by Kate Field
‘I can’t let you do that,’ she said, as gently as she could. ‘I’ll pack my things in the morning and put them in the car until I’ve finished at the pub.’ It wouldn’t take long. Growing up the way she had, she was used to moving on at short notice. She never fully unpacked; even at the hotel, she’d kept an emergency box of her most important things, ready to grab and go if needed. ‘It will only be for a couple of nights, won’t it?’
‘We’ll see.’ Lia grinned. ‘You might not want to come back here once you’ve experienced life at Vennhallow.’
‘I’ll have to find somewhere else soon anyway,’ Mim said. ‘You’ll need to do up this caravan for holidaymakers to use.’ It was a timely reminder. She’d grown complacent here and hadn’t even started looking for other accommodation. She’d need to find more work too if she was going to pay commercial rent. Three full days off was an indulgence, even if she was working over fifty hours on the other four days.
‘We won’t be using this caravan,’ Lia said. ‘Mummy was quite clear on that. We’ll use the other five for now and see how it goes. Yours is safe.’
That was good news, although Mim felt a twinge of guilt at limiting the number of holidays available.
‘What’s the next step after the gas and electricity repairs?’ Mim asked. ‘Should we invite Susie to have a look now so she can start work?’
Susie had been thrilled to get involved with the project and had soon dismissed Mim’s worries about whether she was well enough. They had spoken on Karen’s phone, and Susie had told Mim in a forthright way that she’d beaten cancer and so had no concerns about knocking up a few pairs of curtains and cushions for five caravans. She sounded formidable and Mim was looking forward to meeting her. The Howards had happily agreed to her involvement.
‘Absolutely,’ Lia said, ‘and I’ve arranged for Susie to come round tomorrow morning before the workmen. Everything is slotting together, isn’t it?’
‘Tomorrow?’ Mim repeated. Why did it all have to take place tomorrow? ‘But that means I won’t be here to meet Susie.’
‘It’s only the first meeting. You can join the next one. As long as you’re free,’ Lia added, laughing. ‘I heard that Corin is arranging some more tourist activities for you to sample. Honestly, darling, you didn’t need to be so polite about his fossil tour. He seems to think you enjoyed it. If he suggests one of his guided walks you must say no or he’ll march you to Dorset and back before you know it.’
Chapter Eleven
The spare bedroom at Vennhallow was as elegant as the rest of the house. It was decorated in pale grey with a king-size bed and an en suite shower room that was almost as big as Mim’s bedroom in the caravan. Lia had waited up to let Mim in after her shift at the pub and she sprawled on a chaise longue while Mim looked round.
‘Didn’t I tell you it was sumptuous?’ Lia asked, as Mim stood at the window trying to work out what direction she was facing and if there would be a sea view or not. Not that it mattered, for two nights, but she was allowed to hope, wasn’t she? ‘You won’t want to leave us once you’ve tasted this life.’
Mim flopped onto the bed and sank a few inches down, cocooned in the feathery softness of the bedding. It was total bliss.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave this bed,’ she said. ‘Switch the light off when you go, won’t you?’
Bea was equally keen to make Mim feel at home. When Mim eventually dragged herself out of bed the next morning, Bea was already in the kitchen, wearing an elegant silk robe and brewing a pot of tea.
‘Good morning,’ she said when Mim came in. ‘How did you sleep, my dear? Were you warm enough?’
‘Very.’ So warm that she’d had to cast off the throw that covered the bed. This might be an old house, but the heating system was amazing.
‘Your breakfast is ready,’ Bea said, and she carried a tray over to the table and set it down. It was laden with a couple of boiled eggs, a rack of perfectly browned wholemeal toast, a dish of butter, and a steaming mug of tea.
‘This is for me?’ Mim asked, as Bea gestured for her to take a seat.
‘Of course. You can’t do a day’s work without a good breakfast. I hope you like it. Boiled eggs are about my culinary limit. I always used to make some for the children before they went to school.’
She sounded so wistful that Mim didn’t have the heart to tell her that she’d prefer a bowl of porridge.
