Chapter 11
It was a few weeks or so after the huge storm in Lovely Bay. Nina and Robby were sitting in the car queued in a line of vehicles waiting to park at a chain ferry over to a place called Darling Island. Both of them were sipping take-away coffees and they were chatting about Robby’s business opportunity in Asia. As the tender had progressed, it was now more or less certain that Robby would be going first to Singapore and then Bangkok to put contracts in place, train teams and set up the ins and outs of business there. There had been much talk about Nina going with him and they’d chatted about it as they’d driven towards Darling Island.
Nina watched as a beautiful old floating bridge ferry with a hexagonal tower left from the other side of the estuary and made its way towards them. Robby inched the car through row upon row of cars until he finally found a parking spot. Nina hopped out and walked over towards the pay machine. The price for parking the car was not cheap, and thinking that the little island had better be worth it, she looked over across the water and wondered quite how the water was so blue.
A few minutes later, she was strolling along beside Robby, following a few other foot passengers going towards the floating bridge. As they walked down the path for pedestrians, a queue of cars waiting to board sat bumper-to-bumper on the slip road going down to the sea. Nina watched the front of the floating bridge, where a man in a white polo shirt with a blue badge on the breast and trousers with a reflective strip on the bottom shouted across the line of waiting passengers. ‘Left if you’re on foot. Foot passengers to the left, please! Darling Island to go through to the bay! Wait for the gate! Repeat, wait for the gate! Darling Island. Left if on foot!’
As they stood by a barrier waiting to board, Nina read a brown sign overhead with interest.
Darling Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry crossing over to Darling Island, nestled just off the dazzling blue waters of the south coast.
Family-owned, wholly operated, and still privately run by The Darling Floating Bridge Company, it is one of the few remaining chain ferries in operation today.
First established in 1871, some of the original ferries can still be seen at our boatyard. The Darling floating bridges remain the only way to cross to Darling with The Pride of Darling crossing the narrowest point to Darling Island.
7 days a week. 365 days a year.
First ferry runs continuously from Darling Bay 5.30 a.m.
Nina gazed at the white hexagonal tower on the ferry top and smiled. ‘All this looks nice. I’ve never been on a chain-link ferry before. How quaint.’
‘Haven’t you?’ Robby queried. ‘Haven’t you been on the one at Woolwich?’
‘Woolwich?’ Nina asked with a frown on her face. ‘I didn’t know there was one there. What, does it go across the Thames?’
‘Yep, the Woolwich Ferry. I’ve been on it a few times. We had a big contract over that way a few years ago. It’s like a commuter ferry similar to this one. Have to say, though, the water isn’t quite as blue on the Thames. Nowhere near it. Sludgy brown more like.’
‘Never heard of it. I was at the other end of town so I don’t suppose I would have.’
‘Are you saying you were at the posh end?’ Robby joked.
Nina laughed. ‘I guess I was, not that I thought it then.’
They sat in silence for a bit as the ferry clunked and clanged as it made its way toward the mainland.
Nina sighed. ‘Ooh, I do love a nice day out. It’s good to go off somewhere for the day. Gives you a little break.’
Robby squinted over the estuary. ‘Is it me, or is there a certain kind of colour that I can’t quite put my finger on?’
‘I just thought the same thing, too. It’s sort of like a hazy blue somehow…’
‘Yeah, you can’t quite put your finger on it, but it really looks nice.’
‘I think I read something about it now that I think about it. It said something about the blue when I was looking at the tourist information website.’
‘Right, yeah, there’s definitely something about it.’
Nina pointed up at the sign underneath the ferry information board. ‘It says up there about the dazzling blue waters of the Darling Estuary.’
‘Nice.’
Both of them looked over towards the floating bridge. It appeared exactly as it was described, and she watched in fascination as it made its way over to land. Two thick chains disappeared down a sloping causeway into the water. Nina turned to see a line of passengers queuing to get on and a stream of cars waiting at the gate by the embarkation point. A man with an old leather satchel across his body and a navy blue hat with the floating bridge logo on the front made his way along the line of foot passengers. People held out travel cards and phones and tapped on a little gadget he held out in front of him.
