Chapter 26
June had arrived and the weather had warmed up beautifully. The mornings were brighter and the evenings longer and lighter. Tuppenny Bridge was a wonderful place to be.
Clive had visited Whispering Willows three times in the last ten days or so and Bethany had been to his flat in Stepping Stones twice. They’d watched films together, eaten snacks, gone for long walks in the surrounding countryside, talked, laughed, and spent quite a lot of time in bed.
Everyone knew about them. Well, that’s how it felt to Clive, who’d got quite used to the knowing grins and nods from not only his clients but his staff, too.
Jane, his receptionist, and Hannah, the veterinary nurse, were beside themselves with excitement. They’d been thrilled about Ben and Summer he thought ruefully, but this was on another level.
‘You can’t blame them,’ Ben told him, laughing. ‘Jane especially. She’s been with you for years and she’s never seen you like this before.’
‘Like what?’ he’d asked, perplexed.
‘Loved up,’ Ben said, laughing even harder as Clive’s face burned. Was he blushing? He never blushed!
‘Get away,’ was all he could manage in response.
There was no denying it, though. His feelings for Bethany had surged since that evening in Stepping Stones. He felt like a new man.
‘Well,’ she’d said as they lay in bed that first time, ‘if that’s you out of practice I don’t think I could have coped with you at your peak.’
He’d amazed himself, quite frankly. He’d honestly thought he’d be a dismal failure, but being with Bethany it was as if he’d been given a new lease of life.
‘Maybe you never really forget,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Like riding a bike.’
‘Charming!’
He’d given her a stricken look. ‘I didn’t mean—’ Then he’d seen her face and started to laugh.
‘You’re so easy,’ she said. ‘I’m going to have fun winding you up, I can see that.’
‘Wind me up all you like,’ he told her, delighted to see the smile on her face. ‘If it makes you happy I’m willing to make that sacrifice.’
She’d given him a suggestive look. ‘I tell you what would make me happy…’
‘Bloody hell,’ he said in mock horror. ‘I can see I’m going to have to start taking multivitamins.’
If he hadn’t been so uncertain about where he stood with her he might have moved things on, but he still feared she’d leave town and how would he feel then? He hated even imagining the day she left so he tried not to dwell on it at all.
Two things gave him cause for optimism. The first was her obvious excitement about doing up Whispering Willows. She’d been looking at new kitchens and a suite for the tired old bathroom. Apparently she had a sofa and two armchairs on order, and a brand-new double bed had been delivered earlier that week. He’d helped her put it together in her room which had been… interesting.
‘You know,’ she’d said thoughtfully as she wandered out of his en suite one night, ‘I quite like the idea of an en suite myself. That box room at my place…’ She shuddered at the thought of it. Clearly, in her mind it was still her father’s room. ‘It would make a good-sized bathroom. I could knock through, make it the en suite to the room I’m using. It’s not going to be much of a loss, space wise, as a bedroom and it might add value. What do you think?’
What Clive was actually thinking was that she’d called Whispering Willows ‘my place’ without any hesitation. It might have been a throwaway remark, but he hoped it revealed more about her state of mind than she realised.
The second thing was her determination not to separate the four Shetland ponies. Clive had been touched that she was seriously putting their welfare before any other consideration. He’d suggested contacting the sanctuary again to ask if they’d take Barney instead, as he was quite small. He knew the sanctuary was tiny and already overstretched, and that he couldn’t ask more from them, but thought the little Exmoor might be okay there. To his surprise Bethany had vetoed the idea, citing Barney’s skin problems as a reason to hang on to him.
Clive had pointed out that the staff would know what they were doing and that many horses and ponies suffered from a severe reaction to midge bites, so they’d be able to continue his routine of barrier cream and hooded rugs from April to October with no real problems. Even so, she’d been reluctant to even consider it.
‘He’s been through enough, and Summer’s so good with him.’
‘But he’ll have to go at some time, Beth.’
Her eyes had glistened with tears. ‘You think I don’t know that? But not yet. He should be the last to go really. I mean, for Summer’s sake. It’s hard enough having her scowling at me all the time, but if I let Barney go first she’s going to be impossible. No, we’ll leave Barney until last because I can’t deal with any more of Summer’s attitude, I really can’t.’
Clive strongly suspected that her reaction had nothing to do with Summer. She obviously cared about the ponies very much and was worried about their futures, which was a huge improvement on her initial stance. Surely that could only mean she was reconsidering her decision? Maybe, if things continued the way they were, she’d choose to stay. He hoped so, anyway. The alternative was too painful to consider.
Summer was clearly unimpressed that their relationship had developed. She didn’t trust Bethany, and now that Clive was involved with her she didn’t trust him either.
