The Little Orchard on the Lane: An absolutely perfect and uplifting romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  Ahead, Lachlan’s vineyard striped the hills. And as she looked up towards it, she caught sight of a lone figure, too far away to see properly, though she could only think of one man it might be. He was walking the path between two rows of vines, stopping every now and again to inspect one. Seeing him so distant, so alone, pulled at her in a way she couldn’t explain. He’d gone out of his way to make it so, after all, and yet she felt he didn’t really deserve to be that lonely. Nobody deserved that, and Karen’s words at their last meeting came back to her now – surely his self-imposed exile wasn’t really what he wanted? She’d seen as much, she’d swear it, the day they’d changed the tyre together in the rain, in the way he’d looked at her when he thought she hadn’t noticed…

  Instinct took over, and before she’d even realised it she’d left the road to take the next turning and the path that led up the hill.

  Everyone had told her to leave it but she couldn’t. The idea had come to her, sudden and irresistible, and she could no more ignore it than stop breathing. And she was going home soon so what did it matter if he rejected her, told her to leave – he could be as rude as he liked because she was hardly likely to see him again, but at least she would know she’d done all she could to reach him.

  The lane was hidden by thick branches of low-hanging foliage so she was at the gate before her progress could be noted by anyone on the hill beyond. She rattled at the gate to find it locked and Lachlan was probably too far away to hear if she shouted for him to come and open it. But the obstacle in question was only a low farm gate (it looked new and Posy wondered if he’d had it installed to secure his land from the walkers he so often complained about), and she was damned if she’d come this far to let a gate stop her. In a moment she’d stepped onto the lowest bar, swung her legs over and dropped down on the other side. Then she marched off in pursuit of the man she could see striding through the rows of grapes.

  ‘Lachlan!’ she called as she moved into range of his hearing. He turned sharply.

  ‘What are you doing up here?’

  ‘Good morning to you too,’ she returned dryly.

  ‘How did you get up here?’

  ‘It wasn’t hard. I have these appendages called legs – marvellous things, they get me to all sorts of places.’

  He didn’t show a flicker of emotion to say whether he found her sarcasm funny or annoying. ‘The gate is locked.’

  ‘But also very low.’

  ‘A locked gate isn’t there to test your climbing skills. It means keep out – even you must know that. What is it about my land that compels you to break and enter whenever you walk past it?’

  Posy rested her hands on her hips. ‘I’m not sure you can break and enter a field. I mean, you can enter… doesn’t the breaking bit have to involve a house?’

  He looked as if he might fire back another reply but then shook his head and turned back to his vines, lifting up a bunch of grapes and peering closely at it. ‘What do you want? I presume you’ve broken in to talk to me about something.’

  ‘I…’

  Now that Posy was here, about to say it, she realised how insensitive it might sound. Would her offer of help damage his pride? Would it look as if Pavla and Karen – the only two people he really confided in – had been gossiping about him? Was it fair to drop them in it?

  ‘It’s nearly harvest time, isn’t it?’ she said.

  ‘And?’

  ‘Well, some vineyards… I read about it… allow members of the public to help pick the grapes. I wondered if you were going to do that.’

  ‘Why would I do that?’

  ‘I just thought you might. You know, because some do.’

  ‘That’s their business.’

  ‘But it does everyone a favour, surely? Visitors get a day out in the countryside, some wine to take home, and you get help. I bet people would love it. I mean, the idea is quite romantic, isn’t it?’

  ‘And I suppose you’re going to tell me how a load of your city mates fancy a day out.’ He turned back to his grapes. ‘Not on my land.’

  ‘I haven’t got a load of city mates,’ she said, trying to bite back a note of irritation. ‘And if I did I expect there are things they’d rather be doing than get moaned at by you. I just thought… well, isn’t this vineyard kind of important…? To the area, I mean. Didn’t I once hear that there’s been a vineyard on this site since the Dark Ages or something?’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Then historically it’s important. To the area, I mean.’

  ‘I had no idea you were so invested in the history of the area.’

  ‘Of course I am! I have—’

  For a moment she thought about telling him her own history, about her connection to Astercombe, but looking at him now, she wondered if he’d even care and how that would make her feel, so she didn’t.

  ‘Damn it, Lachlan! Don’t you ever want anyone’s help?’

  He faced her again and narrowed his eyes. ‘You mean your help? Have you been talking to Pavla…?’

  ‘No… Alright, yes! And what’s wrong with my help?’

  ‘Do you know anything about grape-picking?’

  ‘No, but you could teach me, couldn’t you? It can’t be that hard to pull some fruit off a tree.’

  ‘I won’t be in anyone’s debt—’

  ‘I’m in your debt – remember? You helped me fix the tyre on the van.’

  ‘That was an hour of my time – it’s hardly the same.’

  Posy folded her arms tight across her chest. ‘Who have you got to bring your grapes in?’

  ‘It’s none of your concern.’

  ‘Indulge me – pretend that it is. Who? How many people?’

  ‘Why don’t you ask Pavla, as you’re so pally with her?’

  ‘Tell me you’ve got enough and I’ll leave you alone.’

