Chapter Twenty-One
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Flo shovelled a roast potato into her mouth and chewed as if the plate were about to be snatched away. Ottilie and Heath exchanged a look of humour. It was the second time in a week they’d entertained her. Ottilie was of the opinion that once a week was more than enough, but she supposed Flo was entitled to be spoilt on her birthday like everyone else.
‘Are you enjoying your dinner, Gran?’ Heath asked.
‘It’s all right,’ Flo said, scooping up some peas to follow the potato. ‘Not like home-made, but it never is at these places.’
‘I think it is home-made,’ he replied. ‘They still cook from scratch here.’
‘But it’s the pub kitchen, not a house, so it’s not home-made, is it? It’s pub made.’
‘I can’t argue with that logic,’ Heath said with a light laugh. ‘As long as you’re having a nice time.’
‘At least someone remembered my birthday,’ Flo said.
Ottilie glanced at the card they’d brought along to give her, standing on the table in between their glasses and plates. She was glad Heath had reminded her because she’d clean forgotten, just like all the other people Flo was grumbling about. Ottilie didn’t blame her for being a bit offended. Even in her eighties, Ottilie would probably be hurt if everyone appeared to forget her birthday too. Although, Ottilie suspected the reports of Flo’s forgotten birthday may have been exaggerated because she was certain most of the residents of Thimblebury would have remembered, and if they hadn’t, she’d have had no qualms reminding them. And in her defence, Ottilie thought as she reflected on the week she’d had, hearing whispers and gossip everywhere she went – whether real or not – she could be forgiven for it having slipped her mind. ‘If you like, we’ll go shopping sometime next weekend.’
‘It won’t be my birthday next weekend,’ Flo replied.
‘Not necessarily for your birthday, just because. We haven’t been over to Kendal for a while. We could go to that place where they sell the mint cake you like so much.’
‘Don’t put yourself out for me.’
‘I want to.’
‘You’ll probably have something going on with your new sister,’ Flo sniffed as she speared a carrot and shoved it into her mouth. ‘She takes up all your time these days.’
‘I’m sure that’s not true,’ Heath said. ‘But they’re bound to want to spend time together – they’re still getting to know one another.’
‘I think we all know her by now.’
Ottilie held back a frown. She wasn’t about to ask what Flo meant because she was afraid she wouldn’t like the answer, and the way every discussion around Fion seemed to go lately, she was certain that would be the case.
‘Beef is nice,’ Heath said. ‘Really melts in the mouth, doesn’t it?’
Ottilie shot him a grateful look. He’d had enough practice with his gran over the years to know when to steer a conversation to a new place, and he was doing that now. Usually, it worked too, but today, Flo seemed to have other ideas.
‘I bet you wish you’d never set her up with Damien and that pie business,’ she continued, eyeing Ottilie keenly. ‘You meant well, I know, but you must be kicking yourself now. Sometimes it’s better to keep out of these things, eh? If you had, there’d be none of this trouble.’
‘Gran,’ Heath warned. ‘Do we really want to bring that up?’
‘I don’t blame your sister,’ Flo added, as if she hadn’t heard him. ‘I blame that Damien. Any young woman would have her head turned by flattery from him. You could see she was all starry-eyed the first time she saw him.’
‘I don’t know how you could say that,’ Heath replied drily. ‘You weren’t there.’
‘I’ve seen it well enough since,’ Flo said. ‘I’ve seen it over the years with stronger women than her too. The first sniff of attention from a man and they’re falling all over themselves.’
‘I don’t think it’s quite like that,’ Ottilie said, unable to hold off any longer. ‘Fion’s not a brainless pushover.’
‘She’s very young.’
‘She’s twenty-six! She’s an adult, and I’m not going to patronise her by telling her she’s not.’
‘He’s an older man, more experienced. She didn’t stand a chance?—’
‘Gran, can we drop this now?’ Heath reached for his beer and gulped some back.
‘Hit a nerve, eh?’ Flo said, and in her voice there was a note of triumph so obvious it took every ounce of strength Ottilie had not to let fly with her feelings on Flo’s observations.
