‘Count me in, your rolls are famous around these parts now, thanks, see you later then.’ Juliette chuckled, pushed open the gate and headed to her front door.
Chapter 4
Sallie finished grating the cheese and added it to the onion and cream mixture and stirred in herbs to the mixing bowl. Then she laid the cheese mixture onto the sheets of pastry and one by one rolled them up. This was a big batch, and she just about had time to deliver them before the storm really came in. She lined the rolls up on the baking tray, popped them into the oven and set a timer on her phone for twenty minutes.
Sallie walked over to the windows and looked out onto the beach - there was already debris washing up. A branch had blown down from one of the trees onto the roof of the boathouse cottage and one of the oars attached to the front rattled precariously in the wind. She had guests arriving for the week soon and the following three weekends after that were all booked, as was Christmas, so she kept her fingers crossed that the storm wouldn’t cause too much damage.
Next door, Ed from the kayak hire store, wrapped up in a vast yellow raincoat, wellington boots and a sheepskin hat was packing away everything outside on his jetty. She watched as he hurriedly tried to get everything in - it was a race to get it all packed away before the snowstorm really hit. She opened the French doors, walked out into the wind on the deck and called out to him. The wind took her voice away and he carried on oblivious. Walking back in she checked on the sausage rolls, grabbed her coat, put on her wellies, pulled open the barn door and gasped as wind whipped into her hair and icy air swirled around her head.
Slamming the door behind her, she ran across the pebbles and down to the left side of the Boat House, squeezed beside the marquee and climbed over the low fence onto Ed’s deck. She shouted out to him, her voice carrying into the wind.
‘Ed! Do you need some help?’ He looked up hearing her shouting and nodded in relief.
‘It’s come in so fast! I was up at Seafolly Bay at an appointment and then this! Then I got stuck in traffic. I need to get all this stuff inside. It’ll probably be alright but I’d rather not chance it,’ he yelled back over the noise of the wind and waves.
She started helping him lug stuff into the workshop and they stacked it all up next to the orderly piles of orange kayaks. Twenty minutes later, with crisp snowflakes swirling around them and the angry sea lashing at the side of the deck, they’d got most of it in. They stood in the doorway looking over to the beach and to the lighthouse beyond.
Ed grimaced. ‘Haven’t had one of these for years. The weather forecaster said it was going to be a cold one this year, but I didn’t see snow coming this early. The last big one was awful for Pretty Beach - took us ages to recover. I don’t suppose you were here then? No, no you weren’t. It took me years to get over that really, even with the insurance paying out on the equipment.’
Sallie thought to herself that she had felt the snow coming much earlier and replied, ‘No I wasn’t here then. Everyone’s been telling me it was a real mess the night after that last big storm though.’
‘It certainly was! I had so much junk wash up here, just clearing that up took the best part of a week. You better make sure you’ve got all your fuel in and your boilers working - the last time we had one of these it got really cold. We got snowed in and had a couple of power cuts.’ He moved the last of the oars inside the shed. ‘How’s it going with everything anyway? Have you been and checked Lucia’s place? Hopefully, that’ll be okay - it’s been there long enough.’
‘I went over there earlier, put things away and made sure it was all secure. There’s not much more I can do. I’m trying to think that it’s stood there all these years and weathered a few storms in its time so hopefully it’ll be okay.’
‘Think he built that one to last,’ Ed laughed and rubbed his eyes. ‘Thanks for this anyway, much appreciated - I’ll lock it all up and get going before the snow comes down more heavily. Text me if there are any problems if you don’t mind.’
‘Will do. Got to get back, I’ve got something in the oven.’ Sallie said, and jumped down off the deck, walking back up the side of the Boat House.
As she hurried along she thought about what Ed had said and the consequences of the storm and what it might mean for her. She grimaced at the thought of it - any damage to the Orangery was the last thing she needed at the moment. The Orangery was not losing money yet, but if it didn’t start to get on the treadmill of bookings and income it very much would be.
