‘Of course not.’ I laughed. ‘You’re still on the mantelpiece, actually.’
‘What, like a voodoo doll?’
‘No!’ I wound a strand of hair around my index finger. ‘A photograph.’
‘Really?’ I heard the smile in his voice and felt my insides start to melt. Surely talking to him shouldn’t make me this happy. ‘Okay,’ he went on, ‘I’ll show them around, but only if you come too.’
‘It will have to be one evening then. Or the weekend.’
‘Tomorrow evening would be fine.’
‘Okay, I’ll just ask.’ I poked my head through the door. ‘Tomorrow evening okay for you two?’
‘Yes!’ Mum and Dad said eagerly.
‘Okay,’ I said into the phone. ‘About half past six?’
‘Perfect. See you then.’
‘Bye.’
There was a pause where neither of us hung up. I could hear him breathing and goose bumps broke out on my arms. Taking control, I ended the call and pressed my phone against my chest. Mum gave me a shrewd look.
‘So what did he say?’
‘Not much. We were just trying to sort out a time.’ I sat back down, placing my phone on the arm of the chair. ‘He said tonight, but I said Dad had only just come in and you hadn’t had your tea yet.’
‘Oh, okay.’ Mum looked disappointed. ‘We could have gone, though.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘It’s an hour away. And I’ve already told him I think it won’t be suitable, so don’t get your hopes up.’
Mum grunted and then got up from the chair to go into the kitchen. Pausing by the fireplace, she picked up the photograph of me and Anthony and flicked off a bit of imaginary dust.
‘Mum!’
‘What? I thought I saw a smear.’
I exchanged a look with my dad as she put it down with a guilty expression on her face. ‘Well, I am looking forward to seeing him again. He’s such a lovely man.’
Raising one eyebrow, Dad reached for the remote control and switched on the TV.
***
The following evening, Dad picked me up from work and drove us to Willow Hall in his Land Rover. My stomach had been in knots all day and I felt like I was going to hyperventilate when I finally locked up the shop and climbed into the backseat. Mum was sitting in the front, and it looked suspiciously like she’d had her hair done. I was about to say something but then decided that might be a bit hypocritical considering I’d chosen to wear a blue polka-dot tea dress Anthony had said he liked when we were together. Accepting a Mint Imperial from my mum, I settled back for the journey.
‘Was Bobbi in today?’ she asked.
‘No, still being sick, apparently. And I didn’t want to tell her about the shop when she was so poorly.’
‘No, of course not. Poor thing. Do you think I should pop in tomorrow and check how she is?’
‘Best stay away if it’s a bug,’ Dad told her. ‘You don’t want to catch it.’
‘She thinks it might be food poisoning. Hopefully she’ll feel better tomorrow.’
We chatted for the duration of the journey and I was glad of the distraction. I’d been on my own all day and felt like I’d been starved of company. If that was how I felt in a shop, how would I feel working from home or in an industrial unit?
‘Ooh, this is very grand!’ Mum said as we passed through the gateposts and drove through the tree tunnel leading to Willow Hall.
‘I know. Wait until you see the house!’
As predicted, Mum gasped as the soft red stone of the hall came into view.
‘Blimey!’ Dad said mildly. ‘That’s a bit good.’
He parked his Land Rover outside the house and Julian appeared out of the front door. ‘Hello!’ he called cheerfully as we climbed out of the car. ‘I saw you coming up the drive. Anthony’s been a bit delayed, I’m afraid, so you’ll have to make do with me.’
‘Marvellous. I’m Jim and this is Birdie.’ Dad held out his hand to shake Julian’s.
‘My goodness, you look so like your brother I thought you were Anthony!’ Mum said as she greeted him.
‘Everyone says that. Important to note that I’m two years younger, though.’ Julian laughed.
‘Where is he?’ I asked, trying hard and failing to keep the note of disappointment from my voice.
‘He was called into work. He should be back any minute, though.’
‘Oh, okay.’ I slammed the door of the Land Rover and then realised the end of my cardigan was caught in the door, which had locked. I opened my mouth to tell my dad, but he was already walking away with Julian, deep in conversation. With a tut, I shrugged it off and left it dangling from the car before running to catch them up.
