Chapter Thirty-Seven
The One With Tears for Fears
The stables had become the sanctuary of choice as the mugginess continued to build. There wasn’t a breath of breeze inside the walled grounds at Tremayne Manor, but the thickness of the walls ensured the former block housing all manner of perishables remained comparatively cool. Kate browsed the stalls once Mollie arrived – quickly deserting her for her school mates.
Filling her bag with local cheese, a bottle of gin, a delicious relish and a box of oat crumble biscuits, she emerged back into the fierce sunlight, removing her sunglasses from on top of her head. A steady line had formed now by the barbecue, enticed, no doubt, by the delicious aroma of grilled burgers and hot dogs.
There had only been one emergency call from the hotel, too – a small hitch in the delivery of some of the flowers, now rectified – and Kate had done her best to keep herself occupied, veering away every time her steps led her towards Dev and whatever activity Theo was engaged in.
The craft workshops seemed to be running to time, with Old Patrick’s wood-turning demos and both Mrs Lovelace’s and Mrs Clegg’s knitting and crochet sessions popular, especially with the older contingent.
Matt was busy overseeing the equipment as the various performers did their bit, with Gemma on hand to help with the changeover between acts, there was a steady stream of people browsing the many tables, and Kate was delighted to see the stock reducing as visitors stowed purchases into their bags.
Sneezing could be heard from the front lawn, which played host to the dog show, and Kate hoped Morwenna had dosed up on her allergy tablets. Jean and Greg were doing a roaring trade from the ice cream van, and an attentive group were making their way in Oliver’s footsteps out of the arched gate on the first guided history walk.
‘It’s fabulous, Kate!’
She smiled as Anna joined her, carrying a wicker basket filled with all manner of things.
‘I can’t pass a stall without buying something, but this is getting heavy and Oliver’s told me to stop!’
‘You can store it with mine if you like?’
Kate led her to a door protected by a keypad, into a small room where stallholders could leave their valuables while they were busy.
‘We’re starving.’ Anna patted her belly. ‘Have you eaten?’
Kate’s tummy felt like a tumultuous sea right now. ‘I’ll get something later, but I think you need to sit down. This heat is draining.’
Anna did look rather flushed, damp tendrils on her forehead, and she followed Kate to a shady area where patio tables and chairs were scattered but the oppressive intensity remained. Grabbing some water from one of the coolers, Kate brought it over, but then she spotted Ryther and waved him over.
Anna patted the chair opposite. ‘Have you got time for a chat?’
Ryther’s keen gaze darted to Kate, and she sent him an encouraging smile. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’
She made to turn away, but Ryther reached out and stayed her.
‘I’d prefer you to be here, Kate. Please.’
Hearing the anxiety in Ryther’s voice, she sat beside him, and he took her hand and clasped it.
‘I explained a little to Anna about your history with Meg.’ Kate spoke softly, conscious of the rigidity of Ryther’s frame as he stared at Anna.
He didn’t respond beyond a squeeze of Kate’s hand, and Anna’s smile became gentle.
‘I believe I can shed some light on why Meg felt as she did about children and their need for a parent.’
Speaking quickly, Anna related what she’d understood all the time she’d known her aunt Meg: that she’d never married or had a family, but that she bore a great sadness which was connected to the loss of a much younger sister who’d died in infancy.
What Anna had not known at the time, and was later revealed by a letter Aunt Meg left her to find by following a trail of shells, was that the infant was not her sister but her daughter, and she didn’t die. She was taken from a teenage Meg and adopted, and she’d never seen or heard of her again.
It had also come out that Meg tried to contact her daughter later in life, and failed. Then some years later, Oliver had arrived in Polkerran in search of his maternal grandmother. His mother – Meg’s daughter – had never revealed her adoption to him, he only found out when going through papers after her death.
Such was Meg’s shame over having fallen pregnant at fifteen to a man who, unbeknownst to her, was already married with a family, she begged Oliver not to reveal his connection to her.
He honoured her request. No one in the cove other than Anna (and, later, Lauren) knew of the relationship to this day.
‘As far as anyone here understands it, Oliver befriended Meg. He helped maintain her home and gardens, they spent a great deal of time together in the few years before she became ill. We’ve only just been piecing together the rest of the story. We didn’t know about you, Ryther, until recently when we found more of her papers and photos.’ Anna’s expression saddened further, and Kate gave Ryther’s hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘Meg never got over the loss of her daughter, we think it may be what led to her insistence on your staying with your son.’
Anna broke off to rummage in her bag, and Kate cast a wary glance at Ryther, who’d gone incredibly pale and clung to her hand with a grip that belied his age.
‘Oliver thought you might like to have these.’
Ryther reached a shaking hand to take the photos from Anna, dashing his other across his eyes.
‘I—’ He attempted to clear his throat. ‘I have no words just now, my dear. Will you forgive me if I take a moment?’
Kate got to her feet with Ryther. ‘Will you be okay?’ she asked, eyeing him with concern.
‘Better than I ought,’ he responded, turning to Anna and taking her hand and pressing a kiss on the back of it.
‘I am indebted to you, dear Anna. And please pass on my heartfelt thanks to that handsome husband of yours for sharing such personal information with me.’
He walked away, his attention on the photos, and Kate released a slow breath.
‘Gosh. I must tell Dev, and oh!’
