'No one would think that, darling. Is it that, or are you embarrassed at the thought of me parading around with people half my age? I hope it's not that, because I'm not embarrassed or ashamed of my body and neither should you be.' Lori gave Mia a quelling look and her tone became serious. 'It's my body and there's not another like it. Just as there isn't another like yours.'
'Luckily for everyone else.'
'I'm serious. Your dad and I didn't bring you up to feel inferior to anyone. You're special, darling. We all are. We're all one-offs. Be proud, be loud, be awesome, and never be embarrassed or ashamed, as we say in my book club. It doesn't matter if a person is slim, or not so slim, tall, or not so tall, has webbed feet or six fingers on each hand, we're all unique and we should wear our uniqueness with pride. I'm up for this. And you, Ella? If that gorgeous young man of yours will ever put you down.'
'We're going,' Ella grinned. 'Oh, and Justin, say hello to Lori.'
'Hi, Lori,' Justin grinned, before kissing Ella again as he carried her up the lane, with her legs wrapped around him.
Dear God. This was all Mia needed. To have her sixty-year-old mum running around naked with the younger half of the residents of Little Pondale.
Chapter Seventeen
It was Midsummer's Eve and Lori was still determined to join in with the naked bathing in the pond at Frog's Hollow, especially since she had met the rest of the young men in the village, in the pub on Thursday night. To Mia's discomfort, Lori seemed particularly eager to see what Jet would look like in the buff, and Lori had spent most of that night in Mia's room discussing it. Was it any wonder that when Mia did eventually fall asleep, with her mum curled up beside her, she dreamt of Jet, in all his naked glory. Not that she knew what he would look like naked, but she had a pretty good imagination.
They had been given all the details of the event in the pub on Thursday night and that had given Mia a tiny beacon of hope. Traditionally, the women were allowed to go in first, which meant that the water would hide everything. Then they were joined by the men. No one was allowed to touch but they were allowed to look. But when Mia, Ella and Lori went to Frog's Hollow to do a little recognisance on Friday afternoon, Mia's beacon was snuffed out. In spite of its name, Frog's Hollow was a place of beauty and the water in the pond was clear and crisp and clean. It was fresh water from a natural spring that had been widened many centuries before, not the dug-out muddy pond she and Ella had imagined.
'That won't hide a thing,' Ella said, grinning.
'No it won't.' Lori rubbed her manicured hands together and smiled eagerly.
'Kill me now,' Mia said. 'I'm so glad I won't have to do this.'
Why on earth Ella and Lori and even Garrick wanted to was a mystery to Mia and during the interval in Justin's show on Saturday, Mia grew increasingly concerned. Especially since she had realised that it wasn't merely the villagers her mum would get to see starkers that night, but also Garrick Swann. The thought of her boyfriend being naked in front of her mum, was more than a little disturbing.
'Do you really want to do this tonight?' she asked Ella and her mum.
'After watching these three young men,' Lori said, 'I'm keener than ever.'
'Me too,' Ella added. 'Justin's bringing along the other two in the troupe.'
'The more the merrier,' Lori trilled. 'Will Tom, the vicar be there?'
'It's a pagan thing,' Ella said. 'Or a witchcraft thing, or something along those lines. So I doubt it. It's definitely not a Christian thing. And the vicar running around in the buff probably wouldn't go down too well with some of the old fogies in the village.'
Lori grinned and licked her lips. 'That's a pity. I'd like to see what he keeps hidden under that cassock.'
'You and me both,' Ella said. 'I've seen him in a suit, and he looked pretty decent in that. But I've never seen him in casual clothes.'
Mia still hadn't told them that she had seen him in only swim shorts. Or about what happened on the beach.
'I need some air,' she said. 'I'm getting a bit of a headache.'
'Don't you dare run off,' Ella said. 'You might not be taking part in the bathing but you're coming with us, aren't you?
'God no! And I don't think it would be right if I did. I'd be the only one with clothes on.'
'You could take them off. Just not go in the water.'
'Yeah right! And be even more on display than the rest of you. No thank you very much.'