‘It’s not in bad condition at all,’ Julian was telling my dad. ‘We were thinking of offices or a residential let but we hadn’t settled on anything. It would be a great space for Rachel, especially if she does the wedding flowers for our weddings. It would be ideal, really, to have you on-site. And there’s plenty of space for you to run flower-arranging workshops and tutorials. Anthony said you used to love doing them, Rachel. And of course, we have a two-acre walled garden where we grow all sorts of flowers, as well as vegetables. And all over the estate we have shrubs and wildflowers that I’m sure could be used in arrangements.’
I opened my mouth to say I usually bought my flowers from the flower market, but then shut it again as an idea started to form. Yes, I’d probably still use the markets for a lot of the flowers, but it would be great to use the wildflowers in the flower-arranging workshops. The students could even go and pick their own flowers and decide what type of bouquet they wanted to work on. It would be amazing.
I caught myself before I got too carried away. It was bound to be unsuitable. It would never work.
Julian led us round the other side of the house to the one I’d previously taken and we walked along a gravel path between the house and the side of the walled garden. The clank and squeak of a rusty wheelbarrow came from the other side. The stones on the gravel path dug into the thin soles of my shoes and I was glad when we reached the end and I could walk on the grass for a while.
‘It’s just round this side of the house. It’s quite easy to get to. See, it’s just there.’ Julian pointed ahead and I saw a rectangular building in the same soft red brick as the house, the side and part of its roof covered with ivy. ‘It’s a listed building, so obviously we’re limited in terms of what we can do to it. Early nineteenth century, we think.’
‘It’s quite big, isn’t it?’ Mum said, standing back to look at the two-storey building. It had windows either side of its round-arched doorway. ‘It’s bigger than our bungalow!’
Julian laughed and slotted the key into the panelled wooden door. It swung open with a whiny creak and we stepped inside. I’d expected it to be full of junk, but aside from a couple of old barrels in one corner, it was completely empty. Just bare stone floor and plastered white walls. It smelt pleasantly of cool brick, and I felt my skin start to tingle with excitement as soon as I walked in. I loved it.
Could this work? I imagined the empty spaces filled with our shop furniture and rows and rows of flowers. The large oak table we had in the back room of the shop could be placed in the centre, and people would come and learn how to make hand-tied bouquets and garlands and table centrepieces. It was a blank canvas, waiting for a second chance at life, and I was filled with a sudden fierce desire to provide it.
Dad started asking questions about its architecture and what it had been used for over the years, and I went up the stone steps to the first floor. Light poured in through the large sash window and I walked slowly around, my footsteps echoing on the wooden floorboards. Unlike downstairs, which was one large, open space, upstairs had been divided into two separate rooms and looked like it had been lived in at some point. I could live up here, I thought to myself, excitement stirring within me. Crossing to the window, I looked out at the beautiful view across the lake and woodland. The water sparkled
in the evening sunlight. Imagine waking up to that every morning! It was beautiful.
There was the crunch of approaching footsteps and I stepped back as Anthony’s blond head came into view. My heart speeded up as I watched him walk purposefully up the path. He paused in front of the door and straightened his tie before being almost knocked off his feet by my mother, who seemed to virtually throw herself into his arms. I was equal parts annoyed by her lack of loyalty to me, jealous she was doing something I’d like to do, and amused because she looked a bit like Miss Piggy throwing herself at Kermit the frog.
‘Oof! Hi, Birdie, how are you?’ Bending down to my mother’s height, he kissed her on the cheek before reaching out to shake my father’s hand. ‘Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. I was meant to be off today but I got called into work. Still, Julian’s the man you need to talk to about all this.’
‘I was just telling Julian how very alike you both are,’ Mum said, tucking her hair behind her ears.
‘I know.’ Anthony laughed. ‘So, what do you think about this place? Do you think it will work?’
‘I think so!’ Mum said enthusiastically. ‘It’s an amazing space. And look at that view down to the river. Beautiful.’