  He spun around, hurling a pair of cutters to the ground. ‘What’s wrong with you? Why do you have to keep pushing? Why do you care so much what happens here? You’re like a wee terrier, yap, yap, yapping away, wearing me down till you get what you want! You’re worse than—’

  He stopped dead. His shoulders sagged and the fire dimmed in his eyes.

  ‘Worse than what?’ Posy asked, confused by the sudden shift in mood, ready for the fight but now left bewildered and desperately sorry for the man who looked as if the bottom had fallen out of his world. Worse than what?

  Or maybe it was not what, but a who…

  ‘You need to leave,’ he said in a dull voice.

  ‘But—’

  ‘Please leave me alone. I can’t help you.’

  ‘I don’t want you to help me; I want to help you!’

  ‘I don’t need it! Go back to London and get on with your life – don’t keep bothering me!’

  Posy stared at him. ‘Has anyone told you you’re a pain in the arse?’

  ‘Aye, more than once,’ he said, and if Posy hadn’t seen overwhelming evidence of a man who was pathologically incapable of expressing any emotion apart from contempt, she’d have sworn he was about to burst into tears.

  ‘I’m not trying to make your life difficult,’ she said carefully.

  He went back to his grapes.

  ‘I just want to do a good thing for someone who looks like they might need it. I’m thinking of more than just you; I’m thinking of the area too… I care about this place and the vineyard is a part of it… Lachlan! Are you going to say anything?’

  He didn’t look up.

  ‘For God’s sake! Fine, be that way…’

  She turned and began to make her way back to the gate. A second later the sound of his voice made her look round.

  ‘Posy…’

  Lachlan retrieved his cutters and straightened up to hold her in a frank gaze. ‘You really want to help?’

  ‘I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t.’

  He nodded slowly. ‘You’re right – I could do with an extra pair of hands. For the sake of the village, mind, for all that history yo
u seem so fond of…’

  ‘When? Don’t you have to wait until the grapes are just right?’

  ‘Someone’s been doing their homework. I’d say they’re about there. I’ll be making a start tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow? I can come then.’

  Sadness was still etched into every shadow of his face, but his features were more composed now. ‘Eight a.m.,’ he said. ‘Bring a water bottle – it’s going to be hot. I’ll leave the gate open for you.’

  ‘Eight. Water bottle. Open gate. Got it.’ She began to jog down the path for the gate, eager to make some distance before he changed his mind. ‘See you tomorrow!’

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Posy had been so excited to tell Asa about her morning that she almost ran back to Oleander House without the coffee. A few steps in the wrong direction had reminded her and she retraced them to continue to the village.

  As she looked up the hill she could see Lachlan still walking the rows, stopping every so often to inspect a vine. She’d gone up there with the intention of getting this result but she’d never expected it to actually happen. Lachlan had only agreed to her going up there, of course, and the two of them wasn’t really enough, but she’d work on that tomorrow. Her mum would be coming soon and maybe she could help if he’d allow it – Posy had no doubt that Carmel wouldn’t object to lending a hand. And once Lachlan saw how much they could get done with extra help he’d have to agree to more. Harvesting at the orchard wasn’t happening yet so maybe Asa could come too – even if it was only for an hour or so. Who else? Marella had said she had to work, but maybe there was a way she could get out of it? Oh, and Posy would have to call Karen to let her know. And she supposed Pavla could maybe pop in to lend a hand…

  Posy’s mind was a whirl of chaotic thoughts – no sooner had one taken hold than it blew away again to leave room for something new. She was helping someone in need, but she couldn’t deny that the idea of grape-picking sounded heavenly; idyllic and romantic, like the sort of thing you saw on travel programmes or in soft-focus films. Perhaps she’d learn all about Lachlan’s grapes, how the wine was made, what happened when it was finally bottled…

  If she closed her eyes she could still see his face, sad and desperate. She pushed the image out of her mind. He’d relented, he’d let her in, and she had a feeling she’d made more progress in that regard than anyone else in Astercombe (aside from Karen, perhaps) and the idea lifted her spirits. She was going to do more, so much more than just save his vineyard. This was her new mission. She was going to save him.

  * * *

  ‘No, no… I’m very impressed.’

  Asa stopped typing and looked up from his laptop. Posy caught a glimpse of the open webpage. It looked as if he was tweaking the orchard website now that the builders were no longer hammering and whistling all day and he was able to work in his own house once more. Posy had just placed a mug of freshly purchased coffee next to him and had begun to tell him about her surprising morning coup.

  ‘I just don’t know why you’d want to go to so much trouble,’ he added.

  ‘It’s no trouble really.’

  He raised his eyebrows and then turned back to his laptop.

  ‘It’s not,’ Posy insisted. ‘There’s not much to do here now and your apples aren’t ready yet. I might as well make myself useful up there.’

  ‘I thought you had to pack.’

  ‘I can do that quickly enough.’

  ‘That’s not what you said this morning. This morning it was like Hannibal equipping his elephants for a trek up the Alps.’

  ‘Maybe I made it sound like more work than it is. I just thought I might as well offer help at Lachlan’s place because I’m at a bit of a loose end right now.’

