Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Why wouldn’t he be able to take my mooring?
I was pretty sure that was what Jack had been going to say before I practically ran away from him.
I’d felt that awful pricking at the back of my eyes warning me I was close to bursting into angry tears.
It frustrated me that my emotions manifested themselves in waterworks like this, making me seem weak when it was so important to show strength, especially to someone who could be as coolly calculating as Jack.
I was so befuddled by him. There were times when I thought I saw glimpses of a funny and interesting human there, someone I might actually have liked were the circumstances different, but then the uptight and ruthless businessman would reappear, reminding me of all the reasons I had to be on my guard against him.
I texted Liam to vent, knowing he of all people would understand.
Between you and me (pls don’t worry Flick about this) I’m worried the Siddall is up to his old tricks… He’s got his eye on taking over my mooring space and he’s cosying up to the OBA to make it happen. Feeling pretty powerless at the mo tbh
His reply came within seconds.
OMG that sucks, so sorry hun. Can he get your space?
I hesitated. The honest answer was yes. But it was hard enough thinking about it, let alone putting that fear in writing. It would make it so much more real.
This is Jack Siddall we’re talking about…
enough said…I’ve got ur back x
Thanks. You’re a mate x
I tried to busy myself with work, but every time I looked at the shelves of the Oxford Bookship, I felt the pang of potential loss.
The fact the shop was quiet for most of the afternoon didn’t help either.
By closing time, my anxiety had grown so acute I could barely sit still.
I shut up shop in record time and took Hilda for a run, the pair of us pounding the streets of Oxford until the endorphins from my exertion slowly started to work their magic on my psyche.
As my tracking app bleeped to tell me we’d hit 5k, I paused for a breather and realised we were only a couple of streets away from the Jericho Grange Care Home.
‘Fancy stopping to say hi to Nana Rose, Hildy-girl?’ I asked.
She wiggled joyfully and set off again at a trot.
Nana Rose was on good form, temporarily alleviating one area of concern. She was sitting on a bench in the care home garden, enjoying the late evening sunshine when I arrived, and greeted me with a cheery wave.
‘I’ve got some good news for you, my darling,’ she said as soon as I sat down next to her.
‘Have they managed to get your pain medication sorted?’ I asked.
She lightly tapped the back of my hand. ‘Stop fussing. You’re as bad as your father. No, this is much more exciting than boring old medication.’
I considered pushing harder, but she seemed so happy I thought it would be a shame to spoil the moment.
‘I’ve found an author who’d like to launch her debut book on your boat,’ she said, the words spilling out in delight. ‘She’s written a murder mystery set on a cruise ship, and she thought spending publication day on a boat would be perfect.’
‘Of course I’d be very happy to help her. But wouldn’t she prefer to be on an actual cruise ship?’
Nana Rose waved away my objection. ‘Pshaw, why would she want to spend time on one of those floating tower blocks? She’d be better off staying on dry land than going on one of those things.
No, she agrees a canal boat would allow her to be close to the water, and it would be a quirky line to sell for the media coverage. ’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Does she agree, or have you strong-armed her into agreeing? I know what you’re like, oh Nana mine. Your powers of persuasion are unparalleled.’
‘Between you and me, she did try to get on a cruise ship, but they weren’t interested. Her grandmother was telling me all about her disappointment over dinner the other night. Anyway, we came up with the perfect solution, and now everyone can be happy.’
I chuckled. ‘I might have known it would be a grandparent conspiracy.’
She pouted. ‘We’ve got to look after our grandchildren’s best interests,’ she said. ‘I’ll text you her number and you can get it all sorted. I’m not exactly sure when her book is due to be published, but you’ll be able to iron out all the details.’
‘As long as she brings plenty of fans along to buy copies, I’ll be happy.
Now, Nana, are you sure I can’t tempt you to come to the next Blind Date with a Book night?
It would be lovely to have you visit the Bookship and see her in all her glory.
It’s been a while since you last came. You’d definitely be the catch of the evening. ’
Nana Rose pulled a face. ‘That’s very sweet of you, dear, but I’m otherwise engaged next Saturday evening.’
‘Bingo calling again?’ I asked.
‘What? Oh, that. No, I decided one time was quite enough. In actual fact, I have a date of my own to look forward to. Eric invited me round for dinner and I said yes.’
