Chapter 19
Perry and Bunty were sailing serenely down the Chester canal. A slight frost had dusted the trees and banks.
‘It’s a magical wonderland,’ sighed Bunty, hugging a hot chocolate for warmth. Her eyes couldn’t take enough in, having so much to see by the canal side. There was a lovely community spirit about it, with fellow narrowboaters waving up and greeting them.
‘It certainly is,’ agreed Perry as he steered the boat with one hand and sipped his drink with the other. He was glad Bunty had not only agreed to come away on The Merry Perry , but that she’d fully thrown herself into the experience. To look at her, you would assume she’d been boating all her life. She’d soon picked up the terminology of the narrowboat and instinctively worked it. Bunty had quickly mastered the tiny kitchenette and woodburning stove, not to mention adjusting to the cramped bathroom and cassette toilet. Perry admitted it wasn’t all twee glamorous living on a narrowboat. There were many practicalities to adapt to, like replenishing water, keeping an eye on fuel and being mindful of electricity use. Not to mention emptying the toilet! But Bunty was taking it all in her stride.
However, he still couldn’t help but detect something was bothering Bunty. She had an air of… well, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She was just acting a little odd. When he’d questioned her about it again, she’d dismissed it as excitement for their holiday, but he wasn’t convinced. He glanced sideways at her now, all bright eyed and rosy cheeked. There was no doubt she was in her element, enjoying herself, he was pleased to see. Bunty must have felt his stare as she turned to smile at him.
‘Everything all right?’ she asked.
‘Everything fine with me,’ he grinned, then narrowed his eyes, ‘and you?’
‘Ah, perfect,’ she breathed in deeply.
Truth be told, all would be fine, once he’d accepted her proposal. What seemed like a good idea at the time was playing on her mind now. But, she’d gone through with it. His birthday card was written, with the words, ‘Perry, will you marry me?’ inside it. Now all she had to do was give it him.
Robin had stayed over at Jasmine’s all week, not wanting to leave her
whilst she was unwell. The nausea hadn’t left her; it still kept coming
and going in waves. But the fatigue was lessening and she had actually
risen before Robin that morning.
Robin woke and rolled over in bed to find Jasmine not there. He got up and went downstairs into the kitchen to join her. She was sat at the kitchen table drinking tea, staring into space.
‘Hi, you OK?’ he asked.
She looked up and smiled at him. ‘Yeah, just couldn’t sleep.’
He came to sit down opposite her, sensing something was afoot. Not surprising really, as something was definitely troubling him. Ever since Jasmine had first taken to her bed exhausted, then had begun to feel bouts of sickness, his mind had spun into overdrive. But he had kept quiet, not daring to address the matter. Instead, he’d been waiting for her to approach him. He sat, preparing himself.
‘Robin,’ she gulped, ‘I think I may be pregnant.’
There was a moment of stillness as both digested the news. Jasmine looked searchingly into his eyes. His hand reached out for hers.
‘Well… I’d be very happy, if you were,’ he answered tentatively. ‘What about you?’
She broke into a slow smile. ‘I… think I would too,’ she replied in a small voice.
Robin came round the table to hug her. They embraced, taking it all in. Robin pulled back and held her face.
‘We better make sure. I’ll get a testing kit today.’
Jasmine nodded.
Then, looking sheepishly at her, he added, ‘I’m sorry for not being careful enough—’ but she shook her head to silence him.
‘No, I wasn’t prepared, Robin. To be honest, my body clock’s been all over the place. It’s only just returning back to normal,’ she explained.
‘Even so, I should have made sure, when we were in London—’
‘Do you think that’s when it happened? In London?’ she cut in.
They exchanged a knowing smile, remembering the passion they’d shared.
‘Without a doubt,’ Robin said with a wry grin. Jasmine gave a tinkle of laughter.
‘Right, I’m going to attend to your every need, starting with breakfast. What do you fancy to eat?’ he asked.
‘Nothing at the moment.’
‘Feeling sick again?’ Robin’s face etched with concern.