When she pushed open the door of the church hall and stepped outside, she was very tempted to run, especially when she heard a dog bark and saw Mattie rush towards her.
'Hello Mia,' Jet's voice wasn't quite as friendly as the last time. 'I was hoping I'd bump into you.'
'Hello, Jet. I was hoping I had become invisible.'
He frowned. 'Is that another of your ways of telling me to bugger off?'
'What? No. I was being facetious. Ella and Mum are intent on going to this Midsummer's Eve thing tonight and I really, really, really, don't want my mum to go.'
He relaxed. 'Why not?'
'Because she's my mum. And she's sixty. And she'll be surrounded by people half her age. But that's why she wants to go.'
He grinned at her. 'Ah yes. I noticed on Thursday night in the pub that Lori had a very keen interest in Pagan festivities.'
'A keen interest in seeing lots of naked young men. She's particularly keen on seeing you.'
Oh my God! Why had she said that?
He raised his brows. 'Is she? I can't think why. I'm sure she'll be disappointed.'
'You're going then?'
'I go every year.'
'Why? I really don't see the point. No pun intended.'
He sniggered. 'The water's very cold.'
Mia frowned at him. 'You think this whole thing is just a riot, don't you? I'll say one thing for you. You've definitely got a sense of humour. However weird it may be.'
'Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment. The first you've ever paid me.' He grinned. 'I think it's a bit of harmless fun that's been going on round here for centuries. No one is forced to participate. No one breaks the rules. No one comes to any harm. It's no different than going to a nudist beach.'
'I wouldn't want to go to one of those either.'
'You won't be taking part, obviously. Is that just because you're afraid of water? Or is it also because you're afraid of being naked? Are you a bit of a prude, Mia? They say the ones who talk about sex all the time are the ones who never do it.'
'What? I'm not a prude! It's the water. Being naked is fine. I'm happy being naked. I do it all the time. I dance naked. I sleep naked. I would swim naked if I weren't afraid of water. But I don't like the thought of being naked in front of so many people, I'll admit. That doesn't make me a prude. And as for sex. You're the one who talks about it all the time, not me. I'm having plenty of sex, for your information. Every chance I get, in fact.'
'That's painted a very detailed image for me. Thanks for that. If you beat your fear of water, you can always participate next year. I'd quite like to see that. Why didn't you go to watch the sunrise on Thursday?' His face became serious as he changed the subject.
'I did.'
He frowned. 'I didn't see you. And I looked for you, believe me.'
'That's because you went to Frog Hill whereas I went to Rainbow's End.'
'Rainbow's End? You went to Rainbow's End. Alone?'
She'd done it again. She'd said something in front of him that she had not meant to.
'Yes.'
'Why?' A deep line furrowed his brow. 'Why would you go to Rainbow's End?'
'I told you. To see the sunrise.'
'It's better from the top of Frog Hill, so everyone says.'
'Apart from you. You think it's …'
And again! What was wrong with her?
'I think it's better from Rainbow's End, is that what you were about to say? So you went there because you thought that's where I would be? Or you went there to see if I was right?'
'To see if
you were right. Not to see you. Why would I want to see you?'
'I don't know, Mia. Why would you? Perhaps to ask me more questions? Or perhaps there's another reason.'
Of course there isn't. I've got a boyfriend and we're in love.'
'So I've heard. What time were you there?'
'Why?'
'Because when the tide comes in, Rainbow's End is surrounded by water. Not deep water, but water all around. And the tide would've been coming in before sunrise.'
Mia coughed and stepped from one foot to the other. 'I didn't notice. I didn't stay long.'
'You're lying to me.'
'How can you …? No, I'm not!'
'Yes you are. What happened, Mia? Did you get caught by the tide? Are you okay?'
'Of course I'm okay. I'm standing here, aren't I?'
'Looking like you're having palpitations.' He reached out and took her fingers in his. 'Tell me what happened.'
'Nothing happened.'
'Please don't lie to me, Mia.'