He smiled as he got to Nina and Robby.
‘Ahoy there, my lovers. Are we foot passengers to Darling?’
‘We are.’
The man’s deeply wrinkled, tanned skin formed into even deeper lines. ‘And are we residents?’
Nina frowned. ‘Pardon? Are we British residents?’
The man chuckled. ‘I’m not the Border Agency, my lover. I have to ask whether or not you are a resident of our fair island here. Darling Island has its own laws, believe it or not. Even though I am almost certainly sure you’re not a resident, I have to ask.’
Nina scratched the side of her head. What was all this stuff about being a resident and law? Where on earth were they? She was fairly sure the man was having a joke with her. He wasn’t allowed to ask her what her residency status was, surely. However, there was no way she was going to point that out. ‘We’re not residents, nope.’
The deeply weathered man joked with a friendly laugh and tapped the side of his temple. ‘Intentions to be one at any point?’
‘No, quite happy where we are, thanks.’
‘Rightio, if you’re both non-residents, that will be one pound fifty each, please. Paying together? If my maths is correct, I’d make that three pounds.’ The man held out the little machine.
Nina tapped her card and the machine beeped. ‘What happens if you’re a resident, just out of interest?’
The man sucked air in through his teeth. ‘Now you’re asking. Confidential information, ha! It’s very complicated. Business owners, seventy-five. Permits, free.’
‘Right, I see, I think.’
‘Where are you off to on this fine day, then, my lover?’
Nina gazed down at her phone. ‘A shop I’ve seen on Instagram.’
The man nodded knowingly and the wrinkles at the side of his eyes creased even deeper. ‘Thought as much. A certain shop with flowers out the front would that be?’
Nina laughed. ‘How did you know? Do I stick out like a sore thumb?’
The man tapped the side of his temple again. ‘Ahh, we know everything on this floating bridge also known as the Darling Punt. We control the comings and goings of Darling on here. Always been the same, so watch what you get up to.’
Nina laughed. ‘Right you are.’
The man went to move to the next passenger. ‘Have a lovely day on Darling.’
‘Thanks. Will do.’
After they’d disembarked the chain ferry, Nina walked along the road, hand in hand with Robby, and for a second they turned around to see the old floating bridge start to load with passengers going the other way.
Nina gazed out at the estuary. ‘It’s so lovely here. The hazy blue colour really is a thing, isn’t it?’
Robby nodded. ‘Yes, and I thought Lovely Bay was nice.
‘This has to be up there with the Lovely Bays of the world,’ Nina noted. ‘Nice way to arrive, too.’
‘Indeed. The good old British seaside. You can’t really beat it on a day like this.’
They strolled along in the direction of the tram station they’d read about, where they would be able to jump on a tram that ran up through the centre of the island. Nina couldn’t believe quite how pretty everything was as she watched an old blue and white tram trundle down on the right-hand side of the road.
Robby looked down at his phone. ‘Darling Street is where the shop is and then we need to go a few streets back to find the coffee shop called Darlings that Colin told us about.’
Nina pointed over to a tram shelter where a queue of people was waiting and smiled as she saw a tram approaching. When she’d read about the trams, she’d assumed they would be modern train-style affairs, but as an old-fashioned carriage with the same white and blue livery as the floating bridge made its way down the road, Nina was captivated. She watched as a conductor stood on the back of a tram, a bell rang, and someone in a tram shelter on the far side waved to the conductor going past.
After finding the correct shelter, they stood in the sunshine in the queue for the tram, and watched as trams pulled in and out. The sun caught the tramlines and a small digital sign told them they had a few minutes to wait. The sign flicked a few times and orange letters announced that a Darling Main tram would arrive in two minutes, a Bay tram in eleven, and a Castle tram was cancelled. A few minutes later, with the orange letters on the sign informing them that the tram was approaching, an old tram trundled up to the shelter. A woman in blue trousers and a white polo shirt with aqua blue epaulettes called out from the back of the tram.
‘Darling Main! Watch yourself on the steps here. All stops, Darling Main. Mind the steps!’