Chapter 5
Sallie got back to the Boat House, yanked off her green wellies and padded up the tiny internal stairs to the apartment in her socks. The glorious smells of baking hit her nostrils - whenever it snowed she made cheese rolls. It was a weird tradition that had started when she’d met her first husband; he’d loved them when it was cold outside and so she’d always made them for him when it got cold, and once they were divorced she’d carried on the tradition. She opened the oven, pulled the trays out, put them onto a cooling rack and sent a text to Nina.
On my way soon and then Ben and I will hunker down for the rest of the day. Anything you need from the shop on my way up?
A pint of milk if you wouldn't mind. Just in case this goes on for longer than we think. Then I won’t have to go out with Tillie at all.
Ok, see you shortly. x
She wrapped the rolls into three different packages, placed them in her basket, put her boots, coat, scarf and gloves back on and braved the outside again. The snow had started to fully settle and it wouldn’t be long before the whole place was white, but the storm wasn’t quite what she had been expecting. She loved snow, but the calm, pretty, lovely side of snow - not the bit when it brought with it wind and people running around trying to lock things down.
Sallie, head down and bracing what was quickly becoming a blizzard, crossed over the road from the Boat House, snow driving into her face and eyes and walked up the middle of the pavement on the laneway. There weren’t many people out at all - everyone was tucked up indoors and getting ready for the storm. She hurried down the street, peering up at the lights and bunting overhead blowing in the wind; the snow already half a centimetre thick on the ground.
She walked up to the end, past the first set of fisherman’s cottages and as she passed peered in at a cottage with a for sale sign in the garden, she pulled her scarf up over her nose and knocked on Nina’s door. Nina answered wrapped up in an enormous jumper, and Sallie stepped into the hallway, standing on the mat with her wellies dripping.
‘I won’t stay, just dropping these in - I’ve got a few more to deliver yet,’ she said, pulling a package of the rolls from her basket and giving Nina the milk. ‘Text me if you need anything. Ben just sent me a report and this should be over by this time tomorrow. Apparently, it’ll calm down slightly in the early hours of tomorrow morning, so not long really.’
Nina started coughing, there was a little wheeze too.
‘You really should get that looked at again, doesn't sound good to me at all,’ Sallie said, concerned.
‘On the list for once this is all over.’ Nina replied, taking the rolls and milk.
‘Cheerio then, I’ll speak to you later.’ Sallie called out as she stepped back onto the path.
Nina closed the door and Sallie turned right and headed towards the Orangery to drop Juliette’s parcel over and then get home, lock everything up and settle in for a night of yoga and watching the snow. The wind whipped the gate of Juliette’s cottage back towards the wall as she walked up the path, and rang the bell. Juliette looked out the window to see who it was and Maggie, Juliette’s little girl opened the door. The smell of lavender and rose hit Sallie’s nostrils as Maggie reached up to the handle, opened the door, and Sallie walked in, took off her wellies and placed them neatly on the mat.
‘We’re in the kitchen,’ Maggie said and caught hold of Sallie’s hand.
Sallie looked around. What a difference to the place. Sallie had ripped most of the hideous de
cor out, painting it in a neutral base, and Juliette had added her own touches and fabulous furniture and the result was a wonderful, cosy, home-y combination. Little side tables and lamps sat between two oversized comfy sofas and chunky knit throws were scattered on the backs of the chairs. Discreetly placed diffusers pumped lavender and rose into the air and little vases full of dried hydrangeas and jugs of lavender sat around wherever you looked. It was cosy and comfortable - candles and lanterns were grouped beside the open fireplace, a ditsy print quilt was neatly stacked in a wicker basket and a large mirror stood on the floor. Maggie was bouncing beside Sallie, her tight blonde curls jumping around on her head.
‘We’re going to bake fairy cakes later and watch a Disney movie with hot chocolate.’ She told Sallie excitedly.
