Once back in the lounge, Maggie supplied them with some last-minute information – how to turn on the hot water heater, and so on. She added, ‘Now, there’s tea and coffee and a tin of biscuits in the cupboard, and fresh milk in the fridge, and there’s a useful little supermarket in the village if you want anything – and the pub does very nice meals in the evening.’
‘Super,’ replied Jane. Then she asked Maggie, ‘How far is the sea?’
‘No more than seven or eight minutes’ drive. You go through the village and you’ll see a turning on the right. It’s quite easy to find. And there’s a nice beach for bathing.’
‘We’ll try that out, won’t we?’ Jane grinned at Bob.
‘How far is it to the village?’ asked Bob.
Maggie smiled at him. ‘It’s just a quarter of a mile down the road. You’ll pass my cottage on the way, on the right – Rose Cottage.’
Jane could see that Maggie was now anxious to leave them. She smiled and held out her hand. ‘You’ve been very kind and helpful. I know we’ll enjoy our stay here.’
‘Give me a ring if you need any more help. My number’s pinned up in the kitchen,’ Maggie stressed, making her way to the door.
‘Thank you very much for all your help and advice,’ Bob called after her.
They stood at the door and watched Maggie drive away in her battered conveyance. A wave of her hand, and she was gone.
‘And that was Maggie Potter,’ grinned Bob, as they turned to go back into the house.
‘Do you know what I want to do?’ asked Jane. ‘I want to have a cup of tea on the balcony. I’ll make it. You bring in the cases.’
‘That sounds like an excellent idea. I was wondering when you were going to get round to it,’ replied Bob, making a face at her.
‘Pig,’ Jane hurled at him as he made for the car.
*
Ten minutes later they were sitting on the balcony, enjoying a mug of tea and sampling the biscuits Maggie had provided. Bob had set up the metal table and two chairs and discovered that there was an awning to shield them from the hot August sun.
‘With the cornfield below us, it almost feels as if we are sitting in the middle of the country,’ murmured Jane, leaning back in her chair and momentarily closing her eyes.
‘Even down to the flies,’ laughed Bob, flicking away one that had suddenly perched on his mug.
‘I forgot to bring my sunglasses,’ remembered Jane suddenly.
‘Perhaps we can buy some somewhere,’ remarked Bob casually.
There was silence between them for a few minutes, as they both sat back and enjoyed the break. Jane in particular was feeling rather tired after her efforts of the last few days and being up early. It was just nice to just relax and do nothing.
The silence was broken by Bob, who suddenly got up from his seat and with ‘Back in a minute’ disappeared down the stairs. Jane was still sitting with her eyes closed when he returned.
‘I’ve got a present for you.’
Jane was immediately alert. Bob had put a small package on the table in front of her.
‘Ooh. What is it?’ Jane squealed with delight, as her eyes feasted on the package, although she had already guessed what it probably contained.
‘Open it.’
Jane needed no encouragement. She had already picked up her present and was carefully undoing the wrapping paper. As soon as she spied its contents, another squeal of delight burst forth from her. She held up a green bikini with white spots.
‘It’s fantastic! Thank you, darling.’ The next instant she was up and planting a kiss on Bob’s lips.
The kiss became several before Jane resumed her seat. She held up her new item of clothing. ‘I thought you’d forgotten. I thought I was going to have to swim in my birthday suit.’ She gave Bob one of her coy looks.
‘You can if you want to,’ he replied with a grin.
‘I did once.’
‘When was that’? he asked, immediately curious.
‘When I was married.’ Bob could see from Jane’s suddenly serious face that perhaps it was a happy memory that stimulated unhappy ones. He decided to quickly change the subject.
‘We’ll go swimming first thing tomorrow morning,’ he announced. First one awake wakes up the other one. You can try it out then.’
‘That’s a super idea.’ Jane was full of smiles again.
