by Jenny Kane
Thea explained the events of the last forty-eight hours, from Helen’s arrival, to the idea of sponsorship and the potential appointing of a tutor, to the fact that not being consulted had led to Tina’s disappearing act which, in turn, had led to Sam rushing indoors.
Pausing for breath, Thea added, ‘And this morning something else has happened. Tina has asked me to deal with it, but I honestly don’t know what to decide for the best. It feels so disloyal, but I don’t think we have a choice anymore. Not if you can’t commit one hundred per cent and—’
‘Hold on.’ Shaun’s head began to ache in sympathy with Sam’s as he processed the onslaught of information he’d just received. ‘What decision?’
‘We’ve had another email from Treasure Hunters this morning, offering a further thousand.’
‘They did what?’
‘Don’t shout at me, Shaun. I was up late with Tina, Helen and Sam. I feel bad enough as it is.’
‘Sorry, love. I wasn’t shouting at you. It’s so frustrating. Landscape Treasures should be doing that dig. And we will, if I have anything to do with it. But every time we get back on schedule something else happens and prevents us from committing to a date to start at Mill Grange. If only Sophie was better qualified. She’s good… maybe I should train her up. Do some one-to-one tutoring. Might that ultimately speed things up, or make no difference? What do you think, Thea?’
*
Sophie watched as the Landscape Treasures Range Rover rolled to a stop in the driveway nearest the dig. She could imagine her mother tutting. She was bound to be watching out of the window. Every time Sophie glanced towards the house, she was sure the curtains twitched. Why Lady Hammett couldn’t just admit she was enjoying the attention the house was getting Sophie didn’t know. Happiness seemed to be an emotion that had been successfully bred out of her mother. She felt sorry for her father, who was in his element, openly popping outside every few hours to ‘check on things’. She was sure he’d grab a trowel and join in if it wouldn’t have cost him a tongue-lashing from his wife.
I’m never going to be like them. Never.
As Shaun got out of the vehicle, the screen of the new phone he was holding glinted in the sunlight. He looked tired. Sophie pictured herself wiping the worries from his shoulders, running him a hot bath, massaging his shoulders until he was relaxed and…
‘Sophie. Did you hear what I said?’
Snapping back to reality, Sophie saw Phil towering over her as she sat in the trench. ‘Sorry, I was concentrating on this bit of wall.’
‘No problem.’ Phil, who’d noted the intensity of her gaze, and knew it wasn’t directed at the wall, carried on regardless. ‘I need to speak to your mother about extending our time here by two days. Lady Hammett was very definite about how long we could stay. Do you think she’d agree to that?’
‘Leave it to me. Best I approach her via my father. He’ll agree; that I do know. He’s loving this.’
Phil smiled. ‘He could join in you know.’
Sophie shrugged. ‘He seems happy watching.’
‘Fair enough.’ Crouching so they could talk at the same level, Phil said, ‘There is something else.’
‘How can I help?’ Sophie positively glowed. It felt as if Phil was confiding in her.
‘The church; the possibility of it being St Guron’s original place of worship has attracted the attention of the local press. Not surprising considering the logo splashed across the side of the vans. They want to come and do an article, as do the local news teams from BBC and ITV Cornwall.’
‘The television!’
Phil laughed. ‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Sophie, but you’re already being featured on television.’
‘Yes, but, the news. That’s real television.’ Realising she might have offended Phil, Sophie hastily added, ‘Forgive me. I meant that news coverage would give the dig gravitas in my mother’s eyes. It could help your quest to get an extension.’ Sophie’s gaze shifted from Phil, back to Shaun, who was walking in their direction. ‘I’ll ask for two weeks.’
‘Two weeks?’ Phil’s eyes remained on his to-do list as he said, ‘That’s kind of you, but two days will be plenty.’
Not to be put off, Sophie hit Phil with a dazzling smile. ‘If I ask for two extra weeks, when mother agrees to one more week, she’ll think she has driven a hard bargain and won, whereas we’ll still have a few days in hand if we need more than two when the time comes.’
Phil laughed again. ‘Ever considered a job as a television producer, Sophie? Something tells me you’ve got the mindset for it.’ He straightened up. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have to bring Shaun up to date.’
