Promises of Spring

by Jenny Lane

  ‘I see you’ve met our Stanley! His bark’s worse than his bite.’

  Sophie grimaced. ‘You don’t say! Oh, well never mind, I’ll get used to him, I suppose.’

  Beverley chuckled. ‘Every school has a Stanley. From what I gather, you’re doing brilliantly, so don’t let him get you down. Now, how about you coming for that meal on Saturday evening? Keir’s free, if you are. I realise it’s short notice, but my parents are taking the children to Chessington Zoo and Adventure Park, and keeping them overnight. We’d actually have a child-free zone, and that’s rare. So what do you say?’

  ‘I’d love to come, thanks a lot,’ she said warmly.

  ‘Great! I’ll look forward to seeing you around sevenish. I’m sure Keir will liaise with you over transport, but just in case ...’ She rummaged in her bag and handed Sophie an address sticker.

  Suddenly Sophie realised Glenda had appeared and was hovering by Beverley’s side.

  ‘Hello Glenda, did you want to see me about something?’

  ‘Yes, if I might have a word, Bev,’ she said, and Sophie wondered how long Glenda had been standing there.

  ‘Of course, bye then Sophie, see you soon.’

  Chapter Nine

  It was a hectic afternoon because Aunt Rose and Sophie took advantage of Peggy’s absence to do a bit of spring cleaning, making sure to replace items where they had been before.

  ‘My goodness that looks better,’ Aunt Rose said in a satisfied voice. ‘You can actually see the colour of that china. I’m surprised Peggy hasn’t appeared to see what we’re up to.’

  Halfway through the afternoon, Rose took the elderly lady some tea.

  ‘That cold has really taken its toll on her. She looks worn out, poor thing!’

  Soon afterwards, the door opened and Crystal and Amy came into the shop.

  ‘Amy’s off to a party tomorrow and, as her mum’s working, I said we’d try to find a present for her friend.’

  Amy wandered contentedly round the shop, with Aunt Rose keeping a discreet eye on her. Eventually, the little girl returned to the counter clutching a pottery rabbit.

  ‘She’d like that. It’s just like one of Aunt Crystal’s rabbits.’

  ‘Are you sure it’s not you that likes it?’ Crystal enquired. ‘I don’t actually remember Zoe coming to see my rabbits.’

  ‘No, but if she did she’d like them,’ Amy persisted.

  ‘OK, but perhaps you should give it to her with an invitation to come to see the real thing?’ Crystal told her and winked at Aunt Rose, who took Amy’s money and found her a box for the rabbit. Crystal picked up an attractive notepad, ruler and pencil set with the name Zoe emblazoned on it.

  ‘We’ll add this as well,’ she said, ‘I must say this shop’s looking very spick and span. I hardly recognise it. I can actually see my face in that counter and there’s not a designer cobweb in sight and as for that window display, it’s a credit to you and Keir, Sophie!’

  ‘Well, we’ve all done our best,’ Aunt Rose said. ‘We’re making one last ditch effort to save this shop from going under. Just because there’s a fancy place on its way to opening, why should we be pushed out?’

  Fortunately, Crystal was saved from replying when a couple of mums appeared with their children in tow. Crystal exchanged a meaningful look with Sophie, before leaving the shop.

  Keir’s class was even more enjoyable than the week before. First they were shown how to dip the biscuit-fired earrings, cufflinks and brooches they had made the week before in a matt porcelain glaze. They then dipped the items in a stain of their choice, before placing them on newspaper.

  ‘Next comes the tedious part,’ Keir informed them. ‘We have to remove the glaze from beneath the jewellery and get rid of any residue before firing again.’

  The next task the class were given was to decorate quarry tiles. Some of the group had brought their own sketches to work from whilst others selected drawings to copy.

  ‘Pleased you came?’ Crystal asked during the break.

  ‘Absolutely, I’m really enjoying myself.’

  Keir looked up with a smile. ‘That’s what I like to hear. I like to have a happy band of students. What’s up, Glenda?’

  ‘I’m not sure about this design, Keir. Come and give me your opinion.’

  But Keir, merely smiled and said, ‘I think you’re trying to make things too complicated. Take a break and come back to it. If you’re still unsure, have a look through some of those books on the table and choose something else. Sophie here has picked a very simple design and, sometimes, that’s a safer bet.’