‘That sounds lovely, just right for this weather and a cosy afternoon indoors,’ Sallie replied and followed her in.
Juliette walked out of the kitchen, on the phone to work, and indicated she would be finished shortly. She pointed to the kettle; Sallie nodded and Juliette crooked the phone between her ear and shoulder, filled up the kettle and flicked it on. She poured the water into the teapot, finished the call and sat down at the table opposite Sallie.
‘Thanks so much, these smell delicious, don’t they Maggie?’ She patted the parcel of rolls.
‘Can we have them for lunch with lemonade?’ Maggie asked.
‘Of course - we better get them eaten up before your sister gets home for the weekend or she’ll eat the lot if I know her.’ Juliette pushed her tortoiseshell glasses up her nose and looked over at Sallie.
‘So, how’s it all going then? I saw your first few functions went well.’
‘My goodness, that first bride was a nightmare, even though it was a tiny wedding. Never again. She obviously loved it though and even emailed me to see if she could book a first-anniversary event. I replied and said we were fully-booked. At least I’m starting to spot the warning signs now.’ Sallie said, shaking her head from side to side.
‘You want to be in my job. Most of them are wonderful, but with the odd one, you have to wonder what goes through their minds.’ Juliette laughed and rolled her eyes.
‘What about, you know, the other thing?’ Juliette flicked her eyes over and to the right.
‘No change, I suppose we just keep trying. Ben’s really hoping, but I’m thinking what will be, will be. Right now I’m still not going down the IVF route. We’ll see.’ Sallie had talked about it quite extensively with Juliette. Not that Juliette had too much knowledge in the area - more than being a midwife and having two children of her own and experience of all kinds of things in birth, so she understood things. Other people had asked Sallie why she was not going full steam ahead into IVF as time was running out at her age, whereas Juliette had simply listened, taken on Sallie’s point of view and offered some little nuggets of kindly advice.
‘Wise. You’ve got enough on your plate at the moment, too,’ Juliette said, taking a sip of her tea.
‘Yep and it’s been such a busy few years. What about you, how’s work?’ Sallie asked and leant forward on the table.
‘Same, really busy - the new student is brilliant though and it’s really helped with the load, just hoping the funding continues.’
‘And Will?’ Sallie looked at Juliette expectantly. Juliette had met Will through Ben. He was one of Ben’s best friends and had been down for the weekend from the City one Saturday when Juliette was coming over for dinner. They’d ended up staying up into the early hours with a few bottles of wine, sitting down by the water and having a lovely time. The two of them had clicked and chatted for hours.
‘Not much more to tell than you already know.’ Juliette looked over and checked to see that Maggie wasn’t listening.
‘He’s nice but I’m not going there - not after what happened with Jeremy and the divorce and everything.’
‘Right,’ Sallie replied.
‘I’ve just got too much to think about.’ She pointed to Maggie, ‘I’ve got the girls to think about and then he’s in charge of all those children - I suppose it could be very complicated and I wouldn't want to even get started on it all... we’ll see what happens, but if you want the truth, it’s a no from me.’
Sallie finished off her tea, ‘I’m with you, no point in rushing into things. By the way, did you see the little cottage right down the end of the lane is for sale?’
‘Yes, I saw the board go up. Shame I’m not ready to go yet, not that I’m sure if I’d be able to afford it, but it’s so tightly held down this road, it’ll be forever before another one comes up.’
Chapter 6
Sallie woke up early after a night of strong winds and a huge blizzard. The snow had been lighter at first, but then, just as predicted, the winds lessened in the middle of the night and heavy snow started to fall.
She lay there thinking about Pretty Beach and whether or not the marquee had fared well in the storm and about living in the little apartment over the Boat House - it had started to get ever-so-slightly too small but Sallie didn’t want to live at Ben's house. It was modern and cold to her and so he’d suggested that they start tentatively being on the lookout for a house.