After their tea break they decided to go and explore the village. It turned out to be closer than they had anticipated. They seemed to have hardly started driving before the first houses appeared. It was a pretty village, with a pub and half a dozen shops, several of them selling antiques. It was the small supermarket next to the post office that was the focus of their attention. Here they stocked up on breakfast muesli, bread and some extras. Bob insisted on buying a couple of bottles of wine as a standby, and the tiny establishment even managed to supply Jane with a pair of sunglasses.
Once outside the supermarket again they decided to investigate the pub and its facilities. They both came to the conclusion that it would be an excellent choice for an evening meal.
*
The next morning Jane was up first. It was the sound of the birds outside that alerted her to the new day. The sparrows that occupied the ivy covering parts of the outside wall kept up a noisy chatter. She looked at her watch and discovered it was only five. Bob was still sleeping soundly. Her mind made up, she slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom. Ten minutes later she was putting on the bikini Bob had bought her. She smiled to herself as she did so. It was perhaps more skimpy than she might have bought herself and was probably more suitable for sunbathing than for serious swimming, but as Bob had given it to her she was determined to wear it. She had been unsure whether he would remember his promise to buy her one and had popped the one she had bought herself into the bottom of her suitcase.
She shook Bob’s shoulder. ‘Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re going for a swim.’
Bob opened his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. He looked up. Jane was standing over him wearing a pretty shorty beach robe.
She planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘Hurry up, darling. I’m all ready,’ she urged.
‘Give me a minute.’
Bob was out of bed in a flash and heading for the bathroom.
Jane took the opportunity to put a few items in her beach bag. By the time Bob appeared again, carrying a towel and wearing a tee shirt, casual trousers and flip-flops, she was relaxing in one of the lounge chairs.
‘Who’s driving?’ asked Bob.
Jane held out the car keys. ‘You are. I’m going like this.’ She glanced down at her bare feet.
Bob took the keys and they headed for the car. A cool breeze met them.
‘Hmm. It’s a bit colder than I thought,’ remarked Jane, picking her way carefully over the gravel and wishing she had worn her flip-flops.
‘It’ll warm up when the sun gets up a bit,’ Bob assured her. He was already in the car. Glancing at the car clock he observed, ‘It’s not six yet.’
Jane slipped into the passenger seat and dusted off a stray bit of gravel from the sole of her foot. ‘I did drive a car barefoot once, when my heel broke,’ she related, closing the car door and reaching for the seat belt.
Bob grinned, partly to himself, as he started the engine. ‘I think most women have done it at one time or another. Janice used to do it occasionally.’
‘It’s quite a different sensation,’ Jane admitted. ‘But I’m not sure if it’s illegal.’
‘I think it’s most likely legal until you have an accident doing it,’ chuckled Bob.
The drive to the beach was short, just as Maggie had told them it would be. The road was deserted at this time in the morning. The only other vehicle they passed was a post van. Just after the village they spotted the side road and a sign ‘To the beach’.
The road ended on a wide parking strip close to a short, sandy beach hemmed in by rocky cliffs at each end. There was not a person in sight. B
ob stopped the car on the strip of stony grass. Jane was out of the car in an instant. Her robe abandoned, she sped across the firm sand towards the sea. Bob followed at a more leisurely pace. Jane waited for him at the edge of the water, the waves lapping her toes. Hand in hand they ran into the sea.
The experience brought forth a gasp of surprise from Bob and a squeal of shock from Jane. ‘It’s cold!’ she shouted, laughing.
Just under an hour later they were back at the cottage, invigorated by their early morning swim, and two swimsuits and two towels were hanging on the line to dry in the gathering sunshine. Bob got dressed in a flash, and while Jane groomed herself he busied himself in the kitchen. By the time he heard Jane reappear, he had two bowls of muesli and a pot of tea with all the trimmings ready on the balcony table.
‘Breakfast is served,’ he called down to Jane.
Slowly she came up the staircase to join him. She was wearing a pretty summer dress. She paused and gave him a quick kiss. ‘Thank you, darling.’
They ventured out onto the balcony. Jane sank into a chair. She looked around at the scenery and then at Bob, who was busy pouring out the tea.