  With a bad grace, Glenda took a quick look at Sophie’s effort.

  ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly do anything like that! It’s far too traditional!’ she exclaimed. ‘I really do need your input, Keir.’

  She clutched Keir’s sleeve and fluttered her eyelashes at him beguilingly.

  As they moved out of earshot Crystal shook her head and said incredulously, ‘Whatever is she like?’

  Sophie had an uncomfortable feeling that Glenda would make a bad enemy and could have wished that Keir hadn’t drawn attention to her work like that.

  To Rose’s complete surprise, Fiona and Ian invited her round for supper on Saturday evening as Fiona’s mother had come to stay for a few days. Ian arranged to collect Rose and bring her home.

  ‘It’s about time we got to know each other,’ Fiona said, when she encountered Sophie in the baker’s on Saturday morning. ‘You’d have been welcome too, but I gather you’re already going out.’

  Keir phoned and arranged to pick Sophie up at six-thirty.

  ‘It’s pointless both of us taking our cars. Anyway, I don’t suppose you know that neck of the woods. It’s a new housing development a couple of miles out of the village.’

  Sophie deliberated over what to wear and, in the end, decided on a mid-length indigo blue skirt and an embroidered tunic top. She added dangling silver earrings, made up carefully, brushed her shining hair and caught it back with a couple of glittery combs, and sprayed on a light perfume. As the door bell peeled she snatched up her coat.

  Her heart leapt as Keir caught her arm and steered her towards the car.

  ‘We’re in for a pleasant evening. Beverley’s an excellent cook and they’re both good company.’

  ‘Will anyone else be there?’

  ‘Oh, I’m not sure. They’re an extremely hospitable couple, as I’ve said before. We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?’

  Beverley and Peter’s house on the outskirts of Penbridge was bright and comfortable with one or two clever touches that reflected Beverley’s creativity. It seemed it was just to be the four of them. Over a delightful meal of beef casserole, they talked about general things, but suddenly during a lull in the conversation Beverley asked, ‘So are you still in touch with any of the Bucks crowd, Sophie?’

  ‘I, er, just one or two people in the English department,’ she said, aware that Keir was looking at her and realising Peter wouldn’t have breached her confidentiality about her reasons for leaving the school.

  ‘Sophie’s like me, always full of good intentions about keeping in touch but, once you’ve moved on, somehow the months just slip by,’ Peter told his wife.

  Over dessert the conversation inevitably turned to the craft centre.

  ‘So are things going to schedule, Keir?’ Peter asked.

  ‘More or less. You know what builders are like, but on the whole there haven’t been too many hitches.’

  ‘What do you reckon to it, Sophie?’ Beverley asked. ‘Pretty amazing, isn’t it?’

  ‘Well, yes. It’s certainly very enterprising,’ Sophie said.

  ‘Sophie’s had her reservations,’ Keir told them. ‘She’s worried for Peggy and Rose.’

  ‘Oh, but surely you don’t need to be. I mean that’s a delightful little shop, but they could still find an outlet at the craft centre when it opens, if they wanted to move there.’

  Sophie stared at Beverle
y. ‘But they wouldn’t want to. Could they afford the overheads? Not only that, but Peggy lives on the premises at the shop.’

  ‘We’ll just have to wait and see what happens then, won’t we?’ Beverley said rather dismissively. ‘Anyway, it’s good that the grant came through, isn’t it, Keir?’

  He nodded and looked a little awkward, probably recognising how Sophie felt about things. She hadn’t really stopped to think about the funding for the craft centre and now she asked, ‘Will this grant pay for all of it? It must be a very expensive project.’

  Keir shook his head. ‘No, but we’ve received a large donation from an anonymous source and we’ve had several fundraising events. We’re also going to be in receipt of a large bequest, when it eventually comes through. Until then, we’ve been able to get a loan on the strength of it. It was all going ahead before Hugh died. He was the chief instigator, as I’ve explained.’

  ‘I think it’s a marvellous idea,’ Peter said. ‘When it’s fully functioning, I’ll bet it’ll win the support of most of those who put up objections. Keir’s going to give demonstrations and tuition, did he tell you, Sophie?’