‘A little,’ she replied, then continued thoughtfully, ‘you know, it’s strange, the other day I was watching a family on the beach and for the first time ever felt broody.’
‘Hmm, maybe it was your body’s way of priming you?’ suggested Robin.
Jasmine gave another laugh, ‘What, you mean gear myself up?’
‘Well, yeah,’ he reasoned.
‘Yes,’ Jasmine’s head tilted in contemplation, ‘maybe. Nature’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it?’
Robin stared at her in admiration, taking it all in her stride, just like she had every other life changing event she’d faced. What a woman. And now, hopefully, she was carrying his baby.
Later that afternoon, after Robin had gone into Lancaster to buy a pregnancy test, they both sat in the bathroom with bated breath for the result.
It was positive. Jasmine was officially pregnant. They held each other with utter joy.
Although unplanned, their child was very much wanted. Of course this meant big changes were about to come, like living together, for one. They both agreed that Robin’s smaller apartment would need to go on the market and he would move into Jasmine’s. Then, they discussed when to tell their parents, which they both knew would ultimately lead to the burning question of marriage. Not wanting to feel pressured in any way, they decided to only go public after three months, giving them time and space. A lot was about to happen and they had to go at their own pace. It was equally an exciting, thrilling time as it was overwhelming.
‘I’m going to mass this evening,’ announced Emma as she served Felix
and Madeleine breakfast. Felix looked up in surprise, whilst Madeleine
wiped her mouth with a serviette. Truth be told, Emma was feeling
extremely vulnerable. Attending church made her feel close to her mum.
She and Perry had often gone together to light a candle for Valerie. It
was comforting and… peaceful. Yes, Emma definitely needed a sense of
peace after the horrific episode with Anika. They all did.
‘Yes, I would like to go too,’ Madeleine replied.
‘We could all go,’ said Felix.
‘Great, the church may be full though,’ warned Emma, thinking again that he might not want to be recognised. It was Sunday and she suspected a lot of Samphire Bay’s residents liked to attend. It didn’t seem to bother Felix though, who just shrugged.
‘It would be nice to go and be among normal people,’ remarked Madeleine, who was of course referring to the recent events.
Since Anika’s arrest, the police had been in contact and given them the details surrounding her break in, which she’d disclosed under questioning. Anika had hired a holiday cottage very near to the tidal road, which had given her an excellent view of the traffic coming and going to Felix’s house. Basically, she’d been monitoring his every move. When she’d seen all three of them leave for the gig in Lancaster, Anika knew the house was empty and had broken in before Madeleine had returned by smashing the top pane of glass in the kitchen sash window, putting her hand inside to unscrew the lock, then easing the frame up to climb inside. There inside the kitchen, she had waited. After a short while she heard someone come back and assumed it was Madeleine on her own, as she couldn’t hear voices. Then, realising she was probably in for a long wait before Felix came back, she crept down into the cellar to get a bottle of wine. Only Anika had the audacity to sit drinking wine in a house she’d just broken into.
The alcohol and adrenaline pumping through her veins, together with all the anger, hate and jealousy she’d been storing up for weeks, had kept her mind occupied until, finally, she heard voices, at which point she’d quietly walked up the kitchen stairs to see Felix and Emma kissing passionately in the hall. Fuming, she returned to the kitchen to plan her next move.
Needing to get Emma in the kitchen, Anika did what she usually did in a temper and threw the wine bottle on the floor, smashing the glass loud through the silence of the house, then hid by the door to await her entrance. The plan had worked. Emma had entered the kitchen, but what she hadn’t planned for was Madeleine following minutes later. And she most certainly had not anticipated being pushed down the cellar steps. It had proved to be a fatal mistake not bolting the cellar door after she’d been down there for a bottle of wine. Had she done so, she wouldn’t have been pushed through it.
All this was related to a staggered Felix, Emma and Madeleine, who had sat open mouthed in shock at hearing the events from the police officer.
‘What’s going to happen next?’ Felix asked, sat on the edge of the settee.
‘Well, the charges are racking up now, stalking, threatening behaviour, breaking and entering and possibly attempted murder,’ answered the police officer.
