Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

by Jenny Kane

  The moment Ajay spotted her, he pulled out a chair and patted it conspiratorially. ‘What happened? Did it work?’

  ‘I have no idea. I don’t dare check in case I press the wrong thing and mess it up.’

  Andy looked surprised. ‘You can work an app, surely?’

  ‘Of course I can, but this is important, and not just to Landscape Treasures.’ Thea lowered her eyes. ‘The mosaic filming is finished. Julian’s checking the last few bits to camera now.’

  ‘So where’s Shaun?’ Ajay glanced towards the door. ‘He’s usually first through the door for a post episode pint.’

  ‘I left him on site.’ Not particularly wanting to replay the one-sided row they’d just had, Thea laid her mobile on the table. ‘How do we play this back?’

  ‘I think first,’ Ajay picked up the phone, ‘if you have no objection Thea, I will back up the recording onto the computer.’

  Feeling as if she’d fallen into a spy movie, Thea said, ‘Whatever you think best.’

  Andy leaned forward, his expression eager. ‘What did he want anyway? Was Shaun right about you being in the frame for his job?’

  A sound behind them made Thea jump. She spun around, guilt etched all over her face, expecting to see Julian. Instead, Shaun stood with his hands deep in his pockets. He looked utterly defeated. ‘Well Thea, was I right?’

  *

  Mabel finished grating a pile of cheese ready to make lasagne to stock up Mill Grange’s freezers. She approved of Tina’s plan to make sure Shaun and Thea were manoeuvred together, so they had no choice but to talk, but she couldn’t see how it could work.

  ‘Surely, by the time they’re back here, they’ll either be back together or completely apart. Anything we do will come too late.’

  Tina sighed. ‘Thea plans to come straight back here after they’ve finished filming. Tomorrow, hopefully. There wasn’t much left to do.’

  ‘And Shaun?’

  ‘He told Sam he’d be back before the wedding.’

  Mabel took a large pan from the cupboard, and drizzled in some olive oil, ready to fry some mince. ‘So he might not arrive until the day before the wedding?’

  Tina’s resolve faltered a little. ‘I’d assumed he’d come back here after filming too. I mean, where else would he go?’

  ‘Where did he go between filming before he met Thea?’

  ‘Hotels I think.’ Tina passed Mabel a spatula from a tub behind her. ‘He’s never mentioned a place of his own.’

  Thoughtful as she adjusted the flame beneath the pan, Mabel added some pre-chopped onions to the oil. ‘With any luck, they’ll be mended again before they get home, but if they aren’t, then perhaps…’

  ‘Perhaps?’ Tina smiled as she saw a calculating expression cross the old lady’s face.

  ‘I was just thinking. Weddings are very emotional occasions. They make one think.’ She sprinkled some garlic into the pan. ‘Yes…’ she muttered to herself as she watched the mix begin to caramelise… ‘Yes, that might work.’

  ‘What might?’ Tina asked as Mabel stirred.

  ‘Best you leave it to me, Tina. It’s your wedding day, time to worry about yourself and Sam and let your mother-of-the-bride play fairy godmother.’

  *

  Bert couldn’t stop chuckling as Dylan ran around the room with a tape measure, fully endorsed by the tailor, James, who was obviously used to being helped by his client’s offspring.

  Sam had been somewhat surprised to find the itinerant tailor was not an aging man in a well-cut suit, but a chap in his twenties in smart jeans and a shirt.

  ‘I can’t believe you arranged this for me, Sam.’ Bert held out an arm so that James could measure his underarm. ‘I was a bit concerned about letting you and Tina down.’

  ‘You could never do that.’

  Bert chuckled. ‘You haven’t seen my original suit.’

  ‘I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.’ Sam smiled as James ducked under Bert’s arm and tackled his back.

  ‘Oh the suit’s fine, it’s me. I’ve shrunk! I’m sure it’s the fabric that is supposed to shrink in the wash and not the wearer, but there you go. That’s old age for you.’

  Dylan sat on the sofa and looked up at his friend, his eyes wide. ‘Dad says you aren’t old, you just sat still and lots of life happened.’

