Chapter Five
‘Hey, Mum,’ said my daughter by way of greeting. ‘How are you this morning?’
Joy was sitting at the kitchen table. She was still in her pyjamas, despite it being gone nine o’clock. An empty plate freckled with toast crumbs told me she’d been up a while.
‘Feeling a bit muzzy,’ I confessed, rubbing my aching temples.
‘I’m not surprised,’ she chuckled. ‘Yesterday you shipped enough champagne to christen a billionaire’s yacht.’
‘Yes,’ I admitted. ‘Don’t worry, you’re mother isn’t turning into an alkie. I simply felt like I needed a few drinks to get through a difficult day.’
‘Hm,’ said Joy wryly. ‘Bit of a slippery slope though, eh! Champers to get through yesterday. Brandy to get through the day before. A couple of vodkas the day before that. And that’s only what I’ve observed since coming home from uni. What else are you knocking back when I’m not around?’
‘Oh, you know,’ I said carelessly, going over to the kettle.
‘It’s sherry at ten in the morning.’ I stuck the kettle under the tap.
‘Gin from two in the afternoon.’ I slapped the lid down, put the pot on its base and flipped its switch.
‘And then I invite everyone in the village to join me for cocktails from six. After all, there is a need to’ – I posted quotation marks in the air – ‘normalise my drinking behaviour.’
‘Don’t joke,’ my daughter gently admonished. ‘I’m worried about you.’
‘Don’t be,’ I retorted, going to the fridge. I extracted a bottle of milk and sniffed cautiously. ‘Today I’m back on the PG Tips with an occasional slurp of Rescue Remedy.’
‘Even after Wake Gate?’ she enquired.
‘Yes,’ I said firmly. ‘Actually, I’m rather cross with Cilla. There was no need for her to call me out so publicly. There is a time and a place for that sort of thing, and it shouldn’t have been at your dad’s send off.’
Joy shrugged.
‘I wouldn’t worry about it.’
‘It will be the gossip of this village for weeks,’ I lamented, adding milk to my tea.
‘Only amongst Hetty and her cronies,’ Joy pointed out.
‘Anyway, everyone knows Hetty is a bit bonkers. Hugo is apparently very worried about his mum. His wife told me so when I popped into the Strawberry Shed to pick up some bread. Linda confided that Hetty is now collecting crystals and studying tarot cards, but Hugo thinks it might be a storm in the suit of cups.’
‘Very droll,’ I tutted, fishing the teabag out of my cup. ‘However, you must agree that Hetty has a knack of saying things that come true.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ said Joy. ‘But she’s definitely a strange old girl.’ My daughter looked pensive for a moment. ‘That reminds me. She sought me out and we had a bit of a chat. She said she had a funny feeling about you.’
My scalp prickled.
‘What sort of feeling?’ I said in alarm.
‘That’s what I asked. She said she couldn’t put her finger on it but suggested you were hiding something, and that the truth would always out. She also indicated that the builder – the one Cilla ranted about – would be the one to discover your secret.’
For a moment I couldn’t find my voice.
‘Hetty has no business saying things like that,’ I said, peeved. As I picked up my tea, my hand shook slightly. Hot liquid slopped over the work surface. ‘And anyway, what the heck has this builder got to do with my life? I only met him yesterday.’
‘Chill, Mum. No need to look so flustered. I told Hetty that you were the last person to have any secrets. However, regarding that guy, you must admit he was a bit of a cracker.’
‘Really?’ I said, deliberately vague. Suddenly, mopping the worktop was an all-consuming task. I let my hair fall forward to hide my flaming face. Fortunately, Joy didn’t notice and prattled on.
‘Perhaps Cilla was so vocal because she secretly has the hots for him. After all, for an old guy, he is something of a babe.’
‘Joy,’ I huffed, all thoughts of secrets forgotten as I turned to face her. ‘That man was not ancient. Please stop writing off the over forties as dinosaurs. I reckon Liam was about my age. No older than forty-five.’
‘Liam,’ she repeated. ‘That’s it. Liam Lancaster.’
Joy said the name as if savouring a delicious chocolate.
‘Anyway,’ she added. ‘Despite being yummy, he’s too old for me.’
‘I’m sure your boyfriend, waiting patiently for you at uni, will be delighted to know that he isn’t being cast aside for a geriatric lover.’
‘Indeed,’ Joy agreed. A dreamy look came over her face. ‘Conrad is amazing. I’ll head back to halls tomorrow, if that’s all right with you, Mum. I’ve quite missed him.’
‘Good to know,’ I said dryly, flinging the stained dishcloth in the sink.
I picked up my tea again and walked over to my daughter at the table, then pulled out a chair.
‘And by quite missed him, do you mean that you have missed him more than you ever missed Freddie, or Ryan, or Jack, or Andrew, or-’
‘Flipping heck, Mother!’ Joy exclaimed. ‘You make it sound like I’ve been around the block several times.’
‘You know what I mean,’ I tutted.
She grinned.
‘I can confirm that I’ve missed Conrad loads more than I’ve ever missed previous boyfriends. It must be love,’ she mused, getting up from her chair. ‘In fact, I think I’ll go up to my room and give him a slushy phone call.’
‘You do that,’ I smiled, reaching for the biscuit tin. I’d cook a proper breakfast when James surfaced. Although, that wouldn’t be for a while. By that point it would be more like brunch.
‘And maybe’ – Joy’s voice floated back to me – ‘you should find out all you can about Liam Lancaster.’
‘Whatever for?’ I answered.
There was a pause followed by the sound of slippers slapping against Joy’s heels as she retraced her footsteps.
‘To save Starlight Hall,’ said my daughter, pausing in the kitchen doorway. ‘You need to join forces with Cilla and the rest of the village’ – she waggled an admonishing finger – ‘and see off this Liam Lancaster.’
‘Oh,’ I said, blowing out my cheeks. ‘Yes, I guess you’re right. I’d also better make my peace with Cilla. Avail myself to whatever committee she and everyone else have dreamt up for the occasion. Sign a petition. Wave a placard. Whatever.’
‘That’s it,’ Joy smiled encouragingly. ‘Hetty told me there’s quite a few of them who have banded together.
And you’re right. There is a committee. It’s called the Starlight Society.
So, get yourself dressed, Mum, and head over to the Starlight Arms. I seem to remember Cilla saying there was a meeting at ten o’clock this morning. ’
‘Okay,’ I nodded.
Forget brunch. James would have to fend for himself.
‘Liam will be there too,’ said Joy helpfully.
‘How do you know that?’ I said in surprise.
‘Hetty again. And I can go one better than her psychic predictions,’ Joy chortled.
‘Oh?’ I frowned.
‘Despite Liam Lancaster being a thorn in the side of Starlight Croft, I predict every single female who turns up this morning will have taken care with their clothes and their hair and be wearing fire-engine-red lippy.’
‘Ha!’ I giggled.
But as Joy once again took her leave to speak to Conrad, the laughter died on my lips, and I found myself wondering if I, too, possessed such a shade of lipstick.