Chapter 3 #2
‘I’m so tired. Working for a living is exhausting,’ she said with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.
‘I might take a long, leisurely soak in the bath, paint my toenails and then have an early night. Do you mind? I’ll help you with these dirty plates first, though.
’ Hannah stood up and started clearing the table.
‘Of course I don’t mind. You go up, darling. I’m perfectly happy to do this.’
‘Are you sure?’ Hannah asked, her face lighting up in relief at the suggestion, making Tess laugh.
‘Absolutely. Go and unwind, have a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.’
With Barney padding alongside her, ever hopeful that he might be first in line for any leftovers, Tess wandered out to the kitchen with the used plates and popped them into the dishwasher, before running a cloth over the worktops.
She switched on the kettle and made herself a mug of tea before wandering out to the orangery, where she usually found herself at the end of the day, nestled in the wicker chair, enjoying the peace and solitude, looking out over the garden, which took on a magical quality at night.
The shapes and forms of the shrubs and flowers were accentuated in the soft glow from the solar lights, and if she ventured outside with Barney, the fragrances from the flowers wafted in the still night air.
Tonight though, she was keen to get back to her latest book: an absorbing crime thriller that had transported her to the cobblestones of Prague’s old town.
She had only just opened her Kindle and had barely read the first sentence when she heard the doorbell ring.
Reluctantly, she put her e-reader to one side.
She wasn’t expecting any visitors, so she wondered if it might be Dilly from next door, pushing away a vague hope that it could be Rob, knowing she would only end up disappointed when that idea was inevitably dashed.
Any disappointment she might have been expecting was quickly replaced by a whole raft of other emotions when she saw who it was standing at her door.
At first, she experienced a moment’s incomprehension seeing the young man who she vaguely recognised, but couldn’t quite place, but it took only a moment before realisation dawned.
It was the distinctive blond hair that gave it away, as he stood there, hands behind his back, looking at her expectantly.
The last time she’d seen him was on a video call when his hair had been longer and messier, and he’d been rocking a surf-dude vibe.
Now his hair was shorter, accentuating the cut of his jawline and a set of compelling brown eyes.
Any lingering doubt she may have had about who it was was quickly dispelled as soon as he opened his mouth.
‘Hello, Mrs Alexander, I’m Billy. I’m pleased to meet you at last.’ These words were delivered with a disarming smile and a soft Irish accent. ‘I was hoping that Hannah would be here.’
Tess felt wrong-footed. She was immediately taken by Billy’s easy charm, as she had been on those video calls when they’d chatted briefly before, but quickly, she remembered how this young man had broken her daughter’s heart, and immediately felt defensive.
What was he doing here now? What could he possibly want?
‘Was Hannah expecting you?’ Tess asked, already knowing the answer to that question. Hannah would most definitely have mentioned an upcoming visit from her ex, but it gave her at least a bit of thinking time.
‘No, I thought I’d surprise her,’ he said with a quirk of his mouth, having the good grace to look apologetic.
‘You’ll certainly do that,’ she said coolly. ‘Look I’m not entirely sure Hannah is available right now. I would need to go and check. Can you wait a few minutes?’
‘Sure,’ he said, ‘I can wait as long as it takes.’
He didn’t look in the least bit put out when she indicated for him to take a seat on the stone bench at the front of the house.
It went against her instinct to be so rude, but she wouldn’t invite Billy inside the doors of Hollyhocks Cottage, not until Hannah had given her say-so.
At least it was a warm evening out there.
‘I’ll be right back,’ said Tess, closing the door on him, feeling a sense of dread at how Hannah might react.
She’d only just got back on an even keel after losing the baby and now Billy was back to bring all those memories to the fore.
Perhaps Tess should have immediately closed the door on him, told him he wasn’t welcome around here.
It was exactly what Charles would have done, although not before tearing Billy off a strip and sending him on his way, but then, as she kept telling everyone, Hannah was an adult, more than capable of making her own choices and decisions.
‘Hannah,’ she called as she climbed the stairs, and immediately, her daughter appeared from her bedroom, no doubt alerted by the tone of Tess’s voice.
In her kitten-print pyjamas, her face devoid of make-up and her hair tied back in a ponytail, she looked younger than her twenty-two years.
‘There’s someone here to see you. It’s Billy. ’
‘Billy? What… you mean… my Billy?’ The confusion and disbelief on Hannah’s face was clear to see.
‘Yes. Listen.’ Tess grabbed hold of Hannah’s forearms. ‘You don’t have to see him. Not if you don’t want to. I’m more than happy to go down there and tell him you don’t want to speak to him.’
‘No. Absolutely not,’ she said, rolling her shoulders backwards, a resolve appearing in her eyes. ‘This will be interesting. Let me go and see what he has to say for himself.’
Tess gave a tight smile and stood back, allowing Hannah to walk past her down the stairs. Tess followed, a sense of dread building in her chest, knowing that her quiet evening in the orangery, with a good book, would now need to wait until another day.