Epilogue
May of the following year
Tammy paused on her way to the car to gaze up at the house with its newly cleaned granite facade, pale green window frames and smart front door. It was almost ready to move into, with only cosmetic things left like kitchen units being fitted, skirtings painted, and one of the bathrooms completed.
As for the gardens, they were now tidy yet still bursting with mauve rhododendrons, pink azaleas and even some early roses. Though only a novice gardener, Tammy had even located and planted some Rambling Rectors in honour of Kathleen.
The May sunshine was warm against her cheek and she pulled a strand of hair out of her eyes as she surveyed her – their – new home.
Ruan slipped his arm around her back. ‘There were times when I never thought we’d get here.’
‘You can say that again,’ said Tammy, and they both knew they weren’t referring to the restoration of the house. That itself had taken over eight months and hadn’t been carried out by Sean or the woman who’d tutted over it as if it was a nuisance that needed sorting out.
Luckily, they’d managed to find a newly established father-and-daughter building firm from Penzance, on the recommendation of Polly Tremain, to do the major work. To keep costs down, Ruan, Tammy and their friends had pitched in when they could in between their work commitments.
The momentum from Tammy’s festival appearance had propelled her profile and reputation to new heights, and she had a summer of commissions, events and workshops to keep her busy – and bring in an income that made her self-sufficient even without working for Davey.
Ruan had made another big change in his life.
When a position had come up as part-time manager of the kitesurfing centre, he’d taken it – with encouragement from Tammy.
While Hector had been ‘gutted’ to see him leave, he’d respected the fact that his talented young colleague had moved to Cornwall for a better work–life balance.
He hadn’t left the law entirely, but had set up as a sole practitioner, which meant any legal work he did do was part-time and on his own terms. He even did some freelancing for Gaverne’s on the Tremain estate as he’d been such a hit with Polly.
As for the house: there had been some agonising over whether to divide Seaspray/Rosewarne into two cottages again or leave it as the large property it had originally been.
In the end, Ruan and Tammy had decided to leave it as one house, partly because it was quicker and simpler in terms of the building costs.
However, Tammy had also told Ruan that she felt it would be a step backwards to try to recreate Rosewarne.
‘Those days are gone,’ she’d said as they’d lain in bed in her flat one evening, Ruan having moved out of the caravan temporarily. ‘We should make a completely fresh start, if that’s OK with you. It’s your house, after all.’
‘It’s our house,’ Ruan had said. ‘Legally now.’
The process of transferring the house into their joint names had been completed a while before.
But all that was behind them now, and they could enjoy this moment as the stream gurgled past the house on its way to the cove.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Tammy said, watching the blue tits flit around the rediscovered apple tree in the grounds. ‘I wish Dad was here to see it.’
‘Me too,’ Ruan said. ‘I would have liked to have known him.’
She looked into his face. ‘I can’t tell you how much he’d have wanted to know you.’
‘To check me out?’
‘Yes!’ She looked at the house and any sadness dimmed. ‘There’s my mum and Davey to do that now.’
‘Don’t I know it. I was so nervous meeting your mother.’
‘Not as nervous as she was about meeting you,’ Tammy said, remembering her mum waiting apprehensively in the window of the house when she arrived with Ruan.
They’d been up to Scotland again to see Kathleen and Tammy’s mum, and her mother had promised to come to see the house when it was finished.
‘The only thing now is to decide what to call our new home,’ Tammy said. Both of its old names had sad associations, so they’d decided to have a complete change.
Ruan looked at the house and back to Tammy. ‘I do have one idea …’
‘Go on, then. Tell me.’
‘What about Sunrise? After all, the house faces south-east, but more than that, it would be a tribute to your design – and your dad.’
‘Oh – oh …’ Tammy felt her eyes moisten again, though this time with happy tears. ‘That would be perfect.’ She kissed him. ‘I know we have a big day ahead, but we don’t have to go home and get ready just yet, do we?’
‘No rush at all,’ said Ruan with a wicked grin. ‘And I happen to have the keys to the caravan.’
He took her hand and they drew the curtains, shutting the world out, at least for a while.