‘I’ve made your packed lunch too,’ Bea carried on, lifting an insulated sandwich bag off the kitchen counter. ‘Smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches, and a slice of Mrs Dennis’s finest carrot cake.’
‘You really didn’t need to do all this.’ Mim sliced the top off an egg and dipped in a toast soldier. It was perfectly cooked and the yolk dribbled down the toast. ‘I’m quite used to looking after myself.’
‘You don’t need to while you’re with us. We all look out for each other.’ Bea rested a hand briefly on Mim’s shoulder. ‘Besides, I’m buttering you up as I have a favour to ask.’
‘Anything.’
‘It isn’t too horrendous. I wondered if you’d drive me to Honiton one day next week to collect my dress for the Valentine’s event. Bill refuses to go near a lady’s dress shop. I don’t trust Lia’s driving, and I’d prefer not to trouble Ros now she’s expecting. What do you say?’
‘I’d be happy to.’ Mim smiled. ‘As long as you give me directions as I haven’t a clue where that place is.’
‘Even better, we’ll take Bill’s car and then we can use the sat nav if we need to. No offence, my dear, but it will be a far more comfortable ride. Let me borrow your driving licence and I’ll add you to the insurance.’
‘Did I see you leaving Vennhallow this morning?’ Corin asked, as Mim pulled him a pint in the Boat that evening. She didn’t need to ask what he wanted anymore. He turned up at least two out of the four nights she worked there, usually with Dickens at his heels, and always had a pint of a local real ale with a half for her. If he was early, he would sit with Dickens and read a newspaper, but he was rarely on his own for long. He seemed to know everyone who came in and was happy to chat to them all.
‘I can’t answer that,’ Mim said, placing his drink on the bar. ‘I did leave the house this morning. If you were hanging about you might have seen me.’
‘I was and I did.’
‘There’s a word for men who lurk in the bushes, spying.’
‘There are two words. Dog owner. I was taking Dickens for his morning walk.’ He bent down and scratched the top of the dog’s head. ‘Was there an emergency that you were there so early? Mum and Lia aren’t usually awake at that time.’
‘No emergency. I’m staying there for a couple of nights while work is done on the caravans.’ She hesitated, his change clasped in her hand. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea – to think that she was worming her way in. That was one of the many accusations that Gordon’s daughter had thrown at her while she was working at the hotel. She wasn’t going through all that again. ‘It wasn’t my idea. I’d have been happy to stay in the caravan. But Bea and Lia insisted.’
‘Insisted?’ Corin smiled. ‘I’m surprised that’s all they did. I’m amazed they didn’t simply move your things and present you with a fait accompli.’
Mim laughed but didn’t reply. He wasn’t far off the truth with that remark. She held out his change. He looked at it but didn’t take it.
‘Don’t be afraid to stand your ground,’ he said. ‘My family have an annoying habit of taking over. Why let you do something yourself if they can do it for you?’
‘I’m not afraid of anything.’ Mim slapped his change down on the bar. ‘Besides, I wouldn’t call that annoying. Your family are kind and they care about each other. A lot of people would be glad to have a family like yours. It’s all I ever wanted. And stop giving me that pitying look,’ she added, as she turned away to attend to another customer. ‘That really is annoying.’
By the time she’d pulled the next pint, Corin had tak
en his change and he and Dickens were talking to an old man at a table in front of the fire.
He was back at the bar an hour later with his empty glass.
‘Another?’ Mim asked.
‘No, I’d better go.’ Corin pulled some leaflets out of the inner pocket of his coat and put them on the bar. ‘I only popped in to give you these. It’s information about some of the tourist attractions in the area. Have a look and see if anything looks interesting. I have access to a minibus, so we could offer excursions if you think that would work.’
Mim flicked through some of the leaflets. There was a theme park, a donkey sanctuary, a swannery – whatever that was – and that was only from the first few on the pile.
‘How can I choose?’ she asked. ‘They all look interesting to me.’
‘No problem.’ Corin smiled. ‘I’ll take you to check them out. Let me know when you’re free.’
