Love in Spring BoxSet

by Jenny Lane

  When she returned to Rosemullion house, Miriam and the colonel were sitting in the garden. The colonel pulled forward a chair.

  ‘Come and join us, my dear... enjoy your walk?’

  Miriam looked up from her embroidery. ‘Richard phoned while you were out to say that he’s arranged to go to the hospital tomorrow and Tuesday, and so he’ll drive straight to Falmouth from St Ives. Apparently he plans to stay at the flat.’

  Tamara wondered if Melissa would drop off at the flat too, and chided herself for having such thoughts. What must it be like to be Melissa, secure in the knowledge that two men loved her? Abruptly Tamara got to her feet, ‘If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go and write some letters,’ and she went into the house.

  FOUR

  Tuesday morning found Tamara in Tregarth once again. This time she had come to buy Anne’s birthday present, and to let the Courtneys know that she was definitely free to go on the picnic.

  Tamara selected a pretty serpentine stone pendant for Anne, and then decided to have a look round Melissa’s craft shop before calling at Studio Cottage.

  Melissa was on her own in the shop. She greeted Tamara in a friendly manner and left her to browse. Some of the prices made Tamara gasp. She had certainly not realised Melissa sold items of that calibre. One or two of Tom’s paintings hung on the walls, and there was a colourful poster advertising the studio. Tamara noted that a lot of the pottery was made in the workshop at the back of the premises.

  ‘Do you make all the pottery yourself, Melissa?’

  ‘Yes, apart from that range over there which I sell for a friend... I make most of it during the winter months and store it at the back of the shop... My assistant is out there now doing some enamelling – want to come and see?’

  Tamara followed Melissa into the small workroom, where she watched in admiration as Chris, a pleasant girl in her twenties, decorated copper pendants, bracelets and brooches with intricate gaily coloured patterns.

  ‘If I have an order to make then Chris looks after the shop for me, but I can paint the pebble scenes while I’m sitting at the counter and it’s good for trade of course. Chris makes corn dollies too, and we buy in a certain amount of the other goods.’

  Tamara decided that Melissa must have a private income to be able to support herself in this way, for she obviously was not inundated with customers.

  ‘Have a coffee,’ Melissa offered, and Chris filled three mugs from the bubbling percolator and then went back to her work-bench. Tamara perched on a wicker stool. Melissa obviously wanted to tell her about the marvellous time she had had in St Ives, but when she started talking about Richard, Tamara realised that she did not want to hear. Whatever was the matter with her?

  ‘I had forgotten what exciting company Richard was... We had such a fantastic time in Africa last summer and I suppose I thought he might find Cornwall a bit tame, but he’s glad to be back... He’s so good-looking, isn’t he?’

  Tamara laughed. ‘Not so good-looking as Oliver.’

  ‘Oh, granted Oliver is dishy and you’re prejudiced of course. You wouldn’t believe that two brothers who look so much alike could have such totally different personalities, would you? And to think I’ve had the choice of them both... Sorry, Cassie, water under the bridge of course, but Oliver must have mentioned me.’

  ‘No,’ Tamara said coolly. ‘He doesn’t talk about his old flames at all, any more than I talk about my past boyfriends... You see, we are so perfectly contented with each other that we get very jealous of the past.’ Cassie would have been proud of the way she had handled that, Tamara thought with satisfaction.

  Melissa’s eyes narrowed and she sipped her coffee slowly. ‘Ah, but sometimes the past has a habit of catching up with you, doesn’t it? After all, everything you do in life makes its mark.’

  Tamara got the distinct feeling that there was a veiled insinuation in Melissa’s remark, but she chose to ignore it. She set down her mug.

  ‘Well, thank you for the coffee, Melissa. It’s been interesting. I’ll call in again before I leave to buy something for my sister’s flat.’

  ‘Do – come any time... Talking of flats you should see Richard’s. The poor darling is going to have to spend quite a bit of time and energy decorating it... Miriam will go spare when she sees the state it’s in, but it has got potential. I don’t really see myself in the role of Mrs Mop, but Richard’s such fun that I don’t mind giving a helping hand. He cooked me dinner last night – I was his first guest.’

  Tamara knew Melissa had made a great point of telling her this, but couldn’t understand why. Surely she didn’t imagine Cassie would flirt with her own brother-in-law on any serious scale, did she?

