Chapter Twenty-Three
“Would I Lie to You?”
‘How’s the jet lag?’ Ellie’s tone was sympathetic as a yawning Anna trudged over to the coffee machine the following afternoon.
They’d arrived back in good time around ten in the morning, but exhaustion had knocked them sideways after lunch and they’d all retired for a siesta, the twins included.
‘Quite as bad as expected.’ Anna smiled nonetheless, before topping up the beans in the machine and heading to the fridge. ‘Both the twins are still asleep, thankfully, and Oliver’s spark out.’
‘But it was worth it?’ Ellie took the milk off Anna. ‘Go and sit, I’ll do the coffee.’
‘Almost beyond words,’ Anna gushed, sinking into a chair, her hand playing mindlessly with a table mat. ‘Lauren and Daniel are blissfully happy, Ellie. And Mia is growing up so fast. I can’t wait until they get here next month.’
Ellie placed mugs on the island and walked over to stand by the table while the coffee machine did its thing.
‘Is it a honeymoon of sorts?’
Anna’s tired features lit up. ‘I thought so. They never said until after the small ceremony, but they’re moving back to the cove.’
‘Wow. How come? Isn’t Lauren high-flying through the corporate world?’ Ellie took a seat beside her, placing Anna’s mug of coffee on the mat.
‘There’s been a bit of role reversal. They’re having a baby, so Lauren’s taking a backseat from work, picking up on the consultancy she set up during the last pregnancy, and Daniel’s been offered a role as financial director at a company in Plymouth.’
They chatted for a while about the trip to the US, the wedding and Anna’s excitement over her best friend’s imminent return, and Ellie was grateful for the distraction from the constantly wheeling emotions whirring through her head.
‘What about you? What’s been happening since we left?’ Anna’s voice became gentle. ‘How’s it been, you know, around…’
Not sure where to begin, they were interrupted by a wail from the baby monitor.
‘Let’s catch up later,’ Ellie reassured Anna when she got wearily to her feet. ‘I’d better get on with some work.’
Some hours later, Ellie stretched her back, leaving the computer to complete its download of the latest card. She needed to get to the post office with some of her completed card commissions, but before that she’d upload some of the Christmas designs to her website.
Scrolling through the latest reviews on Facebook an hour later, Ellie’s heart dipped suddenly, then lurched almost into her throat.
What the hell was going on ? Not more?
A notification pinged on her phone: Anna, asking her if she wanted to join her on a walk with the twins and Dougal.
Desperate for company, Ellie poked her head around the door into the house.
Anna was wrestling Emma into the stroller beside her brother. ‘Sorry. Didn’t want to knock and disturb if you were head-down in something.’
‘It’s perfect timing. The boys have an after-school club, so I’m desperate for another excuse to down tools. I’ll grab my things.’
Ellie shoved the packaged cards into a tote. She’d worry about what she’d just seen later.
They emerged into late-afternoon sunshine, although the sun was already dipping towards the distant horizon as it headed for bed.
Ellie took hold of Dougal’s lead as they walked down the lane and across the bridge into town, and Anna waited outside while she popped into the Spar to post her packages before resuming their walk, taking the lane parallel with the water out past Harbourwatch and down to the charming tidal beach.
Bertie and Emma were obliging, sleeping contentedly, and Anna positioned the double buggy by one of the benches as Ellie went into the little shop to pick up two hot chocolates and a biscuit for Dougal.
‘Thanks.’ Anna took the cup, inhaling deeply. ‘I’d forgotten how much I loved these.’ Then, she turned her hazel eyes on Ellie. ‘So, tell me why you look so haunted. And don’t deny it.’
Ellie puffed out a breath, placing her takeaway cup on the ground beside the bench. It helped to talk, didn’t it?
‘Someone is actively trying to destroy my businesses. Both of them. They’ve posted one-star reviews on the Facebook page and left negative comments on my Instagram posts.
It’s the same account, but I can’t work out where it’s coming from.
’ She dropped her head into her hands. ‘I don’t understand. Who would do this?’
She felt Anna’s hand on her back, rubbing it consolingly, probably much as she did when the twins needed winding.
If only a good burp could clear this obstacle.
‘And Will?’ Anna prompted gently.
Ellie sat up. ‘I have no idea what’s going on with him.
One minute we’re each barely acknowledging the other exists, the next he turns up with a ham roll for my lunch or engages my services as a photographer, as if there’s no history between us.
He messaged earlier. He’s hired a local guide who’s leading a walk from Fowey to Polridmouth.
Will said I need to be there to capture some footage and identify the best spots for when he’s doing pieces to camera, you know, just explaining things directly.
I told him I was going for a walk with Kate,’ Ellie continued.
‘But his response was, “bring her along”. Honestly. I can’t fathom the man out. ’
‘And this history. There’s more to it than you’re saying, isn’t there?’
Leaning back against the bench, Ellie watched the waves slide across the wet sand before retreating. It was a bit like her and Will, performing some sort of catch-me-if-you-can dance.
‘Yes,’ she said softly, the word floating away on the breeze.
