Chapter 10 #2
‘Not at all.’ She smiled and sighed. ‘I was in love once. Very much in love, and I truly believed I always would be, but they left me for someone else. I suppose I never really got over it. I certainly never sought out another relationship again. I’ve been on my own for well over half a century now. ’
‘I’m so sorry.’ I swallowed, trying to get a handle on how it must feel to have been alone for that length of time.
‘It’s all right.’ She shrugged. ‘I’m used to it now. In fact, I rather like it because, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a little set in my ways.’
I didn’t comment on that.
‘Well, I’m still sorry and I didn’t mean to pry,’ I said. ‘He was a fool to leave you.’
‘She,’ Constance corrected me. ‘She was a fool. But the world was a very different place back then, so I do have some understanding of why she did it, even if I was raging at the time. She married and moved out of the county, which I suppose was a blessing of sorts.’
‘A double betrayal,’ I whispered.
‘Yes,’ Constance agreed. ‘It was, rather. But now, let’s get back to your young man.’
Clearly the subject was closed, but I felt honoured Constance had shared her past with me, even if it was a heartbreaking story.
‘What about him?’ I smiled.
‘Are you going to message him back?’
‘I’m off to the pub with the gang in a bit,’ I told her. ‘But I will reply before I go.’
‘Good,’ she said firmly. ‘Life’s too short for playing games and what is it now… ghosting, especially when you’re obviously smitten. No point in playing hard to get when you’ve already been caught.’
‘Constance!’ I laughed, and she did, too.
‘And as you’re going to see everyone, you can ask them if they’d like to come to supper here later in the week, can’t you?’
‘Are you sure? The house won’t be cleaned by then,’ I reminded her.
I hoped the prompt might make her think twice about ringing, or letting me call, someone listed in the parish magazine, but it didn’t work.
‘We can stick to the garden then,’ she shrugged.
‘And just use your place if someone needs the loo.’ I liked the garden apartment being referred to as my place.
‘And if you haven’t got beyond messaging your meet-cute by then,’ she winked, ‘Rick’s tales of seduction will soon have you yearning for love, or something like it, and meeting up with him again. ’
‘I can’t believe you said that! You really are the limit!’ I grinned.
‘I know,’ she giggled. ‘You wouldn’t think it to look at me, would you?’
‘No,’ I laughed back. ‘You really wouldn’t.’
I messaged James before I headed out that evening but didn’t get anything back, which was fair enough, given that I knew he was working.
I hoped his boss wouldn’t expect him to put in too many extra hours to get caught up.
Personally, I would have been proud to employ someone who had such a philanthropic attitude, but I could tell James’s employer had different priorities.
The expensive car was a bit of a giveaway, as was his annoyance over the time James had been away from the office.
I felt rather amused that I was so ready to spring to James’s defence.
I barely knew him and yet I would have stood up for him against his boss.
When Lee had left me, I had told myself that I wouldn’t get involved with another suit, but James, with this pro bono work and love of the Suffolk countryside, was already shaping up to be more my type than Lee ever was.
Not that James and I were involved, but it felt wonderful to imagine what a potential relationship with him could look like…
‘You are a love to come and pick me up,’ I said to Melody, when I met her at the end of the drive. ‘I’m really looking forward to sampling a pint of this local bitter you and Kaya keep going on about.’
‘Better stick to a half,’ she grinned. ‘It’s potent stuff. You look lovely, by the way. That’s a gorgeous dress and your hair really suits you left loose. I had no idea it was so long.’
‘Thank you.’ I blushed as I pulled on the seatbelt. ‘The dress is new. I picked it up in Sudbury. What with only having enough clothes with me for an extended beach holiday, I thought I’d better get a couple of extra outfits.’
‘Well, it looks great. Really light and cool.’
‘I love your dress, too,’ I told her. ‘We need cool clothes in this heat, don’t we?’
‘Tell me about it,’ she agreed. ‘I was baking in the store today.’
‘You must be mad!’
‘I meant hot,’ she laughed, as she set off and negotiated the narrow lanes more expertly than I so far had. ‘Not literally baking.’
‘Thank goodness for that!’ I laughed back. ‘You should come down to Fernside in the evenings and cool off in the river. Constance wouldn’t mind. In fact, she’s asked me to invite you, Kaya and Rick to supper in the garden one evening this week.’
‘Oh, I’d love that,’ Melody said. ‘I’ve heard a couple of older Willowell locals talking about the old days when Constance and her sister used to have parties, but I’ve never known her to entertain since I’ve lived in the village. What have you done to her?’
‘I’m not sure,’ I smiled. ‘But I’m happy she’s getting her mojo back, whatever’s prompted it.’