  Melissa was certainly attractive. Tamara wished she could look so glamorous in a cotton smock and slacks. She wondered if Richard had an eye for a well-dressed woman, as Cassie had assured her Oliver did. Cassie had lots of fashion sense herself, but had told her sister that she dare not buy anything without Oliver’s approval, having once spent a colossal amount on an evening gown that he disliked and forbade her to wear. Tamara smiled as she thought of this, ‘We’re the same size, Tam, so I’ve brought it over for you...’ Cassie had said.

  When Tamara called at Studio Cottage there was no reply, and so she rummaged about in her bag and scrawled a hasty note on the back of an envelope. She had just popped it through the letter box when Mrs Courtney appeared at her garden gate.

  ‘I thought that was you, Mrs Cassell-Boyd. Tom’s taken Anne to the market this morning.’

  ‘Oh, it really doesn’t matter. I just called to let them know I am able to come on the picnic on Thursday,’ Tamara explained as she walked towards her.

  ‘Oh, yes, so you are coming, then.’ Mrs Courtney did not sound too pleased. ‘Young Anne’s taken a real shine to you – funny when you come to think of it.’

  Tamara wondered what she meant. ‘You don’t sound as if you approve of my coming on the picnic, Mrs Courtney.’

  Mrs Courtney pursed her lips. ‘Who am I to approve or disapprove? Young folk behave in such a different way nowadays from when I was newly wed.’

  ‘Oh, but Oliver wouldn’t mind, and you will be coming too, won’t you?’

  Tom’s mother sniffed. ‘That’s neither here nor there, and I wouldn’t be so sure about Oliver’s not minding, if I were you. but I’ll say no more.’ Tamara felt decidedly uncomfortable.

  ‘Won’t any of Anne’s friends be going on the picnic?’

  ‘Anne’s a quiet lass – she doesn’t go much on socialising. Maybe if her mother and brother had lived things would have been different, but the good Lord saw fit to take them from us.’

  ‘Was – was it some kind of illness?’ Tamara asked gently.

  Mrs Courtney looked startled. ‘So you really don’t know? No, Mrs Cassell-Boyd – it was no illness. A healthier pair you couldn’t have wished to find. They were drowned in a boating accident off the bay five years ago come the end of this month... And now, just when Tom’s beginning to perk up and think about marrying again, along comes Dick Cassell-Boyd and whips Melissa from under his very nose. The Cassell-Boyds and the Courtneys have a strange way of crossing each other’s paths it seems ... begging your pardon, my dear. After all, it’s not your fault.’

  Tamara stood there feeling awkward. ‘If you’d rather I didn’t come on the picnic...’

  Mrs Courtney smiled suddenly. ‘You come and welcome. It’ll please young Anne no end – I’ll see you on Thursday then around ten o’clock and now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve something on the stove.’

  Tamara was filled with confusion as she made her way back to Rosemullion House. She felt she had only heard half the story. What a dreadful tragedy! Poor Tom and Anne! Suddenly things began to click into place as she remembered comments that she had previously not understood. Could it be that Oliver had been implicated in the accident in some way? Was that what those women had been referring to at the fête - the thing that had happened to cause so much
bitterness between Tom and Oliver? Perhaps it also explained the reason for the quarrel between Richard and Oliver. Did Cassie know the truth and was that really why she hadn’t wanted to come to Tregarth, because she had felt that it would all be too awkward? Tamara stopped in her tracks. ‘You’re jumping to conclusions, my girl,’ she told herself sternly.

  As she passed the phone booth outside the post office she was tempted to ring Cassie, but then she realised that to make a long-distance call to London in the middle of the day would be madness, and, anyway, this was hardly the sort of thing she could discuss over the telephone. It was with a heavy heart that she returned to Rosemullion House.

  ‘Ah, there you are, Cassie!’ exclaimed Miriam. ‘Richard’s home and he’s got a surprise for you. He’s upstairs at the moment.’

  ‘No, he’s not,’ said Richard, coming into the room behind his mother. ‘And how’s my favourite sister-in-law? What have you been up to while I’ve been away?’

  ‘Sketching and walking mainly,’ Tamara said carefully omitting to mention her visits to Studio Cottage.