There was gossip all over the village – Ottilie didn’t have to hear it to know it was going on – and now she was beginning to wonder how much Flo had contributed to it. She’d hoped for better from Heath’s grandmother, not least because she was practically family. But perhaps, she reflected for a moment as Flo went back to her meal, there was no guarantee that family would offer a haven from judgement and intolerance.
Earlier than they’d planned to, Ottilie and Heath saw Flo to her house and went back to Wordsworth Cottage.
‘I’m sorry about her,’ Heath said as Ottilie unlocked the front door. She didn’t reply for a moment, listening in the hallway to see if Fion was home. The house was silent and the lights all off.
‘Fion?’ she called, but there was no reply. She beckoned Heath in. ‘It’s not your fault.’
‘It still feels like it at times. You’d think by now I’d be able to get her to shut up when she starts, but no, not even at my age.’
‘She wouldn’t listen, even if you tried. Flo says what Flo wants to say – you know that.’
‘Doesn’t mean I don’t want to gag her at times.’
Ottilie couldn’t help but smile. ‘I think I’d be obliged to inform social services if you did.’
‘I think they’d come round with a medal if they’d met her.’ He took her into his arms and held her tight. ‘From this branch of the family, I apologise for that one. How can I make it up to you?’
‘There’s no need.’
‘There is.’
‘It’s not me getting it in the neck from everyone, is it?’
‘But it’s getting to you, I can tell.’
‘Of course it is.’ Ottilie let out a sigh as she laid her head on his shoulder.
‘Why don’t we have a weekend away?’
‘When?’
‘Next weekend? We’ll pack the car and go to stay on the coast. You choose.’
‘I can’t – there’s too much to do.’
‘Like what?’
‘I just can’t. I’m needed here.’
‘Fion will be fine.’
‘I know that, but…’ Ottilie’s feelings were vague, and she didn’t know how to express them. There was nothing in particular holding her back, only an inexplicable but inescapable sense that if she wasn’t around to keep an eye on things, life at Wordsworth Cottage would somehow go off the rails.
‘OK,’ Heath said. ‘Why don’t we go out tomorrow?’
‘I don’t have time?—’
‘If the phrases housework, wedding planning or washing uniform come out of your mouth in the next thirty seconds, then the wedding is off. All those things can wait, and you need to let off some steam. And don’t try to persuade me otherwise because I can tell it’s true. You don’t want to go away for the weekend and that’s fine, I understand, but you need a break. We’re in the Lake District. For once, let’s take advantage of it. When was the last time we spent some time outdoors?’
‘I don’t think it was all that long ago.’
‘For you, maybe, but for me I’m sure it’s weeks, if not months. Let’s go out – the forecast is good. Picnic, a bit of walking, maybe…’ He paused and then, as Ottilie looked up at him, he broke into a broad smile. ‘That swimming hole. You know the one in the hills Gran used to go to as a girl.’
‘Where you came to rescue us that time with a face like thunder when I couldn’t get her down?’
‘That one!’ He laughed. ‘It’s about time we made a different memory for that place.’
‘I suppose it is, though I do like that one, even though you were really grumpy about having to come up for us. Isn’t it a bit cold for wild swimming?’
‘It’s warm enough. We don’t have to be in there for long; we can take towels and robes and a flask and some snacks and make a day of it. The good thing is, it will be peaceful. Hardly anyone knows it’s there.’
‘Locals do. So Flo says.’
‘They might, but for most it’s too much of a trek. Even we haven’t been back up there since that day with Gran. Come on, what do you say? An outdoor spa day – it might be just what we need.’
Ottilie shook her head slowly as she smiled up at him. ‘I don’t know how I deserve you.’
‘In a good way or a bad way?’
‘Good,’ she said. ‘Always good.’
‘So that’s a yes?’
‘Yes. It’ll be fun. And if it’s not fun, it will be a change of scenery. I think you’re right – that’s exactly what I need at the moment.’