Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
The news of the break-in spread through Puffin Island like seagulls on chips. By mid-morning, half the village seemed to have heard, but it was Betty who was first through the door, holding a foil-wrapped parcel in her hand.
‘I heard what happened! You poor dears,’ she said, thrusting the parcel into Fern’s hands. ‘Sausage rolls. Still warm. You can’t solve mysteries or fix broken locks on an empty stomach.’
‘Betty, you didn’t have to—’
‘Nonsense.’
Moments later, Amelia popped in, her cardigan flapping as she rushed through the door. ‘I’ve just heard! Is everyone okay?’
‘We’re both fine. We were out to lunch when it happened,’ said Fern.
‘I’ve brought the number of a locksmith.’
Fern was about to respond when the door jingled again. This time, Dilly walked in, holding the hands of identical twins. ‘I heard about the break-in, and I wanted to offer help, if there’s anything I can do?’
Fern blinked at the sudden influx of warmth and goodwill. ‘Thank you, all of you. I don’t even know what to say.’
Daniel appeared from the back with a tray of tea things and a slightly overwhelmed expression. ‘I thought we were being burgled again with all the noise.’
Amelia smiled. ‘Just your neighbours descending to make sure you’re okay.’
Even Dorothy wandered in not long after, with a plastic bag full of scones.
‘I just thought you might need a pick-me-up,’ she said, eyes soft behind her spectacles.
Fern accepted them with a smile but suddenly felt her guard go up.
A ridiculous thought had just flashed through her mind – was it possible Dorothy knew more than she let on?
She had become close to Matilda only in the last few years; was that a conscious decision?
An attempt to get close to try to find out about the manuscript to protect Alistair’s inheritance?
She tried to shake the suspicion away, told herself that was ridiculous, but there was still a tiny niggle in the back of her mind.
While the shop buzzed with a comforting energy, Fern linked her arm through Daniel’s and found herself smiling.
‘What are you smiling at?’ he murmured.
‘This. People looking out for each other.’
‘It’s called community – and Puffin Island has the best.’
‘I can see that,’ she replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.
* * *
After everyone had left, Daniel popped out to pick up some more milk.
Fern was still riding the wave of warmth from the community as she pulled out her phone to check No.
17 Curiosity Lane’s social media accounts.
Daniel had been doing an incredible job as the singing antique dealer, and sales had been rising.
She moved on to her own personal social media and gave a tiny gasp.
A photo of Ella. In a white dress.
The man beside her Jax Devlin.
Married.
At Gretna Green.
Fern couldn’t believe what she was seeing. They had got engaged barely two days before and now this. She read the caption.
A small, romantic ceremony, just the two of us.
There were gold bands on their fingers, a kiss under the wooden arch. The photos were all soft lighting and whimsical filters. Surely this had to be some sort of joke, but not according to thousands of comments underneath the post.
Fern stared. This was her best friend … or had been. She couldn’t stop her eyes blurring with tears. She hadn’t expected the deceit of it all. Hearing the door open she looked up to see Clemmie walking through it, waving a bunch of flowers. ‘I thought these would cheer you up…’
She took one look at Fern and stopped in her tracks. ‘Fern? Oh, being burgled is such a horrible thing to happen.’
Fern placed her phone on the desk, and covered her face with both hands. A sob escaped before she could stop it.
‘What can I do?’ Clemmie asked kindly.
‘It’s not even about the burglary,’ Fern said, looking up.
‘It’s Ella. My so-called best friend has been sleeping with my ex, and I don’t mean just recently.
I mean more than likely while we were still together.
I’d bet anything on it.’ She took a shaky breath.
‘Barely a week ago he was trying to get me back into bed and now … now they’re married. Married. She didn’t even tell me.’
‘That doesn’t sound like a friend. I’m so sorry this is happening to you.’
‘No doubt it will be plastered all over the newspapers tomorrow. I feel so humiliated.’
‘Why would it be plastered over the newspapers?’
‘My ex is Jax Devlin.’
Clemmie’s mouth dropped open in shock and Fern would have laughed if she wasn’t so busy crying. ‘I wasn’t expecting that.’
‘They got married at Gretna Green. White dress. Daisies in her hair.’
‘That’s not good.’
‘I don’t care about Jax, but I always thought Ella was my person. We were meant to be each other’s family and now I feel like I don’t even know her at all. I feel such a fool.’
‘You are not a fool.’
‘In the past, we’d even had chats about our wedding days. How we’d be there for each other. I feel blindsided. How long has this even been going on? I’d expect it from him but not her.’
‘It must hurt. I don’t think anything I could say now would make it any better. When are you going back to London?’
‘I’d taken some leave, but I’m expected back in the office on Monday, and to complicate things further I’ve just been offered a short-term promotion.
Editor is a job I’ve always wanted … but Ella would be in the team I manage.
I’m not sure how I feel about seeing her again.
I don’t want to face her or hear what she has to say. ’
‘It doesn’t sound ideal. Do you have to go back? What about this place?’
‘I’ve got to admit, I’m enjoying being here. All this – though not the burglary, obviously – it’s been great, and spending time with Daniel and getting to know him is just…’ She smiled.
‘He’s a very good catch,’ Clemmie acknowledged.
‘I know, he makes me smile every day and that was something Jax never did. All he ever did was make me anxious and confused. Whenever he was gigging all I could think about was how many groupies would end up in his bed, but I never imagined it would be my best friend.’
‘I would say you’ve had a lucky escape, probably from both of them.’
‘I’m beginning to think you may be right.’ She sighed. ‘I’ve worked so hard for that job, but if I don’t take it…’
‘You won’t lose anything, you’ll just build a better future.
Look what you have here. Does it have to stay an antique shop?
It’s a fabulous location, and you could start your own magazine, become your own boss.
You have choices, and one huge win for choosing Puffin Island is that you don’t have London prices.
You could get a fresh start with a great community, a slower pace of life, and friends that aren’t going to sleep with your boyfriend. ’
Fern smiled. ‘That’s good to hear.’
‘It will all work its way out.’
‘If I don’t go back to London—’
‘Aha!’ Clemmie cut in. ‘So you’re thinking about staying?’
‘It’s on my mind,’ Fern admitted. ‘But how can I make a life decision having spent so little time here? I also worry Daniel thinks I’d only be staying because of Ella, that avoiding her makes this the easy option.’
‘Maybe it’s just the change you need. And what’s the worst that can happen?
If you decide to stay and you don’t like it here, you can always go back to London.
There’s nothing stopping you keeping your place in the city for six months, then seeing how you feel.
Can you work remotely? Go freelance. There are always options. ’
Fern mulled over what Clemmie had just said. It all made sense. It was just that taking the leap was terrifying her. She was torn.
‘Talk it over with Daniel.’
‘I will.’
‘And for what it’s worth, we would love to add you to our little community.’
Fern glanced around the shop, at the tea mugs that were still warm, the gift-wrapped sausage rolls, the lingering scent of scones. Puffin Island had reached out with both hands today. She just had to take hold.
Outside, the sea breeze rattled the shop sign. Fern wasn’t going anywhere just yet. She had a lot of thinking to do.