  Bert burst out laughing. ‘Did he now! Well, your dad might well be right. Where is Tom, by the way?’

  ‘Fetching his suit.’ Sam watched James as he moved around Bert, able to work as they chatted, being present but apart.

  ‘It’s at my house.’ Dylan twirled the tape measure around his wrist. ‘Mum had it in the attic.’

  ‘There.’ James jotted his last measurement into his tablet, and gestured for Bert to sit down. ‘All done, Mr Hastings. So, father of the bride. A proud moment.’

  ‘You have no idea.’ Bert’s eyes filled with tears, but he ignored them. ‘I’m in your hands, James. What colour would suit my suit?’

  *

  Shaun stared at the phone. He was finding it hard not to comment as he listened, but he’d promised the others he would keep his mouth shut until he’d heard the whole recording. Anyway, it was compelling listening. If he spoke, he might miss Julian digging himself deeper into a hole.

  His urge to say “I told you so” to Thea when she’d explained, prior to Ajay playing the recording, that the promised business room had turned out to be an executive suite, with champagne laid on, had only been curtailed by the desolate expression on Thea’s face. For the first time, he noticed she was hurting as much as he was.

  Shaun felt a stirring of remorse as he listened to Thea on the recording, telling Julian that it was him she loved. He risked a glimpse at her now, sat opposite him, her hands holding each other to hide the mild shake he knew would be there.

  As they reached the end of the first part of the recording where Thea left for the bar, Ajay pressed pause. Silence coated the table for a moment, before Andy said, ‘This could end his career. His behaviour’s more prehistoric than any dig I’ve ever covered.’

  Ajay nodded, but Thea just stared at the mobile on the table before them. She could feel the seconds ticking past as she waited for Shaun to say something.

  When he did speak, Thea’s heart dropped lower. ‘I was right then. He does fancy you.’

  The AA exchanged glances, before Ajay said, ‘No offence to Thea, but I don’t think so mate. He was just after being able to blackmail her, or buy her by getting his leg over. Not really the same thing.’

  ‘Arrogant git,’ Andy hissed, shifting in his seat as the atmosphere between Thea and Shaun thicken. ‘Maybe we should hear the rest?’

  As Andy reached forward to press play, Thea realised she didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to see Shaun’s reaction to what came next. If, after listening, he wanted to find her, then fine, but even if he finally believed that she had done nothing to encourage Julian, it was going to take more than a sorry and a hug to sort them out.

  She put her hand over her phone. ‘You’ve got the recording on your laptop haven’t you, Ajay?’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘Then if you don’t mind, I’m very tired. I’m going to have a rest. If Julian needs more filming, give me a call.’

  Then, without giving them time to reply, Thea left the pub, her heart thudding, but her head held high.

  Fifty-three

  Friday May 22nd

  Tina had been up since five. The chickens had been cleaned and given strict instructions not to mess their coop up before tomorrow’s wedding. The kitchen had been scrubbed to within an inch of its life, and Sybil had been and gone, delivering a glut of double cream and jam, ready to accompany the scones she’d make the following day.

  As the kitchen clock chimed ten o’clock, Mabel could be heard humming to herself as she made up some of the main guest bedroom, so that Sam’s parents had a place to change in once they arrived in the morning. The bathrooms had been cleaned, and the banister to the ma
in staircase shone, giving out a deliciously comforting aroma of beeswax.

  Filling a large teapot with boiling water, Tina experienced a sense of happy satisfaction. She was getting married tomorrow. Everyone who made up the wedding party was either there, or due by early morning. The weather forecast, although not foretelling bright sunshine, was claiming a dry spring day for the morrow.

  Tom had taken charge of Bert and Dylan’s suits, which hung in the downstairs bedroom Tina usually shared with Sam. Her own dress, still at the boutique, would be collected by Thea that afternoon, along with the bridesmaid’s dresses; while Mabel had her mother-of-the-bride outfit under control.

  Pouring some milk into a jug, Tina placed it and some cups onto a tray, before adding some cake plates. Today might be a preparation day, but she was determined to make it as much a part of the wedding celebration as she could.

  ‘Shall I grab the cake?’ Thea, her arms full of clean tea towels from the laundry, came in.