'Okay! I was tired and I nodded off and the tide came in and I panicked. But luckily for me, Tom came along and he rushed out and saved me and took me to the shore. Happy now?'
He stiffened and clenched his jaw. 'No, Mia. I'm not. I'm happy you're safe. But I'm not happy you put yourself in that situation. Promise me you'll never do anything like that again. Not without me there. Not without someone there.'
'You said yourself the water isn't deep. I was panicking, that's all.'
'And it's the panic that could've caused you harm. Please, Mia. Promise me.'
'Okay, okay. I promise. But you've got to promise not to tell Mum. Or Ella. Or Garrick.'
He looked perplexed. 'Why not?'
'Because I don't want them to worry. You almost went ballistic when I told you, so imagine how people who love me would feel.'
'I know how they would feel. I won't say a word. I promise. But if you and Garrick are so in love, I think he'd want to know. Keeping secrets like that is not a good thing to do when you're in a relationship.'
'Really? How would you know? From what I've heard you've never stayed with a woman long enough to have a real relationship.' She gasped. 'Sorry! I don't know why I said that.'
'Don't you?' He held her gaze for a second before he turned away. 'I'd better get Mattie home. I've got a date with a pond.'
'I'm sorry, Jet,' Mia said, hoping he would stay.
'So am I, Mia,' he replied, but he carried on walking and if anything, he increased his pace.
Chapter Eighteen
Mia went to bed long before her mum and Garrick came home, but she heard them giggling and chatting as they stumbled up the stairs. As soon as Garrick got into bed, he reached for Mia and tried to kiss her but for some reason she pretended to be asleep. She got up before him in the morning. She wasn't quite sure why, but the whole thing felt weird. Probably because she hadn't been a part of it.
'You've got to come next year,' Ella said when she came back from Justin's later that morning. 'It was really fun. No one leered at anyone or anything, but we did all take a sneaky peek. And Bloody Nora! I've revised my opinion of one or two of the men in the village.' She laughed.
'Was Jet there?' Mia had not meant to ask and he had told her himself he was going. But even so, she had to check.
'Oh, he was there all right. And let me tell you, Mia. That man can stand out in a crowd. And I met Franklin Grant for the first time. He says he's met you.'
Mia rubbed her forehead and nodded. 'I met him at Little Pond Farm.'
'Lori was pretty taken with him. And I think it was reciprocated.'
'What? He's about our age!'
'He's thirty-eight. But he likes mature women.'
Mia sighed. 'I know Mum wants to have a good time, and I know she's never really got over Dad's death, but I'm beginning to worry about her.'
'Why? I think she's got the right attitude. She believes in living life to the full. It wouldn't do us any harm to follow in her footsteps.'
'Perhaps you're right. I just don't want her to do anything she may regret.'
'Why not? You and I do it all the time. It's part of living life. One thing you can be sure of with Lori, is that she can take care of herself. Is she up yet?'
'No. She likes a lie-in on a Sunday. And after last night, I doubt we'll see her much before noon. Garrick's not up yet either.'
Ella grabbed a chocolate digestive from an open packet. 'What did he say about last night?'
'Nothing yet. I was asleep by the time he got home and he was asleep when I got up. Why?'
Ella shrugged. 'No reason.'
'Was Alexia there?'
Ella nodded. 'But nothing happened with them, so don't start thinking it did. I just wondered if he said anything about Jet.'
'Why would he say anything about Jet?'
'Because there was a definite atmosphere between Jet and Bear and Garrick. I don't know why or what it was about, but there was something. Even Justin noticed it. He said that Jet had been acting weird lately and he thinks it may have something to do with you. He also said that Bear told him it may be connected to your inheritance.'
'My inheritance? I'm not sure I'd listen to what Bear has to say because he seems to be saying a lot recently. It was Bear who told me …' She let her voice trail off. She'd almost said that it was Bear who told her that Jet would be at Rainbow's End the other day and that she was starting to wonder if he'd done that on purpose. 'I mean it was Bear who blabbed about Jet's loan from Mattie. I think he's a bit of a gossip.'
