by Jenny Frame
Eliska looked straight at Clementine for the first time and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you’ll feel safe and be happy in Rosebrook.”
“I’ll show you out,” Evan said.
When Evan came back in, she said, “You’re a kind woman, Clementine Fitzroy.”
“Well, they needed that hope. These are exactly the type of people we need to build up our village.”
“Our village?” Evan said as she sat down.
“Your village.”
Evan leaned in and kissed Clementine. “No, you were right the first time. Now we just have to decide on the rest of the applicants.”
“There’s some good people there,” Clementine said. “And we need a mix of single people and families.”
“Talking of families, I had an idea,” Evan said.
“What?”
Evan took her hand. “Why don’t you bring your mother to stay at Rosebrook next weekend?”
“Really? You think that’s a good idea?” Clementine asked.
“You’re always saying how distressed she is that she’s not at Rosebrook. I think it would make her calmer.”
“It will be a lot of work to look after her. You’re sure?”
“Yes, I love you and she’s your family,” Evan said.
Chapter Twenty
The next Friday Evan got back from London early. She was taking Clementine to pick up her mum and bring her back to Rosebrook. Luckily it was a dry day. The nurses and Clementine helped the dowager duchess into her wheelchair, and Evan wheeled it out to the car. They’d brought Clementine’s car since it had more room.
“Where are we going, Clemy?”
“I’m taking you to Rosebrook.”
“We’re going home? We’re going home?” Marianne started to cry, which in turn set Clementine off.
“Let’s get her into the car, Clem. I’ll drive, so you can sit in the back with your mum.”
On the car journey home Marianne seemed to come alive with new energy. She started to recognize familiar landmarks as they drove.
Evan looked in the rear-view mirror and saw Marianne grasp Clementine’s hand tightly and smile and point out the window. Clementine was smiling too. It was wonderful that she was getting these quality moments with her mum.
“Clem? Let’s not just go back to the house. Let’s take her around all the places she remembers.”
And so they did. They drove to the cliff lookout point, then walked, with Marianne in her wheelchair, through the village, which overwhelmed her with joy, especially when she saw the cottages being rebuilt. Marianne put that down to her husband finally finding the money to upgrade the village.
Then the house. The look of joy on Marianne’s face, and on Clem’s to see her mother so happy, was worth every penny of putting this place right.
* * *
After dinner in the dining room, Clementine saw her mother flagging. It had been such a busy day for her, so she decided to get her upstairs for an early night.
Clementine settled her mum in bed and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes, Mama.”
She walked out of the bedroom, and Evan was waiting for her. “How is she?”
“Happy. This was such a great idea.”
Evan put her arms around Clementine. “I’d do anything to help you and make you happy.”
Clementine buried her face in Evan’s chest. “I’ve been alone for so long, trying to cope with Mama and struggling to look after her properly—now I don’t feel alone. You’ve taught me to dream there can be a better future.”
“You never have to feel alone again, Clem. I love you.”
Clementine caressed Evan’s cheek. “I love you.”
She saw tears coming to Evan’s eyes. Evan deserved everything. She deserved the certainty of a committed relationship that everyone knew about.
“No more secrecy and pulling away from you in public. That’s going to change from now on.”
“It is?” Evan asked cautiously.
Clementine kissed each of her cheeks, then her nose and lips. “Well, if we’re going to be partners in business and life, people have to know.”
Evan swept her up and kissed her. “Thank you, you don’t know what that means to me. We can have your mum to stay anytime you like, and if you move in with me one day, then she could live with us, and we’d get her a full-time nurse.”
“Really? You’d want me to live with you, and bring my mum to live with us? That wouldn’t bother you? Starting a new life with my mother alongside us?”
Evan gave here the biggest smile. “Don’t be silly. You do for family, whatever it takes. My grandma stayed with us. She died at ninety-eight years old, at home, in her own bed, with her family. That’s how I was brought up.”
Clementine rested her forehead against Evan’s. “I’m going to miss you so much tonight. I could never have imagined such a good, kind person.”
“You forgot exceptionally good-looking,” Evan joked then put her arms around Clementine and squeezed her in the biggest hug.
“I’ll miss you too, Clem, but it’s important to spend time with your mum. I’ll find a cosy old movie to put on TV, and I’ll soon fall asleep.”
“Okay, goodnight, Foxy.” Clementine kissed her goodnight and walked back into the bedroom.
“Clemy? Is that you?” Marianne said.
“Yes, Mama. It’s me.”
She slipped under the covers and took her mother’s hand. She hadn’t been able to do this for such a long time.
“Do you want your fox back, Clemy?”
Clementine turned around and kissed her mum on the cheek. “You keep him, Mama. Let’s go to sleep.”
As they lay there in the dark, all that could be heard was the tick-tock of the clock.
Then out of the darkness Marianne said, “Thank you for bringing me home, Clemy. I always knew you would.”
“It’s nice to be home with you, Mama.”
“Dora said you would.”
Clementine sat up slightly. “What do you mean?”