Nina and Robby took a few steps onto the tram. The woman in the white shirt flicked her eyebrows upwards and smiled. ‘Morning, love. Resident?’
The resident question again. ‘No, nope, we’re not.’
The woman’s face cracked into a friendly smile. ‘Sorry, I have to ask. It’s a Darling byelaw. No doubt you were just asked the same thing on the punt. Just tap your card.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Where are you two off to? A day out on our lovely island, is it? You chose the right day for it. Blinder!’
‘Yes, loving it so far.’ Nina jerked her thumb back. ‘The colour of the water. It’s taken our breath away.’
‘Oh yes, on a day like this we aim to please with that. There’s nothing like it when the sun is shining. Have you been to Darling before?’
‘No, we haven”t. This is our first visit.’
‘Off to the beach, are you?’
‘Actually, I’ve come to do a spot of shopping.’
‘Right you are. We have some good shops along the main street here.’
‘Yes, there’s a jewellery shop...’
The woman chuckled. ‘Yeah, love, I clocked you might be here for that. You and half of Instagram come over for Love Emmy x. Get your purse out. You’ll love it.’
Nina laughed. ‘Ahh, how did you know?’
‘Seen it all on this tram, love. Right you are, then. I’ll show you the best seat in the house. Only my opinion of course. Make your way down to the front there on the right. Let me tell you, that’s a view and a half. You won’t be disappointed. You’re welcome.’
‘Thank you,’ Nina said as, with Robby following her, she inched her way through the busy tram to the front where a bell with a long plaited rope sat in the middle, highly polished timber seats gleamed, and sliding paned windows let in a welcome breeze.
Neither Robby nor Nina said anything as they sat down and took it all in. The woman then proceeded to poke her head out the window on the left side, looked to her left and right, yanked the rope hanging from the bell, and tucked her phone into her pocket as the bell rang out. ‘All stops, Darling Main. All stops. First stop, fire station, then all stops, Darling Main!’
As the tram trundled along, Robby put his hand on Nina’s leg and she smiled. They glided past a corner shop completely covered in ivy, rows of white houses, a building set back with a sign displaying ‘Doctors on Darling’ on the front, and a church surrounded by hydrangea bushes. The tram stopped here and there, the conductor continued to call out and ring the bell, and the blue of the water flicked in and out in the gaps between the buildings.
Nina whispered to Robby, ‘She was right. The view is really nice from here. You could sit on here all day long, going back and forth and watching the world go by. How nice.’
‘On a day like this, yes. We could have our lunch on here.’ Robby joked. ‘Coming here was worth it just for this.’
‘We’ll just stay on here all day.’
A few minutes later, they were at the right stop on Darling Street for the shop Nina wanted to go to. Every building was liveried in the same aqua blue and white as the floating bridge and the trams. White and blue bunting fell from what seemed to be everywhere overhead. A low, quiet rumble of the tram sounded as it trundled away and pretty dappled light filtered from the trees lining the side of the road. Darling Island was giving in the feels department.
Nina swooned as they got to the jewellery shop she’d seen many times on Instagram and all over social media. It looked so pretty from the outside, where an overstuffed cascade of faux flowers and greenery reached from the left-hand side of a door all the way over the top of the shop windows and back down the other side. A jumble of florals and leaves weaved their way in and out of the shopfront, tiny little white lights twinkled between the flowers, and huge pink daisies dotted throughout drew the eye. A past-its-best high street jewellery store, it was not.
For a few minutes, Nina was unsure where to look first, so she just stood where she was, gazing at the shop, taking it all in. The window display was something else; beautiful old vintage books in haphazard stacks here and there, more of the same flowers weaved in and out of everything, vintage cake stands, and pretty pots full of unusual things. All of it showcased the most gorgeous, exquisitely designed jewellery. Everything felt as if it had all been meticulously curated at the same time as being a jumble of pretty things.
Nina had heard so much about the shop, Love Emmy x and had watched many a social media reel from effusive fans raving about the place. As she stood looking on, she shivered as it delivered one hundred and ten per cent.