‘Gosh, this is heavenly. Even in my wildest dreams I didn’t think it would be as good as this.’
Bob nodded at her. ‘I know. It’s really fantastic. A dream come true.’
Unfortunately, neither of them remembered that sometimes even the most wonderful dream can turn into a nightmare.
Chapter 37
The days flew past as Jane and Bob enjoyed every minute of their mini-holiday. The weather was warm and sunny, and each day began with a trip to the beach and an early-morning swim. The rest of the time was relaxing and restful. Sometimes they went for a walk in the countryside or took a sightseeing trip somewhere. Evenings were usually a meal in the village pub.
On their second morning at Barn Cottage, just after they had finished breakfast, a large and expensive-looking car drew up outside, and Gail Ashington emerged from its interior. Jane rushed outside to welcome their unexpected guest, who was already walking towards the door.
‘Hello, Gail. This is a pleasant surprise,’ Jane greeted her.
‘Darling, how are you? Have you settled in? I was just passing and thought I’d check that everything is all right.’ Gail planted a kiss on Jane’s cheek.
‘Everything is super. Come on in.’
Gail needed no urging. She quickly followed Jane into the lounge. A kiss was planted on Bob’s cheek in response to his greeting and then Gail flopped into one of the armchairs. Jane and Bob followed suit.
Gail looked around. ‘How is everything?’ she asked. ‘Is Maggie looking after you all right?’
‘Yes, thank you,’ replied Jane. ‘She really is quite sweet.’
‘She’s worked for us years,’ Gail remarked thoughtfully.
As Jane was about to make another comment about Maggie, Gail said, ‘Jane, you are most welcome to come and use our swimming pool.’
‘We’ve been going to the beach first thing in the morning,’ explained Bob.
Gail made a face. ‘Urgh. I don’t like beaches. All that sand that gets everywhere.’
Jane laughed at the description. ‘It’s not such a problem, is it?’ she asked, still smiling.
‘It is for me,’ retorted Gail. ‘That’s why Miles had a swimming pool built.’
Before either Jane or Bob could reply, Gail looked at them excitedly and spoke again. ‘Look, why don’t you both come over this afternoon for tea? I know Miles wants to show Bob his collection of antique cameras, and while the boys are doing that, we girls can enjoy a swim.’
She looked at them expectantly.
Jane turned to Bob. ‘Shall we?’
Bob nodded. ‘I’d like to see the cameras,’ he replied.
Gail seemed pleased. ‘It’s settled, then. We’ll see you about three. How’s that?’
‘That will be fine with us, won’t it, Bob?’ Jane looked at him for confirmation.
‘Sounds great,’ he replied.
‘Good. We’ll see you then.’ Gail continued to chat for several more minutes, and then she suddenly jumped up and announced that she had to go. ‘We only came down last night and I’ve got to go into Truro this morning,’ she explained, making for the door.
Jane and Bob watched her go.
‘Don’t forget to bring your swimming gear, Jane,’ she called back as she got into her car. And with that she was gone.
As they went back into the house, Jane turned to Bob and made a face. ‘I don’t really want to go swimming there, but I’d like to see their house,’ she remarked.
Bob grinned. ‘Me too – and I’d certainly like to see the cameras.’
A thought struck Jane. ‘Did you notice what Gail was wearing? She could have been going for an evening out instead of just shopping or something.’
Bob smiled. He had noticed Gail’s extravagant dress. It would not have looked out of place at a royal garden party. ‘How the other half lives,’ he laughed.
*
It was close to three in the afternoon when Jane and Bob arrived at the Ashingtons. They had decided to explore the route over the fields that Maggie had told them about. It took them slightly longer than they had anticipated, because they got lost at one point, but they quickly found the way again and soon they were relieved to see the chimney pots of the house looming above the trees ahead of them.
The track finished close to the house, but it was necessary to go onto the road for a few yards before crossing a cattle grid between two stone lodges that marked the entrance to their destination. The drive stretched ahead to a majestic Elizabethan-style manor house. It seemed to be quite large, with numerous windows.
