Chapter 4
4
I t was a warm, Lovely Bay kind of evening. Cally was on her way to the manor for supper with Logan. She strolled along with a Thermos cup full of hot blackcurrant in her hand, enveloped in the sights and sounds of Lovely all around her. Rounding a corner, she noted the change in pavement to cobblestones as she arrived in the vicinity of St. Lovely church. Its beautiful old spire pointed up into the evening sky and she stood for a moment, taking in its blue nave door and huge summer floral wreath attached to its front. Even Lovely’s church seemed to just be that little bit prettier than any other she’d ever come across.
She held her head up to the sky and inhaled. The evening sun felt nice on her skin, a soft breeze rustled through the leaves and the sky above seemed to shimmer in pinks, golds, and all manner of orange hues as the sun began to go down. It was as if Lovely had been dipped in a golden glow that only seemed to exist in the third smallest town in the country. Each time it happened, it surprised Cally just how beautiful it was.
Taking a sip of her hot blackcurrant, she then inhaled another deep, long, luxurious breath full of the smells of long summer days as she listened to the backdrop of a Lovely evening going about its business. There was a far-off hum coming from the River Lovely, children playing in a garden next to the church, a lawnmower somewhere in the far distance, and the occasional bark of a dog. Everything about Lovely appeared as if it was revelling in the warm weather and showing off its finest: hanging baskets bursting with blooms every which way, saturated grass lawns in front gardens, window boxes dancing with petunias and lines of roses tucked up beside white fences and spilling over old stone walls. Cally would take Lovely when it was showing off its summer coat, that she knew for free.
Starting her walk again, she chuckled to herself as she remembered back when the weather had been bitterly cold and she’d been on her way to the manor to work for Nina and her company A Lovely Organised Life. That morning, she’d been full of strife and stressed up to her eyeballs about trying to find somewhere to live. She’d been so worried about the potential of finding herself homeless that with her head spinning with worry, she’d taken an almighty tumble on a frosty cobblestone and ended up face down on the pavement covered in mud. Now, both the chilly temperatures, slippery pavements, and her head full of stress were but a distant memory. She wasn't going to be welcoming them back anytime soon, or so she thought. She was on an upward course away from a life of caring for other people and on the cusp of lots of new happy things, she hoped.
About ten minutes later, as she approached the manor, as she usually did, she stopped for a few seconds, absolutely in awe of its magnificence. The spectacular house sat regally raised in the distance as if casting its eyes down on the mere mortals of the world. Cally remembered how she’d felt that first cold-as-ice morning when she’d arrived at the gates with a blackcurrant-stained top. Then, she’d taken in the size of the house and had not quite been able to compute that people actually lived somewhere as palatial. Now, she came and went as if it was completely normal. A tiny little bit of her had become part of the woodwork.
As she got closer to the house and the panel beside the huge black gates, she remembered that first morning when everything had sparkled in frost. She’d pushed one of the buttons and wondered what might happen next. A fancy-pants posh voice had spoken to her out of the tinny speaker in the brass panel in the wall. She recalled how she’d been mistaken for a new cleaner from the agency, and had not wanted to correct the posh voice. When the gates had opened, she’d felt quite literally as if she had been entering another world. As she’d walked up the long driveway, said hello to a gardener, and looked up at the house in awe, she’d felt as if she’d been cast in a BBC period drama. That morning had been the second time she’d ever laid eyes on Logan. He’d appeared behind her on the drive in his car and had stopped to say hello. It had turned out to be the continuation of the sliding doors moments that had ended up in the two of them becoming a thing. A thing she liked very much indeed. A thing she wasn’t going to let go.
Since that driveway meeting, the prevailing few months had been a wild ride of things Cally had never even dreamt about. Some she’d not even known about. Her eyes had not only been well and truly opened to the manor house but a whole new way of living. All of it had been different and eye-opening compared with the sheltered life Cally had led, most of which had involved caring for her mum, her brother, and her grandma and not doing much else at all. Out of everything that had happened since she’d walked slap-bang into Logan’s world, the most astonishing thing was that she now realised how the other half lived. Part of her wasn’t sure what to think about it or how it made her feel.
