Chapter 34
After the drama of the previous day, Dixie woke up feeling remarkably positive.
She knew her adventure had to come to an end at some point and now was as good a time as any.
After three weeks she wanted to go back to civilization – living on her own had made her read far too much into things with Ned.
What she needed was to draw a line under her adventure, savour all the positives from it and move on, emotionally and physically.
Her fingers had hovered over the number of the local garage but something had changed her mind.
‘Well, bugger me backwards, would you look at this place?’ said Renee, setting foot inside the van. ‘It’s more dapper than dangerous Dave Cameron’s shepherd hut!’
‘Do you like it?’ Dixie knew she was fishing for more compliments, but she needed a little boost.
‘You’ve done a lovely job with it. I admit, I thought it was a pile of shite when you bought it. But it goes to show that while you can’t polish a turd, you can roll it in glitter.’
Dixie had a feeling there was a compliment in there somewhere. ‘Did you want a sit-down and a cup—’
‘Bloody hell no. I’m not dead yet. I want to see the sights and then I’ll have one last go at getting this baby running.’ Renee waved her crossed fingers in the air.
Dixie followed her out of the van and locked up quickly. ‘Be careful, it’s uneven underfoot!’ she called.
Renee was already strolling through the woodland when Dixie caught up with her. ‘It’s a lovely spot,’ said Renee.
‘It is. I’m going to miss it.’ Dixie sighed.
‘It’s only thirty minutes up the blinking road. You can come back any time you like,’ said Renee with a chuckle.
‘Hmm. I can’t really. It’s all turned a bit weird with the landowner so I think when I leave I won’t be coming back.’ Dixie didn’t like how much it hurt her.
Renee linked her arm through Dixie’s. ‘Then leave it up to me and you’ll go out with a bang.’
‘Now I am worried,’ said Dixie.
Their walk took them through all Dixie’s favourite places.
Renee didn’t question the new names she’d given them.
The sun was glinting spectacularly through the trees making it feel like they were walking through a piece of art.
The familiar, fresh, flowery scents were stronger somehow, and Dixie tried to commit it all to memory.
Dixie pointed out all the natural ingredients she could see and Renee picked up a few others that she recognized as well, including wild thyme and some mushrooms. She was suitably impressed with the truffles, although the only ones they could find were those nibbled and discarded by the squirrels.
They stood together on the ridge by Tidy Trees and looked across the rippling hills.
Renee was sucking in a great lungful of air. Had the walk been too much for her, Dixie wondered. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Fresh air. You can’t bloody beat it. Unless you have alcohol, then no contest. Come on. Let’s go back and get cooking and then we’ll get fixing.’
Dixie realized it was the last time she’d look out over Tidy Trees and walk past Woody Corner and try not to scratch herself going through Prickly Patch or stub her toe on the Bastard Stump and it was hard not to feel sad about it.
‘Stop being maudlin! Life’s too short for it,’ called Renee, snapping Dixie out of her doldrums.
They were chatting about what cocktails Dixie had missed at Crafting and Cocktails when Renee put her arm in front of Dixie to halt her, a lot like her mum had used to do when she was in the front seat of the car and she was braking heavily – Dixie’s mum wasn’t the best driver.
Renee put a finger to her lips and then pointed ahead.
‘What is it?’ asked Dixie, but she had already spotted what Renee had seen. ‘Ned! What the actual f—’
‘We’d better go and investigate,’ interrupted Renee, her voice low.
They crept closer until Renee gestured for Dixie to go one way around the van whilst she went the other. Dixie did as Renee asked but her mind was buzzing. What was Ned doing back here? Why were they creeping up on him rather than shouting at him?
‘What are you doing?’ asked Renee, popping out from the cover of the van and making Ned jump.
‘Oh, it’s nothing to worry about. I’m—’
‘We know who you are and what you are,’ snapped Dixie, making him jump again as she appeared on his other side. She leaned over and snatched the note from under Elsie’s wiper.
‘Right, let’s see what this says, shall we?
“Dear Dixie, I’ve never met anyone quite like you before.
It feels like I’ve found something I didn’t even know I was searching for.
You’re bold, unorthodox and completely unique.
I’d hate things to end like this. Please can we talk …
”’ Dixie stopped reading. She couldn’t have been more surprised if Arnold had started to sing opera.
Ned scrunched up his shoulders in his discomfort. ‘I maybe should have led with an apology. But you get the gist. Anyway, I—’ He waved a thumb over his shoulder.
‘Oh no you don’t,’ said Renee. ‘I’ve got a great recipe and I’m about to whip it up. So you two have a walk and sort out your differences or when you get back in thirty minutes I’ll be banging your heads together. Got it?’
Ned looked mildly alarmed by Renee, which was fairly usual.
