Daisy stared at Penny for a moment. ‘I was… trying to get a signal down the drive but then it started to rain hard and I remembered that Penny said I could get a good signal in her shed so I came back a few minutes later. Penny must not have seen me. Is dinner ready?’
‘The dinner I asked you to start for me,’ Henry said.
Daisy shrugged, still unable to wipe the huge grin from her face. ‘The phone call took a bit longer than I thought.’
‘It’s fine, I made dinner,’ Penny said, deliberately stepping between them with a huge dish of bolognese.
He sat down and watched as she dished it up onto three plates and then sat down at the opposite end of the table to him. This was not how he had planned his evening at all. Outside the storm raged on, thunder rolling across the night sky, lit up periodically with spectacular forks of lightning. But inside the tension between the three of them was almost as tangible as the storm outside.
Henry sat staring at his spaghetti bolognese with as much concentration as he could muster for a plate full of meat and pasta. He glanced over to Penny who was focussing on the art of wrapping a string of spaghetti round her fork as if it was the hardest job in the world.
Daisy looked between the two of them in confusion. She knew something was going on even if she had no idea what that something was.
‘Did you guys have a row or something?’ Daisy said.
‘No, sorry honey, it’s just been a weird day,’ Penny said.
Henry cast around for a suitable topic of conversation. It was ridiculous to sit in silence when conversation had flowed so easily whenever they’d been together before.
‘Hey Dad, did you tell Penny about the huge penis we saw in town?’
Penny choked on her drink
That certainly wasn’t a suitable topic of conversation, especially after what had gone on between them the night before. But Daisy wasn’t to be deterred.
‘It was hilarious, some woman dressed in this huge seven-foot costume chasing men down the streets and hugging them. White Cliff Bay is a little weird, eh? I bet it’s a right little den of sin, people sleeping with their neighbours or having orgies.’
‘Hey,’ Henry reprimanded.
Daisy laughed. ‘Orgy isn’t a swear word.’
‘It’s not exactly an appropriate subject for the dinner table though, is it?’
Penny stifled a giggle and he sensed the mood between them was on the verge of passing. ‘I’ve seen people do stuff like that before, I think it’s to raise awareness or money for cancer. So don’t judge our little town too harshly just yet.’
Henry needed to change the subject away from people having sex with their neighbours. He latched on to something Edward had said to him on Monday.
‘Oh, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Edward said there was some Gingerbread House competition on Saturday, he asked if I wanted to come with my family and form a team. I don’t really know what it’s about, but it’s for charity. Daisy, do you want to do it?’
‘We make a gingerbread house? Do we get to eat it afterwards?’
Penny laughed. ‘It’s the annual Giant Gingerbread House Race. The White Cliff Bay Furniture Company holds it every year. Everybody in the town goes to watch. But it’s not real gingerbread, they use plastic walls and foam and plastic sweets and decorations. The gingerbread walls are six-foot panels and I’m pretty sure the icing they use isn’t edible. There’s normally around eight teams and you have about an hour to build your house into something wonderful. It’s great fun.’
‘So you can be in our team too,’ Henry said, decisively.
‘I can’t, it’s families of employees only.’
‘You can be part of our family,’ Daisy said simply and Henry smiled that his daughter had just given her seal of approval so readily and unknowingly.
‘Edward isn’t going to care too much about who is on my team, he won’t exactly be demanding to see a marriage certificate before he lets us in,’ Henry said.
‘I’ll do it if you do it, Penny,’ Daisy said. ‘And it is for charity so you can’t really say no.’
Henry laughed at the exact same persuasion technique that Penny had pulled on him to get him to agree to the ball a few days before.
‘I’m rubbish at building things. You really won’t want me on your team, I’d be more of a hindrance than a help. When I built the barbeque in the summer, I ended up with pieces upside down and several pieces left over.’
