Clover Cottage: A feel good cosy read perfect for your summer holiday reading (Love Heart Lane Series, Book 3)

by Christie Barlow

  ‘No! That’s what Dad said, and he was right – again,’ said Rory with a chuckle. ‘The dog didn’t have ticks at all – the owner was trying to pull off her nipples!’ He was beginning to see why the others were finding his dad’s intrusion funny.

  ‘Oh, my days! You are kidding, right?’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ said Emma, ‘It’s actually been one of my favourite days at work for a very long time.’ She raised her glass and the others followed suit. ‘Cheers! Here’s to Rory and Zach. What a brilliant day, and we know we have some superb footage.’ She looked towards Hugo. ‘In fact, I think you are going to find it difficult to edit! Your Dad deserves his own TV show,’ she added, turning to Rory. ‘He was too funny for words.’ She took a breath. ‘After today, maybe we should give the African job to your dad instead of you. Do you think he would be up to leaving with you and Zach next week?’ She grinned and raised her glass towards Rory.

  Rory shifted slightly in his seat, and Allie averted her gaze. Sitting on his lap she was swathed in emotion. Africa? Next week?

  Suddenly she felt disoriented by all the jolly faces and excited chatter around her. The crew were nodding in Rory’s direction and the ones close to him were patting him on his back. ‘You are going to have such an experience,’ contributed Emma. ‘It’s my second time visiting that particular sanctuary.’

  Allie felt like time had slowed down and everything was happening in slow motion, as the crew all clinked their glasses together – including Rory.

  ‘Next week?’ said Allie, looking directly at Rory, who was suddenly wearing a haunted look, the colour draining from his cheeks. ‘You’re going next week?’

  ‘Allie, I only found out today.’

  ‘Blame me,’ said Zach. ‘Well, blame Sydney – the trip has been brought forward as the next documentary had to be postponed until she’s fully recovered.’

  Allie had known that at some point Rory would leave for Africa, but she hadn’t anticipated it would be so soon. She thought they would have longer to discuss the implications for both of them. Needing time to compose herself, she made her excuses and left the pub by the back door.

  ‘Allie, wait,’ shouted Rory, who’d followed her, but Allie was already striding down the High Street in a daze.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Rory increased his pace and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to spin round. ‘Will you hang on a minute? There’s no need for all this.’

  Allie’s eyes were filled with tears. ‘Sorry, it just all came as a bit of a shock. Next week, Rory? Next week? I didn’t think it would be that soon.’

  Rory draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close to his body as they began to walk slowly towards the green. ‘Please don’t be upset. I’ve not even had a chance to talk to Mum and Dad yet, which was what I was going to do tonight after I’d told you. I was hoping you would come with me for moral support.’

  Allie found it difficult to speak. Of course she was going to support Rory but she already felt heartbroken that she wasn’t going to see him for a year – and he hadn’t even left yet.

  ‘Just think about it this way: the sooner I go the quicker I will be home, and by the time I get back you will have had your own little adventure in Glasgow too.’

  Allie took a lungful of air and bit her quivering lip. ‘You’re talking like I’ve been offered the job, Rory. And you know about my anxieties. You know I’m only comfortable in certain situations. Half of me thinks you’re encouraging me to go to ease your conscience.’

  ‘What’s that meant to mean?’ Rory said as he stopped dead in his tracks.

  ‘I’m saying you seem hellbent on the idea of me going to Glasgow when you know I’m a person who needs stability, I need my family and friends. And maybe, just maybe, you are pushing me to go because you know you’re going and then you won’t feel as guilty.’

  ‘Allie, I love you and I want what’s best for you,’ Rory said sadly, his eyes downcast as he stood opposite her. ‘Africa is an amazing opportunity for me, for us, and I was hoping you could see that and support me, but obviously not.’ He dropped his arm from around her shoulders and paused for a second before turning and walking away.

  Allie felt bereft. She had been determined to give him her blessing but her anxieties had got the better of her once again, leaving her saying the wrong thing.

  Chapter 14

  ‘Rory, wait. Of course it’s an amazing opportunity. Please stop.’ Allie’s voice was fraught; she didn’t want to fight with him. She knew her reasons for behaving this way were selfish. ‘It’s just that I’ll miss you.’