‘There’s certainly plenty of space,’ Dad said. ‘Whether we’d need all of it or not is another matter.’
Anthony shrugged. ‘It’s up to you. No pressure. Where’s Rachel?’
‘Upstairs, I think.’ Dad stepped back into the building and shouted upstairs as though it were three storeys high or something. ‘Rachel?’
‘Yes. Coming.’ I backed away from the window, just as Anthony looked up and caught me watching. With my heart galloping, I went back down the stairs and joined them by the front door.
‘Hi,’ I said coolly, noticing that Anthony had lipstick on his cheek from my mum.
‘Hello.’ He straightened up slightly and jerked his chin at the Brew House. ‘What do you think then? Too big?’
‘Not really. I was just thinking I could live upstairs.’ Suddenly shy under his gaze, I turned and looked up at the upstairs window, which was reflecting the leaves from the tree opposite. A pigeon cooed from the roof. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘Live? In there?’ Anthony raised an eyebrow. ‘Rather you than me. Besides, what about Jayjay? Doesn’t he get a say?’
‘What does Jayjay have to do with it?’ Mum said, confused. ‘He’s Bobbi’s boyfriend.’
Hardly registering what she’d said, I carried on staring up at the upstairs window before moving round the side of the building. It was quite overgrown, and clusters of nettles and brambles prevented me from going much further. A sparrow peered at me from a spiky branch and a white butterfly fluttered past my face. Withdrawing, I went back to the front and followed the path round to the other side of the building. A garage had been joined to the side. It was obviously a later addition, built in a similar shade of red brick and with a white wooden door. I peered through the dusty window, trying to get a look inside, but it seemed to be piled high with old junk.
‘It’s full of old rubbish, I’m afraid,’ Anthony said, coming up behind me. ‘I have no idea what’s in there, to be honest. It probably all needs throwing away.’ He peered through the glass next to me, his arm against mine and the smell of his aftershave filling my nose. ‘I think there might even be a car buried under there.’
‘Really?’ I stepped away and walked to the end of the path where it joined a wider driveway, flanked on both sides by woodland. ‘Where does this go?’
‘It’s another entrance to the hall.’ He came and stood next to me and pointed at a white cottage further down. ‘That’s where I live. Gatehouse Lodge.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. So, if you really did feel the need to live here, we would be neighbours. Why did you lie to me about Jayjay?’
‘Oh!’ It suddenly occurred to me what Mum had said. I shook my head. ‘I’m sorry about that. It was just silly really. You saw me trying on that wedding dress and I didn’t want to look like an idiot so I lied. Well, Elena lied. And then Bobbi panicked when she saw you at the shop and lied for me too. Bless her. Jayjay’s a lovely lad but most definitely Bobbi’s boyfriend, not mine. They’re very well suited.’
‘Good.’
I glanced up at him. ‘Yes, I’m glad she’s found someone nice. She deserves it.’
I went to walk away, but he caught my arm and pulled me back. ‘I didn’t mean that. I meant I’m glad you’re not engaged.’
‘Oh!’ I looked up into his fierce gaze and swallowed. ‘Why?’
I wanted him to say he loved me. That he wanted us to get back together and try again. But whatever it was that had been burning in his eyes just a moment ago had simmered down, to be replaced by uncertainty. His grip on my arm loosened. ‘I… I don’t know. I just am.’
Disappointment withered the hope that had surged within me. I looked down at his fingers still wrapped around my arm. Goose bumps had broken out across my flesh, but whether it was from cold or from his touch I wasn’t sure.
‘You’re cold,’ he said. ‘Here, take my jacket.’
‘Oh, no, I’m fine.’ I started to protest, but he was already shrugging it off to reveal his white shirt.
‘Here.’ He draped it over my shoulders and smiled. My heart shifted in my chest as the jacket, still warm from his body and smelling of his cologne, enveloped me.
‘Thank you.’ I pulled it closer around me and smiled shyly back up at him.
‘Anthony?’ Julian called. ‘Can you come here for a minute.’
‘Okay.’ He raised his eyebrows at me before disappearing back round to the front of the Brew House. I stayed where I was for a moment, savouring the feel of his jacket against my bare arms. It smelt so good I wanted to wear it for ever.