‘We need you on our team, you have the inside edge, you’ve seen what other people have done before to win and we don’t have that. As newbies we need a fighting chance. And Daisy and I can’t do it alone, other teams will have five or six people in them. You can’t let us down, Penny, will you be part of our family?’
He fixed her with his best puppy dog eyes and she laughed.
‘OK, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.’
‘Now you’re part of our family, I think you should come for dinner every night,’ Daisy said. ‘It gets pretty boring looking at his ugly mug every night.’
‘Hey!’ Henry said.
‘Well, that sounds lovely, it does get a bit dull talking to Bernard every night, especially as he doesn’t talk back, but understand I’m only doing it for you, Daisy, to save you the tedium of talking to your dad.’
‘Hey, I am sitting here you know,’ Henry protested and Daisy laughed.
‘Except I can’t come tomorrow night, I have plans.’
‘Ooooh, do you have a hot date?’ Daisy said, getting excited about the prospect of some gossip. Henry rolled his eyes; she was going to thrive in this town.
‘No. I—’
‘I saw Fabio come round earlier, do you have plans with him?’
Henry was surprised by this. ‘Fabio was here?’
‘He was next door for over half hour and when he left he was looking pretty pleased with himself,’ Daisy said. ‘I saw it all from my bedroom window.’
Henry stared at his daughter incredulously. ‘I’ve raised a spy.’
‘Well, as we’ve already established, living with you can be really boring so I have to provide myself with some entertainment.’
‘What did Fabio want?’
‘Nothing much, to apologise for his behaviour the other night and to ask me out on a date.’
He cleared his throat. ‘And you’re going?’
‘Dad, it’ll be nice for Penny to go on a date. Let’s face it, her dates with you aren’t going to set her world on fire.’
‘I don’t think I did too badly last night.’
‘It was OK,’ Penny shrugged, clearly fighting with a smirk. He couldn’t help the smile from spreading across his face as she blushed bright red and focussed her attention on her spaghetti again.
‘So you’re going out with him?’ Daisy asked.
‘Sure, why not? I love a guy in leather pants.’
‘Hear that, Dad? If you really want to impress the ladies you need to wear leather pants and maybe get a medallion too. It seems the old clichés never die.’
‘I’ll be sure to remember that, especially as my dazzling conversation skills clearly need a lot of work. I have plans too tomorrow night. I’m going for dinner with a guy from work. You can come if you want, Daisy?’
‘Nah, I’m fine here. Shame though, there’s a mince pie making class at Linda’s bakery tomorrow night, I was going to suggest you go as your mince pie making skills are absolutely dire.’
‘Hey, I’m not that bad,’ Henry said, indignantly. ‘Why don’t I take you out for ice cream before I go out for dinner tomorrow night? I’m at work tomorrow too, someone has called in sick and there are a few jobs that need to be finished before the factory closes for the holidays, so you won’t see me all day.’
‘I’ll cope.’ Daisy flashed him a cheeky smile. ‘But yes to ice cream. Can we do some more carving tomorrow, Penny?’
‘We can actually. I have a snowman carving that needs to be finished for a corporate party so you could
help me do that if you wanted, or just have fun creating your own pieces.’
‘You’d let me help with one of your professional pieces?’
‘Yes of course. You’re an ice carving champion now, your credentials more than speak for themselves.’
Daisy laughed.
‘I was serious about the job offer; if it’s OK with your dad, I’d be happy to pay you for your help.’
Daisy fixed him with pleading eyes and he nodded. ‘Only if you promise me you’ll be really careful with those tools and I don’t want her using the chainsaw.’
Penny and Daisy both nodded.
‘I have an errand to run tomorrow morning so come round about lunchtime,’ Penny said.
‘Does the errand have anything to do with Fabio?’ Daisy asked, clearly still digging for dirt.
Penny flashed Henry a mischievous grin. ‘Maybe.’
Obviously he had been forgiven.