‘I thought you, of all people, would be on my side in this,’ she told him resentfully one morning when she’d called in at Stepping Stones to see Ben on his break.
‘Summer don’t drag Clive into all this,’ Ben had begged her. ‘Whatever’s going on with Whispering Willows it’s got nothing to do with him.’
‘He’s sleeping with the enemy!’ Summer’s eyes were wide with indignation. ‘She’s selling the house and letting all our lovely residents go who knows where!’ She fixed an accusing stare on Clive. ‘Don’t you care what happens to them?’
‘Of course I care,’ he said heavily. ‘Believe it or not, so does Bethany. You have no idea?—’
‘She’s got a funny way of showing it,’ Summer said. ‘I’d be careful if I were you. If that’s her way of caring, you could be in trouble. When you’re no use to her she’ll get rid of you just as easily, you wait and see.’
‘Summer!’ Ben shook his head. ‘Stop it. I know you’re upset?—’
‘Upset? If you think I’m upset how do you think Joseph would feel?’ She jabbed a finger at Clive. ‘You were supposed to be his best friend. You promised him you’d look after Whispering Willows. Instead you’re too busy mooning over his heartless sister who couldn’t even be bothered to turn up for his funeral, and you’re just standing back and letting her destroy all his hard work. I hope you can live with yourself.’
She’d given both Clive and Ben furious looks before storming out of the surgery.
‘Well,’ Ben said with a sigh, ‘that went well.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Clive told him. ‘I don’t want you two falling out over this.’
‘She’ll come round. Thing about Summer is, when she feels strongly about something she flares up, but she calms down again pretty quickly. I mean, she won’t change her mind about Bethany, but she’ll not take it out on me. Anyway, it’s not your fault. I know you’re in love with Bethany and it must be awful for you, torn between your feelings for her and your feelings for Joseph.’ He hesitated. ‘Is there no chance you could change her mind? Talk her round.’
Clive shook his head. ‘I can’t do that, Ben. Especially not now. This has to be her decision and I’m the last person who should be pressuring her.’
‘But you must want her to stay?’
Clive gave a broken laugh. ‘Of course I want her to stay! But only if she wants to. I’ve explained all this. I’m not going to make her change her plans for me. It would never work. She’d be like a caged bird at Whispering Willows, and I won’t be responsible for that. No,’ he shook his head firmly, ‘this is all up to Bethany. It always has been. I admit I put pressure on her when we first met, but as I got to know her and understood her reasons for wanting to leave I stopped doing that because it wasn’t fair. Now I’m—’ he hesitated before shrugging, slightly awkwardly, ‘—involved with her it’s even more important that I don’t try to influence her. Do you understand?’
Ben sighed. ‘I guess so.’
‘Has Summer started looking for another job?’ Clive asked sympathetically.
‘She’s been searching for a job connected with horses but it’s not easy in this area. There was a job advertised over at the stables at East Midham but they needed someone who could ride.’
Clive raised an eyebrow. ‘Summer can’t ride?’
‘No. Didn’t you know? Her mum and dad couldn’t afford lessons for her, and I don’t think Bemborough was a particularly horsy area, so she never got the opportunity. It was only when she left school and volunteered at an animal sanctuary that she got to spend any time with horses at all.’
‘Well I never,’ Clive mused. ‘I’d imagined her spending all her childhood weekends at stables, like Maya I suppose. Thought she’d have been a pony club girl. Just shows you.’
‘Sally and Rafferty have said she can her old job back at The White Hart Inn,’ Ben continued, ‘but Summer knows they already covered her when she increased her shifts at Whispering Willows. They might need extra help in the summer months but after that they’d be paying her for work they don’t really need doing, just because she’s family. She doesn’t want that.’ He rubbed his forehead. ‘I honestly don’t know how this is going to end.’
He wasn’t the only one. It was all very well Clive saying Bethany’s future had to be up to her, but it wasn’t just her future in the balance. Summer’s life would change forever if Bethany went through with her plans. All the equine residents of Whispering Willows would be sent away, which would be a big upheaval for them—especially the ones who’d been there for years. Even Maya and Lennox would face big changes.
As for him, he didn’t want to imagine what life would be like if Bethany moved back to Somerset. He’d be devastated to see Whispering Willows sold. To have to say goodbye to Joseph’s legacy, knowing how heartbroken his friend would be at the way things turned out.
And his own heart? Well, he thought it might just shatter for good if he had to watch Bethany drive away from him. He could only pray that she would change her mind and decide she wanted to stick around after all. Not for him, but because Tuppenny Bridge was the place she felt most at home. It was a long shot, but it was all he had to cling to.