She lifted her shoulders, pursed her lips, and turned excitedly to Robby as they stood by the window. ‘How lovely is this? I mean, can you believe it? It’s so, so, so nice! Right?’
Robby wasn’t quite as enthusiastic; clearly, jewellery shops covered in a plethora of flowers weren’t really his thing. Give him his due, he tried hard. But failed. Miserably. ‘Mmm. Yes, it’s lovely. Really nice. Love it. Great, really great.’
Nina laughed at the tone of Robby’s voice. She could tell he was pretending to be enthused when he really wasn’t that interested at all. ‘Don’t sound too enthusiastic all at once. You sound impressed. Not.’
‘No, no, I am. Honestly, it’s fantastic,’ Robby added, making a much more concerted attempt to appear enthralled by the jewellery shop. He took a step closer to the window and peered in. ‘Yeah, super nice. Fabulous.’
Nina pointed up the street where two blue and white trams were passing, one trundling towards the stop they’d just alighted from. ‘Why don’t you have a stroll up there while I go in? I’m probably going to be ages by the looks of this place. I want to have a really long browse.’
Robby shook his head. ‘No, I’ll be fine. I’ll come in with you. All good.’
Nina was more insistent. The last thing she wanted was Robby hovering around her, wondering what all the fuss was about. She wanted to have a bit of a mooch, possibly a little chat with the owner she’d heard so much about, and not have to worry about what Robby was doing. She flicked her hand in the direction of the street. ‘You go on and I’ll see you in a bit. I’d rather be on my own…’
Robby didn’t need to be persuaded again. ‘Right, okay, yes, suits me. I’ll see you soon or whenever. Text me when you’re done.’
‘Will do, yep. See you later.’ Nina nodded as she pushed open the door.
An old-fashioned shop bell above tinkled as she walked into Love Emmy x, and she closed her eyes for a second as she was surrounded by lovely things and a gorgeous smell of bergamot orange scent enveloped her. Everything about the shop made Nina swoon as she gently closed the door behind her and stood on the doormat for a second, not knowing where to look first.
The shop was just as she’d read and seen on Instagram and hadn’t quite believed, but much, much better in real life. It was as if she’d stepped into a whole other world – a world where things were so different from the nasty, cheap jewellery stores gracing the overlit, shiny shopping centres up and down the country. This was a place you wanted to sit for a bit, have a nose here and there, and take your time to choose something special. As Nina’s eyes flicked around at the display cases, she couldn’t wait to part with some of her hard-earned cash fast enough.
Walking over to a vintage display dresser on the far side and peering in, a woman came through from the back. The woman said hello, smiled, and asked if she needed any help. Nina said she was just browsing and so the woman left her to get on with it. Pretty harp music played in the background, the lovely smell continued to waft around, and Nina spent ages mooching from left to right to see what she fancied. She was having a thoroughly nice time and then some.
About ten minutes later, the woman pottered around behind one of the vintage display cases, dealt with a customer on the phone, and then asked Nina if she wanted a cup of tea. Surprised at being asked if she wanted tea in a shop, Nina wasn’t sure what to say. It wasn’t your normal occurrence to be offered a tea when shopping, not as far as she was concerned anyway. Spying the tea and coffee station over in the corner and a stack of vintage cups and saucers, she decided she would partake. ‘Yes, please, I’d love one, actually.’
The woman beamed and then joked. ‘I’m Emmy, by the way. Shop owner and all-around general dogsbody.’
‘Nina. Nice to meet you. I absolutely adore your shop.’ Nina heard herself gushing.
‘Thank you. That’s so kind of you to say. I love it here in my little corner of the world.’
‘I saw it on Instagram. Peaches came here and I was sold. She said she’s all over everything Love Emmy x.’
Emmy smiled knowingly. ‘Oh, yes. Lots of people come here via Peaches. We had all sorts of people in by way of her.’
Nina heard herself gushing again. ‘It’s much better in real life. I didn’t think it would be. How wrong I was. I just love everything! It’s just so, I don’t even know what the word is! How on earth do you do it?’
Emmy laughed. ‘Lots of people say that. It’s better to outdo people’s expectations if possible. Not that that is what this is about. I just love jewellery and making buying it a gorgeous experience… That’s how the idea for all this started.’
