by Katie Fforde
Ceres, goddess of agriculture, who had a cornucopia, now had a garland of poppies, daisies, various grasses and anemones and cornflowers. Flora was already wearing a stone wreath, and now had real roses, little pansies and some very historically inaccurate dahlias, which looked gorgeous. Pomona, who only had a wreath of flowers, had real tiny apples and pears in her stone basket, stuck there with Blu-Tack.
Lorna was just contemplating nipping back to Anthea’s fruit garden for some undersized plums when her son found her.
‘There you are,’ said Leo.
He was, she thought again, incredibly handsome. His hair was clean and floppy, his cream linen suit (which she hadn’t seen before) was only slightly crumpled, and the panama hat he was holding in his hand appeared more of a prop than sun protection. To his mother he seemed to resemble a character out of Brideshead Revisited. He was also looking sulky.
‘Were you looking for me? You look wonderful, darling.’
‘I was looking for you. Philly told me you were here. I wanted to know if it was true.’
‘What was true?’ Although she knew perfectly well.
‘About you and Jack? Are you back together again?’
‘Yes. Yes we are.’
‘But you didn’t see him for weeks and weeks. You never heard from him, did you?’
Lorna considered lying but only briefly. Part of her wanted to tell Leo it was none of his business but she understood his anxiety. And she was a bit worried about him. He spent so much time with Kirstie (she’d suddenly realised Kirstie must have provided the linen suit and panama hat) she was worried that he might be in love with her. And it was unlikely that Kirstie would leave Peter for Leo, even if she was fond of him. As always, honesty was best.
‘There were communication problems but since—’
‘Since when?’ Leo was indignant.
Lorna was sympathetic. ‘Listen, I know it must all seem a bit rushed to you. One minute we have no contact, the next we’re a couple. But things change, settle, sort themselves out.’
‘It’s just not very dignified, Mum. He leaves you broken-hearted then swans back into your life – and you just let him.’
‘It wasn’t quite like that.’ Although she could see it must appear so from his perspective.
‘Well, what was it like, then?’ Leo demanded, sounding worryingly parental.
To Lorna’s enormous relief, Jack appeared from behind the shrubbery. ‘Hi, Leo.’ He came and put his arm round Lorna’s waist, hugging her possessively to him. ‘I do understand how it must look. And you’re right, we weren’t in touch for weeks and it was agony. I won’t bore you with the technicalities but the fact that Lorna realised the reasons I wasn’t in touch with her were true was amazing.’ He paused. ‘I love your mother very much. I won’t ever be your stepdad or anything scary like that, but I hope you will come to think of me as a friend, someone you can turn to for advice, stuff like that.’ He seemed a bit embarrassed. ‘I can’t believe I just said all that. It’s true but it sounds—’
Lorna, who was blushing after his public announcement, said, ‘It sounds a bit of a cliché but clichés only become clichés because they’re true.’
Jack went on: ‘But when I said I wouldn’t ever be your stepdad, I didn’t mean I didn’t want to marry your mother. I do, very much.’
Leo regained his sense of humour and started to laugh. ‘You’re not asking permission to marry my mother, are you?’
‘Oh my God!’ said Lorna, appalled for many reasons.
Jack frowned a little. ‘Well, no, I’m not. But I want you to know my intentions. I need to talk to Lorna first.’
‘Bit late now!’ said Leo. ‘You’ve made it public. It’s like one of those flash-mob proposals, when fifty people break into song—’
‘Hardly,’ said Lorna.
‘So, will you marry me?’ asked Jack, turning to her.
‘I’m not going to be proposed to with my son present,’ said Lorna firmly, but laughing as well.
‘I’d better run along then,’ said Leo, but before he could leave, Philly appeared.
‘Anthea’s trying to gather people. Ordinary guests are arriving and she wants us all there together,’ she said.
‘Have you any idea why?’ asked Lorna.
Philly shrugged. ‘Not really. But frankly, I don’t understand anything that’s going on today.’
‘Me neither,’ agreed Leo. ‘But I think I need a drink.’
‘What a good idea!’ said Lorna. But as she made to follow Philly and Leo into the main garden, Jack caught her arm.
‘So, will you? Will you marry me?’
In the months when they’d been apart and every waking and unwaking thought was of Jack, Lorna hadn’t thought about marriage. But now, when he was looking at her so urgently, so ardently, with his restored statues as witnesses, she knew she wanted it too: she wanted to plight their troth in public, to tell the world they loved each other and were truly committed. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes I will.’
He crushed her to him, and they stayed there until one of Philly’s brothers came to find them.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ said Peter to the assembled guests standing in front of the grotto, ‘as you know, we are here to celebrate my mother’s birthday. Kirstie and I, on my mother’s behalf, are delighted to welcome so many of you to this occasion, which is also to celebrate this recreation of a garden, lost for many years, and now rediscovered and restored.’
‘Not completely restored,’ muttered Lorna to Jack. ‘There’s loads more to be done.’