After missing out on the meeting with Susie, Mim was relieved that the first day of working on the caravans was fixed for a Wednesday. She knew that Heather and Karen would be coming up, and presumably Lia, but didn’t have high hopes for a larger crowd on a midweek day. She was surprised to arrive back after swimming and find an additional half a dozen people ready to start work. Most were familiar faces from the pub or the shop, although she didn’t know their names.
‘Where have all these people come from?’ she asked Heather, as they made their way over to the group.
‘They’re all villagers who want to support the charity,’ she said. ‘It’s a popular idea. With most people anyway; there’s inevitably a few who would install road blocks to keep the tourists out of Devon if they could. Bobby and Corin have been spreading the word for a couple of weeks.’
Corin wasn’t here today; Mim had already noticed that.
‘I didn’t realise it would go down so well,’ she said. Heather smiled.
‘I didn’t doubt it. We’re a close-knit village, but not a wealthy one – with a few obvious exceptions. Many of us know what it’s like to struggle for money. But we also know that we’re lucky to live in such a gorgeous place, and being here enriches our lives more than a few pounds in the bank. Most of us are happy to share it with people who couldn’t otherwise afford to come.’
Heather had put into words something that Mim had felt over the last few weeks. She’d been incredibly lucky to connect with the Howards, and with the rent-free caravan and her two jobs, she’d started saving money for the first time. It didn’t mean that her worries were over. She could be kicked out of the caravan or be sacked at any moment. But there was something about this place – the view of the sea that changed every day, the rolling cliff tops, the salty breeze that blew in towards the shore – that gave her a sense of peace, and of optimism that somehow things would work out.
The group of volunteers gathered round Lia, who was dressed for the occasion in neon wellies and a trench coat, which seemed to be her idea of working clothes.
‘Thank you so much for coming to lend us a hand,’ Lia said. ‘We’re very grateful to you all for supporting our charity. We want As You Like It holidays to be the perfect retreat for anyone who needs a break. Mim – as it was your idea, why don’t you explain how much it means?’
Had it been her idea? Mim didn’t remember the original discussion going quite like that, but all eyes had now turned to her. She smiled.
‘If you’ve spoken to me in the shop or the pub, you’ll have gathered I’m not from round here,’ she said. There were a few smiles of acknowledgement. ‘I’ve spent all my life up north. I didn’t have holidays when I was growing up, for various reasons. I’d never been to Devon, or seen the sea, until a few weeks ago. Already I’ve realised there’s something special about this place, a peace and a beauty that creeps into your heart without you noticing and puts all the other worries of life into perspective. I’d love to be able to share that peace with families who need a break, and to help them spend time together with nothing to worry about other than having fun.’
She stopped, thinking that she’d said too much and been too sentimental, and was surprised when the volunteers burst into a quick round of applause.
‘I hope that’s inspired you all, because today’s job isn’t the most fun,’ Lia said. ‘Can we all divide up and start cleaning the exterior of the caravans? They are covered in so much grime that we can’t see if there’s any damage underneath.’
The group divided up into pairs. Heather and Karen teamed up, leaving Mim on her own, with Lia and Bobby also at a loose end. Neither of them looked at each other. Lia fiddled with the belt of her trench, her usual confidence seemingly vanished, and Bobby rubbed the side of his face.
‘Why don’t you two—’
‘Perhaps—’
‘I should—’
They all started to speak at once. Bobby was first to start again.
‘I’ll have a look at some of those verandas,’ he said, addressing Mim. ‘Make a note of any rotten posts and boards that need replacing.’
‘Great idea,’ Lia said, but he was already dashing away to the nearest caravan. Lia sighed. ‘You see, Mim? He must think I’m far too silly to be in charge of a project like this. He’s assigning his own tasks.’
‘There’s no point him cleaning,’ Mim said. ‘Anyone can do that. He’s better off looking at the skilled jobs that need doing.’