  ‘Well, no, but I haven’t really had time to get my head round it all,’ she told him.

  They were sitting over coffee when there was a peal on the doorbell. Beverley sprang up and returned a few minutes later with Glenda.

  ‘Look who I found on the doorstep,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, I hadn’t realised you’d got company,’ Glenda said innocently. ‘I’ve just brought this catalogue for Beverley.’

  ‘Come and sit down for a few minutes,’ Peter invited. ‘It looks as if it’s raining cats and dogs out there.’

  ‘It is — just for a few minutes then.’ She made for the sofa where Keir was sitting.

  ‘Would you like some coffee or there’s wine.’

  Glenda brightened. ‘Ooh wine, please.’

  ‘So you’re not out on the town with your friends tonight then?’ Peter enquired.

  ‘No, my father’s invited some people round, so I’ve been helping my mother with dinner. They’re talking politics so I decided to escape for a while and leave them to it.’

  ‘Glenda’s father is a local councillor as well as a school governor,’ Keir explained to Sophie.

  ‘Really, he leads a busy life then,’ Sophie said, wondering if Glenda had realised Keir would be there that evening, and had deliberately gate-crashed the dinner party.

  ‘He certainly does.’ She smiled at Keir. ‘I can’t wait to see how our ceramics have turned out.’

  ‘You’re going to have to be patient, I’m afraid,’ Keir told her with a pleasant smile. ‘Did you know Peter and Sophie used to work together in a previous school? Small world isn’t it?’

  Glenda was silent for a moment, and then she said, ‘My father was a little surprised when he realised she’d been taken on so quickly in Irene’s place.’

  ‘Ah well, life’s full of surprises,’ Peter said quickly to cover an awkward moment.

  ‘I bet the pair of you could tell a few stories about each other then,’ Glenda said undaunted.

  ‘Only pleasant ones where Sophie is concerned. She was brilliant at fundraising for events such as Children In Need.’

  ‘Obviously takes after Hugh then,’ Keir commented.

  ‘Speaking of Hugh, have you heard anything from Erica recently?’ Beverley enquired.

  It was Keir’s turn to look startled. ‘She e-mails from time to time and seems to be enjoying life in Spain. When she gets bored she’ll return to England, no doubt.’

  Sophie realised that she wasn’t the only one waiting on his reply. Glenda’s green eyes narrowed as she said, ‘So when she returns to England will she come back to Penbridge?’

  ‘I really have no idea,’ Keir said shortly. ‘We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?’

  Beverley was studying her nails and obviously wishing that she hadn’t mentioned Erica and Sophie wondered again just what the connection was between Keir and Hugh’s young widow.

  ‘We were talking about the craft centre before you arrived,’ Beverley said brightly.

  ‘Oh, really. I can’t wait for it to get off the ground. Of course, my father thinks it’s all a bit frivolous. He’s a bit peeved that it’s all going ahead.’

  ‘Perhaps he’ll change his mind once it’s opened,’ Keir said.

  ‘You don’t know my father,’ Glenda told him, helping herself to a handful of peanuts.

  ‘But I think I do,’ Peter said with a grin. ‘I reckon we’ll win him round eventually. Now would anyone like any more coffee?’

  ‘Now that the quaint old shop where we’ve been displaying our ceramics is closed, I suppose we’ll need to find another outlet,’ Glenda said.

  Sophie’s head shot up. ‘What do you mean, closed? Aunt Rose and I were only working there on Thursday afternoon.’

  Glenda examined her nails which were painted a startling blue. ‘There was a closed sign on the door when I went past there this afternoon. Apparently the old woman who owns it is ill.’

  ‘You’re partly right,’ Keir chipped in. ‘Mrs Munn is suffering from a Huey cold and so her daughter-in-law’s taken her to stay with her for a few days, but as to closing on a permanent basis, well that’s not going to happen for a while yet.’

  ‘OK, but that old biddy must be way over eighty so it’s high time she retired,’ Glenda said rudely.

  ‘That old biddy, as you call her, happens to be a friend of Aunt Rose’s, so I’d rather you didn’t talk about her like that,’ Sophie said sharply.

  Glenda’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Sorry, I’m sure. Anyway, when she goes my father will make sure the premises are sold for something a bit more upmarket.’