Ella shrugged. 'I'm keeping out of it. But I wondered if Garrick had mentioned it, that's all. It's the Kite Festival next Saturday. They were all talking about it last night. I think we need to get some kites and learn how to fly them so we can take part. We've got six days including today. That should be enough. It can't be hard to fly a kite, can it?'
It was very hard to fly a kite as Mia, Ella and Lori soon discovered. Garrick said there was no way he was getting involved so they left him alone each day while they went out to hone their dubious skills, but he joined them at the top of Frog Hill on the day of the Festival Competition.
The day was perfect for flying kites. The sky, a cloudless, baby blue was a pristine backdrop for the colourful kites and the lengths of trailing ribbons. The wind was warm as it travelled across the English Channel all the way from the Mediterranean and wavered somewhere between a force 3 and 4. Many of the villagers took part and half the battle was to ensure your kite didn't crash into someone else's. Several people seemed to be targeting one another's and screams of delight filled the air as the kites ducked and dived above the crowd.
'There's definitely a knack to this,' Ella shouted. 'And we haven't got it.'
'But at least it's fun,' Mia yelled, avoiding a near-crash and laughing hysterically as she managed to outmanoeuvre her opponent.
Lori pointed out, 'It's all good exercise and will be doing wonders for our bingo wings.'
'I don't have bingo wings,' Ella protested loudly.
'Give it time and you will,' shrieked Lori, laughing. 'Unless you use Mia's rowing machine.'
By the time the competition ended, the three of them could hardly speak but Lori won third prize, although none of them were sure how.
'It's because I winked at the judges,' she confided as she showed off her prize. Which was a much better kite than the one she had. 'I'm going to keep this up. I really enjoyed myself.'
'So did I,' Mia said, searching the crowd for one face in particular but looking away the moment she spotted him. Why did she need to know Jet was there? It was getting a bit annoying. It was as if he had some invisible hold on her and she couldn't break free. But she laughed when she saw Mattie chasing back and forth after various kites and leaping in the air in a bid to catch them despite each one being far out of reach of her furry paws.
The Festival lasted for the entire day and it wasn't all about kites. There were stalls selling cakes and sweets, and others selling refreshments
. Some sold sunglasses and sun hats and others sold handmade goods such as cotton cushion covers, and crocheted shawls. There were games and races for children and the llamas Mia had seen on the very first day she arrived, were paraded back and forth for everyone to stroke and ooh and ahh at. Mia kept her distance.
'Allergic to llamas?' Jet appeared from nowhere and stood beside her.
'They come under the same category as farm animals as far as I'm concerned.' She tried to sound cool but her heart appeared to be soaring like her kite had been, twenty minutes earlier.
'I'm sure they'll be delighted to hear that. Well done on the kite flying. Is that a skill you acquired in London? Or something you've picked up recently?'
'Very recently. We only started last Sunday.'
'Then I'm doubly impressed.'
'That's made my day, as I'm sure you can imagine. Did you enjoy Midsummer's Eve?'
'Very much so, thanks. Did you?'
Mia glared at him. 'I went to bed early.'
'That sounds like fun. Naked?'
'What?' She intensified the glare.
'Just curious. You said you sleep naked, remember?'
She tried to appear nonchalant though she felt anything but. 'Yes. Naked apart from my perfume.'
'I like your perfume. I could breathe it in all day.' He moved a little closer.
Goose bumps ran up and down her spine. 'I'm so glad. I'll buy you some for Christmas. It'll make a change from smelling cow manure.'
'I hope you're not implying that I smell like cow manure.' He looked hurt.
'No! You always smell divine. I mean, fine.'
'That's good to know. Where's the love of your life?'
'Who?'
'Garrick. The man you're so in love with.'
'I know who I'm in love with.'
'Do you, Mia?'
She tutted. 'Yes. Of course, I do. He's getting some drinks, I think. I simply didn't hear what you said.'
'Have you told him about Rainbow's End?'
She glared at him some more. 'No. And you promised you wouldn't.'
The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane_Part Two_Summer secrets Page 11
