Chapter Twenty-Two
‘Penny for them?’ Luke asked when he came back from delivering Leonie and Xander to their chosen lunch spot.
‘I was thinking of calling on Mary, as Leonie doesn’t need me. Sheila gave me a whole box of leftovers and I’d like to bring it to her as she couldn’t go to the party herself.’
‘Good idea. And do you fancy lunch in a pub? We can go somewhere different from Xander and Leonie.’
A flutter of something made Hattie clear her throat. ‘Actually, I’d planned to stay with Mary for lunch. I’ll share the leftovers. I usually rush in and out when I visit her. I’ve got time to pay a proper visit today.’
Luke nodded, but didn’t comment.
Mary was very pleased to see Hattie, who felt her friend looked frailer than she had when she saw her last, only a couple of days earlier.
‘Hi, Mary,’ Hattie said, kissing her cheek. ‘Shall I set us up outside in the garden for lunch? It’s such a beautiful day, and the view is too good to miss.’
‘If it wouldn’t be too much trouble,’ said Mary, who was very pleased to see her. ‘I would like to go outside. But I haven’t worked in my garden for far too long. It’s a jungle now.’
‘Wildlife haven,’ said Hattie briskly. ‘You’re doing nature a good turn.’
Mary laughed. ‘I think I was still doing nature a good turn when I kept things a little tidier, but I appreciate your positive attitude.’
‘If you like, I could tidy the beds you can see from the house before I go,’ she suggested. ‘You should ask Clive if he could get someone in.’
Mary shook her head. ‘The last time I let Clive have anything to do with the garden it ended in tears. He’s a slash-and-burn type and I much prefer a jungle to a wasteland.’
‘I do know someone who could come and do it for you. She’s a lovely woman and has a team of other lovely women to help.’
‘Is there any sort of tradesman you don’t know of?’ said Mary.
‘I hope not! It’s part of my job!’
It didn’t take Hattie long to set up a wicker table and a couple of chairs. Then she set out the lunch on plates and poured water for them both.
‘I’ve got a bottle of white wine somewhere,’ said Mary. ‘Would you like some?’
‘Ooh! That reminds me! I nearly forgot. I’ve got half a bottle of champagne wrapped in newspaper in the car. It’s got a cork in so it should still be fizzy. Shall I get it?’
Mary paused. ‘To be honest, these days I enjoy the idea of wine – even champagne – more than I enjoy drinking it.’
‘But you’re feeling OK? Mostly?’ Hattie handed Mary a plate with some devilled quails’ eggs, a tiny quiche, and a savoury profiterole.
‘I’m mostly fine. I struggle with the stairs a little bit but as long as I bring everything with me so I only go up once, it’s manageable.’ She surveyed her plate. ‘That looks like a lot of food, but suddenly I find I am quite hungry.’
‘What did you have for breakfast?’ Hattie asked.
‘Oh, I don’t bother with breakfast. A cup of tea – or maybe a glass of squash – takes me through until later.’
‘Don’t you feel hungry these days, Mary?’
Mary finished eating a devilled egg. ‘I do, but cooking is so tiring. That’s why I like it when you order me crackers and butter from Waitrose. I can always live on those.’
Hattie didn’t think this was quite true and was shocked to hear it. ‘I could arrange for you to have meals that you keep in the freezer and just microwave,’ she said.
‘I did try those once,’ said Mary. ‘I found them a bit bland. Although they might be a good idea. Now, tell me about the party.’
Hattie told Mary as much as she could remember in as much detail as possible.
‘So, who’s Tom? The man that your sister liked?’
‘He teaches Xander at college. Leonie wanted to have a chat with him and she couldn’t get to the parents’ evening. I’m sure I’ve told you that she’s rather an anxious mother. I can’t say I blame her. Bringing up a child on your own in London must have been terrifying.’
‘But she’s thinking of coming to live down here, you said?’
‘Yes.’ Hattie paused. ‘I rather hope she doesn’t ask me to find her a house. I’ve got enough paid work going on without taking on my sister. She’d be demanding, and I wouldn’t feel able to charge her.’
