Chapter 17
When Beth woke up the following morning there was a brief moment, more of a millisecond really, before the events of the previous evening came back to her and with a howl of embarrassment, she slid beneath the sheets, pulling them over her head.
She could not face Jake Balfour today. In fact, she may not be able to look him in the eye ever again and with her cheeks hot with shame, she stayed beneath the covers for as long as she could.
What on earth had made her think he was on the verge of asking her out, she asked herself cringing with mortification. This was the man who had openly criticised her for neglecting her aunt, laughed at her attempts to renovate her beach hut and made no attempt to hide his mocking amusement at her every move. Why would he ask her out? And even if he had done so, wouldn’t it have been better to let him go right ahead and then say a cool ‘ No ’? A dignified, ‘no, thank you for asking but no,’ instead of making a complete fool of herself.
Eventually climbing out of bed and pulling on some clothes, Beth made her way down the stairs to the balcony. It would look far too obvious if she insisted on having her breakfast in the small formal dining room on the ground floor, or in the seclusion of her bedroom. She could imagine his glee if he found out she was too embarrassed to join him on the terrace.
Hoping that he’d had several pints with his friends the previous evening, and had woken with no memory of Beth jumping to conclusions and humiliating herself, she crept hopefully onto the balcony, only to meet his grin.
‘Good morning!’ he said cheerfully. ‘Did you sleep well- oh, sorry!’
She slipped into a chair, staring at him in confusion. ‘What?’
‘Just remembered, I’m not supposed to ask you any questions. Especially not about how you’re feeling.’
It had been a forlorn hope thought Beth, resigning herself to the worst.
‘Wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea,’ said Jake with a grin. ‘With us not liking each other, I mean.’
Reaching out for the teapot, Beth poured herself a cup. ‘You don’t like me,’ she muttered. ‘You’ve never pretended otherwise.’
‘Haven’t I?’ He looked thoughtful, one hand scratching his head. ‘I’ll admit I was a little - judgmental when I first met you. I was angry because I thought, wrongly, that you had neglected your aunt and then swooped in to sell her hut.’
‘Exactly,’ snapped Beth.
‘But then I apologised,’ Jake reminded her with a beatific smile. ‘I admitted I was wrong and apologised.’
‘Yes, yes you did but I know it was only for Aunt Lizzie.’
‘Was it?’ asked Jake in mock surprise. ‘I hadn’t realised you knew me so well.’
‘It was just for Aunt Lizzie,’ confirmed Beth, suddenly uncertain. ‘Wasn’t it?’
‘If you say so. Absolutely.’
‘So you don’t have to pretend that you like me.’
‘Or ask you out?’
‘Or ask me out,’ said Beth her cheeks glowing.
‘Okay,’ said Jake solemnly. ‘I’ll bear that in mind. And then if I ever do ask you out, you’ll know I’m not pretending. Not about anything,’ and he pushed the toast towards Beth, the dimple in his chin deepening as he grinned across the table.
A few hours later, Beth wished she had stayed in bed. Jake’s predictions had come to pass and almost every hut was occupied. She’d had to weather an entire row of disapproving faces as she made her way to Number 4, and on almost every balcony was someone staring and discussing her progress behind raised hands.
Jemima was there, a different kaftan wrapped around her thin body, diamante sandals in place, hair curling softly onto bony shoulders. This time there were several bottles of champagne in coolers scattered across the decking, along with a huge, very shiny BBQ that looked as though it could feed an army.
‘I do hope you’re not going to be banging all day,’ Jemima shouted across to Beth as soon as she saw them arrive. ‘We have guests and we don’t want to listen to you sawing and drilling. Dom needs to rest and relax and…’
‘Yes, I know,’ said Beth wearily. ‘Sort out his wellness issues.’
Jemima followed them as they walked towards Number 4. ‘You seem to be making progress,’ she said and Beth wondered if she was offering words of encouragement, or just monitoring the likelihood of Beth actually finishing.
‘I’m doing the best I can,’ said Beth.
‘Good. Very good- but you will try and keep the noise down, won’t you,’ repeated Jemima anxiously. ‘It really will upset Dom if he can’t enjoy his day at the beach. He works so hard all week and I need him to relax and savour some peace and quiet when he comes home.’
Beth rolled her eyes and turned round to face Jemima, hands on hips and ready for an argument but Jake was ahead of her, smiling easily as he spoke.
‘Oh Jemima, you know Beth is working to a deadline. I’m afraid a bit of noise can’t be helped. But just imagine how wonderful it will be when it’s finished and you don’t have to look at an eyesore anymore. Just think how happy Dom will be,’ and taking a firm hold of Beth’s arm, he pushed her gently towards Number 4.
‘Pick your battles,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘And save your strength. We’ve got lots to do today.’
For some ridiculous reason, probably exhaustion and heat decided Beth, the kind smile that accompanied his words made her heart begin to gallop. Gallop quite hard which probably also explained the breathlessness she suddenly felt as well as the clamminess that had descended on her, a clamminess that she could feel making her face begin to glow. Definitely the heat, she decided, flapping her face with her hand. And exhaustion.