  Rory slowed down and turned around. ‘I’ll miss you too, you know.’ His voice was sincere. He walked back to her and took her hands in his. ‘This trip to Africa is something I’ve wanted to do for such a long time and this way I even get paid to do it too.’

  Allie could see the passion in his eyes and felt terribly guilty.

  ‘I’ve got Dad to face yet, which isn’t going to be easy, and I really don’t want to fight with you.’

  ‘Me either,’ Allie admitted, cuddling into his chest.

  ‘And please tell me you really don’t think I’m encouraging you to go for that interview in Glasgow to ease my own conscience?’ Rory held her gaze.

  Tears pricked Allie’s eyes. ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Good, thank God for that,’ said Rory, blowing out a breath. ‘I know it’s just an interview, and you’ll be nervous, but just go and see what it leads to. They will see how amazing you are, just like the customers you serve every day. You stand behind that bar and you radiate warmth, confidence … You light up the room.’

  ‘Because that’s my territory. I know my job inside and out, because I know all the customers so well and I’m comfortable with that. That’s just me.’

  ‘Okay, I do get that but look at what happened today.’

  ‘What about today?’ asked Allie, puzzled.

  ‘You stepped up to the mark in a situation alongside not only a bunch of strangers but a film crew too. I was nervous, in fact petrified. At one point I thought I was going to throw up, but you calmed me down, told me I could do it, and I’m now telling you the same. You know what, Allie Macdonald?’ Rory brushed her nose with a light kiss. ‘I think you are stronger than you think. You can do this. You really can.’

  Allie leant her head on his shoulder. ‘But what about our future, Rory? Where does all this change leave us?’

  ‘Look, come and sit down,’ said Rory softly, nodding towards a bench.

  Allie followed him and perched on the edge of the bench with her hands resting between her knees, staring at the ground.

  ‘Going to Africa isn’t about not loving you or suggesting we don’t have a future together. Far from it. I want to be successful in my field, I want to sit down with my children and tell them how their dad went off to Africa to save lions. I want them to be proud of me.’

  For a moment they both stared out across the River Heart in deep thought.

  ‘Just so you know,’ Allie broke the silence. ‘I do think this is an amazing opportunity for you, working with Zach, co-presenting the documentary, working alongside all those magnificent creatures.’

  ‘It is and this might be my only chance to do it, especially as I’ve now got to move out of my house for the next twelve months. Something is telling me the timing is perfect.’

  ‘I know,’ said Allie, even though she didn’t like the thought of him not being just down the road. She didn’t want to stifle anyone’s dreams or aspirations, and deep down all she wanted was for Rory to be happy.

  ‘And what’s twelve months? Every time I blink it seems to be Christmas again and I’m down the forest dragging the biggest tree towards the van alongside your dad …’

  ‘With my mum waiting on the pub steps tutting? “What were you thinking, Fraser? That tree is way too big for the pub”?’ Allie chuckled. They went through the same rigmarole every December.

  Rory gripped Allie’s shak
y hands.

  ‘And after you’ve finished your six months in Glasgow’ – he bumped his shoulder lightly against hers – ‘what’s stopping you coming out to visit me? You can get on a plane and I’ll be waiting for you at the other end.’

  A smile hitched on Allie’s face. ‘As long as you’ve not been eaten by a lion,’ she said jokingly.

  ‘I’ll try my best.’ Rory laughed. ‘And as far as our future goes that’s exactly what I’m working towards. Nothing has changed on that front. But the salary I’ll be earning from the documentary, being the vet at the sanctuary and so on will come in very handy. It’s not as though there’s going to be any wild nights out except with the lions.’

  Allie rolled her eyes. ‘Wild nights out? Your jokes get worse.’

  Sitting and chatting with Rory, Allie felt more at peace with the situation. What was stopping her going out for a visit? Absolutely nothing. ‘And what about your dad, Rory? When are you going to talk to him?’

  ‘Shall we do it now? Together? Will you come with me?’

  Allie nodded. ‘I do understand your frustration about your dad and the surgery. Even though it was comical I did see how when you were filming it’s his way or no way. It might actually do him good to manage without you.’