‘You succeeded. You really did. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a nice shopping experience. Everything is just so… I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it. It’s just gorgeous! Really, really nice!’
‘Aww, thanks, that’s so kind of you.’
About five minutes later, Nina had a cup of tea in front of her. She chatted about the fact that she was after a present for Sophie’s birthday and had no real idea what to buy. As she perched on a beautiful, pale pink velvet stool with her cup of tea in a pretty, old-fashioned cup and saucer, she explained her predicament to Emmy. ‘I”m looking for a birthday present for my friend Sophie, but I’m not sure what to get her. Hence, why I’m here.’
Emmy nodded. ‘What kind of style does she lean towards? More classic, or does she have a penchant for the unusual? That’s normally a good place to start.’
Nina thought for a moment. ‘Classic, I’d say. Maybe with a twist, but nothing too radical. She’s more classic now that she”s had children. She used to be a bit more, hmm, how can I say? A bit more out there, but yeah, that’s changed these days. She spends a lot of time running around after her three children. Her husband is useless, not that you needed to know that.’
‘Yup, it happens. I have just the thing in mind,’ Emmy said as she walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a tray of various jewellery pieces. ‘These are some classic designs that are a bit different in their details. Have a little nose through these.’
‘Right, ooh, yes, thanks.’
Emmy pointed to a necklace with an intricate pattern on a pendant. ‘This pendant is quite plain until you look up close. The pattern is inspired by vintage maps, and it’s been a favourite for those who love a story behind their jewellery. I can hardly keep them in stock. In fact, I think this might be the last one.’
‘Mmm, oh yes, nice.’
Emmy smiled, pleased with the reaction. ‘It’s one of our best sellers. From what I’ve seen, they never disappoint, so that could work for her. I don’t think you can go wrong.’
‘Yes, I love it and I think she would like it.’
‘Right, well, that’s a contender.’
‘So, how long have you had the shop?’ Nina asked, sipping her tea and continuing to look through things Emmy showed her.
‘It”s been a while now. It started as a small project, a passion, really, and it’s grown into something bigger. I’d had the idea in my head for years and years. As in, since I was a little girl and then quite by chance one day I came across this place. Every piece has a bit of my heart in it. That’s what I like to think, anyway. Love Emmy x went from there, really. It’s been quite the ride.’
Nina smiled. ‘It really shows. The shop has such a warm feel. It’s like stepping into a little jewellery haven.’
Emmy beamed at the compliment. ‘That’s exactly the vibe I was going for. I wanted it to feel like more than just a shop, more like a place where people can come and discover something special.’
‘Well, you’ve definitely achieved that. I’m so glad I came in.’
‘It was a bit of a gamble at the time. I just had a feeling about the building and everything and yeah, here we are. Sometimes gambling on life works out.’
‘Yup, so true.’
They continued to discuss various pieces, with Emmy sharing the stories behind some of the designs. Nina found herself not just shopping for a gift but wanting to ditch her actual life, move into the shop, and never ever leave. Plus, she had a girl crush and life envy for Emmy so very, very badly.
Finally, after much deliberation, Nina chose the initial vintage map-inspired necklace. ‘I think this will be perfect for Soph. Yes, thanks.’
About fifteen minutes later, in possession of the beautiful gold necklace, exquisitely wrapped in the Love Emmy x branded paper and tied in a bow, Nina made her way back out of the shop with a smile on her face. She felt almost as if she’d been treated as she’d shopped for a gift for someone else. The whole experience had been very clever; it had made Nina somehow feel happy and gushing to tap her card and part with her money. She’d wanted to be part of the Love Emmy x dream.
As she stepped out onto the street, one of the trams came trundling up from the estuary. It rang its bell as it passed, and a conductor standing at the back smiled and waved as another tram came the other way. Nina walked along the pavement, keeping an eye out for Robby. He’d texted her to say he’d walked all the way along the length of Darling Street and was on his way back again.
After passing a few shops, she texted her whereabouts to Robby and stopped to look at a map that detailed the place Colin had told her was good to go for a coffee. A few minutes later, clutching the beautiful bag from the jewellery shop, she met up with Robby and they made their way to the little café called Darlings.