‘Possibly? She was going to stab me with that glass,’ said Emma, incensed.
‘Anika denies that,’ he replied.
‘I saw her raise it over Emma’s head,’ cut in Madeleine.
‘For now, rest assured Anika is behind bars and likely to stay there for the foreseeable future.’
‘Good,’ said Felix with force. It had crossed his mind what the media would make of all this, should the news get out. He personally wasn’t going to tell a soul. All he wanted to do was draw a line under the whole thing. He sought solace in the fact Anika was incarcerated, knowing what this would do to her. That, and the fact he could live safely with Emma in peace. It also meant he’d be able to look ahead to the future with no worries or fears. His head was in a good place and, after the break, he’d be able to carry on directing without any distraction.
He glanced at Emma who was still looking a tad miffed at what the police officer had told her. He couldn’t blame her really, under the circumstances. His mum didn’t appear entirely gratified with the situation either. Maybe he was too tolerant? Since when had he become so? Since meeting Anika. He now realised how appeasing he’d learnt to be, constantly calming situations and avoiding arguments, instead of facing the fact head on. Anika was a raving nutcase who he wished had never set eyes on him.
So, yes, attending church that evening would be a blessed relief, mixing with ‘normal’ people as his mum put it.
In a rather reflective mood, all three of them set off later that evening. They passed the cottage that Anika had been staying in and Madeleine had turned to give Emma a supportive look. Felix saw the exchange and gripped the steering wheel. He would always feel guilty for what Emma had gone through, no matter what she or his mum said. It was he who had brought Anika to Samphire Bay.
They arrived at the church and walked in with all the others. Felix wore a beanie hat but no scarf and Emma could see one or two people eyeing him. Madeleine looked elegant as ever in a cream woollen coat and matching cream beret. Emma pulled the hood of her quilted coat down, freeing her curls. Felix’s eyes homed in on them cascading onto her shoulders. He’d so wanted to speak to Emma privately since their kiss and very near night together but had never got the chance. A part of him would be glad when it was just him and Emma in the house. Emma turned and their eyes met. There was so much he needed to say to her. Instead, he gave a heartfelt smile and she returned it.
Emma too yearned to get Felix alone and would be glad when Madeleine returned home to France. So much had happened in the last few days and she was still taking it all in. It helped enormously that Anika was now safely off the scene. At least she was no longer on high alert the whole time. She was also touched that Jennifer had contacted her and offered a few words of comfort and encouragement. As Felix’s PA, she more than most had had her fill of Anika and was horrified to learn of her breaking in and threatening Emma, but absolutely delighted at the outcome. Unlike Felix, Jennifer wasn’t going to be discreet. If an opportunity presented itself, she’d drop the woman right in it, no problem, and let the whole world know exactly what Anika Genness was.
‘She’s an absolute nightmare,’ Jennifer had told Emma. ‘You and Felix deserve a medal for what you’ve had to endure.’
Then there was the other issue – Felix. Emma was beginning to think maybe he’d simply been drunk and not really in control of his actions. Did he regret kissing her? Inviting her to spend the night together? Whilst Emma had been on a natural high from the gig, she had been completely sober. And she hadn’t regretted a thing. She had shuddered at the thought of Anika opening Felix’s bedroom door and catching them in bed together. My God, how would that have panned out?
Madeleine led them to the narrow pews and they shuffled along, sitting down silently, with Emma in the middle. Suddenly she felt Felix’s hand reach out to hold hers. She took it. Bending down he whispered in her ear, ‘I’m so sorry, Emma.’
She looked up into his pale blue eyes. ‘Let’s put it behind us.’
He gripped her hand tightly and nodded. Yes, it was time to draw a line under Anika Genness.
After the service Emma went to the side of the altar to light a candle, while Felix and Madeleine made their way out. Watching the bright flame, Emma closed her eyes in prayer.
Oh, Mum, I so wish you were here . With her dad being away on his narrowboat, she felt even more insecure without either of them. Then a comforting glow settled within her. She wasn’t alone an inner voice told her, she had Felix.