by Heidi Swain
‘This is driving me crazy,’ said Eliot, coming back into the kitchen and washing his hands.
‘Can’t you get it to work?’
‘What?’
‘The internet.’
I hoped he could because I really wanted to talk to the Rossis before the main event.
‘Not that,’ he said. ‘That’s all sorted. You’re up and running.’
‘Oh, yay!’ I beamed, resisting the urge to cover him in kisses. ‘What’s driving you crazy then?’
‘The fabulous smells coming from this kitchen, of course,’ he drawled. ‘You probably can’t smell them because you’ve been in here all morning, but they are divine.’
‘Just as well I made an extra strawberry loaf for lunch then, isn’t it?’ I grinned. ‘Although, this one has no glaze. I’ll be doing that tomorrow along with dipping some strawberries in chocolate.’
Eliot licked his lips and I hastily looked away. I wondered what redcurrants dipped in chocolate would taste like.
‘In case you hadn’t worked it out,’ I said, piling the used pots and bowls together and gladly focusing on a different fruit, ‘tomorrow’s theme is strawberries.’
‘Very apt,’ he grinned. ‘The perfect fruit to kick your new business off.’
Hearing someone else say it, and so close to the event, made it all feel very real and my heart gave a little flutter.
‘Shall we get this lot washed up before we eat?’ Eliot suggested, reaching for the washing up liquid.
‘No,’ I said, feeling wobbly. ‘Let’s eat first. I’m famished.’
As soon as we’d eaten our fill, which took ages because Eliot and Grandad were determined to demolish the entire loaf and sing the praises of every mouthful, not that I objected to their praise because it was just the confidence boost I needed, we tidied away. Then I went to finish setting up the barn, and Eliot followed on a few minutes later.
Grandad was in charge of keeping an eye on the meringues, but I’d set a timer on my phone, just in case he got distracted. He hadn’t seemed quite himself since Louise’s visit and Anthony had left something behind in the ether which affected the atmosphere too. After Saturday I would try and get to the bottom of it all, but for the moment I had to stay on task.
Eliot and I were soon immersed in things and it felt like no time at all before Grandad was calling from the house and my phone alarm buzzed in my pocket.
‘I’ll be back in a sec,’ I said to Eliot, before rushing off to rescue the meringues.
When I walked back into the barn, I realised just how much I, along with Bec and Eliot, had achieved since that very first day when I pulled open the doors and found Grandad’s collection of Fenland paraphernalia all piled up, along with the cat’s preferred sleeping spot.
‘What do you think?’ Eliot asked, looking around.
‘I love it,’ I swallowed, feeling a little wobbly again. ‘It’s nothing short of a miracle.’
Eliot nodded, but didn’t look quite as entranced by the vision as I would have liked. It was only then that I realised he’d been rather quiet since he’d joined me after lunch. What was going on there, I wondered?
‘And with all the lights on,’ I added, ‘it will look even prettier.’
Rather than try and fill the whole barn, we’d concentrated on setting up one area instead. There were only going to be a small group of us on Saturday, and I wanted to create a cosy pocket, rather than spread us about. When the club was properly up and running the entire space could be filled in the same way, but for the first foray into entertaining, the intimate area we’d put together would be perfect.
‘It’s a shame there’s only limited power though,’ I said, casting my eyes over the pasting tables and at the ceiling above, where we’d draped the strings of lights.
The tables were covered with plain white sheets and embellished with hessian runners which I’d made from strips cut from a roll I had spotted in Lizzie’s crafting corner in the café. I’d ended up buying a few other things from her too, including some bunting made out of strawberry patterned fabric. It was those little details which made the biggest difference.
Grandad hadn’t looked impressed when he spotted the hessian or when I told him I was going to glue strips of it around rinsed out jars to make tea light holders. Looking at them lined up though, the hessian further embellished on some with sage green raffia bows and on others with string, I thought they looked perfect. And they’d only cost pennies which was a real bonus.