“Dora said you would get Rosebrook back.”
Clementine was a little bit freaked by that remark. “When did she say that, Mama?”
“I can’t remember, but she’s waiting with Louisa and Papa.”
“Where?”
“The end of the lane. Down there. Night night, little Clemy.”
Logically Clementine knew that this was probably a product of her mother’s confused mind, but here alone in the blackness, it did make her slightly uneasy. Regardless of that, it appeared to give her mother comfort, and that was a good thing.
“You’re safe at Rosebrook, Mama. Have a peaceful sleep. Night night.”
* * *
Evan jumped when she heard her text message tone. The twenty-four-hour news was playing on the TV and the bedroom lights were still on. She must have fallen asleep without putting them off.
She grabbed her phone. Six a.m., and there was a message from Clem.
I need you.
Evan jumped up and pulled on a T-shirt. She hurried through to the duchess’s room and found Clementine sitting on the floor by the bed, tears streaking her face.
“Clem? What’s wrong?”
Clementine looked up and said, “She’s gone.”
Evan walked over to the bed and saw Marianne deathly still, but peaceful looking.
“She’s gone.”
Evan went immediately down on her knees and pulled Clementine into her arms. “I’m so sorry, Clem.”
“She’s gone,” Clementine repeated.
Evan could feel her trembling. She had to get her warmed up. “Come through to my room. You’re cold.”
Clementine allowed herself to be helped to her feet, and then Evan lifted her up in her arms and carried her through to the other bedroom. Evan put her on her bed and grabbed a blanket from the armchair in the corner to wrap around her shoulders.
“Hold on to this blanket. It’ll warm you up.”
<
br /> Clementine just stared off into the distance.
“Clem, I’ll call for an ambulance and make you a cup of tea, okay?”
She got no reply. Evan didn’t want to leave her, but she was going to have to.
* * *
After the ambulance, police, and undertakers had come to take Marianne’s body away, Kay arrived with some fresh clothes for Clementine to change into. Then as word spread, one by one, people started to arrive to pay their respects. If the villagers didn’t know about Evan and Clementine being a couple before, they did now. Clementine hadn’t let go of her since they came down to the drawing room. Fergus had been the first to arrive, then Barbara and William Murdoch, closely followed by Albert Mason.
Evan was thankful that Kay was here taking charge and helping her housekeeper Jane with food and drinks for everyone. It was nice to see everyone showing their support for Clementine.
Once everyone left, Evan returned to the drawing room, but Clementine wasn’t there. She hurried into the reception hall, and Jane was just coming up the stairs from the kitchen.
“Evan, would you like me to stay on later and make you dinner?”
“No, you go off. I’ll make us something later. Thanks for all your help today,” Evan said.
“You’re welcome. I hope the duchess is okay.”
“Thanks, see you tomorrow.”
She was sure Clementine would be in the duchess’s bedroom or hers, but she wasn’t there. Evan started to panic. Clem had been so quiet that she didn’t know where her mind was at. Then an idea came into her head. Would she go out to the family burial ground? Evan ran downstairs out of the garden room and ran across the gardens at the back of the house.
The gate to the burial ground was open. Evan’s hunch was correct. She found Clementine standing by her father’s and Isadora’s graves, hugging herself and shaking.
“Hey, what are you doing out here?”
“Visiting Papa,” Clementine said with little emotion.
“Come inside. How about we have an early night? Cuddle up, and starting tomorrow we can plan what needs to be done?”
“Mum thanked me last night for bringing her back.”
“Did she?”
Clementine nodded.
“Well, as I said earlier, at least she passed away in the home she loved,” Evan said.
Clementine turned her attention to Isadora’s grave beside her. “Mum would have spent her declining years in her own home if it wasn’t for Dora, and my father might not have died so early. Mama always said he died because of the stress, trying to keep the house afloat.”
“You don’t know that, Clem.” When she got no response, Evan said, “Come on inside. You’re cold.”
“Would you mind if I buried Mama here? With Papa?”
Evan put her arm around Clementine’s shoulders. “Of course not. You don’t need to ask.”
“I do,” Clementine said flatly. “It’s not my house any more.” Clementine slipped away from Evan and said, “I think I’ll go home now.”
“You want to stay at the gatehouse tonight?”
Clementine nodded.
Evan supposed it might be hard to stay close to where her mum passed. “Okay, just give me twenty minutes to pack a bag for myself, and I’ll be right with you.”
“No, I meant I’ll go home now. I’d like some time to myself.”
Evan tried to hide the little bit of hurt she felt. She had tried to be Clementine’s rock all day and felt it was her job to take care of her girlfriend, and maybe it was childish, but she was kind of hurt at the rejection. Not to mention worried about Clementine being on her own.
“If you’re sure that’s what you really want.”
“It is,” Clementine said and began to walk back to the house.
It seemed a lifetime ago when Clementine told Evan she loved her. She didn’t know why, but Evan had a bad feeling that their burgeoning relationship wasn’t going to run smoothly.