  He laughed. ‘You have been living it up, haven’t you? Well, never mind, I’ve a treat in store for you. I’ve arranged for us to go over to the Minack Cliff Theatre at Porthcurno tomorrow afternoon. I thought that with your theatrical background it would be an experience you oughtn’t to miss.’

  ‘Oh, Richard, how super of you!’ Tamara exclaimed in genuine delight. ‘Miriam’s told me all about the theatre. What are they performing?’

  ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream... should be jolly good too. I felt I’d been neglecting you of late so this is to make up for it.’

  ‘Well, you can talk to Cassie now whilst I’m getting the lunch, dear,’ said Miriam, bustling out of the room. Richard caught Tamara’s eye and they laughed.

  ‘Where have you been just now, then?’ he asked.

  ‘I called in at Melissa’s craft shop, and she showed me round the workroom.’

  ‘Did she now... And how’s the ravishing Melissa this morning?’

  Tamara could not resist it. ‘Not suffering from indigestion, if that’s what’s worrying you.’

  He looked startled. ‘What? Oh she told you about the meal, did she? She called in on me after picking up some stuff for the shop at Falmouth, so the least I could do was to give her dinner – actually it was a Chinese take-away!’

  So it hadn’t been the special invitation Melissa had made it out to be. That was interesting, thought Tamara. Why should Melissa want to pretend – unless things between her and Richard were not quite what they appeared on the surface? On an impulse Tamara said, ‘Can I come over and help with your flat some time, Richard? Melissa says it needs a bit of doing up.’

  ‘And you’re eager... Funny, it doesn’t go with the Cassie image. Mother said she’d understood from Oliver that you weren’t particularly domesticated.’

  So that was why Miriam had declined Tamara’s offers of help around the house, treating her like a delicate hothouse plant. She had thought Tamara was only being polite, and of course, Cassie did detest domestic chores. Tamara was amused.

  ‘Well, I’m not, but I thought it might be fun. I like the design side of it, you see. Anyway, I wouldn’t have thought Melissa was the domesticated type either.’

  He laughed. ‘You’d be surprised what Melissa can do when the mood takes her. Okay, you’re on. How about Thursday morning?’

  Tamara was taken by surprise. ‘Actually, Richard, Friday would be better, if you don’t mind. I’d promised myself a good long walk on Thursday.’

  ‘All right that suits me. I would have thought being in America would have made you dislike walking. Surely people don’t walk far in New York?’

  She laughed, remembering Cassie’s comments. ‘Not unless there’s a public transport strike – that’s exactly why I’m taking the opportunity to go walking now, don’t you see? If I’d have wanted to hire a car to go bombing about all over the place, I’d have done just that.’ Even as she said it she felt guilty at deceiving him.

  ‘Okay, point taken... Ah here’s lunch. Good, I’m starving!’

  The promise of a full day’s outing took the edge off the fact that Tamara did not see Richard for the rest of that day. Straight after lunch he declared his intention of visiting Melissa and did not return until late. Tamara could not help wondering if it had been Miriam who had suggested the outing to Porthcurno, for Richard seemed to want to spend all his free time with Melissa. Tamara wished that she could meet him on her own level without keeping up this ridiculous charade a moment longer, but she was convinced that if he knew the truth he would despise her for her deception.

  The sunlight streaming through the curtains woke Tamara the following morning. She was undecided what to wear, and in the end, chose one of her own cotton dresses in a delicate shade of jonquil. She tied her hair back with a matching scarf. No doubt Cassie would have told her she looked all wrong, but she couldn’t help that.

  Richard was waiting for her in the breakfast-room. He pulled out a chair. ‘Hallo, I’ve just put some eggs on to boil – have some fruit juice... I’m glad this weather’s holding out. It should be superb.’

  Tamara thought of Anne’s picnic. ‘Isn’t it supposed to be?’

  ‘What? Oh no – they say it’ll break in a day or two, unfortunately, and when it rains down here it surely rains... I like that dress; it suits you. Did Oliver choose it?’

  ‘No – not this one.’ He gave her a searching glance. ‘Are you missing him, Cassie?’

  She smiled. ‘I get used to it. He works such long hours in New York and doesn’t take half the breaks that are due to him.’

  The drive to Porthcurno was interesting. Whenever possible Richard took the coastal road, but at other times they went along narrow lanes where the trees formed lacy green canopies overheads. They passed thatched-roofed cottages with gardens filled with hydrangeas and roses.