‘That won’t matter for tomorrow,’ said Eliot. ‘You’ve got so many candles as well as these battery-operated lights, that you’ll get away with it and Mum’s got a dozen or so Mason jar solar lights which she said you can borrow.’
‘They’ll be great.’ I nodded. ‘Fingers crossed the sun will be shining brightly enough to charge them.’
‘And I can supply the music,’ Eliot carried on. ‘Unless you’d got other ideas for that?’
‘Music,’ I said, pulling a face. ‘I hadn’t even thought of it.’
‘Leave that to me then. I’ll set up a playlist. Nothing too rousing,’ he added. ‘Just chilled out background stuff.’
‘Thanks,’ I said, adding music to my list and writing his name next to it. ‘I’ll cut the flowers and greenery fresh for the other jars in the morning and Grandad has already helped me to put together a box of glasses, cutlery and crocks that we can use.’
It was a motley collection, garnered from odd things he’d hung on to for years and I loved it all the more for that. When the club properly launched, I wouldn’t be using it because it was too precious, but using family pieces for the trial run felt perfect. I knew Nonna would approve of that. In fact, she was going to love everything about the club. Bringing people together to enjoy good food was her favourite thing in all the world.
‘Fliss?’
‘Mm?’
‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes,’ I said, clearing my throat and blinking away the tears the thoughts of Nonna evoked. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
Eliot walked over and tentatively put his arm around my shoulders. I leant against him and put my arm around his waist then rested my head on his chest. We didn’t say anything, but we didn’t need to. I wondered if he was suppressing the same urges as I was. To me, those few seconds felt more intimate than either of the kisses we’d shared.
‘What was it you were saying before?’ I eventually asked, looking up at him.
He cleared his throat. ‘I was asking about what you’ll do for crockery and stuff when more people come.’
‘Your mum mentioned the sales in town,’ I told him. ‘They sound like the ideal place to pick things up.’
‘That’s what I was going to suggest too,’ he said, looking down at me.
I felt my heart start to flutter again so gently extricated myself from his comfortable embrace.
‘There’s just Grandad’s collection to think about now,’ I said, indicating the corner of the barn where everything was stacked. ‘I don’t want to give away too much about it tomorrow night, just enough to strike up a conversation and create some interest.’
‘I’m interested already,’ he said, picking up the pair of skates. ‘What is all this stuff?’
I gave him a quick rundown on what Grandad had been hoarding, even explaining what some of it was because he didn’t know and by the time I’d finished, Eliot was as enthusiastic about incorporating it into the barn as I was.
‘This is the perfect USP,’ he said, sounding entranced as he turned one of the eel traps over in his hands. ‘You could even get Bill to tell a few tales at some of the events and explain to the guests a little about the history of the Fens. He’s got enough anecdotes to keep everyone entertained for hours.’
‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ I agreed. ‘Why hadn’t I thought of that?’
‘Not on your Nellie!’ said Grandad, who had slipped inside without either of us noticing.
‘You don’t fancy it, Bill?’
Eliot laughed.
‘No chance,’ he said. ‘By all means, put my collection on show, but I won’t be talking about it.’
Eliot and I exchanged a conspiratorial smile.
‘And you needn’t look like that, the pair of you,’ Grandad said, shaking his head as he came further in. ‘I won’t change my mind.’
‘Maybe you could tell Fliss and she could do it,’ Eliot suggested.
‘No dice,’ I quickly said and the two of them laughed to have turned the tables on me.
Grandad spent a few minutes taking everything in and by the time he’d finished, he looked a little tearful himself.
‘You’d never think it was the same place,’ he sniffed. ‘And I can see what you had in mind for that old sacking now,’ he added. ‘It doesn’t look too bad, does it?’
I went to say something, but spotted him wink at Eliot so knew he was teasing.
‘You’ve done a grand job,’ he then said. ‘I never would have believed it could look like this.’
‘And this is just one corner,’ I pointed out. ‘Think how it’ll look when it’s full.’
Grandad nodded and looked around again.