  ‘Thanks. I’ll never be able to carry all this outside in one go.’

  ‘Has Helen arrived?’ Thea dropped the clean linen into a drawer, and hooked the cake tin from the cupboard.

  ‘Not yet. She’s due around eleven, so we’d better save her some cake. Sue’s bringing Dylan over first thing in the morning, so he gets a decent night’s sleep at home, and so Tom doesn’t have to worry about him while they have a mini stag night tonight. Bert and Mabel are here though, as are Diane and Bill and Derek – you remember them from when we restored the house?’

  ‘Of course. How wonderful.’

  Tina watched her friend as she fetched some sugar for Bert’s tea, her eyes were cloudy. ‘Let’s sit down a minute.’

  ‘Isn’t the tea ready?’

  ‘It can wait.’ Tina twirled a pigtail around a finger. ‘You know it’s weird. I thought when the wedding got this close, I’d be ball of panic, but I feel really calm.’

  ‘That’s good.’ Thea picked a teaspoon off the tray and played it between her fingers. ‘Anyway, you have nothing to be nervous of. Sam’s a good man. You have a great home and a good future.’

  Tina knew Thea was sincere, but she didn’t miss the wistfulness in her friend’s voice. ‘I am very lucky. And to think, I almost shunned him because he has a ponytail.’

  Thea chuckled. ‘You went out with some awful blokes before Sam.’

  Tina rolled her eyes. ‘I wish I could claim otherwise. Remember Leon!’

  ‘The Silver Fox!’ Thea grinned, but suddenly she became serious. ‘You just wanted security back and thought older men with money could give you that. Perhaps the right one might have in time, but I’m glad you met Sam.’

  ‘So am I!’ Tina hesitated. ‘You can talk to me you know. Just because I’m getting married tomorrow, doesn’t mean you can’t offload if you need to.’

  ‘Thank you, but in all honesty there’s nothing to offload, because I have no idea where I stand where Shaun is concerned.’

  ‘You haven’t heard anything from him?’

  ‘Not a word since he heard the recording of Julian talking to me in that hotel last month. Perhaps I should have stayed and watched him listen to the rest of it, but at the time, I couldn’t face it.’

  ‘And you assumed he’d come and find you once he’d heard the recording.’

  ‘Yes.’ Thea sighed. ‘I imagined him coming to talk to me in private. But he didn’t.’

  ‘I’m sorry, hun.’

  ‘The last thing I know about Shaun for sure came from Ajay. He knocked on my campervan door to let me know I wasn’t needed for any more filming and that Shaun had already left. Last seen heading for the television studio in Bristol to talk to the board that controls Landscape Treasures. Apparently, he didn’t react at all to what he heard Julian say to me in the bar via the mobile recording. He simply asked Ajay to email him the recording and took off.’

  ‘What did he say in the bar?’

  ‘It was all along the lines of how, if I played my cards right, then the television world would be my oyster. He talked about me presenting, not just archaeology shows, but game shows too. Or, if I didn’t want to do anything too common, he was sure a pretty face like mine could get her own historical documentary series. Apparently if I “played the game his way”, I’d become the most sought-after celebrity on television.’

  ‘Is this guy for real?’ Tina rolled her eyes.

  ‘Sadly, yes.’

  Tina reached a hand across the table and gave Thea’s a squeeze. ‘Do you still love Shaun?’

  ‘It would be a damn sight easier if I didn’t.’

  ‘Sam had a call from him yesterday. Shaun will be here this afternoon.’

  ‘Okay.’ Thea stared at the sugar cubes. ‘Forewarned is forearmed. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.’

  ‘I didn’t think you would.’

  Thea licked her lips. ‘I suppose it’s more that I desperately don’t want to let myself down by dissolving into a puddle of tears the minute I see him.’

  ‘You won’t.’ Tina observed her friend’s tired face. ‘The old Thea might have done. The one who came to Mill Grange in the first place. The one whose life was stuck in a rut, with an annoying ex and limited self-confidence. She might have gone to pieces, but look at you now! I know you were a successful historian before you came here, but since you arrived here you’ve helped establish a retreat, an excavation and you’ve been a television presenter!’