  Driving through Marazion, Richard pointed out St Michael’s Mount; a granite castle rising up out of the sea on its own little isle.

  ‘At low tide you can walk to the Mount over the causeway. It’s a fascinating place,’ he told her.

  They stopped at Mousehole for lunch. Richard had made a detour especially to show her this delightful little place. They ate seafood and salad in an old world inn overlooking the harbour and then, after a quick look round the quaint old town, made their way to Porthcurno.

  The Minack Theatre was set high up against a backdrop of rocks with the turquoise sea sparkling far below. The view was so breathtaking that Tamara was spellbound. Richard took her arm and led her to her seat. It was the most perfect setting for a Shakespearian play, and she was completely enraptured by it all.

  All too soon it was over. ‘Enjoy it?’ he asked smiling at her.

  ‘It was fantastic! Oh, Richard, thank you for bringing me. It’ll be a memory I shall cherish.’

  ‘What did you think of the acting?’ As he began to discuss it with her, Tamara realised that he had a fair knowledge of the theatre. It was fortunate that she had gleaned such a lot from Cassie, and could at least pretend to be knowledgeable and put forward one or two points about the technicalities of the performance.

  They made their way to the cove, coming upon it unexpectedly, as was the way with Cornish beaches; set like a gem amongst the rocks. It was too chilly to swim, and so they sat for a while on the sand chatting about Cassie’s theatre days in London. Tamara had heard the stories so many times that she could repeat them almost word perfect and make them sound as funny and convincing as Cassie herself. Richard, in turn, told her about some of his experiences in Africa. He suddenly looked at his watch and scrambled to his feet.

  ‘Good gracious, I didn’t realise it was so late! We ought to be getting a move on if I’m going to show you Land’s End before it grows dark.’

  Tamara glowed with pleasure. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go straight home, Richard? You’ve given enough of your time up to me today.’ />
  ‘Have you enjoyed it – that’s the main thing?’ he demanded.

  ‘Oh, yes, immensely, but I don’t expect you to cart me about all over the place if you’ve better things to do.’

  ‘I won’t, so don’t worry,’ he said shortly. ‘Anyway, I’ll see that you repay me on Friday when you come to help me transform my flat... Now, if you’re fit...’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ She was loath to leave that beautiful spot and closed her eyes tightly for a few seconds, trying to imprint it on her memory for the bleak autumn months that lay ahead.

  ‘What’s the matter, feeling giddy?’ he asked in concern.

  ‘Oh no-no. It’s just that this place is so beautiful and I’m trying to capture it in my mind’s eye.’

  He laughed softly. ‘You’re a funny one, aren’t you? Not a bit how I’d have imagined Oliver’s wife to be. He hasn’t much time for sentiment, has he? Unless of course he’s changed since I saw him last. Anyway, you must have visited plenty of beautiful beaches in America. I understand you’ve been to Florida.’

  ‘Yes, for our honeymoon... but this is so quiet and peaceful. I could stay here for ever.’

  ‘Not when the tide comes in you couldn’t.’ He took her hand and gently pulled her to her feet. ‘Just one thing before we go, Mrs Cassell-Boyd.’

  ‘What’s that?’ she asked, her heart thumping at the touch of his fingers entwined with hers. He bent towards her.

  ‘I just can’t stand this scarf a moment longer trapping those pretty chestnut curls of yours. It makes you look so schoolmarmish!’ And with one deft movement he removed it so that Tamara’s hair tumbled about her shoulders in disarray. ‘That’s considerably better!’ He kept hold of her hand until they reached the car.

  They arrived at Land’s End just as most tourists were considering returning to their hotels. Tamara stood beside him, drinking in the still wild beauty of it all.

  ‘You can almost feel that you are standing on the edge of England,’ he said. ‘And there thunders the Atlantic!’

  Later when they stopped off at a charming old pub for Cornish pasties and lager, Tamara felt that life held hope for her again. Her period of mourning for Ian was over, and she could look forward to the future with renewed strength. She would not make the same mistake twice. If ever she found another man who wanted to marry her, she would encourage him in his ambitions and not want so much of her own way. Ian had wanted her to give up teaching, but she had refused. He had wanted to move out of London, but she had persuaded him to stay for a while. She had, in fact, been nothing but an old stick-in-the-mud holding him back.