Mum appeared. ‘Oh, there you are!’ she said. ‘What are you doing back here?’
‘Just looking around.’
‘Do you really think you’d want to live here?’ she asked. ‘I don’t think you should. You might be lonely.’
I shrugged. ‘It’s a bit far to come every morning.’
‘Well, if you don’t have a shop to open, maybe you don’t have to keep to shop hours. You could start later or work from home some days. Besides, Anthony’s commuting to Manchester at the moment. Think how he feels.’ She lowered her voice. ‘And he had a serious car accident last year. I think that’s very brave.’
‘True.’
Her eyes rested on his jacket. ‘And a gentleman too.’
I sighed. ‘I wish you’d stop trying to sell him to me like I don’t already know how great he is. He dumped me, remember. He doesn’t want me.’
‘I think perhaps he just needs a bit of convincing.’ Mum’s eyes twinkled kindly. ‘Men are stupid. Most of them don’t know what they want or need. They have to be shown.’
I rolled my eyes at her. ‘And how do I do that?’
‘I don’t know, but I’m sure you’ll think of something.’ She patted my arm. ‘Come on, let’s go back inside.’
The sun had started its descent towards the horizon, staining the sky pink and orange. Anthony, Julian and my father were inside the Brew House now, discussing what would need to be done to make it suitable for use. It would need an electricity and water supply before we could think of doing anything.
‘How long would that take?’ I asked, taking out a notebook and pen from my bag. ‘And more importantly, how much would it all cost?’
Julian glanced across at Anthony. ‘You wouldn’t need to worry about the cost of doing it up. It’s up to us to make this place suitable for you to rent. We have builders working on various parts of the estate at the moment, so we could send them over here and get the work done pretty quickly. I’d have to talk to them about timeframes but I reckon it could be done within a month or so? Maybe less. I don’t know – it’s not really my area of expertise. How soon are you looking to move?’
‘We’re fairly flexible, although the sooner the
better really. How much would the rent be?’
Julian looked across at Anthony and sucked in his bottom lip. ‘We were discussing this last night, weren’t we, Anthony? We figure you’d be doing us a favour by being here really, so we’d only charge you a small amount, much less than the going rate. We’d ask you to pay for your utilities, of course, and perhaps if you would make the odd display for the house and hall…’
‘Why would I be doing you a favour?’ I interrupted, genuinely confused. ‘You need to make money, remember.’
‘We know, but prospective clients are bound to be impressed if we have a florist already on-site. Especially one as experienced and talented as you.’
I laughed. ‘Well, I don’t know about that. But I can see this place could be perfect, and if it’s not too expensive, well, it’s a no-brainer really.’ I turned a slow arc, looking around at the walls again. ‘I can’t believe I love it so much. When Anthony said you had a building I thought it couldn’t possibly work, but now my head is full of all these ideas and possibilities.’
I went back upstairs and watched the reflection of the sun setting on the lake below. Would I be lonely living here? I wasn’t sure. It was cooler now and I pulled Anthony’s jacket on properly, slipping my arms into his sleeves and inadvertently putting my hand into his pocket as I did so. My fingers closed around a smooth leather pouch and, thinking it was his ID badge, I took it out and flipped it open, only to realise it was a wallet. I went to shut it again before the protruding edge of a photograph caught my eye. It couldn’t be…
Glancing behind me to check I was alone, I eased it out from behind his driver’s licence. My stomach swooped. It was a strip of four photographs we’d had taken in a photo booth. I was sitting on his lap and we were both pulling faces in the first one, laughing in the second, and full-on kissing in the third and fourth. We never could keep our hands off each other. But why was he carrying these around with him?
‘Rachel?’ I heard Anthony’s footsteps on the stairs and quickly stuffed his wallet back into his jacket pocket. His head appeared and he smiled.
‘Shall we go up to the hall to discuss details? You don’t have to sign anything now if you don’t want to, but Julian’s got contracts we can go through to see if you’re happy.’
Meet Me at Willow Hall Page 11
