Chapter 7
Thea popped her head around the bookcase. ‘Did you just say Blythe? Sorry, I was rearranging some bookshelves when I overheard. She’s been one of our regular customers since the bookshop opened. Always pops in if she’s in town and buys a novel. Romances mostly.’
Briony knew Blythe’s taste in books already from what Reggie had said, along with the bookcase full of romance novels in the lounge back at The Beach House. It made her feel so sad to think of all those novels, and the possibility that her grandmother might still love Frank.
Reggie was right; there were no second chances if a person was gone. And by the sound of what The Gossip Girls had said, it was most likely the case. Either that, or he’d stayed in South America after the war and had made his home there. Maybe he’d married, had children, and put his past, and his first love Blythe, behind him.
But had Blythe put her past, and him, behind her?
Briony realised it had been the stupidest idea to think they might be reunited. He was mostly likely either living thousands of miles away, having had a good life, or he’d died in the war. Either way, Briony’s fantasy of a second chance romance was just that – like something out of the books lining her grandmother’s bookshelves.
Reggie was right in what he’d said: Life doesn’t always play out like the stories we read in books. She expected Reggie’s guess as to Blythe’s whereabouts was more likely to be the case – she was just recuperating after her knee op with a friend, who was waiting on her hand and foot, and hadn’t contacted Emily about Luna because she felt guilty that she’d rather stay with her friend than collect her dog. Perhaps her friend didn’t want Luna around; the size and appearance of a wolfdog hybrid could be intimidating.
It wasn’t really a convincing explanation, though, of why her grandmother hadn’t just picked up the phone and got in touch with Emily. Briony knew that Emily would have been quite happy to keep Luna for a little while longer. It made Briony wonder whether her grandmother simply hadn’t been in touch because she couldn’t afford any more boarding fees. Perhaps she’d decided to abandon her dog.
She wouldn’t do that – would she?It occurred to Briony that she didn’t know her grandmother. Was she capable of doing that?
Thea asked, ‘Are you all right, Briony?’ Her eyes roved to Mabel and Marjorie. ‘Well, you two are quiet, all of a sudden.’
Mabel said, ‘Briony, how on earth did you know her name was Blythe?’
Briony sighed. She realised that she might as well tell them. ‘Blythe is my grandmother.’
‘Your grandmother? The lady who comes in here and always buys romance novels. Well, isn’t it a small world?’
‘She wasn’t a local girl when she met Frank,’ said Briony. ‘My great-grandparents owned a holiday home in Dunwich. She spent her summers here, and I guess that’s how she met Frank.’
‘You guess?’ Mabel raised an eyebrow. ‘Didn’t she tell you?’
‘Really, Mabel. Perhaps it’s not something you’d want to discuss – a lost love – with your grandchildren.’ Marjorie raised her eyebrows knowingly at Mabel. Something unspoken passed between the sisters; something they weren’t about to share with a stranger, Briony guessed.
Marjorie turned to Briony. ‘You knew about Blythe and Frank – how?’ she asked.
Thea stood there, a couple of books to hand, listening.
‘I found a stack of letters written by Frank to Blythe.’ Briony opened her bag and took out one of the letters that had a date on the top right-hand corner. ‘Actually, the dates on these letters are several years prior to The Falklands War, so he sent them before he joined the Navy, I guess …’
‘She didn’t reply to him,’ said Mabel flatly, ‘did she? That’s why he left.’
Briony thought of all the unopened letters. At first, she’d thought that perhaps Blythe hadn’t loved him, and had chosen not to open them. But then another possibility had occurred to her. Frank had said in one letter that Briony had read that he was going to better himself, prove he was worthy of her – whatever that meant.
‘I think that Blythe’s parents, my great-grandparents, hid the letters, so she never got them.’ Briony had wondered why they hadn’t just destroyed the letters. But she guessed that maybe the guilt of keeping them from Blythe would be made even worse by destroying them completely.
Briony frowned when she thought of her mum destroying the letter that had been sent to her by her own grandmother. The stack of letters suddenly made her wonder how many letters her mother had kept from her over the years. Had her grandmother sent Christmas and birthday cards and other letters that she’d never seen?
Briony wanted to ask her mother, but she couldn’t – not just yet.
‘Well, that’s just terrible,’ said Mabel, cutting across her thoughts, ‘keeping someone else’s letters from them.’
Marjorie and Thea readily agreed.
Briony didn’t want to talk about that.
The room fell silent.
Mabel picked up her newspaper, held it up, leafed through the pages, and started to read.
Marjorie stood up and frowned at her sister. ‘I know you’re rather settled in here at the bookshop, but we’ve still got a shop to run, you know.’
Mabel didn’t look up from her paper.
Briony caught Thea smiling at the sisters. She guessed this wasn’t unusual, the little spats and squabbles between them. It made Briony rather aware of the fact that she didn’t have siblings. What would it have been like, arguing, fighting, competing for her parents’ affections? Thinking of it that way, she was rather glad she was an only child. Except that now she was getting older, she thought it would be nice to have a sibling to share her life’s journey with. Perhaps she’d have confided in them first that she was pregnant.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Briony resolved to have two children close together. It was a ridiculous thought, when she didn’t even feel ready for one child, let alone two. Perhaps I’ll have twins. But that was not at all what she wanted. Coping with one baby at a time would be enough.
