Chapter 26
‘He did what?’
Sally’s elfin face was alight with shock and her spiky black hair bristled with indignation.
‘He asked me to marry him,’ repeated Beth. ‘In fact, he begged me to marry him.’
‘But you said no?’ asked Sally suspiciously. She had been well aware of Beth’s expectations for a proposal. She had even taken a walk with her friend one lunchtime to admire the ruby ring twinkling in the shop window.
‘Of course. It’s over between us. And after everything that’s happened over the last few weeks, it suddenly didn’t seem very important or special. To be honest, I think I’m more upset at the thought of losing Aunt Lizzie’s hut than losing Matthew,’ and she swallowed down a sob as Sally patted her arm and poured more wine into her glass.
‘Well done, honey!’ Leaning forward, Sally grasped Beth’s free hand. ‘I’m proud of you. Now, tell me more about your beach hut. Can they really take it away from you because you painted it pink? Which is absolutely the colour a beach hut should be painted in my opinion. Can’t you complain, protest or whatever? Shall we make some placards and march up and down the beach?’
Beth didn’t think there was much she could do. She had phoned Sarah earlier to explain that she would be returning to Welby late the following day. Her friend had sounded distracted and told her she was doing everything she could, but Beth had already come to terms with losing the hut.
‘I don’t think so,’ she answered sadly. ‘The Beach Hut Club call all the shots and if they say that I've contravened a rule, they can take my licence away. When the council do their inspection, the new rule will be taken into account and if anyone objects, they can rescind my licence.’
‘And this Dominic character will object?’
‘Definitely. It appears I’ve triggered some kind of life phobia by painting the hut pink.’
‘Can’t you just paint it a different colour?’
‘I don’t have time. The council meeting is the day after tomorrow. Even if I caught the first train back to Welby in the morning, I wouldn’t have enough time. Sarah would probably help me but it’s a lot of painting to do in one afternoon. And I've already spent every penny I have.’
‘And no licence, no beach hut?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Oh Beth, how awful. And you’ve worked so hard. You and Jake,’ she added, giving Beth a searching glance over the top of her wine glass.
Beth’s heart gave a painful thump.
‘It is a shame because Jake worked so hard trying to help me restore the hut.’
‘Is that all he restored?’ asked Sally innocently.
‘What?’
‘It’s just that you started talking about Jake about the same time you stopped talking about Matthew.’
Beth could feel the colour flooding her cheeks. ‘And?’
‘And I wondered if he was helping restore your broken heart as well as your broken hut.’
‘No! Not at all. We’re just friends. In fact, we’re not even friends, not really. We don’t like each other. Or we didn’t and then we started to. But only a bit, just like friends would, you know. Nothing more than that.’
She was babbling. She heard her weak excuses peter out and Sally’s grin spread across her face.
‘You’ve fallen for him!’
‘I have not! I…’
‘Yes, you have. It’s written all over your face. You’ve fallen for him. No matter how grumpy he is, or rude, or judgemental or whatever else you accused him of, you’ve fallen for him.’
‘Rubbish! You’re as bad as Sarah. She said the same thing but she’s wrong and….’
‘Sarah says you’ve fallen for him?’
‘Well, actually she said she thought he had feelings for me. But she’s wrong…’
Sally’s crow echoed around the small flat.
‘You two are in love!’
‘Of course we’re not,’ said an exasperated Beth. ‘Sarah just thought that he was looking at me as though he might have some feelings…’
‘The Sarah who was with you every day and saw the two of you together. That Sarah, she said he had fallen for you?’
‘Yes. No. She said he…’
‘What’s he like?’ Sally leant forward eagerly, slopping a little wine onto her legs. ‘Tall? Short? Fair? Dark? I know he’s got green eyes because you go on endlessly about them.’
‘I do not!’
‘Yes, you do. But tell me more.’
‘There’s nothing to tell. And what both of you are forgetting is that he’s just reconciled with his girlfriend. It doesn’t matter how I feel about him, he’s not free to reciprocate,’ and finishing her wine, she refused to discuss Jake Balfour any more. It hurt far too much.
Beth woke in the early hours of the morning, missing the sounds and the smell of Welby, the faint ringing from the harbour as the ships’ rigging shifted in the swell of the sea, the intoxicating air, full of salt and warmth. For a moment she wondered if she had given in too easily. Maybe she should catch the early train to Welby and paint as though her life depended on it before the council gathered outside Number 4 to ponder her fate.
But she also needed to be realistic. A beach hut in Welby was not the priority in her life right now. Sally had offered her a place on her settee for as long as Beth needed it but the fact remained that she needed to begin an urgent hunt for a new flat. And while she was at it, she may even look for a new job. It was time Beth took control and found the life she wanted to live. Maybe this was fate, telling her she wasn't meant to keep Aunt Lizzie’s hut after all.
So, she stayed under the sheet and when dawn broke, instead of sitting by her window watching the gulls swoop and the waves break, she scoured the internet for a flat she could afford.
They were few and far between and some hours later, it was a despondent Beth who returned to Sally’s flat. She had viewed what felt like hundreds of flats but there were only two that she could realistically afford. One was dark and unfriendly, the other small and damp and both an inconvenient commute to work. She didn’t want to live in either of them but she told the estate agent that she would give it some thought and let him know her decision as soon as possible.