  ‘Here’s hoping. The practice needs more space, the technology needs updating and we need to be more accessible and look after the animals on our own premises, but as you know I’m fighting a losing battle with Dad – he doesn’t like change.’

  ‘As much as me,’ Allie teased.

  ‘As much as you,’ repeated Rory.

  ‘Don’t bite my head off, but wouldn’t Clover Cottage be perfect?’

  ‘Do you think I don’t agree with you? Of course it would be perfect but there’s the cost. This trip will help me to put a little bit away, and now I’m going to say the same to you—’

  ‘Eh?’

  ‘Don’t you bite my head off, but you could do the same. I’m sure working on a national paper will pay more than the pub, even if it is for only six months, then who knows what opportunities that may lead to? The extra money will come in handy, won’t it? It’s all about teamwork.’

  ‘You’re right, it will,’ agreed Allie, understanding that Rory was looking at the bigger picture and she needed to do so too. ‘But twelve months, Rory.’ She came over all emotional. She held his gaze as her chin trembled.

  Rory slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. He rested his chin on the top of her head then kissed her lightly. ‘I do love you, I promise I do, but promise me you will give that interview your best shot. You can do this.’ But before she could answer they heard muffled voices and footsteps in the distance. Trundling towards them down the lane were Martha, Isla and Aggie.

  Blinking away the brimming tears, Allie could sense something was wrong by the look on Isla’s face.

  Rory loosened his grip on Allie. ‘What is it?’ he asked.

  ‘Thank God, we’ve been looking for you both everywhere,’ said Isla, trying to catch her breath.

  Allie’s eyes flitted between them. She didn’t like the sound of that.

  ‘It’s your mum, Rory,’ said Aggie. ‘She’s missing.’

  Rory gave a nervous laugh then shot Allie a quizzical look. ‘Missing? Why would my mum be missing?’

  Aggie looked towards Martha, who gave a nod and said, ‘Your mum has been a little confused lately, forgetful, and it seems to have accelerated in the last couple of months.’

  ‘What are you trying to tell me, Aggie?’ asked Rory.

  Aggie touched his arm lightly. ‘Your mum isn’t well, Rory. She’s been diagnosed with the early signs of dementia.’

  Rory was taken aback. ‘Diagnosed … Dementia? You’re telling me my mum has dementia?’ His hazel eyes widened with shock.

  Aggie nodded, and Allie slipped her hand into Rory’s and gave it a squeeze. She knew that Alana had been forgetful of late but hadn’t realised it was this bad.

  Rory was shaking his head in disbelief, trying to take in what Aggie was saying.

  ‘From what we understand, she had a disagreement with your father and walked out of the cottage, only dressed in her nightgown.’

  Rory raised his eyebrows. ‘Are you serious? My mum is wandering about in a nightdress? And where’s Dad now?’

  ‘He’s out looking for her with everyone else.’

  ‘How come I know nothing about this yet all of you seem to know what’s going on?’

  Allie saw the grief-stricken look on his face, but this wasn’t the time to get into the whys and wherefores.

  ‘We spend a lot of time with your mum. We are her friends,’ offered Aggie. ‘We talk … We notice things. The past couple of months your dad has been trying to hold it together,’ she added.

  Allie exhaled silently. She felt a pang of sadness. She couldn’t believe Stuart had been coping alone with all this and hadn’t reached out for help from either of them. ‘We need to find her,’ she said with urgency in her voice. ‘Where do you want us to look?’

  ‘Drew and Fergus have headed up the mountain pass. Meredith and Fraser are searching the outhouses, Alfie and Polly are scaling the woodlands on the far side of the green. Felicity’s looking after the children up at the farm … Everyone is out in full force. Even the TV crew are helping.’

  Allie glanced up at Rory. ‘So we’ll take the river,’ she said, thankful her voice sounded a lot calmer than she felt.

  Aggie nodded. ‘Perfect. She can’t have gone far.’ She offered Rory a reassuring smile before turning and walking away.

  ‘How long has she been missing?’ shouted Allie after them.

  ‘Just under an hour,’ came the reply.

  Chapter 15

  Allie met Rory’s worried stare as they trawled the banks on the river. ‘Dementia,’ he kept muttering over and over. ‘A couple of months.’