‘Kate?’ Anna tugged on her hand and pulled her down into Ryther’s vacated chair. ‘Why are you looking like that?’
‘Like what?’
‘As though it’s the end of the world.’ Anna’s gaze followed the direction of Kate’s frantic look. ‘Oh.’
Ryther had been making his slow but steady way back across the lawn to where Theo could be seen, having his face painted by Nicki, his father watching on, when a vision in lavender skipped past him – something Kate could never have mastered in stilettos on grass – and rushed up to Dev to throw her arms around him.
Expecting him to release himself, as he had done the first time she’d met Leigh, Kate almost choked on the tautness of her throat as – with Leigh now holding onto his other arm – he gestured towards a far bank of trees, his head cocked as he listened intently to whatever she was saying.
Emitting a small gasp at the pain lancing her side, Kate shot out of the seat.
‘I-I’ll be…’ She waved a futile hand and headed down the lawn towards the gates, unsure of her purpose or destination, even forgetful of Mollie, when an elderly man stepped out of the shadows.
‘Please don’t leave.’
Conscious of the wetness on her lashes behind her sunglasses, Kate drew in a sharp breath.
‘Sorry, Ryther,’ she all but croaked. ‘I must.’
‘No, my dear. Some things are worth fighting for, but one should not have to go to war alone.’
Bemused, Kate stared at Ryther. He looked more himself, calm and confident – unlike Kate. What should she do? She couldn’t bear watching Leigh clinging to Dev’s arm like a limpet for the rest of the afternoon. Was she staying over?
Then, she frowned. ‘Where did Theo go?’
‘Ah. I saw the lovely Gemma just now; she promised to wait with him until he fully resembles a tiger.’
A faint smile touched Kate’s mouth, and it was the reminder of the little boy and how much she wished him to be happy that pulled her from the self-focused spiral that had threatened to consume her.
‘I must go and find Mollie. She’ll make her own way home when she’s ready, but I’d better let her know I’m leaving.’
‘Before you go, I have a confession. I fear this is my fault.’
Kate blinked. ‘How can it be?’
‘I called Leigh after you left yesterday. Told her it was time she let Dev go, stopped playing games. That he had the right to be happy. I forgot with whom I was speaking.’ He sighed, shaking his head slowly. ‘She insisted on speaking to him, and when he came back into the room, Dev said she was coming over today, claimed she wanted to talk to him about the future, that it was very important. He tried to put her off to next week but… well, this is Leigh.’
Ryther left her then to wait for Theo, and Kate ventured warily around the grounds. It didn’t seem to be thinning out at all, nor did the heat abate. People were using their maps as fans and some of the manor’s staff could be seen restocking the cups by the water coolers and changing the cannisters.
Of the other Devonshires there was no sign.
‘They left.’ Anna spoke softly by Kate’s side, and her sadness, if at all possible, deepened.
‘Good.’
‘I’m so sorry.’ Anna’s voice wobbled.
‘There was nothing… it wasn’t even…’ There were no words, really, and they hugged each other briefly. ‘I’ll find Molls, then I need a breather for an hour before coming back to help with the clean-up and re-set.’
There was a brief distraction when Jason and Liam came running over, almost breathless with glee.
‘That Mrs Lovelady,’ Jason, the younger, gasped, hands on his hips. ‘Hahahaha.’
‘She had a bite of a burger,’ Liam gurgled with joy. ‘But her teeth came out with it, and it fell to the ground.’
‘And one of the dogs from the show ran off with them!’ Jason went into peals of laughter, and Kate managed a faint smile. It was all too short a distraction from her present gloom, however.
Barely five minutes later, Kate headed to the storeroom to retrieve her bags, but as she closed the door she came face to face with Leigh.
‘We’ve met before, I think.’ The melodious voice belied the less-than-friendly expression on Leigh’s stunning features. ‘You work at the hotel.’ Her tone was dismissive and Kate bristled, the momentary lurch of discomfort swept away.
‘We may have, and I may do.’
Kate moved to go past her, unsure why she was there.
‘Stay away from my husband.’
Stopping in her tracks, Kate swung around. Leigh may well have a voice of steel when dealing with business, but she wouldn’t get far using it on her.
‘Like you do?’ Kate drew in a breath, conscious of those within her vision, relishing the late afternoon shade, the happy chirruping of children mingling with the singing, the chimes from the nearby church and the occasional toot of the horn attached to the ice cream van. ‘Look, I have no idea why you are even speaking to me. Dev and I are just friends.’
‘So he claims.’ Leigh sent Kate an assessing look. ‘Women always fall for him. He’s too kind, especially when they are so needy. Well, you won’t be seeing him in any capacity much longer.’
Her tentative hopes collapsing like books tumbling off a badly fitted shelf, Kate suppressed a sob as it rose unbidden.
‘But we both live in Polkerran,’ she choked out.
To her surprise, Leigh began to laugh. ‘You are so na?ve, you small-town people.’
Rude!
‘You think you know Dev, but clearly you don’t. He will do anything for his son’s happiness.’ She turned away, and Kate made one last attempt.
‘So why don’t you help? Let Theo stay here with his father.’
Leigh turned about, eyes ablaze with triumph.
‘I can do better than that. I’ve just taken a role in Singapore. For three years, even more prominent than the one I had in the States. We’re all leaving – together – and I doubt you’ll see any of us for a very long time.’