you’d only need to have as many as you want. One or two a year if it seems too much hassle.’

  ‘Oh no!’ said Lennie. ‘I see it as a major source of income for the future. Locals could do B and B – it could be really lucrative.’ She paused, her enthusiasm suddenly dimmed. ‘But we really need that bit of land back. It should never have been sold. It’s such an important part of the estate.’

  ‘How’s that going?’

  ‘Well, Alec has spoken to the man who bought it and he’s quite happy to sell it back, but as you know, there’s a shortfall.’

  ‘The wedding may be enough?’

  ‘I hope so, but of course, the money we could get for the wedding wouldn’t all be profit by any means.’

  Caro wanted another bite of toast but felt crunching might make her look unsympathetic. ‘And how is Alec getting on with the solicitors?’

  ‘OK, I think. Thankfully they’re prepared to wait to be paid.’

  ‘It’ll be all right, Lennie,’ said Caro. ‘We’ll make it all right.’ To her surprise she saw tears at the corner of this normally down-to-earth woman’s eyes.

  ‘Thank you. I usually relish challenges like this but I suppose I’ve been so worried about Murdo, and that ghastly Frazer and everything, and my daughter, thousands of miles away with her first baby.’

  ‘But she’s OK?’ Caro wondered how she would feel if she’d just left Posy and a new baby in a completely different country.

  ‘She’s absolutely fine! Getting on far better without me, I’m sure.’

  ‘You have had a lot to worry about and it’s dreadful to think of someone selling your home from under you, so to speak.’

  Lennie nodded. ‘Yes, and Scarlet is going to come and see what a shabby old home it is. Then she’ll go away and have her wedding somewhere else. In a proper castle, with carpet not held together with tape.’

  This was a very real possibility; after all, the pictures Scarlet had seen had been hand drawn by Rowan – the real ‘big hoose’ by the loch might not seem nearly so charming in reality. ‘Well, we can’t completely redecorate before she comes at twelve, but maybe we should look at the church? Will there be flowers?’

  ‘No. We only put flowers there when there’s going to be a service and that’s only once a month.’

  ‘Let’s do that then. It’ll make a difference and it’s doable. And more importantly, Lennie, it’ll take your mind off things!’

  The church was a simple, white-painted building, with very little adornment apart from one stained-glass window dedicated to the family.

  They filled two vases with leaves and wild flowers, including foxgloves, broom and loosestrife.

  ‘It’s a shame that the bluebells are compl
etely over now,’ said Caro. ‘I know we shouldn’t pick them but the scent is so heavenly.’

  ‘Do bluebells smell?’ asked Lennie, surprised. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever noticed.’

  As they went back to the house Caro understood a little better why Alec had been so keen to keep his passion for perfume secret from his family. Yes, bluebells smell! They had a divine fragrance!

  Before Scarlet and David arrived it was all Caro could do to stop Lennie getting the staff (that was Heather, Ewan and Rab from the smokery) to line up and doff their caps. Lennie was convinced that Hollywood royalty would expect that. And to be fair, Caro realised, some of them probably would.

  Scarlet, however, didn’t expect any ceremony. From the moment she arrived she was delighted by everything.

  ‘Oh, it’s just like a film I saw as a child! With heads on the wall and everything falling apart. I love it! How many people could we accommodate?’

  Lennie was about to offer the entire house, including the bedrooms, so Caro stepped in.

  ‘Well, obviously it’s up to Lennie, but most of the downstairs rooms and two bedrooms upstairs.’

  ‘Let me explore some more,’ said Scarlet. ‘David? What do you think?’

  ‘I think whatever you want is exactly what I want.’

  ‘If only all men were as amenable!’ said Lennie. ‘Although my darling Tarquin was pretty amenable.’ She gave the briefest sigh and then said, ‘Let me take you to the library – bursting with atmosphere.’

  A little later, possibly slightly tired of inspecting wood-panelled rooms full of furniture, David paused. ‘Where is Alec? I have the sample of perfume here.’ He addressed Caro, who looked questioningly at Lennie.

  ‘He dashed off early to a meeting with solicitors but he hopes to be back very soon.’ Lennie sounded apologetic.

  ‘Coffee anyone?’ Heather appeared with a tray. ‘The shortbread is home-made.’

  Scarlet, diverted from her need to visit every room in the house, followed everyone else into the drawing room.

  ‘This shortbread is amazing!’ said David.

  ‘Could we have this at the wedding?’ said Scarlet.