  ‘And the only way you could think to tie it up is to break your back on Mr Grumpy’s vineyard?’

  ‘It’ll be fine… fun, in fact. It’ll be an experience.’

  ‘It’ll be that alright.’

  ‘I’m not that much of a delicate flower! You weren’t complaining when I was taking a sledgehammer to your walls!’

  ‘I don’t think you’re that at all but… Well, have you ever harvested a crop of any kind?’

  ‘No, but—’

  ‘I’m just saying it’s harder than you might imagine – certainly harder than collecting a few peas from your mum’s garden.’

  ‘I know that!’

  ‘Good. That’s alright then.’

  Asa was silent again, eyes locked onto the screen of the laptop. Posy felt like she’d been dismissed, but she also felt like he was trying to tell her she was foolish and misguided.

  ‘I still can’t believe he agreed to it,’ she said, choosing to ignore his obvious jibes about her expectations and suitability to the task she’d set herself.

  ‘Neither can I,’ he said vaguely. ‘It’ll be a shock to everyone once word gets round. Whatever you’ve got you ought to bottle it – might make your fortune.’

  She took a seat on the sofa. Her uncle was obviously busy but she wasn’t ready to leave him to it – she needed to talk. He looked up.

  ‘You want to know what I think?’ he asked.

  ‘What?’ she said, suddenly deciding that maybe she didn’t want to talk after all. His tone suggested she was about to be lectured.

  ‘I think you ought to be careful.’

  And there it was.

  ‘He looks like a romantic hero,’ Asa continued, ‘but I doubt the reality lives up to the promise.’

  ‘You’ve changed your tune.’

  ‘No I haven’t. I’ve always said he was ridiculously handsome, but I never said he was a nice man.’

  ‘Neither did I.’

  ‘You’re not expecting some about-face, then? That you’ll suddenly discover he’s got a heart of gold when you spend a little time with him?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘You’re absolutely sure you’re not a teensy bit interested?’

  ‘Interested?’

  ‘Don’t play coy – you know exactly what I’m talking about.’

  ‘I have a boyfriend.’

  ‘I thought you were going to give Jackson the elbow.’

  ‘No, you said I ought to but I didn’t say I would. I haven’t decided yet if I ought to give him another chance.’

  ‘And they say romance isn’t dead…’

  ‘Oi!’

  ‘Well, I don’t know why you’d want to continue seeing a man you’re only mildly interested in. I think that the lady doth protest too much…’

  ‘I’m more than mildly interested.’

  ‘No you’re not.’

  Posy frowned. Asa had called her out, but she was feeling suddenly stubborn about being told what to do. ‘Well, I don’t know how you’re any great expert on it.’

  Asa’s tone was sharp now. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Nothing…’

  He went back to his laptop. Posy sighed. She’d succeeded in getting an enemy onside today but she didn’t want to negate that achievement by alienating a friend, and she could tell that she’d annoyed Asa.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said.

  ‘It’s fine.’

  ‘No, it’s not. But… why didn’t you ever tell me about Drew?’

  He looked up again, but this time Posy could tell she’d caught him off-guard.

  ‘How come you felt able to tell Marella about Drew but not me?’ she asked. ‘I thought we got on well.’

  ‘We do. I suppose that’s why. Posy – we’re friends but I’m still your uncle.’

  ‘What does that matter? I tell you things.’

  ‘I’m sure there are things you wouldn’t want to share with me and things I’d be glad not to hear.’

  Posy couldn’t help a small smile. ‘I suppose so. But now you know what I know… I mean, Marella told me some of it. I wouldn’t judge, but if I had the full story I’d know how to avoid putting my foot in it.’

  ‘What did Marella tell you?’

>   ‘That you were engaged, that Drew had moved in here and the wedding date was set, but then he cheated on you.’

  ‘Hmm, in a nutshell that’s pretty much it.’

  ‘But you still miss him?’

  ‘Marella told you that?’

  ‘No, your face did. I’m right, aren’t I?’

  ‘Did anyone ever tell you you’re an insufferable know-it-all?’

  ‘More times than I can count.’

  ‘I suppose,’ he said, ‘it would be all the more bearable if he’d leave me alone to get over him.’

  Posy had guessed as much but she asked the question anyway. ‘You’re still in contact?’

  ‘Not for want of trying on my part. The stupid boy refuses to stop calling.’

  ‘Let me guess… the cheater got cheated on? Now he’s sorry and he realises what he’s put you through and that his grass was already green enough without wandering off to look for a new pasture? It wasn’t like him and if you take him back he’ll never take you for granted again?’

  ‘God, you’re good.’

  ‘I know. So what are you going to do? Surely you’re not going to let him back into your life?’

  ‘That’s what all this was about…’ He waved a hand at the room. ‘The refurbishment. I thought if I was going to move on I had to get rid of all reminders of him; start afresh.’ He gave her a fond smile. ‘And then I got you into the bargain, so it wasn’t all bad. Now that you know about it, I feel safe in saying that having you here has made me so much stronger in moments when I felt weak.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Really. You filled the space, made my house feel less empty, stopped me getting lonely and caving in. You’ve been amazing.’