‘You’ve prompted it,’ Melody said with emphasis as she turned the car onto an even bumpier lane. ‘You’re suiting each other, Tilly, and that’s lovely to see.’
‘We really are.’ I sighed happily and looked up at the canopy of trees above our heads which practically met in the middle. I wondered if deliveries to the pub had to come this way. ‘Here’s hoping that will continue when I tell her what my plans for the woods are.’
‘I’m sure it will,’ Melody said kindly. ‘And I’d love to come to supper. I’m sure Kaya would, too. She’s already at the pub with Rick, so you can ask them at the same time.’
‘And you’ll swim with me in the river?’ I asked.
‘Probably not,’ Melody sighed. ‘Kaya’s the mermaid, not me. I’ll dangle my feet off the jetty and paddle a bit, but I’m not a strong swimmer.’
‘Would you like to be?’
‘Maybe,’ she shrugged. ‘Now, here we are. What do you think?’
The Greenman pub was situated on the right-hand side of the lane we’d driven down, and I could see a sheltered outdoor seating area behind it and a small patch of woodland beyond that.
The pub itself was covered in parts with Virginia creeper which made it meld seamlessly into the landscape, and the mullioned windows and chimney doubtless made it feel cosy in the winter.
‘I love it,’ I said, as we crossed the lane on foot and Melody stepped into the dark interior ahead of me.
‘I knew you would.’ She beamed as I followed her in and looked around. ‘I had a feeling it would be right up your street.’
The inside was shady and cool and decorated in a palette of dark brown and mossy green, with framed photos on the walls.
It put me in mind of Tolkien’s Shire. I wouldn’t have been at all surprised to find Rosie Cotton serving behind the bar, but in her absence, I was introduced to the landlord and owner, Carter Cox.
‘Carter, meet Tilly,’ Melody smiled. ‘Tilly this is Carter. Pub owner, basket weaver and bushcraft expert.’ Carter raised his eyebrows. ‘And expert beer keeper, of course,’ she quickly added.
‘I was hoping you were going to mention that, Melody.’ Carter winked at her and then smiled at me. ‘I’m pleased to meet you, Tilly.’
His Suffolk accent was pronounced, and his voice was deep.
‘I’m pleased to meet you, too,’ I smiled back.
Thickset and with a greying beard and hands the size of hams, he was quite a few years older than me, probably nearer forty than thirty.
He was a handsome man with a weathered complexion who, just like his pub, fitted perfectly into the Suffolk countryside and, given his broad range of talents, might be someone it would be useful for me to get to know properly.
‘And don’t take any notice of Melody,’ he advised, rather dampeningly. ‘She’s bigging up my bushcraft skills. I haven’t had an opportunity to practise them for quite a while.’
‘But they’re not the sort of thing you forget, are they?’ I ventured.
‘That’s true,’ he agreed as he rubbed a hand over his beard and glanced at a beautiful handmade basket next to the currently unlit fire. ‘Skills for life.’
‘So, Tilly, is bushcraft the sort of thing you’re planning—’ Melody began but stopped when I gave her a look. ‘Never mind.’
‘Come on,’ I said quickly. ‘Let’s get the drinks in. I’ll go for a pint, please.’
‘Sorry,’ Melody said, while Carter sorted our order. ‘I shouldn’t have said anything, but with Carter being such an expert, I got a bit carried away.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘You haven’t said anything to anyone else though, have you?’
‘No,’ she promised. ‘Not a soul.’
Kaya then appeared, so I couldn’t ask if Melody had heard the rumour Rick had mentioned, too.
‘Here you are!’ Kaya called from just inside the doorway that led out to the seating area behind the pub. ‘I’d all but given up on you two. Come on. We’ve got pizza.’
‘I’ll bring the drinks outside,’ Carter offered.
‘Rick’s flirting with the guy cooking the pizzas and it’s been such a bore,’ Kaya moaned, adding a theatrical and very loud fake yawn for dramatic effect.
‘She knows then?’ I whispered to Melody.
‘Has always known apparently,’ Melody laughed. ‘But she’s forgiven him because he’s so lovely to look at.’
‘That’s big of her!’ I laughed.
‘And so shallow!’
I daresay she’d say the same about my blatant attraction to James, but we did have things in common that went beyond his good looks.
‘Thank you, Carter,’ I said, when he arrived carrying a tray full of glasses. ‘What do I owe you?’
‘I’ve set up a tab, and you can all settle up at the end of the night,’ he said, handing me a half, rather than the full pint of bitter I’d requested, and which, I then remembered, Melody had said I shouldn’t go for. ‘First one’s on the house.’
‘And that’s not the reason it’s a half,’ commented Rick, as he came over carrying yet another pizza.
How much did he think we could eat? Though they did look good.