Twenty minutes later, Mim was revising her opinion that anyone could do the cleaning. Lia had donned some rubber gloves, and had made a couple of sweeps with a sponge on the side of the caravan she was working on with Mim, but she wasn’t exactly putting in hard graft. Not on the caravans, at least; she seemed extremely busy sorting out her social life. Her phone buzzed every couple of minutes and she gave Mim a running commentary on what was going on, and who would be pairing up for the Valentine dinner at the weekend. Apparently, Lia’s date was a City banker called Algie, a friend of a friend who she had been told was totally hot. Mim didn’t miss the glance across the field to Bobby when Lia said this.
Bea and Mrs Dennis arrived at lunchtime, carrying cool bags and wicker baskets full of food for the workers. Everyone squashed together on the steps leading to Mim’s caravan to enjoy the food.
‘Doesn’t it look brighter already?’ Bea said, gesturing across the field at the caravans, some of which were now looking clean again. ‘It’s a shame they are all that institutional cream colour. We were going for classic, neutral shades at the time we bought them, but something more cheerful would suit this project better.’
‘You could always paint them,’ Bobby said, picking a pork pie from a Tupperware box of treats.
‘Could we?’ Lia looked thrilled. ‘I had wondered, but I wasn’t sure what you could use on caravans.’
‘It would have to be special paint,’ Bobby said. ‘You can get a metal topcoat that protects from UV light and weathering. I don’t know what colours they do.’
Lia was looking at him as if he’d just discovered DNA.
‘You’re a genius,’ she said. ‘This is exactly what we need to make the site look more friendly and welcoming. We were thinking of a vintage look for the interior, so perhaps we can match that outside. What about cobalt blue, sea green, shell pink and maybe a yellow and a grey? Wouldn’t that look brilliant?’
‘Special paint sounds expensive,’ Mim said, trying to rein Lia in before she got too carried away. ‘The caravans will look okay once they’re cleaned up, won’t they?’
‘Hush Mim,’ Bea said. ‘I don’t want to hear another word about the expense. It will lift the spirits of our guests if they arrive and see some bright caravans waiting for them. We’ll be painting yours too, so have a think about what colour you would like. Could you find us some paint charts, Bobby, there’s a dear?’
The afternoon flew by as they finished cleaning the remaining caravans, and started work on the grounds. All the flowerpots were emptied of the dead plants and dry soil, and the worst of the weeds were cleared away. Bobby gave Mim a spra
y to use on the gravel drive to try to kill off the weeds poking up through the stones. Lia had given up all pretence of working by this point, and spent most of her time flitting from group to group, motivating the volunteers with a smile and some conversation.
‘We need to keep the momentum going,’ she said, when it was Mim’s turn to enjoy her company again. ‘I wonder if people will be happy to come back on Saturday? I’ll be getting ready for the Valentine dinner, but Olly will be here by then and he and Corin could take our places, couldn’t they?’ She laughed. ‘I know what you’re thinking. They could do as much work in a couple of hours as I’ve done all day, couldn’t they?’
‘A couple of hours? I’m sure they’d only need thirty minutes.’ Mim grinned. It was one of Lia’s most endearing qualities that she didn’t take herself too seriously. Unlike her eldest brother. ‘Where is Corin today? I thought he would have come to help.’
‘He wanted to, but he’s working today.’
‘A fossil walk?’ Mim asked. ‘How often does he do them?’
‘Hmm?’ The conversation was put on hold while Lia replied to a text message. ‘No, it’s one of his factory days today.’
Mim paused in her spraying.
‘Corin works in a factory?’ she asked. Lia laughed.
‘Not on all the machinery, silly. It’s Daddy’s factory. He’s teaching Corin how to run it, and the rest of the business.’
Bill owned a factory? Mim hadn’t heard any mention of that so far. She hadn’t really thought about where the Howard money came from. Some people were simply born rich, weren’t they?
‘What do they make in the factory?’ she asked.
‘Oh, I don’t exactly know – some kind of industrial clip or fastening, I think. I’ve never really paid all that much attention to be honest, darling. Daddy was terribly clever and invented it when he was younger than me, and now it’s used all over the world. It was definitely one of his better ideas.’
‘And Corin’s going to take over?’ Mim asked. It seemed a waste of all those Geography and Geology qualifications he’d told her about.