Fortunately, Sam chose that moment to appear, dressed in a pristine linen suit as usual despite the weather and insisting on helping as much as he could, although he admitted to feeling tired from the previous day. Beth insisted that he sat down and drank some homemade lemonade before they started working, then remembering the conversation with Lavinia over breakfast, she took her courage in her hands.
‘I was told this morning that it was common for men to fall in love with my aunt,’ she said as they watched Jake as he sawed some more lengths of boards.
‘It certainly was,’ said Sam with a chuckle. ‘There was something about Lizzie, her love of life maybe. Or perhaps it was because she felt quite unattainable. It was obvious from a young age that Lizzie had no intention of following the normal course of events and settling down with a nice young man. It was a challenge many took.’
‘But no one succeeded’ added Beth with a smile. ‘She remained her own person to the end.’
Sam smiled softly, even as his eyes took on a faraway expression. ‘Aye, she did,’ he murmured, his eyes moving out to the horizon. ‘Would that we’d all had her belief in ourselves.’
Leaving a small pause, Beth could hold back no more.
‘And were you in love with her?’
Startled, Sam brought his attention back to the hut.
‘Me? Oh goodness no. I loved her, yes. But as a very dear friend. Nothing more.’
‘I’m sorry,’ apologised Beth quickly. ‘I was just being nosey.’
But Sam shook his head and waved his hand in her direction. ‘No need, my dear. I was probably one of the few in Welby who fell for someone else. But unfortunately, I was young and foolish and had no idea just how much she meant to me until it was far too late. She married someone else and I believe she is blissfully happy,’ and shaking his head, he wandered off, taking a short stroll down the beach, leaning heavily on his stick.
A sudden burst of noise came from next door and Beth peeped out to see several well-heeled people spread across Jemima’s terrace, as a large, thick-set man with a sallow face and a surly expression stood at the BBQ, firing it up.
‘Jem,’ he bellowed. ‘Get a move on and bring some more champers through. Poor Jasper’s dying of thirst. He doesn't expect to wait while you get your act together. Ronnie, old chap, how’s the new Porsche coming along? Happy?’
Catching sight of Beth, he sent her a glare.
‘Finally doing something about that eyesore,’ he shouted across the decking. ‘Disgraceful,’ he told his guests in a loud voice. ‘That aunt of hers should have been made to do something about it years ago. Falling down around her ears, and all she did was sit there and stare at the sea. David offered to buy it countless times and the silly old woman wouldn’t have any of it!’
Several sympathetic murmurs drifted across to fill the void between the two huts and more than one pair of eyes assessed Number 4 and found it definitely wanting. Enraged at the attack on Lizzie, Beth glared back. ‘Now look here…’ she began only to feel the gentle pressure of a hand on her arm.
‘Leave it, Beth,’ murmured a voice next to her ear and she allowed herself to be pulled back into the shelter of the hut. ‘Dominic Carrington-Smythe is a bully and a thoroughly unpleasant man. Don’t engage with him.’
‘But he…’
‘The best way to teach the Carrington-Smythes a lesson,’ Jake said, smiling down at her, ‘is to beat them at their own game. So put all your energy into this hut and make sure that they don’t get to take it away from you. That’s the way to make sure Lizzie’s memory lives on.’
In the coolness of the hut, Beth allowed her heart rate to slow down and the anger to drain away.
‘You’re right,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll show him!’
Jake chuckled, and for the first time ever, it didn't enrage Beth. Neither did the hand still on her arm, or the expression on his face. A kind, protective expression.
Blushing a little, she pulled back, opening some space between them. She must remember that she still didn’t like him though. Or that he didn't like her. She couldn’t afford to be swayed by a pair of merman eyes.
Or had he said this morning that he did like her now? Didn’t he say that he had misjudged her, not that he didn’t like her? Either way, she was best just staying clear of him.
‘Right,’ she said breathlessly rubbing her suddenly sweaty hands against the sides of her shorts. ‘Let’s get on then!’ she agreed and put as much distance between them as was physically possible in a tiny beach hut.
Despite the disapproval coming in waves from next door, they worked hard for several more hours until every rotten board had been replaced and there wasn't a hole to be seen in Number 4.
The smell of garlic prawns and roasting chicken from the Carrington-Smythe’s BBQ was making their stomachs rumble, and the pile of cheese and ham sandwiches Lavinia had sent with them paled in comparison to the smell of sizzling sausages.
Accompanying the smell of food drifting from the Carrington-Smythe beach hut, were the derisory comments made about the state of Number 4, all in voices just loud enough for Beth to hear. But Jake always sent an encouraging smile her way and despite tense shoulders, she refused to be riled and instead, worked her way through her anger. And strangely, bearing in mind how much she disliked him, she found herself searching Jake out, checking he was close by, leaning on the strength that surrounded him.
His smiles were warm and supportive, not the usual smirk he sent her, and the harsh line of his jaw was reserved for Dom and his guests and their loud guffaws of laughter whenever someone made an unkind comment about Beth. A couple of times he even reached out to touch her gently on the shoulder, making her meet his eyes so he could check that she was okay.
