Chapter 39
THIRTY-NINE
Rita pushed open the door of Sail Away and smiled as the bell tinkled above her head, today reminding her of Notting Hill, one of her favourite films. She was already off her crutches, having woken that morning, put her foot to the floor and realised she did not actually need them.
It had only been a turned ankle and although it was healing remarkably well, she had made sure the support was firmly in place, as instructed.
She was not quite confident in her braking skills yet, so Thom had given her a lift down to the harbour and extracted a promise that she would ring him when she was ready to head back to the farm.
She had of course not paid heed to any of Jago’s worries about her resting.
She felt fine; she had a wedding to organise!
She paused just inside the shop, one hand drifting to her bump before catching her reflection in the glass door.
She hadn’t told Teo yet, or Stan. And she couldn’t possibly tell Jude before them.
No. That news needed to be shared properly.
Deliberately. Today was not that day. Making sure her bump was covered, she moved over to one of the two inviting Lloyd Loom chairs that looked over the harbour and sank into it with an audible ‘oof’.
‘Escaping?’ Jude said, looking up from behind the counter, eyes warm with understanding.
‘Very much so.’ Rita let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.
‘Let me get you a coffee,’ Jude said, moving towards the coffee machine.
‘Decaf please, and yes, I’ve come down to escape the madness for a bit. And also… to say thank you. Truly. For helping on the night of the fire. I’m so grateful to you all.’
Jude waved a hand, modest. ‘You don’t need to thank us. That’s what community does. We show up. Especially when it’s as terrifying as that. Teo says thankfully the barn stayed intact.’
‘Yes, we were so lucky.’ Rita smiled, the familiar prickly pressure behind her eyes threatening to undo her, but she blinked it away.
‘I’m also after a recommendation,’ she said, taking the offered cup and saucer from him.
‘I’d like to leave a book in the yurts for the wedding guests who are staying at the farm.
Something thoughtful, romantic, uplifting.
Short enough for them to dip in and out of. ’
Jude’s face lit up. ‘I have just the thing. How about our good friend Tennyson, In Memoriam and Other Poems? Beautiful, timeless love poems.’
He pulled a slim, elegantly bound edition from the shelf and handed it to her.
Rita turned it over in her hands, imagining it resting on a little table in a yurt. Jude leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret. ‘There’s a place in In Memoriam that always strikes me.’ He began to recite:
‘I hold it true, whate’er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
’Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
‘Simple, beautiful.’ Jude smiled warmly. ‘It reminds you why love is worth everything.’
Rita was wide-eyed. ‘I so didn’t know that was Tennyson.
’ She put on a voice and quoted, ‘It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, that’s it, isn’t it?
I quote that all the time.’ Jude nodded and smiled as Rita’s exuberance continued.
‘Wow, I’ve learned something today and I love that.
So poignant.’ Her thoughts suddenly turned to Archie, and she wiped a lone tear away with her hand. She noticed Jude’s face fall.
‘Oh, Jude. I hope it hasn’t stirred up memories for you, too.’
Jude pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘No, not at all. I’m so happy with Teo. He’s everything I could have wished for and more. The past really is past for me now.’
‘Aw. That is so sweet.’ She wiped another tear away.
‘Are you OK, Rita?’
‘Yes.’ Rita managed a laugh. ‘Just a bit emotional at the moment.’ She took a sip of coffee. ‘So do you have more copies of this one?’ She held up the book.
‘Four in total,’ Jude said. ‘Is that enough?’
‘That’s all I need. Imogen can go without,’ Rita said with a conspiratorial smile, finishing off her coffee in one go.
‘Imogen?’
‘Yes, a guest but also a secret journalist. She wrote something dodgy about the farm.’
‘Oh, shit.’ Jude took Rita’s empty cup.
‘Yes, she’s stirred up all kinds of trouble, I think.’ Rita decided to leave it there.
‘I needed that little pit stop; thanks for the drink.’ She stood up. ‘Right, if you could invoice me as usual for these that would be amazing. I’d better crack on.’
Popping the books into her bag, she stepped back out into the bright sunlight and turned towards Betty’s.
The harbour in June was a painting come to life.
The sun glinted off the water in soft shards of gold, boats bobbed lazily in the gentle swell, and the air carried the faint tang of salt and varnish.
It was the calm before the schools broke up, a brief lull when the town seemed to breathe.
Pensioners sat on benches, hands resting lightly on laps, watching the tide roll in.
Families with toddlers lingered by the railings, letting little feet tap cautiously on the wooden boards while parents smiled and pointed at the bobbing boats.
The hush was almost reverent, a gentle interlude before the summer noise. Seagulls circled overhead, calling softly, and the occasional bark of a distant dog punctuated the serenity.
Rita inhaled deeply, letting the peace wash over her. The wedding felt suddenly tangible in the sunlight and the clean air. ‘Flaming June,’ she murmured with a grin to herself. Perfect for a coastal wedding.
She turned into Betty’s, where the warm smell of baking hit her immediately, a comforting blend of yeast, cinnamon, and sugar.
‘Morning, Rita!’ Betty greeted from behind the counter, flour smudged on her apron. Her white hair was now coloured a luminous purple. ‘Lovely day, isn’t it?’
‘Beautiful.’ Rita scanned the tasty display on offer. ‘I’ll take some made-up rolls, a mixture of fillings, please. Let’s say twenty of them, and fifteen cinnamon buns.’
‘Fifteen?’ Betty raised an eyebrow. ‘Someone’s hungry!’