Watching Phil stride off towards his presenter, Sophie felt a glow of triumph. Assuming she could persuade her parents, then she’d won two extra days. If she put in some more effort, she was sure she could make the required extension a week… maybe longer. Surely that would be enough time? All she had to do now was work out how to make Shaun fall for her. Losing his phone had meant his main form of communication with Thea had been cut for a while, and he’d showed no signs of missing her. He had a new phone now, and he wasn’t on it. If Sophie was his girlfriend, she’d be on the other end of the line, making sure he knew how much he’d been missed.
Obviously Shaun didn’t really love Thea. He just thought he did.
*
‘I’m sorry, so sorry.’ Sam held Tina’s hands so tightly, that her skin went white.
Tina kissed his clammy forehead. ‘You should try and eat something and then get some more sleep.’
Pushing away the pile of fresh bread and butter Tina had delivered to the tent, Sam shook his head in despair. ‘But if I can’t even sit in my own living room, how on earth will we manage at my parents’ place?’
‘That doesn’t matter now.’ Tina wrapped an arm around his waist.
‘It does matter. I want to take you there and show you off. I want them to see how lucky I am.’
Tina’s whisper of ‘thank you’ was lost on Sam as he kept talking, ‘Woody, Dave, Ann and Helen must think I’m a fool, trying to run a retreat to help people, when I’m the one who needs help the most.’
‘Nothing wrong with helping others to help yourself.’ Tina freed her arm from Sam and undid the Thermos flask she’d brought with her, pouring him a cup of sweet tea. ‘Anyway, they’re your friends.’
‘The real guests won’t be though.’
Tina licked her dry lips. ‘The real guests are many weeks away. We have time yet.’ She pointed at the food and drink. ‘I think it’s time you ate something and we got some more sleep.’
‘But it’s halfway through the morning. I ought to be getting on with things!’
Tina shook of her head. ‘I don’t care what time it is, I for one, am too knackered to make any plans beyond resting, and so are you.’
*
Tina found Thea making her bed, after having grabbed a quick afternoon nap, while their guests had an impromptu cooking lesson with Mabel.
‘Can I come in?’ Tina peeped around the door, not sure if she’d be welcome after her moonlight flit.
‘Of course. How are you? How’s Sam?’
‘I’m tired and embarrassed. He’s tired and apologetic.’
‘You’ve no need to be embarrassed.’ Thea plumped up her pillows before patting the side of the bed, inviting Tina to sit down. ‘I’m sorry if I made you feel neglected. I’ve been so wrapped up and…’
Tina raised a hand. ‘It’s okay. You miss Shaun and you’re busy and you haven’t seen Helen for ages.’ Tina shrugged. ‘Under normal circumstances I’d never have felt left out. I’m still not sure why I did.’
‘But you did. And I’m sorry.’
Tina gave Thea a hug. ‘It felt like no one was telling me anything. That I was in the way.’ She gave a brave smile. ‘My archaeology skills are beyond rusty these days, so Helen’s help will be handy.’
Privately cursing herself for her habit of forgetting Tina
had trained as an archaeologist too, albeit a long time ago, and hadn’t pursued the career, Thea said, ‘You would be welcome to come and hold a trowel you know.’
Tina gave her friend a grateful smile before changing the subject. ‘How about you anyway? I haven’t had the chance to ask how you’re coping without Shaun being around?’
‘I was fine, but, actually, I’m not so sure now.’
Tina saw a shadow cross Thea’s face. ‘What is it?’
‘I’m probably being paranoid.’
‘But?’
‘Shaun keeps mentioning a student archaeologist on the Cornish site. Sophie. She’s the landowner’s daughter.’
Tina’s eyes narrowed. ‘The one who got Landscape Treasures there under false pretences?’
‘The very same.’
‘This sounds like it’s going to be a conversation that should be accompanied by cheese scones or alcohol.’
‘Or both.’ Thea checked her wristwatch. ‘But for now, we’d better go and relieve Mabel.’