‘This is Renee,’ said Dixie. ‘She’s a very good friend of mine. We’d best do as she says.’
Dixie and Ned walked in silence for a bit.
But Dixie had had enough of silence. She’d spent every evening with it for too many nights and it really wasn’t something she was going to miss.
Ned on the other hand … she was very confused about how she felt about him.
She’d thought they had been nurturing something but if he’d been trying get rid of her all along then he obviously didn’t feel the same but then again he’d left the lovely note that she was clutching. It was all rather befuddling.
‘Look. I’m sorry I shouted at you but it was a shock to find out the mean letters were from you. It wasn’t nice to discover that someone I thought was a friend was scheming to get me moved on.’ She felt instantly better for saying it.
Ned took a deep breath and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. ‘I was scared,’ he said.
‘Of what?’
‘I saw the campervan and I made assumptions about who had left it there. And then I realized someone was living in it so I told Gran and that had her awake at night, worrying that more people would move on to the land and we’d be overrun and they’d never leave.’
‘She has quite the active imagination.’
‘Yeah. It’s not helpful sometimes. Gran made me write the notes because we wanted to stop all of that happening. It was a pre-emptive strike if you like. And then I met you and you were the last person I expected to be living like that. Sorry, no offence.’
‘None taken. It is a little unusual and there is the teeniest possibility that I overreacted,’ said Dixie.
‘Great – something we can agree on,’ said Ned. But he was smiling.
‘Then who was the lady with the Labrador?’
‘A neighbour. Sorry I ran off that day but I knew she’d tell Gran if she saw me here talking to you.’
‘So it’s your Gran who owns the land then?’
‘She handed things over to me early as she’d had a few bad health episodes and now we’re in this odd place where we both think we’re in charge but neither of us wants to upset the other one.’
‘I get that,’ said Dixie. ‘You want to be your own boss but also keep things genial.’
‘Exactly.’ They walked on for a few steps before he spoke again. ‘Are we friends again?’ He gave Dixie a sideways glance.
‘I think so.’
‘Then you’ll stay?’
‘I don’t think I can. I’m a bit natured out.
It’s an awful thing to admit but I miss a proper bed.
Elsie’s mattress is like sleeping on a bag of spanners.
I actually checked the first night in case there were a variety of tools underneath, it was so uncomfortable.
And I miss proper coffee and, most of all, I miss my friends. ’
‘I understand,’ said Ned. ‘Because when you leave I’ll miss my friend too.’
They strolled back in silence. Somehow silence wasn’t so bad when she shared it with him. As they neared the campervan, Arnold scurried across a branch above their heads and screeched her annoyance at them.
‘Grub’s up!’ called Renee.
Delicious smells met them as they entered the van where Renee was dishing up mushroom risotto. She grated a little of the washed truffle on top. ‘This is quite something.’ She waved the brown nugget at Ned.
‘Lucky find, I think,’ he said.
‘Nope,’ said Renee. ‘By the looks of things you’ve got a whole truffle orchard down by the ridge there.’ Ned looked stunned. Renee nodded at the food. ‘Now you’re both OK with shrooms, right?’
‘I love mushrooms,’ said Dixie.
‘Great. It’s a bit haphazard as it’s not the right rice but it’ll blow your mind, I guarantee it. Dig in!’
‘They don’t sell arborio at the garage,’ lamented Dixie.
They all sat down and began to eat. Renee was right, it was delicious. They chatted amiably while they ate.
‘There’s something about this,’ said Ned. ‘I’ve eaten a lot of foraged food but there’s something I can’t quite work out.’
‘Wild garlic?’ said Dixie.
‘No, I’d recognize that.’
‘Wild thyme?’ said Renee.
‘That could be it. Subtle and earthy. It’s very good. Thanks, Renee,’ said Ned.
‘You’re welcome. I take it you two have sorted out your differences, then.’ She eyed them both over her full fork.
‘We have,’ said Dixie, realizing she felt so much happier now.
‘Then you’re stopping here?’ Renee raised an eyebrow.
‘No, I’m coming home. I think it’s time to draw this adventure to a close. And assuming you can get Elsie fixed, then I’ll be off today, but it won’t be forever.’
‘Hmm,’ said Renee, checking her watch. ‘That might not be possible today.’
Dixie didn’t always know when Renee was joking. She cleared everything away and Ned helped her wash up while Renee sat outside on the deckchair and threw nuts to Arnold.
‘Were you expecting Renee to fix the van?’ whispered Ned as he dried up a plate.
Dixie sat down on the edge of the seating; she was feeling a bit lightheaded. ‘She’s a dab hand with engines and she can weld. I’m not sure what’s happening now though.’ Dixie blinked. ‘Can you smell green?’ she asked.
‘Green what?’
‘Just green,’ said Dixie. Ned’s eyes widened.