The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane_Part Two_Summer secrets

by Emily Harvale

  'Let's get to the shops,' he said, still smiling as he got to his feet. 'Alexia told me about a wood merchant and I believe it's on the way. You don't mind if we stop there on the way back, do you? It won't take long to see if he's got anything of interest.' He didn't wait for an answer and was opening the front door a moment later.

  Ella shook her head, slurped her tea and stood up. 'First he won't talk about his break-up with Fiona. Now he won't talk about his date last night. There's something seriously up with my brother and I haven't a clue what it is.'

  Mia hadn't got a clue either and she definitely wanted to find out.

  But it soon became clear Garrick had no intention of talking about his relationships.

  During their shopping trip, Mia and Ella spent most of the thirty-minute journey there, asking subtle, and some not so subtle questions, all of which Garrick evaded answering. They continued their interrogation in the supermarket and were so intent on their 'mission', they forgot to browse in any of the boutiques or shoe shops in the town. That was so unusual, Garrick made a point of mentioning it, especially as they hadn't been near a shop for almost a week.

  'We'll go on a shopping spree another day,' Mia said.

  'Yeah,' Ella added. 'It's not as if we need anything. We've even decided not to get a TV for a while.'

  'Bloody hell,' Garrick replied, stopping in his tracks for dramatic effect. 'I never thought I'd hear my sister say those words. Or you, Mia. I think we need to find a doctor right away, or at the very least, a pharmacist. You two must be sick if you can walk past all these shops without looking in every single one. And I'll be very interested to see how long it is before you're buying a TV.'

  Ignoring his facetious remark, Mia and Ella renewed their line of questioning and continued it as they drove to the wood merchant and even in the fish and chip shop where they stopped for supper, until Garrick finally snapped.

  'Instead of asking me so many questions about my love life, why don't you two concentrate on your own? You can ask me until you're blue in the face but this is all you'll get. No comment. Okay? Now can we please change the subject? Finding a photograph of Mattie was a dismal failure, so what's the next step?'

  Mia didn't have a clue and Ella had no suggestions. Even Garrick was at a loss. The thirty-minute journey home was a relatively quiet one. There was no point in probing Garrick further as he clearly wouldn't budge and all three of them spent the journey deep in thought.

  'There's only one thing we can do,' Mia said to Ella when they returned to the cottage at eight in the evening and were unpacking the groceries. 'We need to ask Alexia.'

  Ella beamed. 'That's an excellent idea. I could murder a drink. Er. What do we need to ask Alexia? About Mattie, or Garrick?'

  'Both.' Mia switched on the kettle and opened a new packet of chocolate digestives. She took one out and munched on it, offering the packet to Ella, who did the same.

  'Phew!' Garrick dumped three cases of wine on the worktop. 'I'll say it again. You two really shouldn't drink so much.'

  'Excuse us!' Mia said. 'You drink wine too. I'm making tea. D'you want one?'

  Garrick grinned. 'No thanks. I've finished unloading so I'm off to the pub.'

  Mia glared at him. 'What was that about drinking too much?'

  His grin broadened. 'I have no intention of drinking.' He grabbed the large bouquet of red tulips, red carnations and yellow roses he had purchased from a quaint little florist shop near the wood merchant's, and without another word, headed back towards the front door.

  'So much for asking Alexia,' Ella said, grabbing another biscuit. 'She'll be busy.'

  'She won't be the only one.' Mia set a determined look on her face. 'Forget the tea. We're going to the pub.'

  Chapter Three

  'Last night was a complete waste of time.' Mia slathered marmalade on her toast, still annoyed about her evening in the pub. Alexia had been working behind the bar so Garrick spent most of the evening chatting with her brother Toby, along with Justin, Bear and Jet. Mia took the opportunity to have a word with Alexia but Alexia had seemed a little distant. Cool even. Definitely not the friendly, chatty woman she had been before.

  Ella grinned. 'Not a complete waste. I did get to spend at least half an hour talking to Justin. Am I being an idiot? I think I really like him.'

  Mia shrugged. 'I don't know. Alexia said he was a nice guy and he did seem genuine last night. I got the feeling he likes you too. He spent most of the time asking things about you, not talking about himself. I'm sure that means he's interested.' She grinned. 'But I thought you liked the vicar? And before that, you liked Bear. And let's not forget you had the hots for Jet the minute you saw him.'