Daisy looked over at Henry, obviously sensing that something was going on between them. ‘How did your important meeting with Clara go?’
‘It was fine.’ He watched the smile slide off Penny’s face.
‘Your meeting was with Clara? That’s who you rushed off to see?’
‘It was to talk through my designs, it was nothing,’ Henry said, staring at his plate again.
‘Dad, what happened to your shirt, it’s all torn at the top, did you lose a button?’
‘I just got it caught in something.’
Daisy giggled. ‘Is that lipstick on your neck? Wow, when you said it was fine, I didn’t realise just how fine you actually meant.’
He glanced up at Penny in time to see the look of horror and disappointment register on her face before she stood up to clear the plates away.
He wanted to tell her that nothing had happened, that she didn’t need to worry, but in front of Daisy it was out of the question.
A clap of thunder rumbled overhead and the tension that had dissipated had suddenly returned.
* * *
Penny got into her pyjamas later that night. Henry and Daisy had disappeared back to their own home shortly after dinner, leaving her alone, where if she had been in a proper relationship she could have spent the night cuddled up on the sofa with her boyfriend. Although she certainly wasn’t in the mood to cuddle up to Henry right now. She couldn’t get the thought of him and Clara together out of her mind and how guilty Henry had looked when Daisy had spotted the lipstick. He didn’t even try to deny that anything had happened. She knew, however, that if he cared about her at all, he would come over once Daisy had gone to bed and try to explain. She was going to try to keep an open mind until then. She had been cheated on before and she wasn’t going to let it happen again but she wouldn’t judge Henry until she heard him out.
She got into bed and had just started to read her book when she heard the soft thud of feet on the stairs.
She put her book down and watched him as he walked into the room. He looked scared as he approached the side of her bed.
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there for dinner and you had to cook when I promised that I would.’
She arched an eyebrow at him; he had to do better than that. Annoyingly, very faint traces of lipstick were still present on his throat.
‘Nothing happened with me and Clara, I swear. She kissed me, I told her I had a girlfriend and I walked out. I was an idiot for thinking that she actually wanted to talk about my designs and I was so eager to have an opportunity to share them with her and Edward that I couldn’t see her true motive for bringing me there. I’m sorry, but you have to believe me, nothing happened. I’m not interested in her at all or anyone else in fact, I only want to be with you.’
He shivered against the chill of the night and she instinctively pulled back the duvet, shuffling over for him to get in. He hesitated for a moment and then slid in beside her.
‘You believe me?’
She nodded. ‘Actually I do. I have no reason to doubt you.’
‘You have no reason to believe me either.’
She moved closer to him, so close their faces were nearly touching. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her against him though she stopped him getting too close with her hand on his chest. ‘You can tell a lot about someone from their eyes. Fear, anger, shock, deceit and love are some of the many emotions that come from the eyes.’ She stared at his silvery grey eyes filled with warmth for her. ‘Your eyes are telling me that you’re speaking the truth.’
He smiled with relief as he pulled her closer and this time she let him. ‘What are my eyes telling you now?’
She laughed. ‘That you want to do all kind of wicked and dirty things to me.’
He kissed her, sweetly, his hands caressing over her body. Her body filled with need for him but before she could get too carried away, he pulled away slightly, his eyes filled with regret.
‘I can’t stay.’
She smiled, stroking his face. ‘I know, it’s OK.’
‘She’s only just gone to bed. She could get up and find I’m not there. I shouldn’t have come but I needed to see you.’
‘It’s OK. Go, I’ll see you tomorrow.’
He leaned his forehead against hers for a second, kissed her briefly and then slipped from the bed, giving her a smile before disappearing from the room.
They had to come clean with Daisy soon, this sneaking around was killing her.
Chapter Fifteen
Penny grabbed her coat and took her time doing up her shoelaces. She had put off doing this for the last few days but she knew she needed to do it now.
