Chapter 43
‘You know, if you keep this up, I’ll have to start paying you for working on Saturdays.’
‘I’m not working, I’m helping out.’ Bridie thought it was the least she could do considering she was paying a negligible rent for the flat, and that was only because she’d twisted Hannah’s arm and made her take the money.
She saw Hannah glancing at the clock on the wall behind the counter. ‘Haven’t you got a date with Oliver this morning?’
Bridie wondered why everyone kept calling her meeting up with Oliver a date.
‘I’m not meeting Oliver at the café after all.’
‘How come?’
Bridie would rather not say. After her outburst the previous weekend, when she’d discovered that he’d told her mum about the theatre, she wasn’t surprised her text had gone unanswered.
She was so disheartened. All because of the theatre, she’d lost his friendship.
She looked at Hannah. ‘He didn’t answer my text about meeting at the café this morning. ’
‘Perhaps something came up and he couldn’t make it. I wouldn’t worry.’
But she was worried. ‘He always has coffee at that café on Saturdays.’ What came up, thought Bridie, is that he doesn’t want to meet with me.
‘Why don’t you go along, see if he’s there? Maybe he didn’t get your text for some reason.’
Bridie doubted that. It said Sent – she’d checked.
It had crossed her mind just to turn up.
Then he’d have no choice but to listen to her apology.
She didn’t want to text or phone him to apologise.
She wanted to do it in person. She definitely would have gone if it wasn’t for the thought of arriving at the café to find him enjoying a cup of coffee with another woman.
She was thinking of that single mum – the young woman she’d given up her seat for the first time she’d bumped into Oliver at the café.
But what should it matter? she thought. I could still apologise.
‘Do you want me to come along and break the ice? I’m guessing there’s a bit more to this meeting than you’re telling me.’
Bridie sighed. ‘I was rude to him, the last time I saw him.’ She told Hannah what had happened.
‘You know, perhaps your parents might actually be supportive. I mean, you’ve been given a property on the sea front. That’s quite a thing, like winning the lottery.’
Bridie frowned. Hannah didn’t know her parents. If she had, she wouldn’t have said that.
Hannah said, ‘I know it’s not easy, getting it renovated to stage a play, but it will be worth it, I’m sure.’
‘It’s not that.’ Bridie sighed and went to fetch the shoebox. ‘This is the reason I don’t want to tell my parents about the theatre just yet. They’ve kept my dad’s past on the stage a secret from me and my siblings.’
‘That’s strange.’
‘I know.’
‘No, I meant this – your likeness to Isobel Raine.’
Bridie rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, not you as well.’ She slammed the lid shut to the shoebox.
‘So, someone else has remarked on that too.’
‘Yeah – my sister and Reggie.’ Bridie added, ‘Reggie knew my father.’
‘Yes, I saw the poster on the stage. Didn’t know Rufus was your dad.’
Although they had the same surname, nobody in Cobblers Yard had really taken a lot of notice of the old posters dotted around.
‘So,’ said Hannah. ‘Oliver. Do you want me to check out if he’s there?’
Bridie shrugged. ‘I guess. Will you tell me if he’s with someone?’
‘Is that what you’re afraid of?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Then I shall go and report back.’
Bridie paced while Hannah was gone, eventually overfilling a shelf with stock because her mind kept wandering and she wasn’t concentrating.
The clock was ticking loudly in the background, making Bridie even more aware that Hannah had been gone a lot longer than Bridie had anticipated.
She didn’t know whether to take that as a good sign or not.
The bell above the door suddenly tinkled. Bridie’s heart leapt in her mouth as she turned around.
‘He was a no-show,’ said Hannah. ‘I asked at the counter after the schoolteacher, and it’s the first Saturday in a long time he hasn’t shown up. So I bought some cake while I was there. Thought it might cheer you up.’
‘Thanks, Hannah.’
‘I didn’t buy coffee because, you know …’
They both looked over at the old coffee machine. ‘I’ll make us both a cup,’ said Bridie.
Bridie put two mugs of coffee down on the table in front of the sofa. She took a seat as Hannah brought over the cakes on two plates. ‘God, I hope it wasn’t my fault Oliver didn’t turn up today.’
Hannah looked at her bemused. ‘How could it be?’
‘I sent the text, didn’t I? Maybe he thought if he didn’t answer, or even if he did, and said he didn’t want to see me, I’d still turn up.’
‘I think you’re reading way too much into it. Most likely it has nothing to do with you.’
Bridie hoped so. She didn’t want him to stop going to his favourite place for coffee at the weekend just because they’d fallen out and he didn’t want to see her.
‘I saw your mum at the café, by the way.’
‘Great,’ Bridie said sarcastically, relieved she hadn’t gone herself just to find out he wasn’t there – and to make matters worse, bump into her mum.