  Ella giggled. 'Okay, I see your point. It's difficult to choose. But I think I like Justin most of all. Perhaps I should be like Alexia and go out with all of them.'

  Mia frowned. 'What was up with her last night? She seemed distinctly off. I asked her how her date with Garrick went and she gave me a really odd look and said something like, 'You should know.' Then went off to serve someone else.'

  'Did she? Okay, that is weird. Perhaps she thinks Garrick told us all about it and that didn't please her. How wrong can she be? So what should I do about Justin?'

  'Wait and see if he asks you out. Or go to his bakery and ask to see his buns.'

  Ella grinned as she bit into her toast, pulling a face as she chewed. 'We should've gone to him for our bread. After that loaf of his Hettie brought us, this supermarket stuff tastes like plastic.'

  'Morning.' Garrick ambled into the kitchen, looking half asleep. 'I really hope you didn't, but did either of you say anything to Alexia? When I gave her the flowers and asked for another date, she was a bit vague.'

  Ella raised her brows. 'And why should that have anything to do with us? Perhaps not every woman finds you as charming as we do.'

  Mia sipped her coffee, the weight of Garrick's stare bearing down on her.

  'Oh, okay. But it wasn't anything I said. All I asked was how the date went and she was already in a bit of a strop. I was just telling Ella. Alexia said something like, 'you should know,' and then walked off.'

  Garrick frowned. 'That's odd. Unless she thinks I told you all about it. I'll have a word with her today.'

  Ella pushed back her chair. 'I'm off to get some bread.'

  'We've got bread.' Garrick pointed to the loaf on the table.

  'Not that stuff,' Ella said, hurrying along the hall. 'Tasty bread.'

  'What you mean is, you're going to flirt with Justin Lake.' His words fell on deaf ears as Ella shut the front door.

  'She's decided she likes him the most,' Mia said, passing Garrick a mug of coffee.

  'Thanks. I'm not surprised.' He looked at Mia over the rim. 'Have you decided who you like the most?'

  Mia choked back her coffee.

  Finally she managed, 'It doesn't really matter who I like the most, if that person doesn't feel the same about me.'

  He stared at her for a moment before replying: 'No. That's true. It doesn't.'

  'Who can that be?' Mia got up to answer the doorbell, thankful for the interruption.

  She was so surprised to see who it was when she opened the front door, that the only thing she could think to say was, 'Bloody Nora!'

  The morning sunlight made Jet's hair seem even darker. She couldn't see his eyes behind his sunglasses but the grin on his luscious-looking lips was enough to make her heart skip a beat and her legs impersonate jelly.

  'No,' he said, his voice as sultry as a summer's night. 'Not Nora. Don't you remember? The name's Jet. Jet Cross.'

  She half expected him to add that he had a licence to kill, but he didn't.

  'Er. Hi. What do you want?'

  His raised brows were evident above the rim of his glasses and Mia realised how rude that must have sounded.

  'Sorry,' she said. 'Good morning. What can I do for you?'

  His grin turned to a bright and sexy smile. 'Good morning, Mia. It's more a case of
what I can do for you.'

  The tone of his voice conjured up a number of things in Mia's mind that he could probably do for her and heat rushed to every last inch of skin on her body. She gripped the door knob a little tighter and leant against the edge of the door. All she managed to say was, 'Oh?'

  'Would you like to go for a walk?' He was still smiling.

  'A walk?'

  'Yes. Do you have a cold? Your voice sounds a bit croaky.'

  'No.' She coughed to clear her throat. 'You're asking me to go for a walk?'

  'Yes.'

  'Why?'

  A furrow creased his brow. 'Because it's a lovely morning for a walk.'

  'A walk where?'

  'Along the beach,' he suggested.

  Mia shook her head. 'No way!'

  Jet tensed visibly but relaxed just as quickly. 'Is it me, or the beach that puts you off?'

  'The beach. I'm afraid of water.'

  'Really?' He seemed genuinely surprised.

  Mia nodded. 'I nearly drowned when I was six. I haven't been in the sea since then. Or a swimming pool either. I can force myself to walk on a beach about twice a year, providing it's a beach I know well and that I'm with someone I feel I can trust with my life.'