* * *
Clementine felt numb. She sat on her bed and stared blankly ahead, unsure of what she was meant to be feeling. The only emotion she was sure about was one of loss, a gaping expanse of blackness, and it frightened her.
She’d had one purpose since her father died when she was a teenager—to look after her mother and make sure she was as comfortable as she could be. With her mother’s mental instability after her papa passed, she’d had to become an adult before her time, then even more so when her mother had started to show the signs of dementia.
Now she was gone, and Clementine’s purpose for getting up every day and working as hard as she possibly could was gone as well. What was left was a great big frightening hole. She slipped under the covers and curled up on her side.
She heard her mobile beep. Then after she ignored it, it beeped again. Clementine opened the text. It was from Evan asking if she was all right.
Clementine typed back quickly, I’m fine. I’m going to sleep, goodnight.
Seconds later Evan replied, Don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. Any time during the night, I’ll be right there. I love you.
The words I love you jarred inside her. She didn’t want to feel or think about love just now. That big gaping hole of loss was swallowing up any positive or comforting emotions, so she replied simply.
Goodnight.
Chapter Twenty-one
The next morning Evan got dressed quickly and walked down to the office. She wanted to leave some instructions for Archie, then go to the gatehouse. As she neared the office, she saw Archie’s car pull up and Rupert and Ash walking up the driveway, ready to start their day.
Archie got out of her car and said, “Fox? How is Clementine?”
“Not great. She insisted on being alone last night. That’s why I was coming in early to see you. Can you take Ash and meet with the shop outfitters and the new manager—they are hoping to sign off on their work. Clementine was due to meet with them—”
“Absolutely, anything I can do to help, just let me know,” Archie said. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I need to spend the day with Clem.”
Ash and Rupert came alongside them, and Archie said, “Good news, Ash. You’re working with me today.”
Ash rolled her eyes. “Oh, hang out the flags. Don’t worry, I’ve been practising my tea-making skills.”
“What a good start to the day,” Archie said sarcastically. “Go ahead, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Rupert went to unlock the door, but it was already open. He turned to Evan and said, “Someone’s beaten us to it.”
“What?” Evan walked with them inside and saw Clementine working away at her desk.
“Could you give us a minute, everyone?” Evan asked.
Archie nodded and said, “Ash? Let’s have some of that nice tea you promised and take it into the conference room.”
When they walked away, Evan went over to Clementine’s desk. “Clem? What are you doing here?”
Clementine looked up briefly, then returned her attention to her laptop. “Working. Isn’t that what normally happens on Monday mornings?”
“Not after your mum’s just passed away. Come on, I planned to take the day off to be with you. Pack up and we can go back to yours, or Rosebrook if you want.”
“No, I’m working. I have a very busy day. I’m meeting the shopfitters in the afternoon, and I have to chase up the contractors down at the Seascape Cottages. They’re still a week behind.”
This was going to be difficult, Evan thought.
She walked around Clementine’s desk and knelt down beside her chair. “Clem, you shouldn’t be here, or working. You’ve just lost your mum.”
Clementine gave her a hard look. “What am I supposed to be doing? Getting my nails done?”
Evan sighed. “No, but there’s arrangements to be made with the undertaker, plans for the wake. I was going to take the day off to help you do that.”
“The arrangements have already been done. I emailed the funer
al directors first thing this morning with my wishes. It’s all done, and as long as your offer to hold the burial and wake at Rosebrook stands, then it’s all under control.”
Evan was worried. Clementine wasn’t being harsh or bad-tempered, but she was cold and emotionless, which was a whole lot worse than anger.
“Of course you can still have it at Rosebrook. I’ll do anything you need me to do,” Evan said.
“Then don’t fuss. I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine.”
“Look, just let me be and do my work. It’s all I have, now that Mama is gone.”
Evan shouldn’t feel hurt. It must be the grief talking. Still, the rebuff hurt all the same.
* * *
Clementine felt her brain and the day were going a million miles an hour, and her head hurt from it.
She popped a couple of painkillers before leaving the office and hoped her raging headache would calm. Ash tried to keep up with her as she walked quickly through the village to the shop. They could have driven, but Clementine wanted to walk.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Clementine?” Ash asked.
“I’m fine,” came her stock response. She had to keep busy. If she slowed down, she would lose herself in the black hole that had opened inside her.
They passed the pub and saw Jonah sweeping up outside. “Morning, Your Grace, Ash.”
“Morning, Jonah,” Clementine tried to say as cheerily as possible. “What have you got on the agenda today?”
Jonah looked surprised at the normal tone of her enquiry. Clementine hated the way everyone was walking on eggshells around her. She just wanted everything to be normal.
“The kitchen people are coming back to finish off the kitchen refurb, and I’ve got interviews for the cook’s position. Some good quality pub food will lift this place to another level.”
“Good, good. All systems go, then. Carry on.”
Clementine was soon at the shop, and the site manager for the shopfitters was waiting outside. When another car pulled up, Ash said, “I think Ms. Badger has arrived.”