As she pushed Logan’s code into the pad and waited for the gates to clunk and clang and slowly open inwards, she smiled to herself at how, firstly, she was now part of the actual comings and goings of Lovely Manor and, secondly, at how quickly she’d got used to it. She’d liked how the other half lived and had decided to have a slice of it.
Not to say that she felt as if she belonged. Nothing like that at all. When she was around the manor and Logan’s family, she felt like a duck out of water most, if not all, of the time, but she had learnt to get on with it. She’d spent way too much brain power stressing that she and Logan were worlds apart and eventually had just sucked it up and decided to see where the journey took her. Logan had told her in no uncertain terms that he loved her for who she was, not where she came from, and she’d decided to tuck that into her heart and run with it. Sometimes, though, when hobnobbing with the upper classes, it was much easier said than done.
Lost in thought as she walked up the drive with the manor house silhouetted against the brilliant oranges and pink hues of a Lovely sunset, she made her way past various gardens, followed the sweeping drive to the right, then strolled to the left of the house, past the stables and eventually to one of the residential cottages dotted in the grounds. The cottage, surrounded by beautifully tended roses with climbing pale pink Austins around the door, was where Logan lived part-time when he wasn’t in town. With its exquisitely tended hanging baskets and a gravel pathway lined by blooming plants buzzing with bees, the feeling that Cally was in a picture book continued as she got to the front door.
Letting herself in, she slipped her shoes off on the doormat and took in, as she had many times before, the stealth wealth of the place and made her way through the hallway to the kitchen. Logan was standing leaning on the worktop with his phone in his hand when she pushed open the kitchen door. His face lit up when he looked up and saw her. ‘Hey, how are you? Looking gorgeous as per usual.’
‘Great, thanks. You?’ Cally inhaled the smell of garlic and herbs as it wafted through the air. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation as she pulled out a chair and sat down. ‘How was your day?’ Cally asked, resting her chin on her hand.
‘Busy, as usual,’ Logan put down his phone and fully turned his attention to her. ‘I had back-to-back meetings, but I got through them without too much trouble. The highlight was definitely the weather, though. I managed to sneak out for a bit and enjoy the sunshine at lunch. Long may it last. How come everything seems better when the sun shines?’
‘I don’t know but somehow it does. The town looked stunning in the evening light. It took my breath away over by the church there. The colours in the sky are amazing.’
Logan nodded. ‘It’s one of the things about Lovely you can’t really put your finger on until you see it—how everything seems to shimmer. One of the gardeners said it’s something to do with the position on the coast and how the land lies. Not sure about that, but it probably is. I mean, what do I know about stuff like that?’
Cally chuckled and tucked away her thoughts about having gardeners. If only. More than a few pot plants on a rented balcony would be nice. ‘Who knows, but whatever it is, it works for me. I still pinch myself that I get to live in Lovely, to be quite honest.’
‘How was your walk?’
Cally nodded. ‘Close to perfect. It did the trick.’
Logan lifted his chin in the direction of the window and the garden. ‘It felt as if the whole garden was bathed in that pinkish Lovely glow about ten minutes ago.’
‘Yes. I saw it, too. I love that glow.’
‘Works for me. Your head is clear, then? The workday is well behind you?’ Logan asked.
‘Yup. The fresh air has done me the world of good.’
Logan walked around the kitchen table and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Good.’
‘What’s cooking? I’m starving.’
Logan chuckled. ‘You always are.’
‘I know.’
‘You put away more than anyone I know.’
‘Always been the same.’ Cally joked, ‘It costs a lot to feed me like the horses.’
Logan laughed and joked. ‘You’re up there with the horses as Lovely Manor costs these days. It’s a good job I can cook a few things. I need to budget for you.’