She’d thought about it for a while and agreed that they needed more space, and the more they’d talked about it and after seeing the odd one here and there, the more she had her heart set on an old Victorian house overlooking the sea. She lay there staring up at the ceiling listening to Ben’s breathing in and out and thought that there was one small problem with that - old Victorian houses overlooking the sea didn’t come along very often in Pretty Beach, if at all.
Sallie turned over slowly and quietly so as not to wake Ben and pulled back the curtain to watch the snow falling over the water. Soft, fluffy, snowflakes floated down over the back deck and onto the jetty and started layering another sweet coating of pure white over everything outside. It looked like just a scene from a postcard, only prettier.
Ben stirred and turned over. Sallie lay dead still - she wanted to get up quietly without waking him, put her dressing gown on and go and make a cup of coffee. Then she’d sit down by the French doors and watch the snow float down prettily over the rooftops of Pretty Beach. She waited a couple of minutes until she was sure he’d gone back to sleep, then gently pulled off the covers and slipped quietly out of bed.
She sat on the sofa with a coffee topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, under a thick white rosette quilt with the curtains pulled back and the whole of Pretty Beach in front of her blanketed in white. She sat there for a few minutes watching it all and then opened up the spreadsheets on her laptop - there were a few weddings booked in over the next few months, a couple of Christmas work events and a Christmas party for the staff of White Cottage flowers. She’d thought twice about working so close to Christmas but people were willing to pay a premium and so she’d decided to go for it.
All the events were easy with straightforward menus, and the decor would be simple enough - a very simple Christmas theme of golden lights and a huge real fir tree. Sallie was more than happy to make Christmas at Boat House Enterprises happen - she loved Christmas and Winter and everything that went with it.
She started to go through the spreadsheets and checklists and as the morning light came up and the snow came down, she tried to peer down towards the jetties to see if there was any damage. It looked like they were all intact and there had been no damage at all. She hoped that it was the same at the Orangery but she’d told herself that there would probably be a few broken panes and at least some damage with a storm the magnitude of this one. According to the first few posts on the Pretty Beach Facebook page so far though, nothing too serious had happened - but it was very early and lots of people would most probably be still tucked up in bed.
Sallie went down the stairs of the apartment, grabbed her boots from the cupboard, pulled on her beanie and put her coat on over her dressing gown. Greeted by a blanket of white covering the whole of the gr
ounds she took out her phone and started to take pictures. It was perfect for social media - the little porch of the guest cottage was thick with snow, a deep layer sat on top of the cafe table and inches of white had built up on the little bridge over the stream at the end.
She stood there taking lots of photos of it all on her phone and then walked over towards the roof of the marquee which was sagging with the weight of the snowfall. Deep imprints were left in the snow behind her as she walked over to the side and down the jetty.
The sea washed in and out underneath the jetty as Sallie stood there and peering down to the end she could see that some of the timber had come away and washed up onto the beach. Below on the shoreline along with all sorts of debris, seaweed, litter, dead fish and birds tumbled about on the sand. The waves crashed in and out angrily and Sallie looked back towards the marquee to see if she could see any damage. She’d been lucky. It was fully insured including for inclement weather, but she’d rather not have had the inconvenience of anything going wrong and having it collapse would have been a headache she’d rather not have had to deal with.
Ben texted her from the apartment. He’d woken up and watched her walk down to the end of the jetty.
How’s it looking?
All good, loads of rubbish churned up and some of the public jetty has come away but overall everything looks intact. Fine at your place.
The marquee - I can see the roof sagging.
Think it will be ok.
Just when it melts...
She looked back at the apartment and could see that he had pulled back the curtain on their bedroom window and was looking out at the jetty. Just as she was turning back to look at the jetty she noticed one of the gutters hanging down at the back of the boathouse cottage and a branch from the olive tree had fallen onto the porch.
Winter at Pretty Beach Page 2