‘I’ve made tea,’ he said huskily, ‘so come up to the house when you’re ready.’
Eliot and I gave him a few minutes to recover. We both knew the significance of what I was trying to achieve and what a difference it could make to the future of the farm. We finished checking everything was as perfect as possible and then pulled the doors shut.
‘I know Bec still wants to help,’ I smiled at Eliot as I made sure they were bolted tight, ‘but I don’t want her seeing it until tomorrow night now.’
‘I don’t blame you,’ he agreed. ‘Otherwise the whole town will know what it looks like before you’ve even started.’
‘There is that,’ I laughed, though I’d been thinking more of watching her reaction to seeing it all set up for the first time.
‘She’s helping out in the evening though, isn’t she?’ Eliot asked. ‘With the serving and stuff.’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Between the two of us we should be able to manage.’
‘Three,’ he said. ‘I’ll be helping too, don’t forget.’
‘You don’t have to,’ I told him. ‘I know you’ve got a full-on workday, so I wasn’t expecting you to.’
‘I know you weren’t,’ he said. ‘But I want to. If that’s all right? This is a huge deal for the farm and I want to be a part of it. That is okay, isn’t it?’ he frowned.
‘Of course,’ I swallowed. ‘I just didn’t want you feeling you had to when you’d been on the go all day. I’m more than happy for you to find a seat and let the food come to you.’
‘Are you sure about that?’ he asked, one eyebrow cocked. ‘You’re not trying to keep me out of the way, are you?’
‘What?’ I frowned. ‘No, of course not.’
There was no way I could explain to him that I wanted him in one corner, this guy Anthony, who I’d been out with and who was bad-mouthing him, in the other and never the twain should meet, without revealing the mess I’d made of things. Far better to feign ignorance instead.
‘You’re not worried about me bumping into your boyfriend?’ Eliot then shockingly asked.
‘Who?’ I blustered.
‘Bill happened to mention after lunch, that the chap you went out to dinner with the other week is going to be here.’
I wondered if that accounted for Eliot’s change of mood. I was rather annoyed that Grandad had said anything.
‘Oh,’ I said. ‘Right. Yes, he is, but he’s not my boyfriend. I only went out with him to…’
The words had rushed into my mouth before I could stop them, but I forced them back down.
‘Yes?’
‘Oh,’ I said. ‘It doesn’t matter now.’
‘Well, I’m relieved he’s not your boyfriend,’ Eliot smiled. ‘Because I don’t go around kissing women who are already spoken for. I was worried I’d broken the unwritten rule.’
‘You haven’t,’ I huskily said. ‘You didn’t.’
‘That’s all right then,’ he said back.
‘Perfectly all right,’ I agreed.
But of course it wasn’t all right, and I was already spoken for, because my heart unreservedly now belonged to him.
Chapter 23
I lost count of the number of times I snuck out to try and call Anthony that evening. Either my phone signal dropped out before the call had connected or he didn’t answer when it did. In the end I gave up and resigned myself to hoping that I would be able to grab a few minutes with him prior to everyone else arriving. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the best I could do.
‘So,’ said Grandad, peering at the laptop screen as I prepared to make my first call to Puglia, ‘are you sure you know how this works?’
‘Yes,’ I told him. ‘It’s ever so easy. Sit here next to me and I’ll introduce you to everyone.’
If possible, my heart was hammering even faster than it had been when I’d locked lips with Eliot in the barn. It felt like for ever since I’d seen my Italian family and I couldn’t wait to fill them in on everything that had been happening. A written email was all well and good, but actually seeing them was going to be wonderful.
‘No, no,’ said Grandad, hastily backing towards the kitchen door. ‘You say your hellos first and I’ll come back in after I’ve checked the hens.’
He sounded nervous, and truth be told, I was a bit jittery myself. Once he’d gone, I wiped my hands down my jeans, took a deep breath and pressed the button to connect the two farms. I kept my fingers crossed, hoping that Marco would pick up and I didn’t have to wait many seconds before he did.
