A Family Surprise for the Village Nurse (The Village Nurse #3)

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

As Ottilie drove past the hill that marked the border of her home village of Thimblebury, the sun caught the diamond on her new engagement ring, and a broad smile lit her face. She smiled a lot lately, but it was hard not to when there were such exciting prospects in her future. She hadn’t expected Heath’s proposal, but she’d accepted it without hesitation.

She’d realised he was up to something when he’d suggested they drive out to picnic by the shores of Lake Windermere and had packed the sort of luxury food they’d never usually take on a picnic. It wasn’t exactly the weather for al fresco eating either. While it was a clear spring day, they’d had to wrap up in jackets and boots, and sitting in the shadows by the lake as the sun had dipped below the hills had been chilly. Ottilie had wanted to suggest they leave and head to a warm pub somewhere, but she hadn’t. Deep down, she’d sensed something was different. He’d been far more jittery than normal, and she could tell he had something to say, something that meant she shouldn’t tell him she was cold until he’d said it. And then he’d got down on one knee and opened a small box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

‘Yes!’ she’d cried as she’d flung her arms around him – so loudly that it had echoed across the water. ‘Yes I will!’

Whatever they’d gone through in their time as a couple, they’d survived it, and her love for him was stronger than ever. She couldn’t wait to be his wife, for a second chance at happiness.

‘Do you mind if we have a party?’ she asked Heath, who was in the passenger seat now.

He turned to her, his face lit by a low sun which wove bronzed highlights into his hair. ‘For the engagement?’

She nodded. ‘Unless you think it’s too much fuss?’

‘God, no!’ He smiled with such affection she didn’t think her heart could take it. ‘You can have anything you want.’

‘You don’t mind?’

‘Why would I mind? It’s a brilliant idea. When were you thinking?’

‘I suppose it depends how big we want it to be,’ Ottilie said, admiring her beautiful ring.

‘How big do you want it to be?’

Ottilie was pensive for a moment, her eyes fixed on the road. ‘I want it to be as big as we can do by next week. I want to keep our engagement a secret until then, but I can’t wait much longer! The party should be the announcement.’

‘Don’t you think people will want to know what they’re going to a party for?’

‘I suppose so, but that’s part of the fun. We can tell them we’re not going to tell them until the day…if you see what I mean.’

‘Hmm…’ He smiled. ‘Am I allowed to say that’s not like you?’

‘It isn’t, is it? It must be the new improved me that you’ve helped me to find. For once, I want to make a fuss. I want a big fanfare. I think something this good deserves it.’

‘Me too,’ he said, reaching to squeeze her thigh. ‘I can’t wait to tell everyone.’

‘At the risk of sucking the romance right out of this conversation,’ Ottilie added as the outskirts of Thimblebury came into view, ‘I need to call at the shop for some milk before we go home.’

‘That’s certainly a segue,’ Heath said with a low chuckle. ‘But if you need to get milk, then we’d better get milk.’

A couple of minutes later, Ottilie pulled up outside the post office and shop run by Magnus and Geoff.

‘You might as well wait in the car – I won’t be long,’ she said as she unclipped her seat belt.

‘You say that, but don’t forget who works in that place,’ Heath replied. ‘If there’s any gossip, I’ll see you sometime next week.’

Ottilie grinned and opened the door, but Heath called her back. ‘And if you want to keep this engagement secret until the party, you ought to leave your ring with me while you go in because there is no way Magnus or Geoff will miss that.’

‘Good point.’ Ottilie pulled it off and handed it to Heath with a look of regret. ‘I already hate not wearing it, though.’

‘It was your idea to keep it a secret. Wear it for me – I want to shout it from the rooftops.’

‘It’ll be worth it.’ Ottilie leaned in to kiss him. ‘Keep it safe for me.’

Heath put it back into the presentation box while Ottilie dashed into the shop.

Magnus was stacking boxes of teabags onto a shelf. He turned with a bright smile as Ottilie pushed open the door, setting the little bell above it tinkling. ‘Hello! We were just talking about you!’

‘I thought my ears were burning,’ Ottilie glanced to the counter to see Geoff leaning on it, a bookmarked novel at his elbow. ‘What have I done wrong?’

‘You’re as angelic as always,’ Geoff said. ‘We were just saying we were going to message you about the next film-club pick.’

