Chapter 38
Nella’s skin prickled at the realisation that something unexpected was happening. She murmured, ‘What’s going on?’
‘I think this is Billy’s way of handing in his notice.’ A huge smile had spread across Maeve’s face. She saw Nella’s confusion and explained, ‘He’s the artist.’
Behind them, hearing her, Lizzie exclaimed with delight, ‘This is the best thing ever!’ Sticking her fingers in her mouth, she executed an ear-splitting whistle of approval.
‘Billy, could you bring out the canvases for sale?’ Dane’s voice was low and controlled, but a muscle was jumping in his jaw and the tendons in his neck stuck out like guy ropes.
‘No.’ Billy shook his head and repeated into the microphone, ‘Not until you’ve painted a horse for your fans.’
‘Go, Billy,’ Lizzie whooped, causing the audience to turn and notice for the first time that a famous actress was in their midst.
Billy smiled at Lizzie, then at Maeve. ‘Between you and me, I’m starting to think Dane can’t draw horses at all. Nor human figures, come to that. Not even mountains or rivers or trees . . .’
‘This is fascinating ,’ Maeve joined in, feigning innocence. ‘So who actually paints all the pictures he sells?’
Still holding the microphone, Billy said simply, ‘I do.’ He nodded at the canvas resting on the easel. ‘Want me to add a horse to that?’
An auburn-haired woman at the very front of the crowd pointed a bony accusing finger at Dane and blurted out, ‘Is this true? Because if it is, you’re nothing but a fraud and I want all my money back. You know how much I’ve spent on your paintings.’
‘Oh please, Edwina, don’t you start.’ Beneath his tan, Dane was now pale with fury. Addressing Billy, he snapped, ‘You’re sacked, you ugly little toad.’
‘Oh boo-hoo.’ Billy stood his ground. ‘So that makes two of us without a career. Luckily for me, I can still paint.’
‘Look at the state of you,’ Dane sneered. ‘Who’d want to buy anything by you?’
Lizzie raised her hand and called out cheerfully, ‘Well, I will!’
Lizzie was having a good day. Enough people had been videoing Dane’s painting performance for evidence of this afternoon’s public showdown to spread online like wildfire. As his bewildered fans realised they’d been duped, they grew by turns shocked, tearful and irate. Having disappeared into Hay Hall along with his kaftan-clad companion, Dane left by the back door and drove off before he could be confronted by the increasingly angry mob.
‘It felt so great.’ Billy’s face was lit up. ‘I should have done it months ago. I don’t even care if I can’t sell my work.’
‘But I bet you will,’ said Lizzie. ‘Especially now. We just need to set you up with a website and your own social media accounts. I can help you with that.’
‘I need to call my mum and let her know I’m moving back home. I don’t think it’s a great idea to spend the night here.’ Billy indicated Hay Hall. ‘If Dane comes back, God knows what he might do.’
‘You can stay at mine,’ Lizzie told him. ‘I’ve got tons of room.’ It crossed her mind that she’d moved into Pine Lodge planning to spend the next three months living in splendid isolation, and had since been steadily adding to the number of occupants.
Billy looked relieved. ‘If you’re sure? Just for tonight would be great, thanks so much. But you really don’t have to buy any of my work.’
‘Hey, shush, I want to.’ She glanced across at Maeve. ‘Anyway, coming to Starbourne has made me realise how nice it feels to help other people. Well, the ones who deserve it.’
‘It was Maeve helping me yesterday that made me do this today.’ Billy laughed. ‘Just goes to show, when you decide to do something, you never know what else might happen as a result.’
‘Hi.’ Nella’s heart quickened as she opened the door to Nick. It was eight o’clock on Sunday evening and she knew he was leaving first thing tomorrow to fly over to New York on a business trip.
‘You’re making toasted cheese sandwiches. I could smell them from next door.’
‘And they lured you over here?’ She grinned and moved to one side. ‘Would you like one?’
He followed her into the kitchen. ‘Love one. Just wanted to check up on the Hay Hall situation. Any developments?’
‘Nothing yet. Billy’s staying the night at Lizzie’s. I’ve taken a few calls from news outlets but not said anything to them. Don’t worry, I can handle it. How about you? All packed and ready to go?’
