Chapter Seventeen
“Blankety Blank”
Nicki and the boys returned to Little Cott the following day, and Ellie spent a rowdy evening there, along with Nicki’s parents, as they all enjoyed pizza and took it in turns to play games with the boys.
The following morning, Ellie viewed her calendar with surprise. Anna and Oliver would be back in a few days. Where had the time gone?
Ellie was relieved Bella had decided to stick around for the weekend, and they both followed Matt – who’d been roped in to help in Oliver’s absence – as he wheeled Liam and Jason’s scarecrow down the lane in a barrow, accompanied by two over-excited boys.
Bella finished tapping into her phone and shoved it in her pocket. ‘What time does Nicki’s shift end?’
‘Five, I think. I’m doing a chilli for dinner, if you fancy joining us? Nicki’s parents are dining at the hotel. Think they needed a break!’ Ellie smirked up at Bella, striding by her side, her glorious hair jostling with the breeze sweeping in across the bay. ‘There will be wine.’
‘Count me in. So, are you actually earning anything on this one?’ Bella indicated the camera slung across Ellie’s body as they reached the bridge over the River Polwey and took the lane to the right, leading uphill towards the manor.
Ellie mulled over the best way to answer as she realised Matt and the boys were already out of sight.
‘No. But—’
‘Elinor Arbon!’ Bella exclaimed, flicking her abundant tresses over her shoulder and flashing a pretend glare.
‘But if I can get the images in the local freebie, where they’ve promised me a photo credit, there’s a chance one of the regional papers will come across them.’
A faint sound emanated from Bella. It could have been a ladylike snort.
‘What, wrapped around their chips?’ Bella’s smile was sceptical as they followed the others through the wrought-iron gates into the grounds, and Ellie had to laugh.
‘You never know. Stranger things have happened.’
‘True,’ Bella agreed as they all headed to the converted stables.
‘I’m fine,’ Ellie insisted as Matt began hoisting the scarecrow onto its allocated stand and the boys buzzed around him, piping out instructions.
‘Now I’ve got some paid work from Mrs Tremayne, along with the few local shoots, I can tick over, so long as I don’t get tempted to splash out on something madly expensive. ’
‘Good. Let’s save the yacht shopping for now.’
Bella headed over to straighten the hat on the scarecrow, and Ellie was about to replace her lens cap when she was hailed from behind.
‘Hey, Ellie!’
She waved at Kate as she came through the archway, Dev following behind with a scarecrow flung across his shoulders, Mollie filming on her phone as Theo skipped alongside him.
Perching on a low wall next to some thick hedging, Ellie watched the proceedings, holding up her camera to assess possible photo angles for when all the figures were in place, but suddenly her skin prickled as a rustling came from the bushes behind her.
Before she could look around, Matt came striding across.
‘Hey, you!’
Startled, Ellie jumped off the wall as a man dressed in dark colours, camera aloft, appeared through a gap in the hedging.
‘Get out!’ Matt shouted, his dark eyes flashing as he approached, Dev hurrying over to join him.
‘These are private grounds,’ the latter said in more measured tones. ‘I suggest you do as you’ve been asked.’
Partially concealed by his hood, the man shrugged. ‘You’ll do.’
Before anyone could prevent it, he clicked madly away, the camera aimed at Matt, who would have flown at him had Dev not held him back.
‘Let him go. Stupid pap.’
Kate joined them, out of breath. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Nothing to worry about,’ Dev reassured her, an arm on Matt’s shoulder. ‘Some idiot trying to get an exclusive on the scarecrows, I expect.’
He guided a reluctant Matt back to the display, and Kate joined Ellie as she resumed her position on the wall.
It sounded like the man had been looking for an opportunity, but if wasn’t to bag a snap of Matt – who was known to rigidly protect his privacy – then had he been looking for Will? Had word got out he was offering the prize, leading people to expect him to be around?
‘Never a dull moment in the cove.’ Kate sounded amused, and thankful for the distraction.
Ellie fell into a discussion with her about the upcoming shoot at the manor house, and as the men continued their work with the questionable help of the children, Ellie reflected on how bizarrely her stay was going.
Did she wish she’d never come back to Polkerran Point, or was it turning into an adventure that had, perhaps, only just begun?
After the exhibits were all in place and suitably labelled, Ellie worked around the grounds taking photos.
The manor and the grounds were a fabulous backdrop for the scarecrows, which had certainly brought out the inventiveness of the villagers.
They ranged from a dapper gent in period dress via a stormtrooper to a seated fisherman, complete with rod and line.
There was even a group of presumably elderly scarecrows clustered together, one on a mobility scooter, and it didn’t take too much of a leap to realise they depicted Mrs Lovelace and her cronies.
Not wanting to speculate on whose scooter had been confiscated for the purpose, Ellie continued clicking away, the light in her favour as it reflected off the old stone walls of the stables and gatehouse.
Bella had gone back to her cottage to change, saying she’d message Nicki and walk up with her later, and Ellie strolled through the archway to the lawned area in front of the main entrance.
‘Hey.’ Kate greeted her as she emerged from the house, only to stumble slightly on the low step and drop her bag. ‘Whoops.’
Dev, who’d been on her heels, stooped down to scoop it up, sending Kate a look of affectionate amusement as they joined Ellie, who lowered her camera and fished the lens cap out of her bra strap. She really did have enough images, but knew that, without the interruption, she’d have just kept going.