‘Oh, it’s mine, isn’t it?’ Ottilie went to the fridge and collected a bottle of milk. She took it to the counter and got out her purse. ‘Sorry, clean forgot. How long do I have to let you know?’

‘As soon as you can, just in case it’s something difficult to get hold of.’

‘How about I choose something that’s not difficult to get hold of?’

‘You could,’ Magnus said, ‘but where’s the fun in that?’

‘Speak for yourself,’ Geoff said, putting Ottilie’s milk through the till. ‘Anything else, my love?’ he asked her.

‘No, just that.’ She gave him the correct change, and he nodded his thanks.

‘How’s Heath?’ Magnus called over.

‘He’s…’ Ottilie broke into a broad smile as she thought about him waiting for her in the car, with that beautiful ring and a promise in his pocket. ‘ Amazing .’

‘Wow.’ Geoff shared a grin with Magnus. ‘Someone looks like the cat who got the cream.’

‘Someone feels like that too,’ Ottilie said. She chewed on her lip, her news threatening to burst from her, despite what she’d told Heath about keeping it to announce at their party.

‘You feel like sharing it?’ Geoff asked.

‘I will.’ Ottilie picked up the bottle and headed for the door. ‘By the way, I might be having a party in the next week or two. Is there a date that you can’t do?’

‘A party?’ Magnus asked. ‘Oh, you know us – we’re always available for a good party. What’s it in aid of?’

‘You’ll find out at the party,’ she said in a tone that sounded every bit as mischievous as she felt. ‘But in the meantime I’m going to keep you guessing.’

‘You can try,’ Magnus said as she opened the door to leave. ‘But we’ll get it out of you.’

‘Good luck with that!’ Ottilie laughed as she left them and went back to the car.

‘That was quicker than I expected,’ Heath said as she got in.

‘Yes, but they’ve already worked out something is going on,’ Ottilie started the engine. ‘I’m never going to keep this secret until our party.’

‘I’m not expecting you to,’ Heath replied. ‘And if you don’t, I won’t mind one bit. I love you, and I want everyone to know how much.’

Ottilie paused, hands on the steering wheel as the engine ticked over, a sudden frown on her face. ‘Do you think Flo will be upset we didn’t tell her straight away?’

‘It had crossed my mind, to be honest. You can never tell with her which way it’s going to go. She’d keep it to herself if you wanted to tell her sooner rather than later.’

Ottilie nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. She can be discreet when she needs to be. Let’s go over later and tell her.’

‘Later is good because there’s a bottle of champagne in your fridge and I want to open it. We’ve got more celebrating to do before anything else.’

‘Don’t be getting me drunk!’ Ottilie said. ‘I’ve got work tomorrow.’

‘And you haven’t had a bit to drink this afternoon because you’ve driven, so you have to have at least enough to make you hiccup before we go over to Gran’s. In fact, I’d say you need a stiff drink just to go over there at all.’

‘She’s not that bad!’ Ottilie said with a laugh. ‘Don’t be so mean – that’s your gran you’re talking about! Don’t forget we wouldn’t be together at all if it weren’t for her.’

‘True, but even then she was an absolute menace,’ he said, making Ottilie laugh again.

‘That’s one word for it. Considering how happy we are now, we’ll let her off just this once, eh?’

Heath popped the cork from the bottle, and Ottilie gasped as it pinged across the room to ricochet from the wall.

Heath laughed. ‘The champagne’s more excited than we are!’

Ottilie wore a grin as she went to find it.

‘Looks like it.’ She held it up to him. ‘We should keep it. A souvenir.’

‘You’re a sentimental one, aren’t you?’ he said, pouring two glasses.

‘I just know that when I’m having a bad day, sometime in the next few years, I’ll be able to dig it out and look at it and feel happy again.’

‘I’m going to do my best to make sure you don’t have bad days.’

‘Even you can’t keep them all away.’

‘Watch me,’ he said, pulling her close. ‘You’re going to have the life you deserve from now on.’

‘Why does that seem slightly threatening?’ she said, laughing as he leaned in to kiss her.

‘I’m going to look after you, Ottilie. I’m going to make you as happy as it’s in my power to make you. Whatever you need, I want to be there to help you get it. I’ve been an idiot in the past, and I want?—’

She pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. ‘We were both idiots. It’s in the past, and that’s where I want to keep it.’

‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘I only…I didn’t know what I had until I nearly lost you, and that was all my doing. I want you to know, that’s all, just how much you mean to me and how conscious I am of how I almost ruined it. I count myself a lucky man – you’d have been in your rights not to forgive?—’

‘Really,’ she cut in, not wanting to dredge up memories so sharp they would pop the balloon of her happiness in an instant. The betrayal she’d felt after discovering that Heath had kept his connection to her husband Josh’s killer a secret had been a hard thing to get past, but they had. She didn’t want to keep going back to it to feel those emotions all over again. She wanted only the happiness that their future now held, a future with all that mess behind them. ‘Heath, stop. I don’t want to think about all that. This, here and now, will be a good memory. Don’t spoil it by bringing up things that don’t matter any longer.’ She reached for the glasses and handed one to him before holding hers up for a toast. ‘To good memories.’

‘Good memories,’ he echoed with a smile.

There was a knock at the front door, and then a voice carried down the hallway through the letterbox.

‘Ottilie…Heath? Are you in?’

Heath grinned at Ottilie as she put her glass down. ‘Doesn’t miss a trick, that one. She was probably watching for the car.’

Ottilie laughed lightly as she opened up to find Heath’s grandmother, Flo, on the doorstep. ‘I thought I saw you come back,’ she said, stepping inside.

‘Come in,’ Ottilie said wryly as the old lady tottered down the hallway to the kitchen, any invitation a formality she’d already assumed.

‘Did you enjoy your picnic?’ she asked Heath. And then her gaze fell on the champagne and her eyes narrowed. ‘Someone’s got more money than they know what to do with.’

‘Would you like some?’ Ottilie asked.

‘No…’ Flo folded her arms. ‘Not interested in that muck.’

‘Take a seat then,’ Ottilie said, going to the kettle. ‘I’ll make you a tea.’

‘It’s a shame you don’t want any, Gran,’ Heath continued in the impish tone he’d had moments earlier for Ottilie. ‘Because I’m sure you’d hate to miss out on our celebration.’ He glanced at Ottilie, and she nodded her agreement. ‘I’ve just proposed to Ottilie. And she said yes.’

Flo stared at them both. ‘You’re getting married?’

Heath grinned. ‘Looks like it.’

‘Oh!’ Flo rushed to hug him and Ottilie in turn. ‘That’s wonderful! Have you set a date? Will it be summer? I’ll have to go shopping…Can you take me to that dress shop in?—’

‘Steady on!’ Heath laughed. ‘We don’t have a date yet, so there’s plenty of time for shopping.’

‘But you won’t leave it too long? Because I’m not getting any younger,’ Flo sniffed. ‘It’d be just my luck to die before the big day.’

‘Next year, maybe?’ Ottilie said, glancing at Heath for approval.

He nodded. ‘I’d say next year too.’

‘You’ll have a proper one, won’t you?’ Flo asked. ‘None of this silliness in football grounds or whatever.’

‘You mean a church?’ Ottilie filled the kettle and switched it on. ‘We haven’t even thought about that yet.’

‘We haven’t had time to think about any of it yet,’ Heath said. ‘Two hours ago, I didn’t even know I’d be having this conversation with you.’

‘Of course Ottilie was going to say yes!’ Flo gave her hand a vague waft, as if she’d never heard anything so mad in her life as Ottilie daring to refuse Heath’s proposal.

‘Still, I wasn’t going to assume anything.’

‘But she’s right,’ Ottilie smiled. ‘I was always going to say yes.’

‘That’s what I said!’ Flo folded her arms with a look of triumph. ‘What did your parents say?’

‘We haven’t told them yet,’ Heath said. ‘You’re the first person we’ve told.’

‘Me?’ Flo’s look of pride was enough to make Ottilie glad she was the first to know, even if they were only telling her now because she’d barged in on them.

‘We were planning to come over to you later,’ Ottilie said. ‘But you saved us the trouble.’ She put Flo’s cup of tea onto the table and was about to take a seat across from her when the sound of her phone ringing came from the handbag she’d left on the counter. ‘Hang on,’ she said, looking at the caller ID. ‘This is Stacey – I’ll take it in the other room so you two can talk.’

‘You’re back!’ Stacey sounded breathless as Ottilie went into the sitting room and answered. ‘I saw the car go past.’

‘Yes. Why are you so knackered?’

‘Oh, aerobics. YouTube, you know.’

