Chapter 22
Nora was hugely relieved when the climbing leader called them all together to tell them that Trent had incurred only minor injuries, which included extensive bruising, two broken ribs and a broken little finger, but they were keeping him in for observation overnight just to be on the safe side.
‘That’s good news,’ said Nora, unable to stop the huge sigh escaping.
‘Not for the nursing staff,’ said Jay.
‘Don’t be mean,’ said Nora. ‘Poor Trent. I know they called them minor injuries but he’s broken three things and has extensive bruising. None of that sounds like fun.’
‘He’ll be telling them all an elaborate story how he came to save you. They’ll all think he’s a hero and he’ll come out with enough phone numbers to fill a telephone directory. You mark my words,’ said Jay. ‘He’ll likely thank you for kicking him off the cliff.’
‘Oh don’t! I still feel awful.’ The familiar nausea bubbled in her gut.
Jay gave her shoulder a squeeze. ‘Stop beating yourself up. That was literally a knee-jerk reaction. You couldn’t help it. He shouldn’t have been grabbing your leg, let alone free-climbing up there to do it. He was just showing off and it backfired.’
‘I keep seeing it happen. Him falling. My fingers gripping the rock.’ Nora wondered if her clinging to a rockface was a metaphor for her life, or perhaps it was the part where she kicked him away. She looked Jay in the eyes. ‘It’s me,’ she said.
‘What’s you?’
‘It’s always my fault. All the failed relationships. They are all down to me.’
As she had expected, Nora didn’t sleep well.
Mainly because of her brain going over and over Trent’s fall but also because she was a bit distracted by thoughts of Jay – he’d been so kind, she didn’t know what she’d have done if he’d not been there.
She decided to go back over her ex-boyfriends.
Focusing on the 37 per cent rule would at least occupy her mind.
However, she kept returning to her earlier epiphany that she had in some way caused the end of all her relationships, either by choice or by her actions.
On top of that, she had the bunk below a pretty, petite young woman named Gabriella, who every time she turned over loudly broke wind – proving that nobody’s perfect.
The next morning Nora was nursing a foggy head, although she did have a renewed determination to focus on the 37 per cent rule because it now felt far more likely that ‘the one’ was in the pile somewhere, given her tendency to kick men out of her life.
Breakfast was porridge or toast and most people seemed to be filling up on both, even though neither looked that appetizing. At least the coffee was drinkable.
A round of applause broke out as Trent entered the breakfast room like a returning war hero, switching between dramatic winces and humble waves to his adoring public.
‘It’s OK. It takes more than a fall off a forty-foot cliff to break me,’ he said with a sage expression on his face.
‘Forty feet?’ whispered Jay. ‘He’s at least six foot tall and his feet were barely ten feet up the cliff when he reached for you. And people say I exaggerate.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘You do,’ said Nora, and he playfully dug her in the ribs.
‘Nora!’ called Trent, frowning as he made his way in her direction.
Oh great, here we go, she thought. ‘Good to see you back on your feet again,’ she said.
Trent took both of her hands in his with a theatrical grimace. ‘I don’t want you to feel bad about hurting me because … I forgive you,’ he said without blinking, which was rather off-putting.
Part of Nora wanted to repeat what Jay had said, that it was all Trent’s fault for being a show-off, but deep down she did feel to blame.
‘That’s good. I’m sorry I kicked you and that you fell and hurt yourself.’ She squeezed his hands and he crumpled. ‘What?’
‘My broken finger,’ he squeaked.
‘Shit. I am so sorry.’
‘It’s OK,’ he said, his jaw tight as he walked away.
Jay grinned at her.
‘Stop it,’ she said. ‘That’s not helpful. As if the poor man wasn’t already in enough pain.’
‘He’s fine. Look at him.’ Jay tipped his head in Trent’s direction, where all the other women were fussing over him. ‘He’s milking it. He’ll probably get a BAFTA before I do.’
‘Hmm.’ It didn’t stop Nora feeling awful.
‘Apparently we’re climbing above a gorge today,’ said Jay, sitting down next to her. ‘And the forecast is dry.’
‘I don’t think I can do that,’ said Nora.
‘Sure you can. You are a way better climber than me. One of the climbing instructors said the views from the top are unreal.’
‘No, Jay, you don’t understand. After what happened yesterday, I can’t climb. The thought of it is making my neck prickle.’
He nodded his understanding and chewed his toast thoughtfully as they watched Trent lapping up all the praise and sympathy from others.
‘I get where you’re coming from but here’s the thing.
’ He pointed at her with a piece of limp toast and marmalade.
‘If you don’t give it a try today it might grow into a phobia-type thing and you don’t want that.