Later that afternoon, they stood hand in hand on the terrace of the Smuggler’s Arms, blinking in the bright sunshine. Tammy had a flower in her hair and was wearing a new dress. Ruan was in a smart shirt and trousers.
The landlord turned to the wedding guests. ‘So, please raise your glasses high and let’s congratulate the happy couple.’
As Ruan’s hand squeezed her own, Tammy lifted her glass high. ‘To the happy couple!’
Their voices joined those of their friends from Porthmellow: Lola, Shefali, Hattie, artists, musicians, and everyone else who had come along to celebrate the marriage of Davey and Breda.
The happy couple were holding hands and even managed a kiss before Davey declared, ‘That’s it.
Thank you, everyone, but I’m not giving a speech except to say that Breda is a madwoman to take me on and I can’t believe this beautiful, bright and wonderful woman is now my wife.
’ He held up her hand. ‘I must be the luckiest bleddy man in the world.’
Everyone cheered and applauded as Breda kissed him again, beaming with happiness.
Tammy swallowed a lump in her throat.
Davey had tears in his eyes. ‘Now, like I said, I’m not giving a speech. Enjoy yourselves – we’re paying!’
To laughter and the sound of the DJ turning up the music, Davey and Breda melted into their throng of guests.
It had been a tough few months for Davey, but his hormone treatment and radiotherapy had been completed by Christmas and his prognosis was very positive.
On New Year’s Eve, he’d proposed to Breda and they’d told Tammy the next day.
He’d moved in with her and, as planned, had rented out his flat, while Tammy had decided to make hers available at an affordable rent for local workers when she and Ruan finally moved into Sunrise.
There was laughter and banter, and more fizz and even more people joining the party in the evening. A local band set up and Tammy danced along with Lola and her friends while Ruan chatted to some of the locals from the sailing club.
Or at least she thought that’s what he was doing.
She hadn’t seen him for quite a while and was leaning over the terrace to see if he was with a group of men talking on the harbourside when he tapped her on the shoulder.
‘Found you.’
She jumped. ‘I could say the same for you. I’ve been looking for you.’
‘Good, because I need you to come with me.’
‘Why?’
He tapped the side of his nose mysteriously. ‘You’ll see.’
He held her hand and led her along the harbourside towards the beach, stopping before they reached the wall where she’d first spotted him. ‘Now,’ he said sternly, ‘close your eyes.’
‘Why?’
‘Trust me.’
‘OK …’ she said.
He took her hand. ‘Do not open them. I’ll guide you.’
The gulls cried, dogs barked and the music from the wedding party drifted out of the pub, but she kept her promise and kept her eyes tightly closed, even though she was mystified. The ground sloped and she almost stumbled.
‘I’ll hold your hand and make sure you don’t fall. Just promise not to look until I tell you that you can. Trust me.’
‘I do.’ She shuffled forward until he said they should stop.
‘And now,’ he said quietly, ‘you can open your eyes.’
The setting sun made her blink, and then her eyes clouded with tears and she had to cover her mouth to stifle a little cry when she saw the heart, drawn roughly in the sand, with two words in the centre.
He shuffled sheepishly and gave an apologetic smile.
‘It’s a bit rough – very rough, and I didn’t have much time, and the tide’s on its way in, but I suddenly knew that I had to say this to you now. I’ve wanted to ask for a while and tonight felt like the exact right moment and I couldn’t wait any longer.’
‘I – I—’
‘You don’t have to answer now,’ he murmured, ‘if you want to think about it.’
‘I don’t need to think about it.’ She flung her arms around him and they kissed, not caring who saw them. There was a ripple of applause from a family on the beach and a ‘Congratulations’ from a man walking his spaniel and they both laughed out loud.
‘Shall we go down to the beach?’ Ruan asked.
Tammy’s heart was so full, she could barely reply. ‘Yes. I think we have about half an hour left.’
In each other’s arms, they watched until the sea finally, gently – almost reluctantly – erased his proposal. And as they walked hand in hand back to the party, Tammy knew that while Ruan’s words had been washed away, they would stay in her heart forever.