Ottilie grinned. Her best friend was in the middle of a reluctant health kick. ‘And you couldn’t wait until you’d got your breath back to call me?’

‘No because you were having some fancy picnic with Heath and I want to know what happened.’

‘Nothing happened.’

‘So he just decided to buy three of the shop’s most expensive bottles of fizz for no reason?’

‘Who told you…?’ Ottilie’s grin spread. ‘Geoff. It was a bit daft of Heath to buy it from the shop here, wasn’t it? Your brother didn’t say a word when I just went in for milk.’

‘And you told him you were planning a party.’

‘He didn’t waste any time getting on the phone to tell you, did he?’

‘I’m his sister and your best friend – of course he was going to tell me. What I want to know is why you didn’t tell me.’

Ottilie laughed. ‘I’ve only just found out I’m having a party myself! I would have told you once I had a minute. I take it Chloe’s out with Mackenzie and you’re bored?’

‘Yeah, gone over to Oliver’s house. He’s a sweetie, you know. I’m so glad she’s found a nice lad. He treats Mackenzie like he’s his own kid. Do you fancy coming over for an hour? Simon’s got things to do and he can’t make it for ages yet.’

‘I’m sorry, I’d love to, but I can’t. Heath’s still here, and Flo’s just turned up. You can come here if you like.’

‘Flo’s there? No thanks – I’d rather do more aerobics.’

Ottilie laughed. ‘Right then. In that case, I’d better go. I’ll catch you tomorrow.’

‘You’d better. I want to know what this party’s for, you know.’

‘It’s a secret until the party. Then you’ll know.’

‘With everyone else – that’s no good!’

‘Sorry, but?—’

‘I’ll get it out of you.’

‘That’s what Geoff and Magnus said. Good luck then.’

Ottilie was still laughing as she ended the call and went back to join Heath and his gran.

‘What’s so funny?’ Heath asked.

‘Stacey. She wants to know why we’re having a party. Geoff’s been on the phone to her – I think they’re working together to get it out of me.’

‘You can tell them if you want to,’ Heath said.

‘I could, but at this rate it’ll be a surprise announcement to absolutely nobody. We’ve already told Flo. And I ought to phone my mum really – it’s only fair if Flo knows. And you will want to tell your parents…’

‘They’ll keep it to themselves,’ Heath said.

‘Your scatty mother won’t remember you told her in the morning,’ Flo cut in.

‘Seems a bit harsh,’ Ottilie said mildly, looking at Heath, who hadn’t taken offence at the comment either. Flo made no secret of her feelings for her daughter-in-law, and Heath had grown used it over the years.

‘I’ll call my mum later,’ Ottilie said, ‘after we’ve had our drinks.’ She turned to Flo. ‘Are you sure we can’t tempt you with a glass of fizz?’ She glanced at Heath with a wry smile. ‘Stacey tells me you bought three bottles from Geoff’s shop.’

‘You can’t do anything around here without it getting noticed, can you?’

‘Serves you right for being lazy and not driving out to the supermarket.’ Ottilie picked up her glass and took a sip. ‘I’ll let you off, though. There’s one thing about Magnus and Geoff’s shop – it might be small and local, but they know how to choose the best things to stock – this is lovely!’

Once they’d had a few drinks and an excited discussion of initial wedding ideas, Ottilie and Heath had seen Flo back to her house. They’d bid her goodnight, reminded her that their engagement was a secret for the time being, and now walked the lanes of Thimblebury, hand in hand. Ottilie was pensive as they passed from pool to pool of warm lamplight coming from the streetlights overhead.

‘You’re OK?’ Heath asked. ‘You’ve gone quiet. Not having second thoughts, are you?’

‘God, no! I’m so happy. I don’t know why I’m quiet. A bit exhausted with all the excitement I expect.’

‘You’re thinking about Josh too,’ he said shrewdly. ‘It’s all right – it’s only natural a day like this would bring back memories.’

‘A bit,’ she admitted. ‘I didn’t want to say so – thought it might take the shine off our day.’

‘It doesn’t. I don’t want to erase the life you had before me; I only want to share it from now on.’

‘I’ll cheer up as soon as we’re in.’

He pulled her close. ‘You don’t need to do anything of the sort. Do you want to visit his grave soon?’

Ottilie nodded, a smile that was all at once melancholy and yet full of love. ‘I think so, yes. Thank you.’