  'That's a shame. Especially if you're going to be living here. I wonder if there's something we can do about that.'

  'About what? My fear of water? Or about me living here?' She had no idea why she had said that second part.

  'Your fear. If I promise to make absolutely certain you don't drown, will you come with me?'

  'It's not funny.'

  'I agree. It's not. So will you come with me?'

  'For a walk along the beach?'

  'Yes.'

  'Absolutely not.'

  'Don't you trust me?'

  She frowned at him. 'I don't know you. And from what I've heard, you're not a man any woman can trust.'

  'Oh?' He tensed again and this time he didn't relax. 'Are you someone who takes notice of gossip, Mia? That surprises me. Mattie never did. And I knew her well.'

  Mia met his eyes. 'Mattie? You knew Mattie well?' A sudden thought popped into her head but it was so unpleasant she could hardly bare to think it. Why on earth she said it, she had no idea. 'Oh my God! You didn't add my great-aunt to your list of heart-broken conquests, did you? Because that's just gross!'

  The sultry tone turned to ice and the glare he gave her could have frozen her on the spot as he virtually spat out his response. 'No, Mia. I didn't. And not that it matters, but I don't have a list of conquests, or any list for that matter. I was clearly mistaken about you. I thought you were like Mattie, but you're not. Except, perhaps, in looks. I'm sorry I bothered you.'

  As he turned and marched away, Mia meant to say she was sorry for offending him. Instead she said, 'You don't bother me one bit, Jet Cross. Not one little bit.' She slammed the door so hard that Garrick rushed into the hall.

  'What's wrong, Mia? Who was that?'

  'That was a jumped-up, arrogant pig of a man who thinks he can just click his fingers and every woman will fall at his feet. Then he breaks their hearts and moves on to the next one. Well, if he thinks he's doing that to me, he's got another think coming.'

  Garrick frowned. 'Who?'

  Mia gasped. 'Jet bloody Cross, of course! Who else?'

  Garrick tutted. 'You shouldn't believe everything you hear. I've told you that before. What did he say to upset you?'

  'He …he asked me to go for a walk! And he clearly thought I'd be so honoured I'd do exactly what he wanted.'

  Garrick's frown deepened. 'A walk? I don't know why that would make you so angry. And I may not know him well but Jet Cross is the least jumped-up man I've ever met. As for being arrogant, I don't think it's arrogance at all. I think it's confidence and determination.'

  'Confidence. Arrogance. Determination. Call it what you like. From the moment I saw him hold up all the traffic to manoeuvre his bloody tractor into that field, I knew he would be trouble.'

  'Did you? I thought you fancied him. Ella certainly did. And the only traffic he held up, was us. I think you're wrong about him, Mia. For one thing, I bet you don't know that he and his mum were living on the breadline after his dad left with another woman when he was twelve. They were living in a cottage on Little Pond Farm and the miserable git who owned the farm back then nearly threw them out when the dad left. I don't know all the details but I was told that Mattie persuaded the farmer to let them stay and Jet worked every hour he could to build a better life for him and his mum, even though it was illegal for a kid to work more than a few hours a week. I also heard that when the farmer decided to sell up, Mattie gave Jet a loan. He was only sixteen at the time and no bank would've lent him the money. He paid her back every last penny of it until the farm was finally his outright, just one year ago. I honestly don't think the guy had time to intentionally break every woman's heart. Since the age of twelve, he's spent almost every hour working.'

  To say that Garrick's words left Mia stunned, was an understatement. She would have asked him more but Hettie Burnstall arrived unexpectedly and as Hettie had brought a cake she had baked, Mia had to let her in. Garrick dashed off, saying he had to go back to the wood merchant they had visited the day before. Mia knew that wasn't true and he was simply avoiding Hettie but it gave Mia a chance to check Garrick's story about Jet.

  Over tea and a slice or two of the deliciously moist, chocolate and caramel cake, Mia and Hettie chatted about Garrick and the furniture he made, until Mia plucked up the courage to ask. She tried to make her question sound casual.

  'We saw Jet Cross briefly this morning and something Garrick said, made me curious.'

  'Oh? What did Garrick say, deary?'

  'That he'd heard that Jet's dad left, and Jet worked day and night from the age of twelve, to try to buy Little Pond Farm. Is that true, do you know?'