‘She could come and live here!’ said Mary. ‘I won’t be here much longer.’
‘What do you mean? You may not be a teenager any more but you’re not at death’s door! And if anyone is going to live here, it’s going to be me! I think you’d be a lovely housemate and this house is too beautiful for anyone else, even my sister.’
Mary laughed. ‘Well, if ever you do need somewhere – bigger than your lodge perhaps – we could think about it. There’s lots of space and even a nice big shed that Xander could mess about in if Luke wants to get rid of him.’
Hattie swallowed. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Are you?’ asked Mary, her eyes lighting up.
‘I could be. This house is big enough so we don’t need to get in each other’s way, and I could keep an eye on you!’
‘As long as you didn’t stop me having rowdy parties every weekend, I could live with that,’ said Mary.
‘And while I definitely don’t need a minder, I do need someone for silly things, like opening jars, finding my reading glasses.
And my phone. Oh, and sorting out my pills and putting them into the boxes. ’
Hattie laughed. ‘There’s certainly an app to help with your phone, although I’m not sure about the other things. But let’s have a proper think about it. It’s not something either of us should rush into.’
‘And I would have to run it past Clive. Although I think he’d be delighted. He wouldn’t have to visit me at all then.’
‘But before we do any of that, would you like more of what you’ve had, or would you like to move on to desserts?’
‘Pudding, please,’ said Mary definitely, obviously delighted at the thought.
After lunch, Mary dozed in the sunshine wearing one of her many old straw hats.
Hattie, in another hat, and Mary’s wellingtons, got on with the gardening.
And as she dug up clumps of grass that had got among the pretty raised beds, and cut back overgrown shrubs and trimmed the lavender, she thought about moving in.
Currently, she and Mary truly loved each other, but would living together change that? She knew that too much proximity could change a relationship and turn friendship into irritation and dislike.
And would Clive agree? He already disliked Hattie and could easily bully Mary into withdrawing her support for the idea. But, as Mary said, with Hattie on the spot, he needn’t keep an eye on her.
And she’d make sure she paid rent. That should please him.
Mary woke up, and Hattie agreed to make tea. ‘And we’ll finish the leftovers. But I’m going to think carefully about this idea for me and Xander to move in. I don’t want to upset Clive too much.’
‘But you don’t mind upsetting him a little bit?’
Hattie smiled. ‘Only a little bit. But you must think carefully too, Mary.’
‘We don’t want to risk our friendship.’
‘That’s exactly what I was thinking!’ said Hattie.
‘I thought you might be. It’s why you won’t make a play for Luke,’ said Mary. ‘Because you don’t want to risk your friendship.’
That stopped Hattie in her tracks. ‘But not risking it is the right thing, isn’t it? Do you think I’m being silly about that?’
Mary sighed. ‘Darling, it’s your relationship, but I think he’s a very special person and you’d be mad to let him slip through your fingers.’
Hattie pursed her lips. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on. Are you happy there? Or would you rather move inside?’
‘I’m happy here,’ said Mary.
At Mary’s suggestion, after tea, Hattie explored the house with her professional head on. She’d obviously done this before but not in the light of their potential new arrangement. She hadn’t previously taken an interest in soil pipes and supporting walls.
At one time there had been four rooms downstairs with a passage and staircase in the middle but the dividing wall between the rooms had long since been taken out so there were two sitting rooms that ran from front to back, so she and Mary could be independent.
Both rooms were light and of a good size; both rooms had patches of damp.
They both had wooden shutters and fireplaces, but in one room, the one Mary didn’t use, the paint on the shutters was peeling and the mechanism was stiff.
Upstairs were three generous bedrooms and a family bathroom.
There was plenty of room in the largest bedroom, Mary’s, to put in an en suite.
As getting to the bathroom involved walking along a passage and a small trip could involve falling down the stairs, Hattie felt angry that this job hadn’t been done for her friend.
Nobody could deny the potential of the house.