‘For what?’

‘For understanding.’

They arrived at the darkened gate of Wordsworth Cottage and pushed it open. Ottilie rummaged in her pocket for her keys while Heath whistled faintly, staring into a cloudless sky strewn with early stars. ‘Shall I light a fire?’ he asked.

‘It’s a bit chilly, but will we be downstairs long enough to make use of it?’

‘In that case, sod the fire.’

Ottilie laughed. ‘I didn’t mean it that way. I only meant it’s getting late and we both have work tomorrow. You’ – she prodded him playfully in the chest as she pushed open the front door – ‘also have a long drive back to Manchester before you start your day.’

‘It’s not that long,’ he said, catching her by the waist. ‘And hopefully not for much longer.’

‘But you still have to get up early. You light the fire. You’re right – it’s a bit chilly. I need to talk to Mum anyway, and then we’ll decide whether we feel tired or not.’

With the sounds of Heath bustling at the hearth, Ottilie went into the kitchen. Sitting at the table in her coat, she got out her phone, noticing her mum had already sent a text a few minutes earlier. Instead of replying to that, she dialled the number.

‘Hello, Mum. How are you?’

‘Oh, hi, love. I just sent you a text message.’

‘I know – I saw it. I thought I’d call instead.’

‘What have you been up to? We’ve had lovely weather here – almost nice enough to sit out.’

‘I have been sitting out. Heath took me for a picnic at Windermere.’

‘That’s nice. Lucky you. I cleaned out the compost bin.’

Ottilie laughed. ‘I bet that was exciting for you.’

‘You went to Windermere? Just a picnic or did you do some walking? The boat trips are nice there – are they running yet, or is it too early in the year?’

‘I’m not sure; we didn’t see any. No, no walking. Just eating. Actually…I’ve got something to tell you. Heath asked me to marry him, and I said yes.’

‘Ottilie, that’s wonderful news! Was that today? At the lake?’

‘Yes. He had it all planned out. Do you know what, I felt like he was up to something, and then he did it. Down on one knee and everything.’

‘You must be so happy.’

‘I am, Mum. I can’t tell you.’

‘And after all you’ve been through…This one’s in a safe job too.’

Ottilie tried not to frown. It was a throwaway comment, and her mum wouldn’t have meant it to be as tactless as it sounded. But the fact was Josh, the husband she’d lost before she’d come to live in Thimblebury, had been a policeman, killed in the line of duty, and it was something that still haunted her. Even though Heath had a safe job, as her mum called it, Ottilie still had nightmares where she’d get a phone call to say some disaster had befallen him as he’d driven to work, or from work, or at work. When she couldn’t see his safety for herself, it was always there in the back of her mind.

‘I’m sorry.’ Ottilie’s mum seemed to realise her mistake. ‘I didn’t mean…’

‘It’s all right; don’t worry, Mum. I know what you meant.’

‘Forgive me. I say the stupidest things sometimes.’

‘You don’t. Listen, I’ll come over at the weekend,’ she said. ‘We’ll go shopping, get some ideas for the wedding. I’d love your input. If you’re not busy, that is.’

‘That would be lovely. I’m not busy.’

‘I’m sorry if I’ve been neglecting you.’

‘Don’t worry, Ottilie. I’m sure your job keeps you occupied. I don’t expect you to be here all the time, especially when it’s such a drive.’

‘I know, but that’s no excuse. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook family, isn’t it? When things get hectic, I mean.’

‘Will you bring Heath over?’

‘No,’ Ottilie said. ‘I think it should be just us.’

‘You can bring him if you like – it’d be lovely to see him.’

‘He needs to go and see his mum and dad, and I wanted to go to the grave too – if you didn’t mind coming there with me.’

‘Of course. I took some flowers last week, you know.’

Ottilie nodded. It was a great source of guilt that she didn’t take flowers to Josh’s grave as often as she’d like, but she was over an hour away and life was often hectic, even in a tiny village like Thimblebury. ‘Thank you,’ she said.

‘Well, I thought you might not be able to get there. But if you’re coming next week, we’ll get some more – I expect mine will be wilted anyway.’

‘That sounds good,’ Ottilie said.

‘He’d be happy for you.’

Ottilie nodded. She was sure her mum was right. Josh would have wanted her to be happy, and she was, but that didn’t mean she thought life was always fair. It certainly hadn’t been to Josh.