  Hettie finished her tea and shook her head. 'Dreadful business, deary. I remember it like it was yesterday. Jethro senior ran off with a woman he met at a barn dance, leaving Sarah and young Jet with nothing but the roof over their heads. And they almost lost that, my dear. Barn dances were a regular event in those days, and Jethro always had an eye for the ladies. No one ever thought the man would abandon his wife and child, but he did, deary. He did. Jeremy Warren owned the farm back then and he was nothing but a crook and a liar. Had young Jet working all hours, and for a pittance, I don't doubt. Sarah got a job in the pub and started a little cleaning business, deary, to help pay the rent. She used to clean for Matilda, until the poor dear became too ill and that's when I took over. Cancer, my dear. Thought she'd beaten it, but it came back.'

  'Cancer? Jet's mum had cancer?'

  Hettie nodded. 'Terrible, it was. We all helped out with the odd gift of clothes, or bedding, or a pot of stew, a cake, or loaf of bread and such, but Sarah was a proud woman, deary, and Jet was just the same. Neither wanted charity. Whatever help they were given, they found some way to reciprocate. And somehow, deary, for all of that, Sarah and Jet managed to put some money by. When Jeremy Warren decided to sell, Jet went and got a bank loan, I believe. There was a bit of a celebration in The Frog and Lily last year when he'd finally paid it off and the farm was well and truly his, my dear. Such a shame dear Sarah didn't live to see that. Died five years ago, on Christmas Eve. But she was proud of him, and rightly so, deary. Just a shame he didn't find himself a nice young woman and settle down. That's all she ever wanted for him. But not our Jet. He was having none of that, my dear. He takes after his dad, where women are concerned. Jethro had a long line of women from what I recall. But Jet's ten times the man his father was. Very few people liked Jethro. Except the women. Everyone loves Jet.' She suddenly grinned and chuckled, tapping Mia on the hand. 'Why the sudden interest in Jet, deary? I knew it! You've fallen under his spell, haven't you? It's those eyes. I told you deary, didn't I? One look into his eyes and you'll forgive him anything.'

  'No, I haven't!'

  Mia jumped up a b
it too quickly and Hettie nodded as if that confirmed it.

  'Your secret's safe with me, deary,' she said, tapping one side of her nose with her finger. 'But listen to me. Talking ten chickens at a time again. Best get on deary, or the morning will be gone. I promised Brenda Dupont a cake today.' She picked up her bag and tapped it, putting it on the chair next to her as she got to her feet. 'That's my next stop.'

  Mia had a dreadful feeling that Hettie's sudden urge to leave had more to do with her hurry to spread the news that Mia had fallen for Jet, than it did with visiting someone else, and Mia spent the next few minutes trying to convince Hettie that she had no interest in Jet Cross whatsoever.

  Hettie tapped her nose again and grinned. 'Safe with me, deary. Safe with me.'

  Mia was sure it was anything but. And the worst part was, it wasn't even true. Mia hadn't fallen for Jet Cross. She wasn't sure she even liked him. Although Garrick's story had made her rethink her opinion slightly and Hettie's version had reinforced that change.

  'I'm back!' Ella dashed into the kitchen, a loaf of bread in one arm, a bag of iced buns in the other and a smile so wide that it must have made her cheeks hurt.

  Even Hettie hesitated, clearly eager to find out why.

  'Thanks, Hettie,' Mia said, forcing a smile. 'Please don't let us keep you. Thanks again for the cake. You don't mind letting yourself out, do you?'

  Mia grabbed Ella by the elbow, giving her enough time to drop her goods on the table before dragging her out onto the deck and shutting the door behind them.

  'What's the rush?' Ella looked startled.

  Mia lowered her voice. 'I didn't want to give Hettie even more to gossip about. She thinks I'm madly in love with Jet.'

  Ella frowned. 'With Jet? Are you?'

  'Of course I'm not. I thought the man was an arrogant … That doesn't matter. The thing is, Jet came here and asked me to go for a walk and I said some horrible things to him. Then Garrick told me a story about Mattie lending Jet the money to buy his farm. I asked Hettie to see if she could confirm it, and now she's going to tell the entire village I'm besotted with Jet Cross.' Mia glanced into the kitchen but Hettie appeared to have left.