  Sophie bit back a retort, not wishing to descend to Glenda’s level and Beverley, sensing an atmosphere between the two of them said, ‘Would you like to see what we’ve done to the spare room, Sophie? Glenda’s had a look already.’

  Relieved, Sophie followed her out of the room.

  ‘You mustn’t mind Glenda, Sophie. She’s very outspoken — takes after her father there. Underneath all that brashness she’s really rather unsure of herself.’

  ‘Hmm, well she’ll be old one day, so let’s hope she develops a more sympathetic attitude. Wow, Beverley! This room is lovely.’

  ‘Yes, we’re pleased with it. You must come again when the children are here. I’ve really enjoyed your company. It’s good you and Keir get on so well. He’s such a lovely guy. I suppose you know how he came to be living in Penbridge?’

  ‘Well, actually ...’ Sophie began when Peter called up the stairs.

  ‘Phone Bev. It’s your mother to tell you what sort of a day the kids have had.’

  With an apologetic smile, Beverley excused herself and Sophie wished the interruption hadn’t been at that precise moment.

  It was getting on for ten-thirty when Keir stood up to leave. Glenda begged a lift and they departed shortly afterwards. Keir dropped her off at a large detached house. He made absolutely no comment as he drove on, but Sophie couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking. For her the evening had been going so well until Glenda had turned up. It was obvious that the young woman was determined to do everything in her power to get Keir to notice her. Was Keir so impervious as he made out?

  As they drove back through the village Keir remarked, ‘I was sorry to hear Peggy Munn was so poorly. I actually didn’t want to spoil your evening by mentioning it earlier, but I saw John Munn in the pub last night and he was telling me roughly what Glenda said. The problem is, John and his wife really can’t cover the shop more than they’re doing already, especially when Peggy needs looking after as well.’

  ‘Oh, dear. She wasn’t at all well on Thursday, but we hoped she was getting better now. Aunt Rose will be upset. I don’t think she can take it on board that Peggy might retire.’

  ‘OK, we’ll just have to think round it, won’t we?’ he said mysteriously.

  ‘How
do you mean?’ Sophie demanded.

  ‘There’s got to be some solution for your aunt. The craft centre will be up and running by Easter if all goes according to plan, but that’s not ‘til April, so there’s time enough to think things through. Not only that, but the rest of us are still going to continue to need an outlet for our work in the short term, as Glenda pointed out. Don’t worry, Sophie. Just because things are looking bleak at the moment, it doesn’t mean to say we can’t work round it. Rose’s dolls’ house furniture is legendary, and it would be a great pity if she had to stop producing it.’

  ‘Actually, I think she’s finding it a bit of a struggle because of the arthritis in her hands, but she’s not going to give in easily.’

  ‘And nor should she. Anyway, John says he hopes to reopen again on Tuesday.’

  He pulled up outside Rose Cottage, leant over and kissed her on the cheek.

  ‘Things’ll work out, you’ll see. It’s been a good evening, hasn’t it?’

  Aunt Rose was sitting over a mug of hot chocolate, watching the tail end of a documentary.

  ‘Hello, dear. I thought you’d be a lot later than this. Did you enjoy your evening?’

  ‘Yes, it was a lovely meal. How about you?’

  Aunt Rose beamed, ‘I had a lovely time too. They made me so welcome. Fiona’s mum, Betty, is a widow and she’s decided to sell up and move down here as soon as it can be arranged. We got on really well.’

  ‘That’s good.’ Sophie hesitated. She didn’t like to mention Peggy Munn’s shop being closed, but knew she’d better fill Aunt Rose in so that she didn’t hear the news in church the following morning.

  ‘Well, I can’t say I’m surprised, but it’s a dreadful shame. I wonder if I could fit in any more hours down there, although I’m not too keen to do it on my own!’

  ‘I could probably manage another session. We’ll have to get our heads together,’ Sophie told her. ‘By the way, I was interested to learn that Keir is still in contact with Erica. Beverley asked him outright.’

  ‘Well, I suppose if he’s renting her house then he’s got to be. I don’t see anything strange in that, Sophie. I just hope that if she does decide to sell Rowanbank, she gives Keir first refusal.’