‘I’ve got some great shots.’ She smiled at them both as they turned back towards the archway. ‘I’ll get the standard ones up as soon as I’m home so the locals can start to vote. Will there be a box for voting papers for those using the flyers instead?’
‘Over by the gate.’ Dev pointed to where Dickie the Chippie, the local carpenter, could be seen bolting a wooden box to a stand, watched by Theo, whose hand was clasped by Ryther.
‘Gosh,’ Ellie laughed. ‘He’s taking it very seriously.’
Ryther patted Dickie on his shoulder and turned away, Theo by his side, and Ellie eyed the elderly gentleman with concern.
‘Is your grandfather okay?’
Dev’s expression sobered as Kate sent him a sympathetic look, winding her arm around his. ‘He’s been for more treatment. It always tires him. We wanted him to rest before coming back—’
‘But he insists nothing restores his health better than being in the cove of late.’
Dev’s look was contemplative as he watched his grandfather walk over to a bench to sit with Theo.
‘He’s not got long,’ Kate added softly, squeezing Dev’s arm. ‘But this is where he wants to be when—’ Her eyes filled with tears, and this time, Dev wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close.
‘He’s moved back into Harbourwatch until the time comes. Grandy grew up in the house, and there’s a long history that binds him to it and… other places in the cove.’
Moved, Ellie squeezed Kate’s hand gently. As they went to join the others, a notification pinged on her phone. A comment on her website. Ellie idly loaded the page.
‘What the hell!’
Usually, comments were compliments on the imagery, sometimes grateful customers saying thank you for a particular job. This was…
‘Hateful.’
Something leaden formed in the pit of Ellie’s middle. It wasn’t even a negative but constructive comment, such as ‘I don’t think the light worked well in this photo’. It was an attack on the person who’d taken the photo. On Ellie.
Going into the dashboard, Ellie studied the associated email address, which turned out to be as indiscernible as the ones used lately on her socials. Were they connected?
Marking the comment and deleting it, she shoved the phone into her pocket and drew in a short breath, trying not to let the hurt surface.
Someone had it in for Ellie. But who? And why?
With Liam and Jason fed and happily watching TV in the snug at Westerleigh, Ellie, Nicki and Bella settled round the scrubbed pine table to enjoy their dinner.
Although there was no further news on Hamish beyond the initial tingling, which had soon faded, Nicki was full of plans for when he returned and how soon she could get her old life back.
Bella regaled them with anecdotes from her teaching life in Bristol as they tucked into the chilli and rice, but remained evasive about Alex, and Ellie and Nicki exchanged a puzzled glance when Bella nipped to the loo.
‘Do you get the feeling she’s hiding something?’
‘Definitely, but it’s Bella. Getting something out of her when she doesn’t want to give it is like…’ Ellie floundered, trying to think of a good metaphor.
‘Being constipated?’ Nicki offered, and they both dissolved into laughter.
When Bella returned, and they’d cleared the plates and carried over a shop-bought cheesecake and cream, the conversation turned to Ellie.
‘Managed to make any income yet?’ Bella questioned, slicing the cheesecake into quarters and sliding a piece onto each plate.
‘As a matter of fact,’ Ellie said proudly as she picked up the cream carton, ‘the feedback from the mini-sessions, which were all paid for in advance, has been excellent, and the second one is fully booked.’
The memory of the negative comments intruded for a moment, but she shook it aside.
‘Hmm.’ Bella sent Ellie a sceptical look. ‘Just make sure you focus on those money-spinning things, not the crowd-pleasing freebies.’
By the time they’d finished, stacked the dishwasher and gravitated to the sofas in front of the empty hearth, the conversation had returned to past relationships.
‘What about you, Ellie? Did you ever think you’d found “the one”?’ Nicki leaned forward to claim her glass from the table. ‘I know you dated someone for a long time. Weren’t you with that Gareth until last summer?’
‘Yep. He was nice, but just not…’
The one. Since Will, it had all seemed pointless. But then, no one – not even Nicki – knew quite how serious it had become back then…
Ellie sipped her wine, cradling her glass in both hands in her lap. ‘I dated this one other guy for a bit, a few years back, but fortunately it didn’t go beyond the dinner table.’
‘Why fortunately? Did he turn out to be a bit of an idiot?’
‘No, he’s lovely, actually. Just not for me.’ She grinned at Bella. Nicki knew the outcome of this one. ‘He ended up marrying my sister.’
Bella lowered her glass, amber eyes wide. ‘Ew, that could’ve been a bit… ick!’
Grinning, Ellie tucked her legs up on the sofa. ‘Tell me about it! Thankfully, the most intimate thing Robin ever learned about me before he met Sara was that I’m not keen on anchovies.’
‘Hey.’ Bella leaned forward suddenly, brow creasing. ‘That chap the other day – the one with Alex, in the cap. I thought I knew him from somewhere. Wasn’t he that one you had a thing for, all those years ago?’
‘Will Farmer is old history,’ Nicki declared. ‘And Ellie’s well shot of him.’ An impish look formed. ‘So, Bella. What gives with you and Alex Tremayne? Why did you split up back then? And why is he sniffing around again?’
Bella drew in a short breath. ‘Let’s just say he wasn’t who I thought he was. Now, who’s up for another drink?’
Trying not to think about Nicki’s earlier metaphor, Ellie hid her smile as they moved the conversation on to more mundane things.
Whatever was in Alex and Bella’s past, it clearly wasn’t about to come out.