Briony caught Marjorie make a big show of looking at her watch. ‘Isn’t it time we got going, Mabel?’
Briony jumped at the mention of the time. ‘Oh, goodness! If I don’t get going I’ll miss my appointment with Joss.’
‘Joss,’ said Mabel, lowering her newspaper. The mention of his name had caught her attention. ‘Nothing the matter – I hope?’ She leaned forward in her seat.
Briony chose not to mention the missing deeds, or her missing grandmother to one of The Gossip Girls. If there was a chance, however slim, that the information might get back to whoever was after The Beach House, she didn’t want to risk it.
‘Mabel, put your nose back in the newspaper,’ said Thea light-heartedly.
Marjorie said, ‘I’d rather she didn’t!’ She grabbed the newspaper out of Mabel’s hands and thrust it at Thea. ‘Here – take this. Coffee morning is over. Mabel, come on!’
Briony picked up her bag while the sisters were still squabbling. Someone had to have the last word, but Briony would not be there to find out who that was.
‘I’m sure I saw a customer walk into the charity shop,’ said Thea, glancing out of the window.
Marjorie turned around. ‘Really?’
‘You didn’t lock the door?’ Mabel said incredulously, standing up and barging past Thea. Marjorie quickly followed.
Briony was about to follow when Thea whispered, ‘Well, that got them moving, didn’t it?’ Briony looked at Thea. They both grinned. Thea shrugged unapologetically. ‘Well, it’s only fair that other customers get a look-in with the sofa, coffee machine, and free biscuits.’
It occurred to Briony that Thea might know something about her grandmother, seeing as she was a customer. ‘My grandmother didn’t happen to mention that she was going into hospital for a minor op, did she?’ Briony wondered if she might have also mentioned whether she was intending to stay with a friend for a while afterwards.
Disappointingly, Thea shook her head. She touched Briony’s arm. ‘I hope it went well, and she’s okay.’
Briony hoped so too. She didn’t want to get into a conversation just then about the fact that she had no idea where her grandmother actually was, although she did say, ‘Look, my grandmother might be in a bit of trouble …’ Briony didn’t mind mentioning this to Thea. She wasn’t one of the Gossip Girls. ‘I know she came in here a lot to buy books. She wouldn’t have happened to mention anything to you about The Beach House, and some letters from a solicitor she’s been getting?’
Thea looked at her thoughtfully and shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not.’
‘What about your dad?’
They both looked over at Henry, who was busy organising some notebooks and pens for sale on the counter. Briony knew his name because he had a large name badge on the lapel of his jacket. She looked at Thea, wondering why she was hesitating.
Thea sighed. ‘Look, my dad’s memory is … not what it was.’
‘Even if he remembered something, anything, it might help. I’ll go ask him.’
‘NO!’
Briony stopped in her tracks, surprised by Thea’s tone. She’d been so kind and helpful up until that point. Briony didn’t understand what the harm would be in asking.
Thea touched her arm, obviously realising that she had been quite rude and abrupt. ‘Sorry.’ She appeared to struggle with what to say next. But there was clearly something on her mind. ‘Any friend of Emily’s is a friend of mine. I like to think that our little community in Cobblers Yard treats strangers just like the locals – as friends. You’re no exception, Briony. It’s just that I don’t necessarily want to share my dad’s condition with … everybody.’
‘Condition? I didn’t realise he wasn’t well.’
‘Oh, he’s perfectly fine when he’s in the shop, surrounded by books, and his memories of living and working in the bookshop. He just doesn’t cope well with … anything else.’
‘He lives in the past?’
‘He has to. It’s the only way he can function now.’
Briony didn’t understand. Her bemused expression gave her away.
‘He has dementia.’
Briony looked at her dumbfounded. ‘But he recommended I buy this book, and told me all about the author, and … and I paid for it, and he packed it in this bag – no problem.’
Thea stood there smiling. ‘I’m sure there would be no problem. But ask him to go and buy a pint of milk from the Co-op around the corner, and you’d have to send out a search party to find him. He’d be lost the moment he stepped foot out of Cobblers Yard.’
‘I am so sorry.’
‘Don’t be. We’re just happy that he’s back.’
‘He’s back – what do you mean?’
‘Thea?’
Thea turned around at the sound of her dad’s voice. ‘Yes, Dad?’
‘Are you still playing with your friends? I thought you were helping me out in the shop. You won’t get your pocket money.’
Briony stared at Thea.
Thea just kept smiling. She lowered her voice. ‘See what I mean?’ She looked over her shoulder. ‘I’m coming, Dad!’
‘Good girl.’
Briony stepped out of the shop and closed the door behind her, thinking about what Reggie had said about The Bookshop of Memories. Someday I’ll tell you an incredible story about the bookshop across the yard, which was closed for decades.
Whatever had happened, she was sure one of her new friends, Thea, Emily – or most likely her new reporter friend, Clarissa – would get around to telling her. But just then, Briony was focused on making sure she didn’t miss her appointment across the yard with Joss.