A lot more…
On the morning of the walk, Ellie threw back the curtains and leaned on the sill, her chin resting in her hands.
She’d slept better than expected, and she opened one of the windows to inhale deeply.
The autumn air was crisp and laden with a heady combination of woodsmoke and gentle gusts of wind, enticing her to be outside.
The glimmering water rippled in its endless flow towards the harbour, and crows gathered in the bare branches of the trees clinging to the steep hillsides, their rasping caws accompanied by hammering from the boat yard.
There had been no further contact from Will, beyond telling her to meet him and the guide in the car park at Readymoney in Fowey.
Time to get ready.
It took a stupid amount of time to decide what to wear, how to do her hair, what footwear to use and the most suitable bag that wouldn’t be too onerous to carry on a long walk.
‘Come on,’ Kate called out to her as Ellie came out of the cottage. ‘They’ll leave without us.’
‘I wish they would,’ she muttered.
Kate sent her an amused look. ‘Do you?’
‘Sorry. I’m grateful you could come along.’
‘It’s fine. We were going to walk anyway, weren’t we, and this isn’t one I’ve done before. I was going to bring Bayley – he’s Dev’s lab – but he’s got a poorly paw just now.’
Ellie settled into Kate’s car, but as they reached the harbour, she spotted a woman she didn’t recognise, walking a dog, and she frowned, unhappy with the way the lead was being tugged.
‘What’s the purpose of the walk?’ Kate glanced at Ellie as they turned onto the main road to Fowey.
‘It’s Will’s idea, wanting the full experience of approaching the beach from that direction, before heading up towards Menabilly. It should deliver some great photo ops for the feature.’
Soon parked up, Ellie emerged from the car, her expression indicative of her apprehension. Every encounter with Will had proved unpredictable so far. What would today bring?
‘Are you okay?’
Ellie summoned a smile for Kate as she retrieved her backpack and cameras from the boot.
‘I’m fine. Sorry our plans got hijacked. They can take the lead; that way, we still get our walk.’
‘Hello there!’
Ellie exchanged a look with Kate, and they both waved at Chloe, who looked far too excited, as Will emerged from his car.
‘Too much time in Will’s company,’ Kate said quietly as they made their way across the car park to join them.
Ellie hefted the bag more comfortably onto her shoulder, adjusting both camera straps so they wouldn’t jostle with each other, trying to quash a flutter of jealousy as she followed the others down the path. Had Chloe and Will been spending time together then?
Chloe led them to the right, skirting Readymoney Cove and following a Saints’ Way marker, ascending a steep, rock-strewn path up through some woods.
Will barely looked in Ellie’s direction, and she paused, out of puff, as they reached a flatter, leaf-strewn lane stretching from left to right. Clearly, today was to be a not-so-friendly encounter.
‘It’s this way, but you might like to visit St Catherine’s Castle first. There are stunning views back towards Fowey, and you can even see Daphne du Maurier’s home at Ferryside if you use binoculars. Or a zoom,’ she added to Ellie.
They followed her out to the ruins, perched on a cliff opposite the entrance to Fowey, a wide expanse of water separating it from the smaller settlement of Polruan on the opposite side of the river.
Chloe chattered on about block houses, Henry VIII, American soldiers stationed there in World War II and more. Ellie shut her voice out. She was, after all, talking expressly to Will, all but ignoring Kate too.
Picking up the Fuji with the wide-angle lens, Ellie clicked almost continuously, checking the viewfinder, moving around to establish the best light, conscious Kate had perched on a rocky outcrop as Chloe led Will up some steep stone steps to a higher viewpoint.
Ellie’s phone rang, and she tugged it from her jeans pocket. Marcus.
‘I did it!’
Laughing, Ellie walked over to sit on a low stone wall overlooking the water. ‘Details, Marcus. Did what?’
‘Oh! I asked Phyllida out. Well, I said would she like to go for something to eat, and she said yes, so then I had to explain I meant with me.’
Still grinning, her gaze roamed up to the castle ruins. Chloe seemed to be talking non-stop – much like Marcus at the moment – but then she realised Will was staring down at Ellie, that assessing look on his features again, and she stood up and turned her back.
Ending the call, Ellie’s mind dwelled on what might have got Will’s goat today. She was soon to have an answer.
Regrouping and ready to take up the Saints’ Way again, he dropped back as Ellie replaced her lens cap, and she raised her head to find him staring at her as if he couldn’t quite make her out.
Feeling the habitual tension building in her shoulders, she held his gaze.
‘What?’
‘I checked. No email from that address you gave me. So that’s the end of the matter.’
Ellie’s throat tightened momentarily. How could that be? But hold on… he didn’t exactly sound triumphant…
She skipped ahead of him as he walked away.
‘But you looked,’ she threw over her shoulder.
She wasn’t sure why, but the fact Will had made the effort, felt it was worth considering – even though it had proved him right – lifted her spirits, and Ellie bounded along the path with renewed energy, determined to double her efforts to search back in her own sent items.
It didn’t occur to Ellie that if she did find the email, then what might that imply?