Although it was of little consolation, Beth wasn't the only one to suffer at the hands of Dominic. Jemima spent the day beleaguered by his constant requests, her face tense as she brought him the champagne he demanded, found the plates he needed, the corkscrew he had lost, plumped up the cushions he criticised and spent her day making sure that his wellness was topped up to what Beth felt was unreasonable levels, to the point she almost felt sorry for the woman.
They sent a tired Sam home, Jake with a shake of his hand and Beth with a kiss on his weathered cheek. Sam touched the spot and smiled softly into her eyes
‘I’ll come back tomorrow,’ he said as she walked him to the cobbled lane and made sure he had his stick in his hand. He held up one hand to stop her protests. ‘Yes, I will. I haven’t got anything else to do and besides, being with you two makes me remember what it was like to be young and in love.’
Beth gasped. ‘Jake and I aren’t in love!’ she yelped. ‘Oh no. Far from it. We don’t even like each other! I have a boyfriend, or I did but he cheated on me …anyway, I don’t love Jake. He annoys me intensely! And he’s in love with someone else although she cheated on him so he’s angry with her at the moment but he still loves her so… no, no, we aren’t in love.’
Waiting patiently for her to finish, Sam put his Panama hat back on and tipped it slightly in her direction.
‘If you say so, my dear,’ he said serenely. ‘If you say so.’
‘Oh, but I do say so, because it’s true. No love for us,’ insisted Beth having to raise her voice as Sam set off walking. ‘Absolutely none,’ she shouted at his retreating back.
A couple of interested tourists gave her a curious look and Beth swallowed her protests and returned to the hut, to find Jake packing up for the day.
‘We’ll get that roof sorted tomorrow,’ he said straightening his back with a yawn. ‘I’ll feel happier once that’s in place.’
Despite his smile, he looked tired and Beth felt a spasm of guilt. He was working for her as well as doing his own job and he’d probably been looking forward to a relaxing day at the end of a busy week.
‘Thank you,’ she said, meaning every word. ‘Really, thank you so much.’
‘It was the least I could do after the terrible first impression I gave you,’ he murmured. ‘You deserve to keep the hut and if it annoys the Carrington-Smythes, even better.’
Beth grinned. ‘Well, that’s a bonus I wasn’t counting on,’ she giggled. ‘They’ll be so disappointed when I beat the deadline.’
Chuckling, they tidied away the last few bits and pieces and shut the door, which now swung freely on its brand-new hinges and could be locked securely for the first time in months. Briefly, Beth wondered where the seagull was now eating his chips and then set off at a slow pace along the side of the harbour wall and in the direction of Welcome.
‘I think I’ll visit the Italian tonight,’ Jake told her, as casually as if he were discussing the weather. ‘A big plate of pasta and a glass of wine is called for after a hard day at work.’
Beth could hear her heart drumming in her chest. She must be careful, not leap to any conclusions and make a fool of herself.
‘Sounds nice,’ she said, pretending it was the effort she had put in during the day that was leaving her so breathless.
‘Care to join me?’ asked Jake, his eyes still fixed on the path ahead. ‘We could talk over the work still left to do.’
Beth tripped over a cobble, staggering slightly and Jake threw out a hand to catch her.
‘And you know,’ he said gravely, ‘that there is no pretending of any kind going on. I’m not asking you because of Lizzie, who incidentally, I never asked to join me for a meal. Or because I’m pretending to like you.’
Trying to remember how to breathe, Beth nodded.
‘I see,’ she said, the words coming out as a squeak. ‘So you would like me to come to the Italian with you because…?’
‘Because we’ve worked hard today. Because we’re friends, or at least I think we can be friends, even if you need a little more time to come around to the idea.’
Beth peeped at him from beneath her eyelashes but there was only the tiniest of smiles tilting his lips.
‘Because I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to discuss what to do with the roof.’
It was such a sensible suggestion, that Beth found herself nodding enthusiastically.
‘What a good idea,’ she agreed as they reached the door of Welcome. As usual, it was slightly ajar, the shady interior beckoning. ‘Yes, we need to discuss that.’
‘And the windows,’ he added.
‘Yes! And the windows. Excellent idea.’ She said. ’Very sensible.’
‘I thought so,’ he murmured, pushing the door open a little wider so she could enter before him. ‘I’m glad you agree.’
‘Oh, I do,’ said Beth. And it was okay because this wasn't a date. This was a business meeting, over wine and pasta. A very civilized way to conduct a business meeting actually. And definitely not a date.
‘Yes,’ she said thoughtfully, still nodding. ‘Very sensible. And necessary as well. So, all in all, a good idea…’
She stopped abruptly, feeling Jake walk into the back of her, kicking her ankle with his shoe as she stood frozen in the lobby of Welcome.
‘Sorry, are you okay?’ he apologised.
But Beth didn’t hear him. She was staring across the cool lobby with her mouth hanging open.
‘Matthew!’ she gasped. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’