Chapter 18
Eighteen
Significant painter of Flemish Renaissance. Painter of landscapes and peasant scenes: weddings, dances, feasts. Teaching point: art as a record of history.
(Taken from Calliope Thorne’s teaching notes.)
As Callie wandered around the stalls in the food festival, her mouth watered.
For too long she had regarded food simply as fuel to get her through and as something quick to put on the table at the end of a long day at work.
She had a few standby recipes she relied upon as failsafe end-of-the-day fillers, like the carbonara she’d thrown together when half tipsy with Johnny but didn’t consider herself adventurous.
Frida was beginning to be interested in cooking and sometimes prepared a meal but it was still a chore for them both.
Now, looking at the tables overflowing with home-made pasties, luscious local soft fruit, enticing non-alcoholic cordials and intoxicatingly aromatic bread she had a sudden urge to buy, cook and nurture.
She wasn’t sure who she had to nurture but doubted Johnny would refuse the platter of locally cured meats, soft Somerset Brie, the enormous focaccia loaf and black garlic spread she’d popped in the old-fashioned wicker basket she’d found in Sea Haven House.
Adding a bottle of elderflower cordial, she also bought a bouquet of flowers from a delightful woman called Daisy.
‘The sunflowers represent loyalty and wise thoughts,’ the dark-haired girl said. ‘The red roses mean long-lasting love and the calla lilies mean a new beginning. And if you want more, pop into my shop on the main street. You can’t miss it. Va Va Bloom, Flowers by Daisy. Enjoy!’
Wise thoughts, love and a new beginning, pondered Callie, as she walked away, her nose deep in the bouquet, enjoying the scent of the roses as it drifted up. What could be more apt?
‘Oh my dear,’ said a familiar voice behind her. ‘I see you’re giving that old basket of mine a good outing.’
Callie turned and greeted Grace who was holding Vinny on a very short lead. The woman was wearing a faded red linen shift, her silver hair twisted up in a loose knot. ‘Hello, both. Isn’t this all wonderful? I’ve shopped till I’ve dropped.’
‘So I see,’ Grace replied, sounding amused.
The old woman looked around her at the crowds milling about the cobbled square squashed in at the bottom of the main street and usually used as a car park.
‘Such a good use of this space. We had a marvellous German market in this spot one Christmas.’ Her nose twitched.
‘Really rather good glühwein I seem to recall.’
Callie thought she could imagine the scene well. The square was atmospheric with walls on three sides, an arch for access and a wide-open vista of crashing sea and turquoise sky on the fourth. She’d love to see it decorated for Christmas with cute Bavarian stalls and a tree.
Peering into the basket, Grace added, ‘Now, my dear, what you need with that elderflower cordial is some local gin.’
She steered Callie to a stall nearest the sea wall selling a variety of gins one of which Callie dutifully bought. ‘I’m going to have a real job carting this up God Almighty Hill,’ she jokingly complained. ‘All this lot weighs a ton.’
‘I’ll pop it all in my car for you and drop it off on my way home. It would be no trouble.’
‘Really? That’s incredibly kind of you, Grace.’
The woman looked positively shifty. ‘Actually, I have a rather large favour to ask of you. Two if I’m being completely honest.’
‘Yes?’
‘Would you, could you, do you think–’
Callie hoped Grace hadn’t made another booking mistake and was asking her and Johnny to move out. She was so settled at Sea Haven House now it felt like home. ‘What is it, Grace? What can I do for you?’
‘My family are all away at the moment, you see. On their holidays like the rest of the world in August. I have a medical appointment later this afternoon. It’s in Exeter which is such a long drive and you know what it’s like with the NHS, not to mention the traffic, I can’t guarantee when I’ll be back.
My regular dog walker-sitter can’t fit Vinny in. ’
Callie wondered where this was going.
Grace took in a huge breath. ‘So I’m asking if you’d consider looking after Vinny for this afternoon and, oh dear, I’m afraid, overnight too?
I know it’s an awful imposition on your holiday time but I’m in such a bind.
’ Grace was beginning to look flustered.
‘I’ve waited an age for this appointment and do so want to try to get to it–’ she trailed off.
Callie was so delighted it wasn’t anything to do with Sea Haven House, she blurted out, ‘Oh, Grace, is that all?’ Without thinking how Johnny might feel about an extra housemate, no matter how temporary, she grinned and said, ‘I’d love to look after Vinny. How much trouble can he be?’
‘Now, there’s someone who doesn’t know spaniels very well,’ Grace replied, looking relieved.
Callie thought there may even be tears brimming.
‘I’ll pop him over later today, if I may, with all his toys and some food.
Oh, and his bed. He knows Sea Haven House so will feel comfortable there, but it always helps to have familiar things around you, doesn’t it?
’ Gazing down she added fondly, ‘Now, Vinny, you’re going on a little holiday. Do you promise you’ll be good?’
As an answer the dog, on hearing his name, lunged at Callie’s basket, nearly getting his teeth round the paper packet of cold cuts.
‘Oh I say, I do apologise,’ Grace said. ‘Shall we take your shopping to my car and then you can look around the market unhindered? I promise to drop it all off, along with this little rascal, on my way into Exeter. As long as you’re sure it’s not too much to ask?’
‘Not at all. I was planning on a quiet night in anyway. I was out last night at Twelfth Night and ended up having a late night at the pub afterwards.’
‘Did you, dear? We went too but didn’t see you there.
Jolly good production I thought. Vinny enjoyed it tremendously.
We’re so lucky to have things like that come to us.
I’m a great fan of the Northcott, that’s the theatre on the university campus in Exeter and a wonderful space it is too, but it’s rather an effort to get to. ’
As they walked to the car park along a narrow street opposite the square, Grace continued as she stopped at a new plate VW.
‘Here we are. Pop your shopping in the boot so Vinny doesn’t get his mitts on it.
He sits up front with me safely tucked in with his harness.
’ She opened the boot and, after Callie had propped the basket in the corner, shut it with a resounding thump.
Leaning in to kiss Callie on the cheek, she said, ‘I do so appreciate this. I’ll be at Sea Haven at about three, does that suit? ’
‘No problem. Hang on, Grace, you said there were two favours you wanted to ask.’
‘Oh yes.’ Grace shook her head. ‘Mind’s all over the place.
We wondered if you’d be up for judging the children’s art competition?
It would be so lovely to have someone judging who actually knows what they’re talking about.
Our mayor is utterly divine but knows precious little about art.
We rather thought you could be his guiding light.
I can fill you in on what you need to know. ’
Callie laughed. ‘I’d love to.’
‘Marvellous. Toodle-pip then. Come on, Vinny my lad. In the car. The day’s getting away from us.’
‘I’ll see you both later then.’ Callie watched as Vinny leaped into the passenger seat and Grace secured him. The spaniel sat bolt upright, his tongue lolling, eyes bright with a mischief.
Grace backed the car carefully out of the space.
Waving her off it occurred to Callie that Lullbury Bay was wrapping its tentacles around her.
If she moved here, she would already know quite a few people.
Avril, she thought, could be a friend. She’d liked Brenda immediately and was already becoming fond of Grace.
Contemplating the seagull sitting on the car park wall and which was glaring at her with one knowing yellow eye, she said to it, ‘Still got to find a way of making a living though, haven’t I?
And I really can’t see Frida being willing to give up her city lifestyle. ’
The gull suddenly took off, with a screech. Seeing the vicious beak coming towards her, Callie ducked and ran back towards the market.