‘Absolutely.’ Nick found the corkscrew in her cutlery drawer and opened the bottle of Merlot he’d brought with him. ‘I’ll be back in a fortnight. Any problems, just let me know.’
‘Any problems, I’ll deal with them myself. Have faith.’ She took the glass he was offering and clinked it against his. ‘Cheers.’
‘Cheers.’ He paused. ‘And I do have faith.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ She was being super-casual on the surface, but did he have any idea how much of a physical effect he was having on her?
‘I mean it. I’m glad you’re here.’
His smile was crooked, his dark blue eyes almost navy in this light. What was going through his head? Feeling giddy and wondering if his thoughts mirrored her own, Nella murmured, ‘I’m glad I’m here too.’
Dangerous, dangerous, but she was only human. She took in the way his chest expanded as he breathed in. Was he going to kiss her? Was she tilting her chin up to help proceedings along? Was it about to happen at last? Were her legs going to manage to hold her up or would he need to wrap his arms around her for bodily support, and how would that feel? Was he moving closer now and . . . ?
‘Something’s burning,’ said Nick.
Me, me, it’s me, I’m on fire . . .
Oh. Twisting round, she saw the cremated edges of the toast as black smoke billowed out from under the grill. Even their late-night snacks, it seemed, were against them.
‘I’ve got it.’ Nick pulled out the grill pan and tipped the charcoaled slices into the sink, and Nella let out a muted yelp of anguish because that was the last of the bread and it had only been the crusts that were completely incinerated – she could have just cut them off.
‘We could have eaten those,’ she protested as he gushed water over them to kill the swirling black smoke.
Too late, he turned off the tap. ‘They wouldn’t taste great. Look, we can make some more.’
‘Except that was the last of the bread.’
‘Now that is a disaster.’ His mouth twitched as her tummy audibly rumbled.
Defensively, Nella said, ‘I’m hungry.’
‘Me too. That’s why I’m here.’
‘Do you have any bread next door?’
‘No. I knew I was leaving first thing in the morning so I threw it out for the birds.’
‘Lucky them. And of course the shop’s shut.’ She sighed. ‘The trouble with cheese on toast is the more you know you can’t have it, the more you want it.’ The thought sprang to mind that this was an analogy that didn’t only apply to evening snacks.
There was the playful smile again, lifting the corners of his mouth. He said slowly, ‘OK, maybe I could . . . Let me think . . .’
Maybe he could what? Divert her attention from cheese on toast completely? Finally make his move so that food, charcoaled or otherwise, was the last thing on her mind?
The next moment her phone rang in her back pocket. Because of course it did. Phones were capable of picking their moments too.
And when your boss was standing right there in front of you, it wasn’t as if you could ignore it.
Then she saw the name on the screen and relaxed; it was only Tommy calling her from Thailand. It’d be fine to tell him it wasn’t a good time and she’d get back to him later.
‘Hi,’ she began cheerfully. ‘Look, it’s not the—’
‘Nella, Nella, where are you?’
‘I’m in Starbourne, having an early night.’ With any luck .
‘No you’re not,’ Tommy announced. ‘And I know you’re in Starbourne. I just don’t know where exactly.’
‘What? Are you about to send me a birthday card? This is headline news. Plus, it’s not even my birthday.’
‘We’re here! We came to surprise you! We’re at the end of the high street outside a village store that’s shut, and there are loads of weird birds flying around us at, like, warp speed, so you need to tell us your address before they peck our eyes out and—’
‘Are you kidding me?’ It was her turn to interrupt him. Darting past Nick and wrenching open the front door, Nella ran barefoot out into the road and peered in the direction of the shop. Through the darkness it was just possible to make out two figures and she waved madly at them. Into the phone she said, ‘Oh my God, this is wild. Can you see me? Get yourselves down here this minute!’
It was so good to see Tommy again.
‘I’ve missed you,’ Nella told him, hugging him on the pavement.
‘Missed you too.’ He was lean and deeply tanned, his hair longer now and fastened back in a ponytail. ‘Thailand was great, but it was time to come home.’
‘Well, welcome back.’ She embraced Juliet, equally suntanned and wearing a simple white shirt over khaki cargo pants. They were both carrying backpacks almost as big as themselves.
Juliet was beaming. ‘We didn’t tell you we were on our way. He wanted it to be a surprise.’