‘I’m such a lucky duck. I get the delights of your cooking as well as the shimmering light over the manor. I mean, what more could a girl ask for?’ Cally bantered.
Logan reached for a wooden spoon and stirred a pot on the stove. ‘You are very lucky. I’ve made something special, too. Remember our first dinner date here?’
‘The risotto! You’ve made it again? I thought it smelt familiar.’
Logan grinned. ‘Exactly. I thought it would be nice to revisit that memory. Plus, it’s one of the few dishes I can make without setting the kitchen on fire, so that’s always a bonus.’
Cally laughed. ‘Rubbish, you’re a great cook.’
‘It should be ready in about ten minutes. Drink?’
‘Love one.’
As Logan poured them each a drink, Cally rested her elbows on the table. ‘Tell me more about your day.’
Logan leaned against the worktop, facing her. ‘Aside from the meetings, not much to speak of. You?’
‘Busy as well, but not with anything that interesting. Boring, really. I looked at a few flats online but that was about it other than work stuff.’
‘Any good flats?’
The sound of the risotto simmering filled the room, accompanied by the clinking of utensils as Logan moved around the kitchen. Cally’s stomach growled as he handed her a glass of wine.
‘Nothing in my budget.’
‘Sit tight. Something will come up.’
‘Hope so.’
‘Right, this is almost ready. I hope you’re hungry.’
‘I can’t wait to taste it again.’
‘As I said, I don’t know where you put it.’
Cally laughed. ‘My grandma always reckoned I had hollow knees. They used to say that in the old days, didn’t they?’
‘I make her right.’ After Logan put out some plates and cutlery, they chatted for a bit and then he popped the cooking pot on the table, added a green salad and they both served themselves the risotto. ‘Bon appétit,’ Logan said as he raised his glass.
‘Bon appétit,’ Cally echoed, clinking her glass against his. ‘Thanks for cooking. You can stay.’
‘Ha. I’m so honoured.’
Cally tucked in and took a bite of the risotto. ‘Mmm, perfect. You’re very good at risotto.’
‘Here’s to many more evenings with sunsets and food like this.’
‘Cheers.’ Cally nodded with a smile. ‘Here’s to us, more like.’
‘Oh, speaking of us.’ Logan reached around behind him to the dresser. ‘I forgot to show you this.’ He slid an expensive-looking cream envelope with scalloped gilt edges across the table.
‘What’s this?’ Cally asked as she put her fork down.
Logan rolled his eyes. ‘Our first Henry-Hicks family outing together.’ He grimaced. ‘I can’t get out of this one. It’s an annual thing. I , I mean, we have to attend. No getting out of this one, I’m afraid.’
Cally frowned. ‘Family outing?’
‘The races. It’s almost as serious as Christmas in this family. You do not not attend.’
Cally went a bit cold inside. She didn't like the sound of the races at all. Not one little bit. She shoved her feelings aside, took the envelope, opened the back, and pulled out a thick cream-embossed card with scalloped gilt edges that matched the envelope. She swallowed as she read the invitation twice. “Lovely Manor Races”, it read, followed by a date and time. She slipped the card back into the envelope and propped it up against the pepper pot. A shiver of apprehension went down her spine as she stared at the thick, luxurious paper and the elegant, gilded script. Very, very fancy. Way out of her league.
She swallowed hard, trying to push down a rising tide of panic. The races. A high-society event that she had only ever seen in movies, on the telly, or read about in glossy magazines back in the day. A world so far removed from her own that it might as well have been on another planet. As she shoved another forkful of risotto into her mouth, she flicked her eyes to Logan and then back at the invitation. The embossed gold edges and the thick, luxurious paper screamed opulence, a stark contrast to anything she was used to. She tried to keep her face neutral to prevent the rising jitters from showing, but inside, her thoughts were going around so fast she almost felt as if she was spinning. In a flash, she remembered how she’d felt in a charity shop dress when Logan had surprised her with a trip to the theatre. She’d told herself she wouldn’t ever let herself feel that way again, but here she was with the same inferiority complex racing around her veins.