Twenty-Five
September 12th
‘I can’t believe they’ve gone.’ Tina picked up her extra strong coffee and inhaled the encouraging aroma.
Thea sank her teeth into a pile of toast and marmalade, crunching out her response. ‘The five days went so fast.’
Turning her face up to the autumn sunshine that flooded the pub garden, Tina muttered, ‘I tell you what else I can’t believe.’
‘What’s that?’
‘That we’ve lived here all this time without knowing that Moira provided breakfast for non-residents.’
Thea grinned as she licked marmalade from her lips. ‘If Sybil opened this early in the morning I’d feel bad for being here, but I have to say I’m glad we came. This home-made bread is delicious.’
‘And the sun is shining.’ Tina glanced up at the cloudless sky. ‘We should make the most of it before autumn arrives in earnest.’
Thea raised her coffee cup in agreement. ‘I’m sorry we haven’t had much time to chat lately. Are you okay this morning?’
‘Better for some sleep. And, if I’m honest, I’m glad we have the house back to ourselves. I liked Ann and Dave, and Woody was a total star, but I can see now that I wasn’t ready for guests.’
‘But we did everything we planned, didn’t we?’ Thea automatically reached for the notepad she kept in her bag. ‘Did someone mention something that we need to be better prepared for?’
Tina waved away the suggestion. ‘Not the retreat, me. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t stopped to think about how Sam would be when he was with former squaddies.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Thea laid her pen down. ‘You did say you were uncomfortable with the teasing nature of their camaraderie.’
‘I shouldn’t have been though. Everyone knows what forces folk are like. Woody explained it best when he said it was a survival thing. That all the nicknames and stuff cover over the cracks, protecting them from some of what they’ve experienced.’
Topping up Tina’s coffee cup, Thea said nothing as she listened.
‘Sam hardly ever speaks about his time in the forces. I respect that.’ She blew across the top of her coffee to help cool it. ‘Yet there’s so much else about his past he could share, but doesn’t.’
As Tina lapsed into silence, Thea ventured, ‘You feel cut out?’
‘I’m in love with a man I don’t know.’ Tina smeared some escaped butter around her plate with her finger. ‘He told Bert he was nervous about going to see his parents, but he only admitted the same to me when I confronted him. I don’t want to have to argue with him in order to extract every bit of information, whether it’s about his past or our future.’
‘Especially as you aren’t the arguing kind…’ Thea pulled a face. ‘I’d love to be able to throw some wisdom your way.’
Tina grinned. ‘You used to consult the Goddess Minerva about such things.’
‘So I did. These days I ask the chickens!’ Thea laughed as she remembered how she’d always turned to the statue of the Roman goddess she’d kept in her office in the Roman Baths. ‘It’s Minerva’s fault I came to Mill Grange in the first place.’
‘I’m glad you did.’ Tina stirred some milk into her cup. ‘So, what were you going to say about Shaun and Sophie?’
‘I’m not sure it’s anything.’ Thea grimaced. ‘But I’ve got this nagging feeling about her.’
‘Why?’
‘You know when you fancy someone you say their name a lot. You don’t notice you’re doing it. Like subconscious name-dropping.’
‘Shaun’s been doing that?’ Tina frowned. ‘Mentioning Sophie’s name more often than he would just in passing?’
Thea nodded. ‘I’m probably being terribly unfair. I know nothing about her, except she’s blonde, pretty, good at her job and Shaun thinks a lot of her as an archaeologist, even though she’s still a student. He even asked if I thought he should give her one-to-one tuition.’
‘Ah. I take it you told him it wasn’t a good idea?’
‘I told him it would use time he didn’t have.’
‘Which is true.’ Tina was about to comment further, when she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.
Her childish hope that Helen hadn’t spotted them quickly proved pointless, as Thea leant forward. ‘Helen’s across the road. I think we should invite her to join us before she spots us. Unless you really hate the idea, but I’m sure you’d like her if you got to know her.’
‘No problem.’ Hearing the words come out of her mouth, Tina cursed her inability to put herself first, as Thea called across the street, waving for Helen to join them.
*
Thea’s heart sank as the atmosphere in the pub garden clouded over.
