Chapter 16
‘Will you not stay for a coffee and some breakfast?’ asked Tess, turning around at the sensation of Rob’s hands on her forearms, his chin resting on her shoulder.
She’d woken early, just after six, and tiptoed out of the bedroom, leaving him gently snoring.
Now, his soft kiss on the back of her neck sent a delightful shiver down her spine.
‘No, I need to get on. I’m seeing the kids later. We’re probably going to grab an early lunch and then head for the cinema. Besides, I don’t want to get under your feet. I know you have an important day ahead.’
‘Yes, it’s exciting. I can’t believe it’s actually here.’
What had been a distant dream for Tess had now become a reality with the upcoming arrival of her first guests at The Garden Retreat later this morning.
Already, she’d been out there to check that there had been no last-minute disasters in the annexe, and her relief at finding everything just so and as she had left it was real.
She’d plumped up the cushions on the daybed and placed a pretty glass vase of fresh dahlias and asters on the small side table.
‘Sorry, Barney,’ she’d told the dog, who had been desperate to get inside and up on the bed. ‘Like your sister, you’re banned from here now. Come on,’ she’d said, closing the door. ‘Let’s get inside and you can have some breakfast.’
She loved the early mornings at Hollyhocks when the house was quiet and she could potter around getting so much done. Already, she had made a batch of scones and some lemon-drop biscuits.
‘Well, best of luck, not that you’ll need it. Your visitors are going to love it here.’
‘Ooh, I hope so.’ She noticed Rob surreptitiously eyeing up her baking endeavours. ‘Would you like to take some scones with you?’
‘No, I couldn’t,’ he said, not sounding entirely convincing. ‘They’re for your guests.’
‘Don’t worry.’ She grinned. ‘There’s plenty.
I’ll put together a little parcel for you,’ she said with a smile.
She wrapped three scones in some greaseproof paper, tying the package up with some string, retrieved the clotted cream from the fridge and decanted a couple of spoonfuls into a small pot, and found a jar of unopened jam from the cupboard that she’d made a couple of months ago from the damsons off the tree in the garden.
Lining a small bread basket with a couple of colourful printed napkins, she carefully arranged all the components inside for a delicious cream tea.
‘Wow, look at that,’ Rob’s face lit up with delight as she handed over the basket and he peered inside. ‘That’s what I love about you. You do everything with such creativity and flair. I’m going to enjoy these and I might not even share them with kids,’ he said, laughing.
‘You’re very welcome,’ she said, only slightly taken aback by his casual use of the word love. She knew he’d only said it as a throwaway comment, but she had caught it deep in her chest, causing a quiver inside.
Still, she didn’t have time to indulge in wild flights of fancy.
Waving Rob goodbye from her driveway, she turned her focus onto the day’s events.
Her guests would be checking in early as they were attending a wedding later in the day so she wanted to make sure that Barney had been walked and she was changed into something a bit smarter than her usual casual gear to greet them.
She gave a sigh, before walking across to the tap to pour a glass of water in an attempt to steady her nerves.
She hadn’t been this apprehensive when she’d gone on her first date with Rob, but she needn’t have worried because as soon as Ray and Rosemary arrived at her front door, and she saw their smiling faces; it was like welcoming old friends.
‘I’m Tess and this Barney, and we’re very happy to welcome you to Hollyhocks. Let me show you to The Garden Retreat.’
She led them through the side gates that led to the annexe and their reactions at seeing the pretty cottage garden and the little wooden lodge nestling amongst the greenery was gratifying.
‘Oh my goodness, this is so beautiful,’ said Rosemary. ‘What a gorgeous setting and it’s so peaceful too. This will be ideal, thank you.’
‘I’ve left you a welcome package on the side, along with some fresh milk, tea and coffee, but if there’s anything else you need then please just knock at my door. I hope you have a wonderful stay.’
