Chapter 12
Algy messaged around ten the following morning to say that the camera had been delivered, but I felt reluctant to rush back to Wynbrook. I also felt incredibly uncomfortable about why I was so hesitant to leave and it had nothing to do with avoiding the garden.
Josh and I had spent another wonderful night together. He was a sensual and sensitive lover, who had left me feeling more fulfilled than I’d ever been. I could have quite conveniently put my reluctance to leave the village down to an unwillingness to vacate his bed, but the truth was I was still rather preoccupied as to why he was going to see Marguerite.
I knew, of course, that it was absolutely none of my business and that I had no right to ask and I also knew, that if I did bring it up, Josh most likely wouldn’t mind in the slightest. However, there was also a tiny niggling concern eating away at the corner of what I knew to be reasonable, that having thought the worst of him once already in our brief time together, my asking could make him mind and possibly even think that I was doing it again.
What if I said something about them getting together and he thought I was asking because I was jealous (I was) or because I didn’t trust him (I did. Or at least I was trying my hardest to). I could appreciate now that Laurence’s infidelity had really done a number on me. I might have initially thought I’d walked away from our relationship unscathed, but I could acknowledge now that he’d left me with some trust issues, and feeling insecure as a result. I hoped neither sensation would last.
In the end, I decided I couldn’t risk directly mentioning Marguerite and worked my way around the situation another way.
‘Right,’ I said, as I stretched out in the bed and felt sensitive all over as Josh lightly traced a finger from my neck to just below my navel, ‘I really had better go.’
I’d already made an attempt to head off once and been… waylaid.
‘No,’ he objected, taking his hand away and sitting up, ‘not yet. It’s still early.’
‘It’s not that early,’ I said, also sitting up. ‘And I promised Algy, didn’t I? The camera’s been delivered and I promised I’d set it up for him, so I really do have to get back.’
The last thing I wanted was Algy asking Dad to do it. Piling that on top of my father’s never-ending summer to-do list would be just the thing to put me back in his bad books, especially given that the camera had been my suggestion.
‘I suppose,’ Josh agreed, but threw himself down on the bed like a petulant child.
I laughed at his convincing impression of what looked like a very sulky man-boy.
‘You could always come with me,’ I suggested, reaching to ruffle his hair and holding my breath.
‘No can do,’ he immediately said, propping himself up on one elbow and flattening the bouffant crest my ruffling had created. ‘I’ve got stuff I need to do.’
His answer was a little too quick for my liking. ‘Are you sure? I can promise you as many of those famous Wynbrook strawberries, that you have such a fondness for, as you can eat.’
If he didn’t come to the manor for me, I thought the temptation of succulent summer fruit might be enough to tempt him. It wasn’t.
‘I really can’t,’ he said, screwing up his nose. ‘I promised I’d see someone today and help them with something.’
‘Right.’ I swallowed, as I bent down the side of the bed to scoop up my abandoned and creased clothes. ‘Fair enough.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
He tried to reach for me, but I moved away.
‘I really am sorry,’ he repeated.
‘Honestly, it’s fine.’ I smiled, not wanting to come across as stroppy. ‘And as that’s the case, it turns out that it’s just as well that I am going, isn’t it?’
‘What do you mean?’ Josh frowned.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘I know you didn’t want me to leave, but as you’ve already got plans, what would I have done while you were gone? Just hung around here until you came back?’
‘Of course not,’ he tutted, sitting up. He sounded a bit put out, which was hardly surprising, but not the mood I wanted to send him off to see Marguerite in. ‘I was going to ask you to come with me.’
‘Oh,’ I said, surprised.
‘I’m going to the pub to see Marguerite,’ he said, making me feel awful. ‘She’s thinking about heading to Maine in the fall, and I know someone who might be willing to rent her a room in their apartment while she’s there.’
‘I see,’ I faltered, completely wrong-footed. ‘Right.’
‘I’m going to talk to her about where’s best to visit and give her my mate’s details.’
‘That’s,’ I croaked, then cleared my throat, ‘really kind of you.’
‘I am kind.’ He grinned. ‘Haven’t you worked that out yet?’
‘I’m getting there.’ I nodded.
I would brain Laurence if his horrible behaviour scuppered my ability to be with and trust a genuine good guy like Josh, even if it was only fated to be for as long as the summer.
‘What did you think of her, by the way?’ Josh then asked, pulling my attention away from the lasting potential impact of Laurence’s actions.
‘Who?’ I frowned.
‘Marguerite, of course.’
‘Oh,’ I said, pulling my T-shirt over my head, ‘tall, beautiful, talented. All the things I hate in a woman. That was a joke,’ I instantly added, without drawing breath. ‘I really didn’t mean that. I’m all for supporting women. Even the stunning ones who make the rest of us feel like… gargoyles.’
Josh laughed at that.
‘I should think so too.’ He nodded.
‘Should go without saying really, shouldn’t it?’ I sighed. ‘What do you think of her?’
I braced myself internally for impact.