‘Phew. That’s some holiday residence!’ exclaimed Bob.
‘I expected something like this,’ remarked Jane, scrutinising the building in front of them.
‘Your family,’ laughed Bob.
Jane was pensive. Turning to him, she suddenly said, ‘You know, Bob, I’m still not sure if I really want to be part of the Ashington family. Except for not knowing my past, I was quite happy as Jane Carroll.’
Bob squeezed her hand. ‘Whatever you want to be, I’ll still love you.’
Jane would have kissed him, but they were almost at the house. The front door opened, and Gail appeared at the top of the steps. Jane was pleased to see that she had dressed down a bit, a blouse and a pair of casual trousers replacing her elaborate garb of earlier in the day. Jane was relieved that her own choice of a white blouse and pink trousers was a suitable match.
‘Ah, hand in hand. That’s nice to see,’ was Gail’s greeting.
Jane was thinking up a suitable reply, but Gail was already ushering them into the house.
‘Now come on in, both of you. This is our country house, where we like to relax.’
Jane and Bob looked around at their opulent surroundings in silence. From the tiled floor of the huge entrance hall rose a magnificent staircase leading to a balcony on three sides of the upper floor. It was reminiscent of the one in Barn Cottage, but on a much grander scale. The hall was dominated by a large open fireplace stacked with logs, and oil paintings decorated the walls. There was even a suit of armour standing silently observing everything.
‘This place was almost derelict when Miles purchased it. The roof had to be replaced and some of the walls were in a pretty bad state,’ commented Gail, watching her guests’ reaction to their surroundings.
‘It’s very impressive,’ Bob remarked, still gazing around.
‘It seems quite large, but at the same time it has a homely feel to it,’ observed Jane. She liked the house already.
‘I must show you the rest of it,’ replied Gail.
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Miles Ashington.
‘Delightful to see you both again.’ He embraced Jane, planting a kiss on her cheek, and shook hands with Bob. ‘Welcome to our country house,’ he chuckled.
Gail took control. She
addressed her husband. ‘Now, Miles. You take Bob and go and play with your toys, and I’m going to show Jane around and then we girls are going to have a swim. You can both join us for tea. We’ll have it on the terrace.’
Miles gave Bob a wink and a jerk of his head as if to say, ‘Come with me.’
And with that the two men disappeared.
Jane was treated to a guided tour. It exceeded all her expectations. The house was extensive and lavishly furnished. The large lounge with its comfortable seating was matched by the dining room with its giant table and panelled walls. A rather sombre library crammed with books from floor to ceiling featured alongside a spacious study. On the upper floor the bedrooms were impressive. They were all sizeable and had en suite bathrooms. She was surprised to note that Miles and Gail had separate bedrooms.
While they were passing a closed door Jane was surprised to hear the unmistakable sound of voices.
Gail turned up her nose. ‘That’s where the boys are,’ she announced, rather disdainfully.
Jane just smiled politely in reply.
At that point it seemed the house tour was over. ‘You’ve seen enough,’ said Gail suddenly. Let me take you to the pool,’ she urged, already making a move towards the staircase. ‘I hope you’ve brought your swimming gear,’ she added over her shoulder.
‘Yes, I have,’ replied Jane, indicating the bag she was carrying, as she followed Gail down to the ground floor. Then she asked, ‘Do you spend a lot of time here?’
Gail shook her head. ‘We come here for a few days six or seven times a year. Miles’s business concerns keep him in town quite a lot of the time. I keep trying to persuade him to slow down and cut back a bit, but he’s quite stubborn about it. He’s really a workaholic. ‘
Jane found it hard to see the point of keeping such a large and expensive house standing unlived-in most of the time. ‘Isn’t it difficult to keep two houses going?’ she asked.
Gail shook her head. ‘Not really. We have three staff here – a housekeeper, a maid and a gardener.’
The Golden Anklet Page 33