Peter hadn’t finished. He had cue cards in his hand. ‘I think you’ll agree, if you’ve had a chance to look already, that the highlight of the garden is the grotto. This has been restored by the wonderful Lorna, who painstakingly, shell by shell, restored it, including my mother’s initials: “A” and “S”.’
Lorna was forced to interrupt. ‘Actually, it was ammonites for the initials and Jack did the—’
But no one heard as Seamus had come forward. ‘If you don’t mind, Peter, could I say a few words?’
Peter looked disconcerted for a few moments and then said, ‘Well, I was just going to thank everyone—’
‘I’ll do that,’ said Seamus firmly. Anthea, at his side, smiled at the assembled company.
She was wearing a beautifully cut dress in silver-grey. The bottom half was embroidered with exotic birds and plants and her low-heeled shoes were embroidered to match. Her hair, which was swept into a chignon, had a clip with real flowers that matched those on her dress.
Lorna had never seen Anthea look so beautiful or so groomed, and as she admired her friend she remembered seeing a young woman in a smart uniform slip into the house. Anthea must have had help doing her hair and make-up. All was now clear. Today was Anthea’s birthday and she wanted to celebrate by looking sensational.
‘Well now, everyone,’ said Seamus, who also looked extremely smart. ‘Peter here has welcomed you, and Anthea and I also want to welcome you, but we’re not here because it’s Anthea’s birthday.’
There was a murmur of disappointment.
‘Although it is her birthday, it’s not a significant birthday. At least…’ He paused, obviously relishing having an audience. ‘… not significant in the way you think it is.’
‘Well, it is her seventy-fifth!’ said Peter loudly.
Kirstie, who was looking like a WAG at Ascot, slightly inappropriate but very decorative, hushed him.
‘Why you’re all here, including my family from Ireland, who up until now haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Anthea, is because we’re here to celebrate something quite different.’
Lorna suddenly felt slightly dizzy. Surely not!
‘We are here to celebrate our marriage!’ said Seamus.
There was a shocked silence before Lorna, closely followed by Jack, began to applaud. Everyone else joined in and there were whoops and cheers from the Irish boys, drowning out the sharp intakes of breath uttered by their mo
ther.
‘We’ve actually been married for a few days now but have kept it secret until we could announce it to our families, all together,’ Seamus went on.
Then Anthea stepped forward. ‘We thought you’d make a fuss if we told you before we did it, so that’s why we didn’t say anything until now. And although my initials are A.S., those ammonites that Lorna and Jack placed so carefully aren’t for Anthea Susannah, but for Anthea and Seamus. But that’s it as far as drama is concerned, so now please do go and get another drink or two before the food is ready. Lucien has done a splendid job.’
Seamus embraced his wife in a bear hug to more applause and Lorna realised she was slightly relieved they didn’t go for a full-on kiss. Somehow it would have been undignified.
Peter was looking a bit shaken. Kirstie had hurried away, possibly to get him a glass of champagne. Lorna went over to him and drew him away from the throng to a little seat that was screened by roses. The news hadn’t come as a huge shock to her, and probably wouldn’t surprise Philly, because they’d both seen how close Anthea and Seamus were getting. But Peter hadn’t spent time on the garden, or noticed how often Anthea turned to Seamus for support. He probably saw Seamus as the motor mechanic he was proud to be, not as a potential husband for his aristocratic mother.
‘Peter? Are you OK?’ He had been her friend for so long that she was probably the best one to reassure him now.
‘I don’t know,’ said Peter. ‘I mean, I like Seamus, but it never occurred to me that there was anything going on between him and my mother. I mean – she’s always been such a snob! He has an Irish accent! And don’t say it’s a brogue, that always says “shoes” to me.’
‘It’s a charming accent,’ said Lorna. ‘I love an Irish accent myself. And he’s a dear man. He’ll look after her and they have fun together.’
‘Did you know?’ he asked accusingly.
‘No, but I’ve seen them together and so I’m not surprised they love each other.’
‘But, Lorna – I don’t want to seem snobbish now but really—’
‘Now, Peter, they are both quite old enough to know their own minds. It obviously wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision – she’s clearly been planning it for months. I think part of the reason she wanted to restore this garden is so they could celebrate their marriage here. I think it’s absolutely lovely!’ She paused. ‘You’re going out with a woman you found on the internet, after all.’
‘Nothing wrong with that!’
‘I know. And there’s nothing wrong with people meeting each other in the ordinary course of events and getting married either. Even if they didn’t ask permission from their families first.’
‘She might have consulted me! I mean, she’s my mother. As far as I know, she hasn’t had anyone since my father died.’
‘Only as far as you know, Peter. Maybe she has had flings with other people, but this time it’s serious. Now go and congratulate her. Be happy for them both!’
‘Oh, very well,’ he said reluctantly. ‘But would you get married without telling Leo first?’
Lorna laughed. Peter and Leo were both being indignant in exactly the same way. ‘Well, as it happens, no.’
Peter turned to her sharply. ‘What do you mean “as it happens” – you haven’t got married, have you? You and that stonemason chap?’ He found her left hand and inspected her fingers.