The doubting voice in her head started to chat away to her. What on earth do I wear to the races? Shoes? What the actual? Her mind whirled with images of fascinators, women riding in open carriages, top hats and tails. All sorts.
Logan’s voice cut through her thoughts. ‘What do you think? Sound good to you? It’s a really fun day, actually.’
Fun? Pah! Yeah, right. My left foot. Didn’t sound like her idea of fun in any shape or form. Cally plastered on a smile, nodded, and flicked the switch in her voice she used when she pretended she was okay. She was an absolute expert at the voice. It betrayed none of her inner turmoil. ‘It looks lovely. Really good. Yes, great.’
Logan didn’t seem to notice her slight hesitation. The voice had clearly done its job. ‘It’s a bit of a to-do, but it’ll be great. We can make a day of it.’
Cally forced a laugh. ‘Mmm. Yes. Sounds good.’
It did not sound at all good. Not even close. It sounded more or less awful as far as she was concerned. She would have been fine to go to the races with just Logan or perhaps with Eloise, but not as part of a grand Henry-Hicks family outing. She had no idea how to behave, or what she was meant to do. She knew not a sausage about horses or racing for that matter and bottom line, she didn’t really want to know, either. All around, she wasn’t really interested. Plus, from what she’d seen on the telly, she felt sorry for the horses.
Then there was the absolute calamity of what someone like her would wear. It wasn’t as if she had oodles of money to splash out on a solution, either. It was alright for Logan. He would just whack on a suit, have a shower and shave, and be done with it. She, however, would have to spend way too much thought and brain power on what to wear and would be weighed down in the preparation. One thing she knew for sure was that she would not be turning up at the races in a secondhand dress. Not on your Nelly. Been there and it hadn’t been pretty for anyone involved. Even though it was trendy and all the rage to save the environment by recycling and wearing previously loved clothes, from her neck of the woods, it didn’t quite have the same environmental clout. Where she came from, hand-me-downs came out of necessity not to make one look as if they cared.
Logan returned to his risotto, oblivious to the storm raging inside Cally’s head. She took a way too big gulp of her wine, trying to steady herself. Her mind raced, and her thoughts tangled in their own little private mess for one. What if I look completely out of place? What if they can tell I don’t belong? She imagined herself stumbling over her words, awkward with sophistication all around her.
Logan looked up and smiled. ‘Mum wondered if you might want to go out with her to shop for a dress and hat. She said she has nothing to wear.’ Logan rolled his eyes. ‘She has more clothes than anyone. I said I’d mention it.’
She’s not the only one , Cally thought grimly. She made an odd, tight-lined, not-very-happy smile. ‘Sure.’
There was no way on earth she was going dress shopping with Logan’s mum. In her mind, she pictured a boutique with intimidatingly stylish clothes, each more expensive than the last. She could feel the eyes of stuck-up sales assistants judging her. They’d be all friendly and beaming on the outside, but inside, silently assessing that she wasn’t one of their usual clients. The whole thing filled Cally to the brim with absolute pure and utter dread. No way, José. She’d rather stick pins in her eyes than go shopping with Logan’s mum.
Logan continued. ‘Mum and Cecilia have a whole room full of hats for occasions like these.’
Cally already knew about the hat room. She’d been the one in there decluttering it when she’d first started working at the manor with Nina. She and Nina may have secretly tried on a few of the fascinators and made funny faces in the mirror. Cally nodded mechanically, her mind still racing. A hat. Of course, I need a hat. What kind of hat? Wide-brimmed? Fascinator? She had no idea.
Logan picked up on her body language, reached over, and squeezed her hand. ‘Hey, you okay?’
Cally quickly masked her anxiety, flicked her voice switch again, and added a bright I-don’t-care smile. ‘Yes, absolutely. Just a lot to take in.’