‘Ciao Fliss!’
‘Marco!’ I beamed as his familiar face and the backdrop of the comfortable Rossi kitchen filled the screen.
My nerves disappeared in less time than it took my heart to beat again.
‘Papà!’ he shouted over his shoulder. ‘Vieni qui, papà! Nonna! Come stai, Fliss?’
‘I’m well,’ I smiled back. ‘Really well. How are you all?’
‘Fliss!’ shouted Alessandro, appearing suddenly in shot and looking a little red in the face. ‘This is a surprise. How are things?’
‘Il mio bambino!’ I heard Nonna call out before she also appeared. ‘What has taken you so long?’
Once they were seated so they could all see the screen, I explained that the farm had finally been connected to the internet and how from then on, I would be able to keep in touch on a regular basis.
‘Finally,’ Nonna smiled in approval.
‘And how is life on the farm?’ Alessandro asked. ‘How is your nonno?’
‘Grandad is very well,’ I said. ‘He’ll be here in a minute so I can introduce you, and we have exciting new plans for the farm.’
I told them all about the secret supper club idea and how the following evening was going to be a trial run. Nonna wanted to hear all about the menu I’d devised and whether her cherry and almond tart was going to be the main attraction.
‘I haven’t made it yet,’ I told her.
‘What, no taste of home?’ she tutted.
‘I’m waiting until our cherries are ripe,’ I told her. ‘I want it to be a proper Rossi-Brown amalgamation.’
She willingly accepted my reasoning and agreed that would make it all the more special. She also gave her blessing to the dishes I’d decided upon, which went some way to settling my jangling nerves. If they were good enough for my nonna, they’d be good enough for our first guests.
‘You’ve settled in well, Fliss,’ Alessandro smiled, once I’d told them more about the place and what I’d been doing.
‘You look healthy,’ Nonna observed.
‘No wonder you’ve abandoned us for so long,’ Marco quipped, and his father nudged him so hard he nearly fell off his chair.
‘By the way, Marco,’ I said, just to get my own back. ‘I have a friend with a Ducati.’
Marco looked e
nraged, Nonna shook her head and Alessandro groaned.
‘Thank you for that,’ he tutted. ‘He’s not talked about bikes in weeks!’
‘I’m not really teasing you Marco,’ I giggled. ‘I just thought it might encourage you to come and visit me once the olive harvest is finished there and you need a break from trying to fill my shoes. I have another friend I think you might like too.’
I told him all about Bec and by the time I’d finished he was ready to book his ticket to come and meet her. We chatted a little longer and I was just about to give up on Grandad when he finally crept back into the kitchen.
‘Come and say hello,’ I insisted, budging my chair along and pulling out another for him.
He sat down, looking awkward.
‘Ciao,’ he then shocked me by saying. ‘Piacere di conoscerti.’
‘Nice to meet you!’ I gasped as the Rossis all laughed at my obvious surprise. ‘I didn’t know you spoke Italian, Grandad!’
‘I don’t,’ he said. ‘But I thought I should learn a few phrases now we’re all connected.’
I was more touched than he probably realised. With introductions made, Nonna and Grandad fell to chatting as if they’d known each other for ever and when talk turned to Mum, Alessandro, Marco and I said our goodbyes and left them to it.
I could still hear them talking long after I’d had my shower and climbed into bed. It felt wonderful to finally have my two lives running on the same track but, as comforting as it was, it didn’t help me sleep.
Throughout the night, my thoughts ran rampant, flitting from how seductive it had felt to kiss Eliot, to then wondering what Grandad and Louise were scheming, and on to whether Anthony was going to say something indiscreet during the supper club.
When Saturday finally dawned it was soft, bright and thanks to the rain, refreshed. Which was more than could be said for me.
‘No arguments,’ said Grandad when I winced at the sight of the cooked breakfast he’d prepared. ‘It’s going to be all hands to the pumps today and you’ll need your strength. Did your mother never tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?’