Eventually, she jumped on a train to begin the journey back to Welby-on-the-Sea, tired, disheartened but relishing the thought of going back. Maybe she should move there, mused Beth. She could get a flat in one of the cobbled streets. Find a job. A new start in an old familiar place.
It was early evening before she finally arrived and she jumped into one of the waiting taxis heading back to Welby, grateful to finally reach the slightly ajar door of Welcome .
Climbing the stairs to her room, she caught the soft murmur of voices on the balcony and the sound of someone chuckling lightly. Poking her head through the door to see who was there, she quelled her disappointment when there was no sign of Jake.
‘Beth, my darling girl. You look exhausted.’
Letting go of Sam’s hand and jumping up, Lavinia fussed around Beth, taking her bag and stroking her hair.
‘Why don’t I make you a cup of tea?’ she asked kindly. ‘And maybe a sandwich? You don’t look as though you’ve eaten in days!’
‘How was it? As bad as you feared?’ asked Sam, his kindly eyes shining in sympathy.
‘Worse,’ groaned Beth. ’Much worse. The flat was completely flooded and I’ve had to move out. I need to find somewhere else to live.’
Lavinia tutted. ‘You poor girl. Well, you’ve got a room here for as long as you want,’ she declared. ‘Now come and sit down while I get us a fresh pot of tea,’ and she left Beth to pull up a chair beside Sam.
Exhaustion was pulling at her. The last few days had been tiring and emotional and all Beth wanted was to go to her room, open the window, smell the sea air and drift off to sleep.
Sam reached out to clutch her hand and squeeze it gently.
‘Lavinia’s right, you do look tired,’ he said softly.
‘It’s been a difficult few days,’ admitted Beth. ‘I think I’m going to lose the hut.’
A sigh drifted across the table. ‘That bloody man,’ he grumbled in a gruff voice. ‘He has no right to make so much trouble. I could….’ He broke off, bringing his emotions back under control and trying to smile. ‘Don’t give up yet, sweetheart. Sarah is doing everything she can to help you know.’
Not only had she found herself back in a place that felt like home, but Beth had managed to find some true friends over the last few weeks.
‘I can’t see what Sarah can do,’ she said quietly,’ but I appreciate that she is trying. She’s been so good to me. You all have.’
Tears were threatening to break through Beth's fluttering eyelashes and even Sam’s eyes looked suspiciously bright.
‘It’s been an absolute pleasure,’ he said, his voice breaking slightly. ‘And look how I’ve been rewarded, I found Lavinia again and she found it in her heart to forgive me.’
‘I’ve told you, Sam Westmoreland, there is nothing to forgive.’ A tray was laid on the table and a hand reached out to rest on his shoulder. ‘We were both just growing up and we lost our way. And now we’ve found it again.’
The look they exchanged was almost Beth’s undoing and she had to work hard not to sob out loud as Lavinia sat back down, holding Sam’s hand beneath the table and looking the picture of contentment.
‘Now, you need to eat something,’ instructed Lavinia bringing her critical gaze back to Beth. ‘You’re looking positively thin.’
The only good thing to come out of the many tragedies of the last week, thought Beth, she was now officially thin. Nibbling on the edge of a cheese sandwich that she didn’t want to eat, Beth watched as Lavinia poured them all a cup of tea.
‘No Jake?’ she asked as casually as she was able, which wasn’t easy considering the speed at which her heart was beating.
‘No,’ said Lavinia cheerfully, pushing a cup in Beth’s direction. ‘He’s finally back home.’
Of course. He’d told Beth he was going, she had just been holding onto a wild hope that he’d changed his mind and would still be sitting on the terrace when she arrived for breakfast the following morning.
‘Oh, right. He did say he was going to move back,’ mumbled Beth putting the sandwich down. Not even for Lavinia could she manage any more.
‘He should have gone back sooner,’ said Lavinia reprovingly. ‘But at least it’s sorted now. And he’s back home, where he belongs.’
‘Of course, of course,’ agreed Beth. She hoped he and Portia would be happy in the stone cottage by the sea. She imagined waking up there every morning, the sound of the waves her alarm clock, Jake’s head on the pillow beside her. The pain in her heart was surprising.
‘I think I’ll go to bed,’ whispered Beth. ‘I’ll take my tea upstairs.’
‘Aren’t you going to visit Number 4?’ asked Lavinia curiously. ‘I thought you might go straight round there.’
Beth shook her head, hoping it didn’t dislodge the tears wedged on her eyelashes. ‘No. I’ll see it tomorrow.’
She had already said goodbye to far too many things over the last 24 hours.
‘Beth, my darling girl…’ began Lavinia, only to stop and give her a smile instead. ‘Sleep well. And don’t give up hope. We aren’t beaten yet.’
But it was only a matter of time, thought Beth. This time tomorrow it would all be over and the only thing she would have to look forward to, would be returning to the office on Monday morning under the watchful eye of Laura.
‘Goodnight,’ she said hastily, while she could still speak. ‘I’ll see you both tomorrow and balancing her cup of tea, she fled the balcony in search of the sanctuary of her room.