‘She recognised me and asked after you – how you were.’
‘Did she mention the theatre?’
‘No.’
‘Great.’ This time Bridie wasn’t being sarcastic. She looked to the door, hoping her mum hadn’t followed Hannah.
Hannah followed her gaze. ‘I did ask your mum if she wanted to come back to the shop and have a coffee with us.’
‘What!’ Bridie nearly spilled her coffee.
‘I said I was buying cakes for you and me to have coffee together back at the shop and felt it rude if I didn’t invite her to come along. Don’t worry. She was with some friends, so she won’t be coming.’
Bridie breathed a sigh. ‘Did she know where Oliver was?’
‘Oh, it didn’t occur to me to ask. Do you think she might know?’
‘I think she sees him there every Saturday and says hello.’
‘He might have said something last weekend, if he knew he wouldn’t be there today.’
‘Possibly.’
‘Bridie, why don’t you give her a call and ask? At least that way you’ll know it has nothing to do with you.’
Or I might find out it has everything to do with me, she thought. That wasn’t the only reason she didn’t want to call, though. She was still cheesed off with her mum and dad. Bridie said, ‘Maybe later.’
‘Suit yourself. Now, how about that cake?’
As they sat drinking the amazing coffee and eating the most delicious sponge cake that Bridie had ever tasted, Hannah looked about her. ‘It’s awfully quiet in the shop today.’
‘Isn’t it?’ Bridie agreed. ‘There aren’t many customers.’
‘I wasn’t talking about the customers. Where’s Barney?’
‘Ah, he’s gone on a trip to Southwold for the day with my nephew, George.’
‘That’s nice. His first time on a sandy beach.’
‘Oh, yes of course.’ And I won’t be there to see it, thought Bridie.
‘Come to think of it, where’s Kate?’
‘Oh, she wasn’t meant to be working next door today, was she?’
‘No, not at all.’
Bridie hadn’t thought so. The shop next door wasn’t open just yet. ‘Andy came to pick up Kate and her luggage. They’re all going to Southwold for a family day out. Kate’s moving back home today.’
‘That’s right, she did mention it.’
‘Thanks to you, Hannah.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, the jobs you’ve offered Kate and Andy mean they’ve got their lives back on track.’
‘She seems to like the work. I know it’s very different to what she did before.’
‘Different, but in a good way. A very good way.’
Hannah smiled. ‘I’m so pleased. She’s really hard-working, and I get the feeling Andy will give it his all as well. Funny thing is, it’s rather lovely working with a married couple, like me and Rupert. Now, all we need to do is get you paired up with someone who can work with you in the theatre …’
Bridie blushed.
Unfortunately, Hannah saw the colour rising in her cheeks. ‘Is there … someone?’ She quickly added, ‘It’s Oliver, isn’t it? Not that he can work with you in the theatre, other than volunteering his time like the rest of us.’
‘He’s just a friend.’ Maybe he isn’t even that after what happened, thought Bridie, glancing at her phone, wondering why she’d felt a sudden lurch in her stomach at the thought that after their falling-out, he wouldn’t speak to her ever again.
‘You’re going to miss Kate being around,’ Hannah said. ‘Why don’t you come home with me to Somersby Hall this evening? You haven’t met Rupert, yet. You could join us for dinner.’
‘At Somersby Hall?’
‘Not actually at the hall. We live in Gatekeepers Cottage, in the grounds. But I can show you round Somersby Hall.’
‘I’d love that.’ Bridie was very tempted. ‘But I’m afraid I can’t. I’ve already made plans this evening.’
‘Plans?’ Hannah grinned. ‘A date with someone?’
‘No. nothing like that.’ Bridie frowned.
She was still blushing, thinking of Jack.
Shouldn’t she tell Hannah about the tradesmen who’d spent the week in the theatre?
Although Hannah knew of Jack’s involvement, Bridie hadn’t mentioned that the work had started.
So far, nobody in the yard had mentioned it – apart from Reggie.
They’d been too busy at work. But if they did walk past the theatre, and see them going in and out, they’d wonder why she hadn’t mentioned anything.
‘I think there is … someone,’ Hannah said playfully.
Bridie rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not what you think.’ She added, ‘I’m working with Jack Harrison on the theatre renovations, remember? He’s just an old acquaintance. We went to school together, me Oliver and Jack.’
‘An old acquaintance,’ Hannah repeated.
Bridie rolled her eyes. ‘All right, it was more than that. We went out together, years ago when we were teenagers. But that’s all in the past.’
‘Is it?’ Hannah said under her breath.
Bridie chose to ignore that comment.
‘So,’ Hannah continued, ‘I’m guessing Oliver disagreed with your decision to include Jack.’
Bridie avoided eye contact. ‘Yeah – he warned me not to get involved with him.’
‘And are you … getting involved?’