‘Everyone’s earned it,’ Rita said with a smile. ‘We are having a massive clean-up on the farm today. In time for the wedding.’
‘Yes, I can imagine. Nasty business, I’m so sorry, Rita.’
‘Yes, it is. And a massive thank you to you and Derek for helping on the night of the fire. I couldn’t have managed without all of you. I’m so grateful.’
Betty’s expression softened. ‘Ah, it was nothing. I’m only glad you’re all right.
What a to-do. Talking of to-dos, is it right that your Thom has got himself involved with Elodie Blunt?
Old Lily Cracknell said she was sure she saw them together in the car park at Seahaven Point.
And you know what people say about steamy windows in a car. ’
Rita raised an eyebrow. ‘It’s quite sad that people have nothing better to do with their own lives than talk about other people’s.’
Betty turned her back and started to fill white paper bags with Rita’s requested goodies. She placed everything on the front counter. ‘Someone said they saw a fire inspector turning into your place, too. What did they have to say for themselves? Do you think… somebody started it deliberately?’
Suddenly feeling the weight of her theories pressing at the edges of her mind, Rita took a deep breath.
She knew her next sentence would send the Seahaven Bay Facebook Gossip Group into a tailspin, but at least the heat would be off her son.
Calmly, she said, ‘He said it is likely suspicious, but there’s no proof yet. I’m letting the police manage it.’
She had delayed the police visit until this afternoon, wanting a moment to gather herself before facing a load more questions.
She paid up and gathered her order. ‘Have a good day, Betty.’
Rita tilted her face to the sky as she made her way along the harbour to Jilly’s. She pushed open the studio door to find a class was just finishing. Jilly spotted her, waved, then summoned her to wait on one of the balance balls by the reception desk.
‘Drink?’ Jilly offered once the last person had left and Rita had made her way back from the toilet.
‘No thanks, I’m already piddling for England.’
‘You feel OK, though, do you? I’m actually loving the fact you are pregnant. And no, I’m not going soft and yes, please do still adhere to my no-godmother ruling.’
Rita laughed. ‘You’ve got a child of your own with Joel now, anyway, haven’t you?’
Jilly was wide-eyed. ‘Rita Jory, how rude… and do you know what? I looked at him in a completely different light the other night during the fire. He was strong and kind and so willing to help you, so take that back.’
‘OK, as long as you are happy then I’m happy.’ Rita grinned. ‘And please say thank you to him from me. You were both amazing.’
Jilly was serious for a second. ‘I read some Anonymous attributed quote on Instagram the other day that sat with me. It was something like, You never know how strong the roots are by just looking at the flowers.’
‘Aw, love that,’ Rita cooed.
‘Yes, me too. Joel’s undoubtedly beautiful, aesthetically, but it’s been a few months now and I’m getting to know him, and I like him.’
Rita raised an eyebrow. ‘The age gap is huge, though…’
Jilly waved a hand. ‘Love doesn’t count years.
’ Her expression sobered. ‘I went through so much shite with that wayward aul’ fella of mine, I’m happy in the now and for now, that’s enough.
’ She sat down next to Rita on a balance ball.
‘So… the fire inspector found evidence leading to Rosecliff Barns, you said in your message.’
Rita nodded. ‘Just a bit of paper with their logo on it, but I’m not getting hung up on that; it could have blown there in the wind from the rubbish, who knows.’
‘You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?’
‘Of course I have. I can’t believe someone could be so awful as to set the place alight on purpose.’
Jilly cocked her head in thought. ‘Hmm, I guess Rosecliff could have been pissed at that article that Imogen wrote, and, in theory, you are so close in geography you could be taking their business in the future.’
‘Yeah, that has obviously crossed my mind, of course.’
‘Who else would want any of you out of the picture? Whose life would benefit?’
Rita swallowed. ‘Are you saying someone wanted me or one of us at the farm dead?’
‘Bit extreme, I guess,’ Jilly laughed.
‘Yes. Jesus, Poirot,’ Rita giggled. ‘You’re going to have me putting my Line of Duty disguise on again.’
Jilly shrugged, a playful grin tugging at her lips. ‘Anyway. Let the police do their job.’ She looked to Rita’s expanding waistline. ‘You’re looking proper blooming now.’
‘Fat, you mean,’ Rita laughed. ‘I already look like one of Jago’s cows.
But at least me and him are sorted now. I forgave him so easily…
and do you know what? I don’t care that I did.
I love him. He was just being a weak man.
However… boundaries are reset, and he’s promised to make it up to me, big time. So, let’s see.’
‘I’d expect a diamond at least the size of Africa for him being such a dick, to be fair.’
Rita laughed aloud. ‘Who says he’s getting me a ring?’
‘And have you thought of what you’d say if he did this time?’ Jilly cocked her head waiting for an answer.
‘All I want is to get this wedding out of the way and for it to be a momentous success for Sennen. Then we can all breathe a little easier.’
‘It will be perfect.’ Jilly tidied her ponytail. ‘Do you want any help on the actual day? I can’t cook, but I can fetch, carry, and flirt with the groomsmen.’
‘That would be amazing.’
‘You take it as me being there, la. I’ll block out my classes for the entire day.’ Rita stood, and Jilly gave her a quick hug. ‘Sorted. Now I need to meet my Joel to set my heart racing before my next session.’
‘Love is friendship set on fire, you know that,’ Rita said with a smile.
‘How very topical.’ Jilly smirked, pointed to her perfect boobs, gave a little shimmy, and grinned wildly. ‘Love is fire set on fire with all of this going on, sweetheart.’