‘Who?’ he asked, playing me at my own game.
‘You know who,’ I tutted.
‘Oh, she’s lovely,’ he said. ‘She is beautiful, and like me, she’s really kind too.’
‘The whole package then,’ I sighed wistfully.
They’d make a perfect couple. Not unlike Josh, Marguerite apparently didn’t have any flaws either, but I felt like I was stacking up my own by the bucketful.
‘And she has the hots for you,’ he said.
‘What?’ I spluttered.
‘She asked me about you last night,’ he carried on, as he slid his boxers on and stood up. ‘When I went to the bar to get a round in, she asked me if we were properly together or just friends.’
‘She did not.’ I blushed.
‘Yes, she did. She wanted to know if you were single. And gay. She’s gay and single and hoped you might be too.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Are you flattered?’
‘I would be if I thought it was true,’ I told him. ‘But why would a woman like Marguerite look twice at someone like me?’
‘Because,’ he said, reaching for me and pulling me back down onto the bed, ‘you’re lovely and kind and beautiful too.’
I wriggled out from under him.
‘I don’t think I can believe that,’ I told him. ‘I’m not always kind.’
‘Given that your last boyfriend treated you like crap, I think you’re allowed to slip up in the relationship kindness stakes once in a while.’
‘Do you really?’ I asked.
‘Yeah,’ he said softly. ‘I do. I really do.’
‘So,’ I carried on, bravely or foolishly testing the water, ‘you wouldn’t think badly of me if I told you that I had felt jealous that you were going back to the pub without me today and that I’m only now feeling all right about it because Marguerite has said that she fancies me, not you?’
Wasn’t that terrible? Where was my sisterly solidarity? Why had I even entertained the idea that Marguerite – who I had known nothing about – might jump on my summer fling? And why had I again done Josh wrong by considering the notion that he might reciprocate if she did? I was an awful, awful person.
‘No,’ Josh said, ‘I wouldn’t actually.’
‘Really?’ I gasped.
‘Really,’ he said earnestly. ‘I know it was only yesterday when you said that you’d never think badly of me again—’
‘Oh god,’ I groaned, putting my hands either side of my head, ‘it was yesterday, wasn’t it? Just yesterday. Only twenty-four hours ago and I’ve failed already.’
‘It was only yesterday,’ Josh said, pulling my hands away, ‘but past hurts, especially the kind I’m guessing you’ve most likely been subjected to, take longer than that to heal, don’t they?’
‘I suppose so,’ I said, as I wondered what I’d done to deserve having him turn up in my life, right when I needed someone like him.
‘And you didn’t know that someone looking like Marguerite was going to roll up and test your faith in me so soon, did you?’
‘Hey,’ I huffed, and he grinned, ‘you don’t have to keep referring to how she looks.’
‘I know,’ he said, ‘I’m only winding you up. It’s human nature that you were bound to feel something though, wasn’t it? And if I’d have realised that sooner, I would have told you last night why I was going back to see her today and saved you a sleepless night.’
‘I didn’t not sleep only because I was thinking about you and Marguerite,’ I reminded him.
‘Have I got another star?’ he wheedled.
‘You have.’
‘That’s all right then,’ he said, pulling me right into his arms. ‘And just for the record, if a handsome guy had turned up out of the blue and shown an interest in you, Daisy, I would have felt jealous too.’
‘You would?’ I asked, looking up at him.
‘I definitely would.’
‘In that case,’ I sighed, ‘you might want to change your mind about coming to the manor today after all, because Algernon Alford is a total fox.’
It wasn’t until I’d driven halfway back to Wynbrook that I realised I could have gone with Josh to the pub and then we could have made the trip to see Algy together. I did consider turning back, but there wasn’t anywhere safe to do a three-point turn on the narrow road and therefore carried on.
‘So, what do you think?’ Algy asked, once I’d unboxed everything and set it all out on the kitchen table in the manor.
‘It looks simple enough,’ I said, checking the instructions again before I set about putting the camera together and turning it on. ‘I don’t think it will take me long to get it up and running.’
‘And remind me again how we can check the footage,’ Algy asked.
‘There’s a screen on the camera we can watch it on or we could set it up through your PC if we want a more detailed look,’ I explained again.
‘We could do that if something really exciting turns up, couldn’t we?’ Algy said, his eyes shining.
‘Like your cat, for example.’
‘Yes, like my Luna, for example.’
I wasn’t sure that was the only thing he was now hoping might appear.
‘What else are you expecting to see?’ I frowned.
‘Well, the cat’s at the top of my list, obviously.’
‘Obviously.’
‘But after that, something completely out of the ordinary,’ he told me. ‘Black shuck or that panther that certain locals reckon still prowls about the roads around the estate at night would be just the thing.’
‘The panther they only ever happen to see on a walk back home from the pub after a skinful,’ I said sardonically.
‘Well,’ Algy sniffed, ‘you never know.’
I rolled my eyes at that.
‘Whatever pops up, it will be good to see it before…’
His words trailed off and I looked up at him.