She was on tenterhooks for the rest of the day, half hoping that they might knock on the door with an easily solvable problem, but she didn’t hear from them, which she took to be a good sign.
A little later, she spotted them, all dressed up in their best finery, as they walked down the driveway, on their way to the wedding.
It was only later that day after some lunch when Tess gravitated to the orangery and sank down onto the squashy sofa, feeling tired after her early start and all the jobs she’d completed, that she looked around her to see where Barney was.
Normally, he was at her side, tracking her every move, but his absence made her realise that she hadn’t seen him in a while.
‘Barney!’ she called his name loud, half expecting him to come running in from his hiding place, to hear the familiar sound of his claws scrabbling against the hard floors, but there was nothing.
She got up and wandered around the ground floor, searching out his usual haunts, then she went upstairs with a little more urgency, wondering if he’d taken a nap on one of the beds.
Perhaps he was missing Hannah, who had stayed out at friend’s overnight, and was staging a protest, but he wasn’t to be found curled up on her bed, or any of the other beds.
Dashing down the stairs, she called out his name again, but she knew it was futile.
She went straight out the orangery doors, realising that she’d let the dog into the garden earlier, but couldn’t remember him coming back in again, and that’s when her heart sank as she looked all around her, spotting the open garden gate that her guests would have used when they left the property.
A sense of dread filled her chest. Barney had escaped once before, when he was still a puppy, sneaking into a neighbouring garden and then making his bid for freedom.
He had gone missing for over two hours and it had been the worse two hours of Tess’s life.
It had instilled such a fear in the whole family that they had all been extra vigilant ever since, making sure all the outdoor gates were locked.
She chided herself for making such a basic error.
It wasn’t her guests’ fault. She should have checked that the gate was closed before putting Barney out there, but it simply hadn’t occurred to her.
Now, she ran out to the front of the house in the vague hope that the dog might be there, happily mooching about, but knowing Barney as she did, she suspected he would be long gone and that created a huge problem.
She really didn’t know where to look first.
Running inside the house, she grabbed her phone before dashing around to Dilly’s, so relieved when she found her at home, and then explained, breathlessly, what had happened.
‘Oh, Barney! Where’s he gone, the little devil? Do you want me to come with you to find him?’
‘Would you mind staying here and keeping an eye out for him? Just in case he decides to come home? I’ll go down into the village and ask if anyone has seen him, and if not then I’ll probably head over to the woods, where we usually walk.’
‘Okay, well try not to worry.’ Dilly placed a comforting hand on Tess’s forearm.
That was easier said than done. All she could think about was Barney, lying hidden in a ditch somewhere, injured and hurt. She took a couple of deep breaths to steady her breathing.
‘I’m sure he’ll be having the time of his life somewhere.’ Dilly was doing her best to reassure Tess.
‘I hope so. Honestly, when I find him, I’m not going to let him out of my sight again. I can’t bear to think what—’
Dilly stopped her, holding up a hand.
‘Don’t even think about it. He’ll be fine. You go. I’ll call you if there’s any news from this end and let me know if you find him.’
‘Thanks, Dilly. You’re a lifesaver,’ she called over her shoulder as she went dashing down the lane.
Dilly was only trying to make her feel better with her words of reassurance, but how could she know that Barney would be okay?
Although it was only a quiet spot, it still attracted a lot of visitors and tourists, especially at the weekends, who might be more taken with the gorgeous sights of the local scenery than concentrating on the road.
Anyone she passed, she would ask.
‘Have you seen Barney? He’s a beagle.’ And if she was greeted with a blank look, she would go on and describe her little friend in more detail.
‘He’s about this big,’ bending down to hold her hand the required distance off the ground.
‘He’s white and black, with a sweet brown face and ears, and a white-tipped tail.
If you do see him, do you think you could ring me? ’
Thank goodness for her new business cards for The Garden Annexe, which she handed out to every person that she spoke to, in the hope that one of them must run into Barney sooner or later.