‘You’re not okay. You’re doing the voice thing.’ Logan stated flatly.
‘And here I was thinking I’d hidden it so well.’
‘Not a chance, Blackcurrant. It’ll be fine. You’ll see. And you’ll get to meet everyone properly. The extended family will love you.’
Cally’s stomach twisted at the thought. Meeting the whole family. What if they don’t? What if I make a fool of myself? She took another overly large sip of wine, trying to quell the doubts. ‘I’m sure it will be, err, fun as you said.’ She tried to keep her voice steady, be normal, and not flick the switch. ‘It’s just that I’ve never been to anything like this before. Like I have zero clue what to do or how to behave.’
‘Behave? What? What do you mean?’
Logan just simply didn’t get it. He knew how to behave because he had been bred to do so. That was the whole point. ‘I’ve never been before.’
‘No drama. I’ll lead the way. Honestly, I want you to be part of it. Just like the theatre, I think you’ll love it. It’s just entertainment. Fun.’
Cally’s heart ached. Logan didn’t understand, but it was sweet that he tried to get it. Part of her wanted to be excited for him and to share in his world without feeling like an imposter, the other part of her couldn’t really give a flying fart about parading around in a fancy dress with a dodgy thing bouncing around on top of her head. She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand back. ‘I’m just a bit nervous about stuff like that, I guess. I’ll be fine, though. In at the deep end, as they say. It’s good to try new things…’
‘You’ll be amazing, Cal. Trust me.’
Well played, Henry-Hicks, but you don’t know the half of it.
Cally nodded, but her mind overflowed with doubt. Amazing? How can I be amazing when I don’t even know where to start? Her thoughts spiralled as Logan chatted away and filled her in with what happened at the races, in particular, the event sponsored by Lovely Manor. The more he talked about the races themselves, the traditions, the dressing up, the more her inner voice questioned everything.
She pushed the horrible thoughts away as she realised she had little choice but to get on with it. The manor and what went on in it, including its social calendar, was part of Logan’s life. If she wanted to be with him, even if it meant stepping far outside her comfort zone, she had to suck it up and crack on. She might even enjoy shopping for a dress—who knew? But there was no way she was going with Logan's mum. That would be a step too far. Shopping was bad enough without throwing Logan’s mother into the mix.
Cally tried to let Logan’s enthusiasm wash over her. She forced herself to focus on the positives. Maybe it would be an adventure. She had never done anything like it before, and while daunting, perhaps she should stop fretting and change her narrative. She’d try to look at it as an opportunity to experience something new, widen her mind, and broaden her horizons.
Logan handed her the invitation. ‘Keep it in your bag so we don’t lose it.’
Cally took the envelope, noting the weight of the expensive paper, and slipped it into her bag. She resolved to show it to Eloise and Birdie and get their take on it. They’d know what to do. Eloise would bestow her wisdom on her and yabber on about how she needed to stop being ridiculous.
‘You’re going to be great, Blackcurrant. I promise. Now, how about we finish this wine and then relax for the evening? Movie and the sofa? I feel they’re calling.’
‘That sounds perfect.’
With a box of Lovely chocolates on the coffee table, Cally settled back and tried to stop herself from making a mountain out of a molehill about the races. Here she was in a beautiful cottage with a man who adored her. She needed to remember that. Logan put his arm around her, she tucked her feet up under her, popped a chocolate in, and chose not to worry. Snuggled up beside Logan, she decided she would figure it out. She had to. She’d done a lot harder things in life. Tending to her grandma and raising herself sprang to mind. If she could work three jobs at the same time as studying for a degree whilst being in charge of wheelchairs, bed hoists, and the intricacies of her grandma’s liquid diet, she could jolly well prance around in a dress and a silly hat, shaking hands and smiling at people. She would face the races, the fancy outfits, and the high-society event, and she would do it with her head held high and be confident. Or would she?