‘No!’ said Lorna, who was laughing a lot by now. ‘Although Jack and I are engaged – but only just, so I haven’t got a ring yet.’
Jack appeared, holding two glasses of champagne. He gave one to Lorna. ‘I only asked her about half an hour ago,’ he explained. Gallantly, he handed the second glass to Peter.
‘You can be the first to drink to us,’ said Lorna.
Peter sighed, but then smiled and raised his glass.
‘I wish you both very happy.’ He turned to Jack. ‘But if you treat her badly you’ll have me to answer to. She was mine first!’
‘No I wasn’t,’ said Lorna. ‘We’ve been friends for years, certainly, but—’
‘Well, that’s what I meant, of course.’
But Lorna was aware that his gaze was lingering a little. Maybe, she thought, when I was still in love with him, I should have dressed up a bit more often. That might have done the trick. But she was very glad that she hadn’t, she decided.
‘There you are!’ said Kirstie, also holding glasses. ‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Oh, you’ve got a drink.’
‘I haven’t,’ said Jack, taking a glass from Kirstie’s hand.
‘Lorna and Jack are engaged,’ said Peter. ‘We must toast them.’
‘I don’t see a ring,’ said Kirstie sharply.
‘It’s too recent for a ring,’ explained Jack.
‘Well, honestly,’ said Kirstie. ‘First it’s Philly and Lucien, then Anthea and Seamus, now Lorna and Jack. When is it going to be my turn?’
Lorna and Jack looked at each other. ‘I think we should leave you to get on with it, Peter,’ said Lorna, catching Jack’s arm.
When they were out of earshot she said to Jack, ‘Do you think Peter will propose?’
He shrugged. ‘I expect so. This secret garden that you created is a very magical place.’
Lorna gave a deep sigh of satisfaction. ‘It is enchanted. I really think it is.’
‘Maybe we should have our wedding party here,’ he said when he’d kissed her.
‘That’s an excellent idea,’ she said. ‘It brought us together and made me so happy.’
‘Me too,’ he said. ‘Now let’s not tell people straightaway. It’s Anthea and Seamus’s day, after all.’
Lorna smiled. ‘It’s lovely to know that you can fall in love at any time in your life, or at any age.’
‘Exactly so, my darling,’ said Jack.
If you enjoyed A Secret Garden, you’ll love A French Affair by Katie Fforde – a charming and romantic novel about finding love when you least expect it. Out now!
A French Affair
Escape to France for a summer of new beginnings, second chances and an unexpected romance…
Sisters Gina and Sally Makepiece couldn’t be more different. Sally is a stay at home mum to twins while Gina is a busy career woman with little time for anything else.
Their two lives are about to change when they discover their eccentric Aunt Rainey has left them her beloved stall in the French House – an antiques centre nestled in a sprawling stately building in the heart of the English countryside.
As Gina and Sally work together to transform the business, they find themselves growing closer than ever. Their biggest challenge is winning over the brooding but gorgeous owner, Matthew Ballinger.
But romance is in the air and a beautiful, sunshine filled trip to France changes everything for Gina and Matthew…
A French Affair is a charming romance novel about finding love when you least expect it. The perfect read for fans of Susan Mallery, Mary Kay Andrews and Debbie Macomber.
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Also by Katie Fforde
A French Affair
A Vintage Wedding
A Secret Garden
Summer of Love
A Summer at Sea
Recipe for Love
Living Dangerously
The Rose Revived
Wild Designs
Stately Pursuits
Life Skills
Thyme Out
Artistic Licence
Highland Fling
Paradise Fields
Restoring Grace
Flora’s Lot
Practically Perfect
Going Dutch
Wedding Season
Love Letters
A
Perfect Proposal
The Perfect Match
A Letter from Katie
Thank you for choosing A Secret Garden and I hope you feel you’ve made the right choice. If you’ve never read one of my books before, I hope this makes you think you’d happily read another – if not all of them. New readers are so precious to us writers, every one we find is special.
If you’d like me to drop you an email when my next book is out, you can sign up here:
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I won’t share your email with anyone else, and I’ll only email you when a new book is released.
Every book I write has some sort of trigger, something that made me want to write about a particular subject. A Secret Garden had several, not including my own love of gardens and gardening. One was meeting the Master Mason at Gloucester Cathedral, which was truly inspiring. Another was the fact me and my neighbours have started opening our gardens to the public to raise funds for a local building and other charities, and the third was me seeing a really inspiring television programme about bread making.
Once I’d devised a way of bringing these things together I let my imagination flow and came up with a story I do hope you enjoyed.
I won’t give away too many of the secrets in this book but I will just say, I I wanted to get across my belief that true love and romance don’t only happen to the very young!
Very best wishes,
Katie
Summer of Love
A beautiful, romantic story to escape into this summer
A gorgeously romantic summer read about fresh starts, friendships and falling deeply in love.
Sian Bishop has left the hustle and bustle of the city to throw herself into an idyllic new life in a charming countryside cottage.