‘Eric? As in Eric Sanderson?’ I swear she actually blushed. ‘Nana Rose, you dark horse.’
‘We’re old friends. We thought we’d get together to reminisce.’
‘Is that what the young people are calling it nowadays?’ I teased, delighted by the happy expression on her face.
Nana Rose gave a throaty chuckle. ‘It does me good to hear you refer to me as one of the “young people”, although I know you’re only humouring your old gran.’
‘You’re definitely young at heart,’ I said. ‘Old is as old does.’
‘You’re absolutely right. And before you start worrying, I’m not trying to seduce him into giving you a discount on the mooring fees.’
‘What? How?’ I stuttered, then realised I’d fallen into a trap.
‘A-ha,’ she said triumphantly. ‘I was right. I knew you were worrying about them.’
‘Nana, are you seriously telling me you’ve come up with a story about dating Eric to try to get me to confess I’m worried about the mooring fees? I’m not, by the way. Yes, it’s a chunk of money, but it’s a basic part of my business costs, and it’s all in hand.’
I felt deeply uncomfortably spinning this less than true line to Nana, but it felt more important to protect her from my concerns. My problems were mine to deal with. She shouldn’t have to worry about them.
‘You were never a convincing liar, my darling.’
‘I’m not going to argue with you about this, Nana,’ I said firmly, knowing I’d need to try harder to deflect her.
‘If I was worried, which I’m not, it would only be on the same level as being concerned about other hypothetical things like the Oxford Bookship flooding, or setting on fire, or Hilda breaking her leg. ’
I winced, wishing I hadn’t said those fears out loud. Logically I knew voicing them wouldn’t make them come true, but the thing with worry was that it was rarely diminished by logic.
‘Hmm,’ she said doubtfully.
‘The fees are well within my budget, and they will be paid when they’re due, and not a moment later.’ If I said it enough, maybe I would be able to convince myself too. ‘And that is all you’re getting from me on that subject. You worrying about me worrying only makes me actually start to worry.’
Thankfully she laughed, although I knew she was still watching me carefully. I’d have to work harder at putting on a brave front.
Hilda and I didn’t stay as long as we’d have liked because Nana Rose started looking tired, although she claimed otherwise. I made an excuse about needing to get an order in for more stock and we headed home.
As I stepped on board, I found an envelope pushed halfway under the door of the bookshop and instantly recognised the luxurious stationery of the Oxford Boating Association.
With a feeling of trepidation, I reached down and picked it up, weighing it between my fingers as if I could psychically glean the contents.
I’d had the invoice for the mooring fees, what else could they have to communicate with me?
I opened the envelope, my heart thumping rapidly as I read the scribbled note warning me that the Oxford Boating Association was going to carry out an inspection of my narrowboat and check my canal licence to make sure that I wasn’t in contravention of its terms.
I spluttered with indignation and picked up my phone without allowing myself to think about it. Eric answered on the first ring.
‘I was expecting to hear from you,’ he said, not bothering with pleasantries. His voice was resigned.
‘I bet you were. What’s all this about a licence inspection?’
‘Hold on a minute.’ I could hear the sound of him moving around and a door opening and shutting. When he spoke again, his tone was hushed, but more informal.
‘It’s exactly what it says in the note, Molly love. The Oxford Boating Association is obliged to carry out regular inspections of the boats mooring in our waters. We need to make sure everyone has the appropriate licence to be here. It’s purely routine, nothing to worry about.’
‘With all due respect, that’s utter boll—balderdash.
’ I hastily corrected myself before I accidentally let slip an expletive.
I’d only make things worse for myself by alienating him.
‘I’ve been living here over a year, Eric.
How come nobody’s needed to inspect my boat in all that time?
And as far as I know, Nana Rose never experienced a snap check like this, in all her decades on the water. What’s brought it on now?’
‘Why do you say that?’ he asked, carefully avoiding answering my question.
‘I’m saying something must have inspired this. Nothing’s changed in my circumstances since I signed the contract for the mooring. I showed my canal licence then, you know it’s for a permanent mooring because otherwise I wouldn’t have been allowed to settle here in the first place.’
‘I know that, but we still have to do our due diligence.’ There was something in his tone which I couldn’t quite figure out.
‘Did somebody put you up to this?’