Sitting down, Helen had explained she often walked before breakfast, hence being in Upwich at eight in the morning. Not wanting Helen to feel left out in the same way Tina had, Thea told her in return that she and Tina had so little time for non-work chatter that they’d snuck out early.
‘It’s very kind of you to invite me to join you.’ Helen turned to Tina. ‘I hope Sam’s okay today.’
‘He was asleep when I left him.’
Helen smiled. ‘I feel I owe you an apology.’
Tina sighed. ‘Not really, I—’
Helen shook her head as she interrupted, ‘It isn’t only you I owe an apology to. It’s Thea as well.’
‘Me?’ Thea paused in the act of having a sneaky suck on a sugar cube.
‘I lied. Seeing the fortlet wasn’t why I came here. Nor had I decided to have a holiday before you asked me about the fortlet.’ As Thea and Tina looked at her, Helen took a sustaining gulp of caffeine. ‘I’ve been a bit unhappy for a while. Stuck in a rut, like I said when we were in the tea rooms, Thea.’
‘About being nearly forty and stuff?’
‘You’re never nearly forty?’ Tina sounded so surprised, that Helen couldn’t help but laugh.
‘I am. I kept finding myself thinking about how empty my life is and I panicked. Then Thea called to get my opinion on the fortlet. As soon as I put the phone down, I called my boss, took some leave and booked to come here before I had time to think about what I was doing.’ Helen raised her cup to Tina with a smile. ‘I didn’t come to steal Thea from you or to get in the way. I came because, suddenly, I hated my life.’
Tina didn’t know what to say as Thea gave Helen a hug.
‘I suppose, when it comes down to it, even if it was only for a week, I ran away.’
*
Their early breakfast morphed into mid-morning coffee when Thea, Helen and Tina upped sticks and walked across the road to Sybil’s, taking a table in the furthest reaches of her garden.
As the birds sang contentedly around them, the scones they didn’t need, but enjoyed anyway, were consumed with speed. Thea dabbed a few crumbs off her plate. ‘So what you’re both saying is that I’ve got to ask Shaun outright about Sophie.’
‘The simplest approach is usually
the best.’ Helen nodded. ‘I doubt you have any reason to worry. He hasn’t stopped calling or anything, has he?’
‘True.’ Thea smiled at her two friends. Although the frost hadn’t gone, a thaw had certainly set in.
‘How about you, Tina?’ Helen added more sugar to her cup. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, what will you do about Sam’s non-information policy?’
‘I’m not sure.’ Tina shrugged. ‘In truth, I feel such a failure.’
‘Whatever for?’ Thea asked.
‘Shall I write a list?’
‘You might have to, Tina.’ Helen gave an encouraging smile. ‘Because I don’t see a failure. I see a woman worried for her partner, who’s holding down a demanding job so she can support said partner and provide funds so you can eat while you build up a worthwhile business.’ Helen’s tone became wistful. ‘I envy you.’
‘You do?’ Tina pulled at her plaits. ‘Why?’
‘Because you have someone to do all that for, I suppose.’
Tina felt awkward. ‘There’s no one waiting for you in Bath?’
‘No. A fact that would make me a failure in some people’s eyes.’
‘It shouldn’t. You run the Roman Baths for goodness’ sake. That’s huge!’
‘And amazing, but it hardens you to life, managing something like that.’ Helen ruffled the curls from her forehead as Thea gave a sympathetic nod. ‘How do you think I became immune to the effects of people arguing? Second nature in any management role, although we call it negotiating instead of rowing.’
Tina stared across the garden. The breeze had picked up, making the branches above them sway and leaves fall in random sprinkles of orange and beige. ‘I’m supposed to be a co-manager, but I can’t even get my partner to share information about his life with me; which brings me back to my failure comment.’
‘What is failure anyway?’ Helen stirred the dregs of her coffee. ‘Is it failure that I have no one to go home to? Is it failure that Sam can’t come indoors?’ She paused before adding, ‘Or am I a success because I’m good at my job and have always put my career before everything? Is Sam a success because he’s saved lives no matter what the personal consequences? When you turn it around, neither situations sound like failure.’