  ‘She can’t have gone far,’ Allie said calmly.

  When they reached the river, it was flowing swift and strong and Allie shuddered. They searched every inch of the path, shouting Alana’s name.

  ‘Would she still even know her name, if she has memory loss?’ asked Rory. ‘I just don’t know anything about dementia.’

  Allie couldn’t answer. She too didn’t know what to expect.

  They scanned the whole area and stopped every passer-by. ‘Have you seen a woman in a nightdress?’ Rory knew it sounded ridiculous but every person they asked shook their head. ‘Sorry, no.’

  Rory raked his hand through his hair, anxiety written all over his face. ‘How far do we walk? Has she crossed the bridge into Glensheil?’

  Allie stared across the bridge. ‘Surely, if she’s made her way into the town someone would have stopped her or called the police. It’s not usual for a grown woman to be wandering around in a nightdress.’

  ‘You’d hope so, wouldn’t you? Where to now then?’ asked Rory.

  ‘Let’s make our way back to the village. Any texts?’

  Rory quickly checked his phone. Nothing.

  ‘What about the old boathouse? Mum and Dad used to spend a lot of time there in the past. It’s just round that next bend,’ he suggested.

  ***

  As they turned the corner, they spotted the old decrepit boathouse. Back in the day this place had been a hive of activity and once a successful business, but the boathouse now stood empty.

  ‘There’s someone over there.’ Allie pointed. A light shone above the ramshackle wooden door, which was ajar.

  Rory narrowed his eyes and focused. ‘There’s two people sitting on deck chairs and one is—’

  ‘Your mum,’ exclaimed Allie as they began to race along the narrow path.

  ‘Mum … Mum … Thank God,’ Rory shouted as he reached them,

  Alana looked up. ‘I told you he was handsome, didn’t I?’ She was sitting in a deckchair clasping a mug, looking like she didn’t have a care in the world.

  ‘Mum, are you okay?’

  ‘Of co
urse I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay?’

  Allie and Rory looked at each other. Apart from the fact that she was sitting in her nightdress talking to a stranger, she seemed relatively fine.

  ‘This kind man has given me a mug of the strong stuff. We are having a very nice chat, aren’t we?’

  Rory felt like he was in some sort of weird dream and locked eyes with the man sitting next to Alana.

  ‘Sorry, I can’t remember your name,’ she said.

  His wizened face was a map of wrinkles, his blue eyes framed by thick white bushy eyebrows and his stubbly chin sprouting white whiskers.

  ‘I’m Wilbur.’ He stretched out his hand and shook Rory’s. Allie had no idea who he was; she’d never set eyes on him before.

  ‘Rory, and this is Allie,’ said Rory. ‘How long has Mum been here?’

  ‘I can answer for myself. I am sitting here, you know,’ Alana replied sharply.

  ‘We need to phone your dad,’ said Allie, remembering Stuart and the others out searching. ‘He’ll be worried.’ She walked over to the door of the boathouse and stood inside while she dialled the number. She could hear Rory and Wilbur chatting outside. As soon as Allie had filled Stuart in, she joined them again. Rory had taken off his jumper and wrapped it around Alana’s shoulders to keep her warm.

  ‘Stuart’s on his way. He’s bringing the car.’

  ‘I hope he’s bringing himself in a better mood too,’ added Alana, taking a sip from the mug.

  ‘I was going to call the police just as you arrived.’ Wilbur’s tone was soft and friendly.

  ‘Why would we need the police? I’m only out for a walk,’ Alana said, with a frown on her face.

  ‘Mum, look how you are dressed.’

  Alana chuckled.

  ‘Here’s a car now,’ said Allie, relieved to see Stuart arrive so quickly. The car snaked up the narrow path towards them and the engine cut out as Stuart parked at the side of the boathouse.

  The doors of the car flew open and Stuart and Dr Taylor strolled over towards them.

  Allie noticed that Stuart looked tired and worn. Alana and Stuart were older than her own parents. Rory was an only child and he’d told Allie that his parents had been trying for a baby for many years with no luck whatsoever, then, lo and behold, when Alana had thought all hope was lost, she’d discovered that she’d finally fallen pregnant.