A woman on a pushbike went past, smiled, and said hello, and a man with a dog greeted them as he walked past. About ten minutes later, they approached the place Colin had recommended. Nina knew right away she wasn’t going to be disappointed as she looked at the lovely little coffee shop with its bow-fronted window, open front door, tables out the front, blue and white bunting and resident Labrador asleep by a mat at the entrance. She gazed at the sign above the café and nodded that it appeared to be the place Colin had told her about. It looked like something out of a picture book: a jumble of pink climbing roses snaked up and over the door from the right, paned floor-to-ceiling windows ran along the first floor, and an assortment of terracotta pots filled with flowers were tucked here, there, and everywhere.
Not able to stop her eyebrows from raising as they walked in, Nina stood by the door for a second and looked around at small bistro tables that were squeezed into every available space. With barely any room to move, Nina followed Robby to a table that had been indicated to him by a member of staff from the back. All around them, tall, floor-to-ceiling shelving was stacked to the brim with china, dozens of sacks of coffee, an old-fashioned glass counter ran along the back, and a pretty woman with glossy hair zipped around as if she was on wheels.
As Nina squeezed alongside a table, wedged herself on a seat and put her bag beside her feet, she looked over at the wall opposite where a young assistant in a butcher’s apron with a bouncy blonde ponytail was on a wheeled ladder loading little stacks of bowls onto shelves nearly touching the ceiling.
Nina took it all in as she sat down and realised that everyone around her had little bowls of coffee in front of them. As Robby got up to go and see what was what, the bell over the door tinkled, and she watched as a tanned man with huge biceps who was not too hard on the eye walked in. He just so happened to be wearing a wetsuit with the top rolled down, a towel around his waist and Birkenstocks on his feet and stood directly in front of Nina’s table. Nina didn’t mind earwigging as she took in the man’s Australian accent.
‘Morning. How are ya?’
‘Hey, Leo. Good thanks. How are you?’
‘Cracking.’
‘How’s the water out there today?’
‘Yeah, not bad.’
‘How are things with you? How’s work?’
The man bantered. Nina had to admit she swooned. Her chin may have dropped. ‘Busy saving lives.’
‘Ha. Right, two baskets for you?’
Nina watched as Leo took what appeared to be three white wicker baskets from under his arm, put them on the counter and took two others from the assistant. The biceps worked quite nicely, it had to be said. ‘Yeah. I need them for today’s shift. It’ll be a long one.’
Nina wondered what was in the baskets, which were lined and knotted with blue and white gingham linen, as Leo scooped two of them into his arms. The assistant handed him a coffee that, as far as Nina was concerned, he hadn’t asked for. ‘See ya then.’
‘See you tomorrow.’
‘She’ll be right.’
Nina swallowed. Darlings appeared not to just do coffee well.
She chuckled to herself as Robby came back to the table. He sat down and lowered his voice. ‘This place is packed.’
‘I know.’
‘Someone will come and take our order.’
Nina leaned forward, side-eyed and lowered her voice, ‘Everyone has bowls.’
Robby frowned and also lowered his voice, ‘What?’
Nina flicked her head to the table beside them. ‘They all have coffee in little bowls.’
Robby looked from left to right, ‘Oh yeah.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘Strange.’
About ten minutes later, Robby and Nina were holding bowls of milky coffee. Robby took a sip and put it down. ‘So, I have some news.’
‘Oh, right, sounds ominous.’
‘While you were in that shop.’
‘Yep.’
‘Singapore.’
Nina smiled. ‘Ooh. Is it a yes?’
‘It is. We won the tender.’
‘Oh, wow, excellent! Well done.’
‘Yeah, they messaged me too.’
‘Amazing news! Not that I’m surprised. I mean, you’ve been working towards this for a very long time.’
‘I know.’
‘It was all worth it in the end.’
‘Yep. So, it looks like we’re going to Singapore and Bangkok.’
Nina beamed. ‘I could do with some tropics in my life. I’m all in. Cannot wait.’