‘It’s certainly that. Come along inside.’ They obviously had no idea Jed was staying at the Cedars. At least he was due to leave tomorrow morning. As Nella led them into the living room and Nick rose to his feet, she said, ‘Old boss, meet new boss.’
‘Something smells burnt. Has Nella been trying to cook again? Hey, good to meet you,’ Tommy greeted him. ‘I’ve heard great things about you from Nella.’
‘Likewise. We’re lucky to have her.’ Nick checked his watch. ‘Look, you have a lot of catching-up to do, and I need to be at Heathrow by six thirty, so I’m going to leave you to it. I’ll hopefully see you again.’
‘How long are you away for?’ It was a typical Tommy question, straight to the point.
Unfazed, Nick said, ‘Ten days, possibly a fortnight.’
Tommy flashed his old mischievous grin. ‘You never know, I might have stolen Nella away from here by the time you get back.’
‘He’s joking,’ said Nella.
‘Let’s hope so,’ said Nick.
She couldn’t help herself. ‘Do you have anything at all to eat next door?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll find something.’ He grinned at her. ‘Maybe the birds won’t have finished all the bread in the garden. I’ll go out and see if they’ve left me a couple of crusts.’
It wasn’t stalking, Jed told himself. It was simply finding out the answer to a question. Besides, there was nothing wrong with going out for a late-night walk. And it wasn’t as if it was a huge town; with a village the size of Starbourne there wasn’t a vast number of streets to choose from.
He’d wondered if Esme had arrived home, that was all, and he happened to take the route past Egg Cottage to see if her car was back outside. But it wasn’t there, and the place was in complete darkness. Walking on by, he continued along the high street and tried not to wonder where else she could be. Back in December, when Juliet had disappeared off to Thailand with Tommy Kessler, the thought of the two of them previously meeting up in secret had haunted him for months.
Once you’d loved someone and been betrayed by them, how could you ever fully trust someone else and believe everything they said?
Sad but true. The trouble was, last night with Esme had felt so completely right and special, he’d convinced himself she was different.
Up ahead, the pub was closed and in darkness too. Through the clear night air, Jed heard the church clock chime, letting him know it was midnight. Instead of doubling back and returning to the Cedars, he decided to carry on taking the long way around to prove to himself he really hadn’t been stalking.
Moments later, an owl hooted nearby and he stopped dead in his tracks. It was definitely an owl, but he only knew this from films or TV. Never had he heard that unmistakable low-pitched, almost echoey hoo-hoo in real life.
He stayed where he was, holding his breath and waiting for it to happen again. The next moment he heard something else, far closer to hand, that pushed all thought of owls from his mind.
Laughter filtered out of the open window almost directly above his head. Laughter he instantly recognised as belonging to the woman he’d loved and lost. As he stared up in disbelief at the half-open window, he heard it again, followed by the murmur of a male voice and the creak of bedsprings.
It was definitely Juliet’s laugh. There was no mistaking it. She and Tommy Kessler had spent the last five months in Thailand, but now, evidently, they were back. He didn’t know where Nella Hughes lived, but maybe this was her cottage. Unless they’d left Thailand ages ago and been hiding out here all this time.
Above him, Juliet said, ‘She’s looking really well.’
‘Not as good as you.’ Yes, that was definitely Tommy’s voice.
‘I wonder if there’s something going on between her and Nick?’
‘She didn’t say anything.’ Pause. ‘Then again, neither did we. I was so desperate to tell her,’ said Tommy.
‘I know you were. I could tell.’ More laughter from Juliet. ‘But we mustn’t, not until we’re at twelve weeks. Otherwise it’s like tempting fate.’
‘We’re only a fortnight away.’
‘So it’s only a fortnight to wait before we can tell everyone. We just have to hang on till then. Keep it our secret.’
More creaking of bedsprings, then Tommy said, ‘We’re going to be a family.’
‘We are. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.’
‘I love you.’
‘Love you too.’
‘Tired?’
‘Shattered.’
‘Want me to close the window?’
The hairs on the back of Jed’s neck rose in alarm; there was nowhere to hide. Then he heard Juliet yawn, the way she always yawned, like a cat, finishing with a musical up-and-down yowl. ‘No, leave it open. Night.’
Jed waited for half a minute more, experiencing complicated emotions and not knowing how to deal with them. Finally, with a silent sigh, he set off back to the Cedars. Taking the long way home.