  ‘All because of Shaun.’

  ‘No. Not because of Shaun.’ Tina shook her head. ‘Some of the opportunities perhaps, especially when it came being part of Landscape Treasures, came via Shaun, but you still had to have the guts to do all those things. If you were no good at it, you would not have lasted five minutes. Television isn’t a world known for charity. You stood in front of the cameras and did what was asked of you.’

  ‘With help from Hilda and Ajay and—’

  Tina waved her friend’s words away. ‘You know what I mean. And don’t forget, you stood up to Mabel when you first got here. No mean feat! And then there’s this situation now.’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘The Thea Thomas who first came to Mill Grange would have pretended she didn’t mind that her partner didn’t listen to her, or that he could even imagine she’d steal his job.’

  Thea shrugged. ‘So I grew some backbone. Long overdue.’

  ‘If Shaun can’t take you for who you are now, then, however much it hurts, he isn’t the one for you.’

  ‘That’s what I keep telling myself.’ Thea got up and flicked the kettle back on. ‘I think I’ll have coffee rather than tea.’

  Tina gestured to the teapot. ‘I should get this outside before it’s stewed.’

  ‘It’s the not knowing that’s getting to me. Logic tells me that we’re over. I haven’t heard from Shaun for ages. When I last saw him, he hardly said a word, and yet an annoying part of my brain keeps telling me it doesn’t feel over. Something in me won’t let go of that nagging hope that he still loves me.’

  ‘I suspect he does. But he’s dug himself into a hole so deep that he can’t see a way out.’

  Thea picked up her mug of coffee and the cake tin. ‘Come on, enough self-pity. This is your special weekend. Let’s go and eat some cake.’

  ‘Always a good plan.’ Tina smiled. ‘We need enough to line our stomachs. Mini hen party tonight.’

  ‘I love that you and Sam are referring to your stag and hen evenings as “mini” events.’

  ‘Well, we don’t want to get drunk and go through tomorrow with hangovers, so they will end at 10 p.m. sharp, and sober.’

  Thea laughed. ‘You’re the boss.’

  *

  It was a relief to get out of her Land Rover. The traffic on the motorway south had been a nightmare. At one point, having driven just one mile in an hour, Helen had begun to believe she’d be better off walking to Mill Grange

  ‘Four and a half hours! Oh well, at least I’m here in time to have a wash and c
hange before the hen do!’ Brushing her hands down her jeans. Helen hooked her holdall over her shoulder, and headed straight to the back garden, bypassing the house, in favour of following the bustle of activity she could hear going on behind it.

  Tom, who’d been keeping an eye out for her ever since she’d sent a sneaky text while stationery in a traffic jam to warn she was running late, stopped what he was doing, and came to her side.

  ‘It’s looking good.’ Helen nodded to the marquees that were already erected. ‘I see I interrupted chair positioning duty.’

  Tom hugged her. ‘I’m glad of the break. Chairs lose their fascination after a while.’

  ‘I can imagine.’ She gestured towards the marquee furthest from them. ‘What’s Sam doing? Looks like he’s wrestling something.’

  ‘A stubborn patio heater. We’ve ordered a couple for each marquee in case the spring weather delivers less than the hoped-for sunshine tomorrow.’

  ‘Sensible.’ Helen’s gestured towards the kitchen. ‘Any chance of some grub? I’m famished.’

  ‘Come on, let’s find your lunch. Mabel saved you some sandwiches and a slice of cake.’

  ‘That would be great.’ Helen lay a hand on his arm. ‘Before we join the others though, any word from Sue about her trip?’

  Tom’s smile faded. ‘She sent a text this morning. September. No exact date has been given. There are visas and things to sort.’

  ‘September.’ Three and a half months before we lose Dylan. ‘Does he know yet?’

  ‘No. Sue doesn’t want to worry him until she has to, and for once, I’m in agreement with her.’

  Fifty-four

  Friday May 22nd

  Although Thea had enjoyed helping Tina get Mill Grange ready for the wedding, and it was great to have Helen there, she felt detached from everything that was going on. As if she was a voyeur watching the fun rather than being a part of it. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d looked towards the door, the main gateway, or the drive.