Plus, if you’re not climbing, you’re staying here and spending the day with Trent. ’
What a choice.
*
Dixie had felt very proud of herself as she ate her foraged mushroom and garlic omelette.
Granted, the eggs were from the farm shop, but she had, with the help of Ned, found the mushroom and the wild garlic herself.
The mushroom was one of the ones growing on the side of a tree that Ned said were called chicken of the woods and were safe to eat.
With his help she’d cut down one of the smaller ones and she still had loads left over.
They had also found the mint so she could have fresh mint tea as well as some elderflower and wild strawberries, the latter of which were surprisingly tasty.
It had made her feel like a proper adventurer, like she had in her grandparents’ orchard as a child.
Strolling through the woodland with Ned had been both lovely and productive.
He’d looked gorgeous on camera and come across very well, as evidenced by the high number of inappropriate comments and people she was now having to block from her Instagram account.
When she wasn’t filming they had chatted a little about nature but had also spent time listening for the birdsong.
It had been her best day since she’d left Melton, especially as there had been no message left on the van when she had returned.
Perhaps the note-writer had given up, or did it just mean they were getting ready to evict her?
She desperately wanted to stay now she felt she was settling into van life.
It had also galvanized her plans. She needed to make whatever time she had at the woodland count in case she was forced to move on.
It was important to vary what she was filming so that she kept her followers interested.
Although she got the feeling that if she just posted shots of Ned that would keep most of them happy.
What she really wanted was for people to engage with what she was doing and come on the journey with her – Ned was just the sprinkles on the cupcake.
After making some notes, she tucked herself up in bed full of happy thoughts and a little of the gin Renee had given her, and slept soundly.
A tapping noise made Dixie stir. ‘No, Arnold, not now,’ she muttered and she turned over. The tapping persisted. She opened her eyes and tentatively pulled back a little of the curtain and was startled by the face peering in at the window. ‘Argh!’
‘Good morning!’ said Ned.
Great, she thought. An early visit from the local hotty.
She hastily rubbed at her eyes to get rid of any sleep, checked her chin for dribble and tried to pull a brush through her hair but it got stuck, so she quickly put her mop of hair in a hairband.
‘Hi,’ she said, pulling open the rusting van door.
‘Sorry,’ said Ned. ‘Did I wake you?’
‘Nooo,’ lied Dixie, but a giant yawn she couldn’t stifle gave her away. ‘Maybe a bit.’ She pulled self-consciously at her rainbow pyjamas.
‘I can come back.’ He turned to leave.
‘No. It’s fine. As long as you don’t tell everyone what a fright I look first thing.’
‘No one to tell,’ he said.
Dixie did a double-take, making Ned jolt as he realized his faux pas.
‘Not that you look a fright. Because you don’t. I look much worse in a morning. I’m all stubbly because I need to shave. And you obviously don’t. Maybe I should stop talking now,’ he said.
She liked how awkward he seemed. That was how she felt a lot of the time. ‘It’s OK. I don’t easily take offence,’ she said. There was an uncomfortable silence where they both looked at each other and looked away. ‘Anyway, come in.’
‘Thanks.’ Ned climbed inside and came face to face with the underwear she was drying on a string across the middle of the van.
‘Oh heavens!’ She grabbed the first pair of pants, making the clothes peg fly off and hit Ned in the eye.
‘Ow!’
‘I am sooo sorry,’ she said speedily gathering the other garments, rolling them into a ball and shoving them under her duvet.
‘It’s OK,’ said Ned, blinking rapidly. ‘Actually that hurt. If you’ve got some ice.’
‘Sorry, no freezer. But I can put some cold water on a piece of kitchen roll,’ she suggested, already grabbing a sheet. ‘There you go.’ She handed it to him. ‘It’s like at school when a wet paper towel cured all ills.’ She giggled self-consciously.
‘Thanks,’ he said, looking at her with his one good eye.
Dixie desperately wanted to give her hair a proper brush because she now had visions of the back of her head looking like a bird’s nest. ‘Sorry, was there something you needed me for?’ she asked, unable to stand the tension any longer.
Ned became animated. ‘Yes, well, more something you might need me for.’
Dixie raised her eyebrows. It was early and she really wasn’t sure what Ned was offering.
‘When I was a teenager I used to tinker with a kit car.’
‘That’s nice,’ said Dixie, still none the wiser.
‘So I know my way around a vehicle and thought that maybe I could help you fix Elsie.’ He bit his lip as he waited for her reply.
She could have hugged him but restrained herself. She wasn’t sure what she was more pleased about – Ned offering to fix her campervan or him referring to her as Elsie.