‘Before what, Algy?’ I frowned, concerned that some of the colour had just drained from his face and the brief spark in his eyes had gone again.
He opened his mouth to tell me, but my mobile started to ring and he snapped it shut.
‘Penny,’ I said, answering the call. ‘How are you getting on? I did message you earlier, but I wasn’t expecting a reply, let alone a call. Is everything okay?’
‘It’s brilliant,’ she gushed, sounding on a total high and thankfully not hungover at all. ‘There’s been a steady stream of customers so far and they’ve all loved everything I’ve made for them. I really think I can do this, Daisy.’
‘That’s brilliant.’ I smiled. ‘I’m so pleased.’
I didn’t point out that the school holidays had literally only just started or that it was before lunch on a Wednesday, hardly prime beach-visiting time, so the customer numbers were bound to be manageable.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow in the pub, yeah?’ she then asked.
‘As long as you’re not too tired by then,’ I replied.
‘It’s quiz night,’ she reminded me. ‘I’m not missing that, no matter how knackered I feel.’
‘What about Nick?’ I asked.
‘What about him?’ she squeaked.
‘Will he be at the quiz?’
‘Oh, probably,’ she said, sounding more like herself. ‘He usually is.’
‘How did you get on—’
‘I have to go,’ she cut in, before I could ask if Nick had seen her as far as her front door or made sure she was tightly tucked up in bed before he left her the evening before. ‘Some more customers have just walked in.’
There was no opportunity to wish her luck either because she’d gone.
‘Did I hear you say that was Penny?’ Algy asked. ‘How’s she getting on? Nick has told me all about her taking over the café for the summer. She must be bonkers, having only just finished the school year. Not to mention, worn out.’
‘I agree,’ I said, putting my phone away again. ‘But so far, so good. She’s loving it.’
‘I daresay it’s a darn sight less stressful than teaching that class she had this year,’ Algy commented, ‘and I know how much she loves her cooking and baking.’
‘Were they that bad?’ I asked, wondering how Algy knew about her mischievous students.
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘they were. They came up here on a school trip and ran us all ragged.’
‘Oh, dear,’ I sympathised, not wanting to picture the scene. I didn’t ask if the trip had happened inside the manor or out in the grounds. Either way, one of my parents would have been pulling their hair out. ‘Now, let’s get this camera sorted before that panther makes its daily visit, shall we?’
Having fallen to thinking about the stress that Penny’s most recent class had left in their wake, I completely forgot that her phone call had cut Algy off and he’d been about to tell me something.
‘Is that it?’ He said with a frown just a few minutes later as I stood up in the courtyard and stretched out my back.
‘Yep.’ I nodded. ‘The camera’s running and it’s pointing right at the food bowl. If anything comes within feet of it, the motion sensor will be triggered and it will start recording.’
‘So, all we have to do now is wait.’
Algy made no attempt to move, but stared intently at the bowl he’d just replenished.
‘I don’t think anything is likely to come along with the two of us hovering over it, do you?’ I pointed out. ‘Least of all a timid panther.’
‘That’s a very good point,’ Algy agreed. ‘Come on.’
He slowly wandered further away from the bowl.
‘Where are you going?’ I asked, following him. ‘It’s almost lunchtime.’
‘I thought we’d take a quick turn around the garden.’ I stopped walking. ‘I really want to show you my cut-flower project. I’d like your opinion on it, Daisy, and I can’t believe you’ve been back all this time and still not seen it.’
When I first arrived back at Wynbrook, I had intended to see it, but with so many memories being stirred up since then, the ones about how my connection to the garden had been diminished and eventually snuffed out now most prominent amongst them, it was the last place I wanted to visit. Especially the walled garden.
‘I’d rather not,’ I blurted out and Algy looked hurt.
‘Is it because I was clumsy about the book?’ he asked. He sounded mortified. ‘I know you didn’t take it, but I didn’t offer it to upset you.’
‘Of course, you didn’t. I know that.’
‘In that case,’ he carried on, sounding rather bossy, ‘I think you should come into the garden.’
‘I’ve already been in the garden,’ I told him, taking a step back. ‘Part of it, anyway. And I don’t want to go back in again.’
‘But I’m sure if you give it a chance, it will make you feel—’
‘Please don’t push this, Algy,’ I pleaded. ‘Let’s go back to the kitchen. Mum’s bound to have lunch ready.’
‘You go back then,’ he said, turning away from me. ‘I’ll be in again in a little while.’
I watched him walk through the garden gate and along the shingle path. I felt distressed about not following him, but I couldn’t force my feet to take a step towards him.
I hadn’t thought properly about the garden for years and my former feelings for it hadn’t even entered my head when I had made the decision to move back to Wynbrook for the summer. However, Algy seemed hell-bent on making me think about them now, even though, under the circumstances, they, and the memories of my monumental row with Dad, were the last thing I needed to become preoccupied with. I did love Algy dearly, but sometimes he could be a total nuisance.