The sun was shining through drifts of fog, drying up all the rain from the night before and making the sea below Lilac Cottage glitter like gold.
She hadn’t been into town since Tuesday when everyone had decided to help her get ready for her big date. Who knew that the tiny piece of satin that she had been forced to buy would end up having such a devastating effect on both her and Henry? Despite telling everyone that listened that it wasn’t a proper date, that they were just friends, she knew that they would all be giving her that knowing look today or grilling her about Henry’s skill between the sheets. And with Henry desperately trying to keep their relationship hidden from Daisy there wasn’t a lot that she could say to the people of the town, not that she would share anything anyway but now she needed to be even more careful. With only five days before the Christmas Eve ball, the town would be filled with people doing last-minute shopping. She sighed.
Suddenly the connecting door flew open and Henry stormed towards her.
‘Daisy is in the shower and I have to go to work but I just wanted to give you something before I left,’ Henry said.
‘What?’
Henry gathered her in his arms and kissed her deeply. Good lord, she’d suddenly forgotten all plans for that day and only wanted to whisk Henry back to bed. When would be the next time she could make love to him? She knew any length of time would be too long. She wrapped herself around him, holding him tight and kissing him hard, but he just as suddenly pulled away.
‘I really have to go to work, I can’t be late on my first proper day as much as I’d like to right now. But there’s something for you to think about on your hot date with Fabio tonight.’
Penny laughed. ‘I’m not…’
‘It’s OK, I get that the lure of a man in leather trousers is too much to resist but just remember whose name you were screaming the other night.’
She smiled. ‘I don’t think I could ever forget. When are we going to get a repeat performance of that?’
‘When you stop dating men in leather trousers.’
He kissed her on the head and walked out the back door. He turned back and gave her a wink. ‘Soon, I promise.’
She smiled as she watched him go, that incredible kiss setting her up for the whole day.
She got in the car and drove down into town, the streets a hive of activity as people prepared for Christmas. In the foggy morning the Christmas lights that we
re strewn from the trees and hung from the lampposts and the fronts of buildings looked magical, even in the daylight, their twinkling orbs welcoming people into the town. The rain from the night before had clearly frozen in the early hours of the morning and it sparkled from the rooftops of houses and cars that lined the streets.
Penny pulled her car up outside The Pilchard, turned the engine off and took a deep breath before she stepped out of the car. She looked up at the pub sign as it swung gently in the cool sea breeze; a cheery fish smiling inanely as it leapt out of the water. Lights twinkled from the windows and even though the pub was closed it looked warm and inviting. This had been one of her favourite places to hang out in her later teen years, long before her and Chris had become friends and started dating. It was warm, cosy and traditional with little booths to sit in. She had imagined then that she would be coming there for the rest of her life, and still propping up the bar when she was old, grey and wrinkled. She would never have thought that, due to circumstances beyond her control, she wouldn’t step foot in there for eight years. Maybe it was time to rectify that.
She pushed open the door. The pub was empty as it didn’t open until just before lunch, but the log fire crackled in the fireplace, ensuring the pub was welcoming for the lunchtime crowd. Kathleen was at the bar, busily going through a list, probably doing a stocktake as Penny had seen her do several times when she had come in the past.
‘We’re closed until eleven,’ Kathleen called out as she turned round, her face going pale as she saw her.
They both stood staring at each other for the longest moment before Penny held up the bag of clothes lamely. ‘I just wanted to return these.’
Kathleen stood still for a second or two longer before she walked towards her. For a moment Penny thought Kathleen might hug her, as her hands moved out, but then it seemed Kathleen changed her mind.
‘Thank you.’
Penny handed over the bag and hovered awkwardly but as there was clearly nothing more to be said she turned to go.
‘Will you stay for a drink?’ Kathleen blurted out. ‘I’d really like it if you stayed for a drink.’
Christmas at Lilac Cottage: (#1 White Cliff Bay) Page 18