If money were spent and a bit of thought put into it, it could be anyone’s dream home.
But even without the money and the work, it already was Hattie’s dream home.
She simply longed to live here and now she had the chance.
She went back into one of the spare bedrooms, admiring its proportions – large enough to be comfortable; small enough to be cosy – and the view from the window.
She could imagine some of her own things installed here: it would be perfect.
She went downstairs and into the garden.
‘Well?’ said Mary, who appeared to have been waiting for her, possibly a bit anxious. ‘What do you think?’
‘I’d absolutely love to come and live with you here, if you could put up with me and Xander.’
‘Of course I don’t know Xander, but any nephew of yours can be a sort of great-nephew of mine.’ She smiled, and instantly looked younger. ‘I think I’m too old to be living on my own. I worry.’
‘And I worry too,’ said Hattie. ‘But we have to consult with Clive: there are a few things we could do to make you more comfortable here but they’d require a bit of money.’
‘I’ll ring him,’ said Mary. ‘But I should think he’d be delighted.’
Hattie wasn’t so sure. Clive didn’t like her and he didn’t like spending money. He wouldn’t like her muscling in, as he would see it. But it was still Mary’s house and so her decision.
‘I’ll just have a look in the shed. I’ll see if we could make a den for Xander in there,’ she said. ‘Do you want to ring Clive now?’
‘Oh, no. Not on a Sunday. He’d rather I rang during working hours.’
Hattie left shortly after inspecting the shed, which would need clearing out, hoping that Clive would let her move in soon. She hated the thought of Mary feeling anxious about being on her own, especially when there was an easy solution. And she’d enjoy living with Xander again.
She got back to Luke’s to find her sister there, preparing to leave.
‘I’ve collected all my things from the lodge,’ she said to Hattie the moment she appeared.
‘And I’ve got to go. I really hope to be back soon though.
’ She glanced at her son. ‘Xander and I have had a lovely afternoon. It’s been so good to spend some time together. ’
These words sounded strange coming from Leonie, who was usually so brisk and despised anything that might be construed as ‘touchy-feely’.
‘I’m so glad. Let me know when you’d like me to take you the station.’ She knew when the train left and felt that Leonie was leaving it rather late to get there. ‘If you’re sure I can’t persuade you to stay another night? The trains will be better tomorrow.’
‘Hattie! You know I’ve had my ticket booked for ages. I want a quick word about the Golden Wedding party though. We completely forgot to talk about it. You know Mum’s booked a very smart venue for it? They want to ask everyone.’
Hattie groaned inwardly. ‘I didn’t know they wanted a big do. How lovely! But it’s not until August, is it?’
‘No,’ said Leonie. ‘But to be honest, it’s not super convenient. Xan will be with his father for most of August so he won’t be able to be there.’
‘Shame,’ said Xander in a way that made it clear he was delighted.
‘Well, we don’t need to talk about it yet, Lennie, and if you’re going for a train, can we go? You know I always get anxious about missing trains.’
Leonie laughed. ‘Yes! It’s the one thing that makes you normal. You’re so laid back about everything, except that!’
‘The thing about the Golden Wedding,’ said Leonie when they were nearly at the station, ‘is that you will have to wear something respectable. Nothing “pre-loved”. I know Mum is worrying about you looking too “hippy dippy”. And before you say it, August is in a fortnight.’
‘Still plenty of time to worry about it!’ said Hattie, furious behind her friendly smile. ‘And we’re in time for the train too.’
When they were on the platform, Leonie gave Hattie an unexpected hug. ‘Thank you so much for looking after my boy. He’s loving living with you and Luke. I’m sure he’s happier with you than he ever was with me.’
Hattie returned the hug. ‘I’m sure that’s not true but I’ve loved having him.’
As she waved off the train she found herself feeling a bit tearful. In spite of all their differences, deep down, she was very fond of her sister.
But Hattie drove away from the station with her mind whirring. Although she had plenty of other things to think about, it had snagged on Leonie saying ‘you and Luke’ as if they were a couple.