Chapter 27
Exhausted from the trauma of the last few days, Beth slept deeply and it was the sound of laughter on the street below that woke her far later than she normally rose. For several minutes she lay in bed, trying to hold on to the wispy remnants of a dream in which she had been both happy and safe. She didn't want to leave the comfort of her bed but eventually, she had to climb out. It was the morning of the council visit and Beth would soon know her fate.
Curling up on the tiny window seat, she opened the window a little wider and took a deep breath of fresh air. She would miss Welby more than she could ever have imagined. No wonder Aunt Lizzie always returned here, no matter where her travels had taken her. Whether she had been trekking through the Amazon, climbing Machu Picchu or rescuing turtles in Greece, she always returned to Welby-on-the-Sea. For the first time, Beth truly understood why. And whether she kept the hut or not, she was not going to lose Welby again. Who needed a week in a sterile villa when they could spend a week in the warm embrace of Welby?
Sam was on the terrace tucking into bacon and egg and Beth decided that he had put on weight since she had first met him. His cheeks had a rosy glow that had been missing and he seemed to lean on his stick far less.
‘I take it your holiday has been extended?’ she asked him innocently as she poured them both a cup of tea.
‘Ah. Yes. Well, I may be here a while yet,’ he admitted cheerfully, with a slight blush beneath his white whiskers. ‘Lavinia has invited me to stay at Welcome for as long as I would like and … well quite frankly, there is nothing I would enjoy more.’
Beth grinned at his embarrassment.
‘Do you think we’re being old and silly?’ he asked ruefully. ‘Behaving like teenagers when we’re old enough to know better?’
‘I don’t think you’re ever too old for love,’ Beth argued gently. ‘You can continue being as silly as you like. I couldn’t be happier that the two of you have found each other again after all this time.’
‘I love her,’ said Sam softly. ‘I always have and I always will. I know she loved her husband and she loves her boys. But I’m happy to share her. I’ll take any piece of her that she’s willing to give, no matter how small and I’ll be grateful and happy.’
Beth blinked. She was going to have to invest in some waterproof mascara if she couldn’t get these tears under control.
‘I think Lavinia is lucky to have found you again after all this time,’ she said with a sniff. ‘You make her happy and that’s very important to everyone who loves her.’
They sat in silence, both soaking up the warmth already spreading along the terrace and listening to the sounds of the morning in Welby.
‘Can I tempt you with a bacon sandwich, Beth dear?’ asked Lavinia appearing with fresh tea and toast. ‘You hardly ate a thing last night and you need to keep your strength up for today.’
Beth didn’t think she could eat anything for the knot in her stomach.
‘Toast is fine, thank you.’
Her heart was doing somersaults and her hands were trembling slightly.
‘I suppose I need to get going,’ she said in a small voice. The thought of standing beside Number 4 while some anonymous official reported their decision made her feel like returning to bed and staying there for the remainder of the day.
‘Oh, we’ve got time yet,’ said Lavinia breezily. ‘Why don’t you have a shower and put on something pretty? It will make you feel better.’
Beth very much doubted that any clothing was enough to make her feel better right now but Lavinia was right. If she was going to be defeated, she could at least shower first.
‘We’ll meet downstairs in half an hour,’ Lavinia instructed. ‘That gives me just enough time to wash these and put some biscuits and lemonade in a basket.’
‘We? Are you planning on coming to the meeting?’
Waving her hands in the air, Lavinia managed to look both supportive and surprised at the same time.
‘Of course we are! Goodness me, do you think we would let you go through this on your own? Heavens no. We’re meeting Sarah and Jake at 9:50 and we can all walk to the hut together.’
‘Jake?’ whispered Beth, standing by the table, one hand gripping the back of her chair. ‘And Sarah?’
‘Of course. They helped you with the hut, they’re as anxious as you are to hear what is going to happen.’
Standing up, Sam put his hand beneath her chin and rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb. ‘We’re all here for you, Beth, my dear. ‘We’re all in this together.’
In the shower, the water mixing with her tears, Beth wondered how she was going to get through the morning, even with her friends surrounding her. Deciding to follow Lavinia’s advice she slipped on the yellow sundress and brushed her curls until they shone. Her skin was sun-kissed from the days she had spent working on the hut, the waist of the dress was loose and she had cheekbones for the first time in years. But she would exchange it all for a different result that day, and with one final look in the mirror, she turned to leave.
They walked along the lane beside the harbour wall, the town winding its way upwards along cobbled lanes to one side of them, the sand winding its way towards the sea on the other side and Beth thought how under different circumstances, this would be truly perfect. Crossing the slipway, they weaved in and out of the tourists who were already gathering, planning their day, choosing a spot on the beach.
Ahead of them, stood Jake. He was waiting outside his cottage, beside the sky-blue door and the small-paned windows that looked straight out to sea. The window boxes were overflowing with flowers and Beth imagined their scent would mingle with the fresh sea air and flood the house. What a perfect spot, she decided with a smile, imagining sitting on the tiny balcony overhanging the cobbled path beneath and sipping a morning cup of tea.
‘Hello, Beth.’
His face was serious, no mocking smile, no amused eyes. Just concern.
‘Hello, Jake. Thank you for joining us.’
Her voice held a small wobble and she sent him a smile of gratitude.
Sam and Lavinia stepped ahead leaving Jake and Beth to walk side by side behind them.
‘How was the flat?’
Someone must have explained her reason for dashing off, but all Beth remembered was the way he had clutched her arm and told her that Matthew wasn’t good enough for her. He was right.
‘Terrible,’ she said bravely, trying to keep her chin up. ‘But it made me take a decision I’d been putting off. I’ll have to leave the flat now and it’s for the best.’
‘And Matthew?’
She bit her lip. Matthew had been a surprise.
‘I don't know what he’s planning,’ she said lightly. ‘He might want to go back to the flat.’
‘Beth…’
‘Beth!’
It was Sarah, standing on the edge of the beach and waiting for them to arrive and Beth was engulfed in a hug, soft arms wrapping themselves around her as Sarah’s coconut-scented hair pressed against her for a moment.
‘Are you okay?’
Beyond words now, Beth just nodded. If nothing else she had made some truly wonderful friends during her quest to save Aunt Lizzie’s hut. And neither the council nor the Cabana Club would be able to take them away from her.
‘Thank you,’ she blurted, stopping in her tracks and watching as they all looked in her direction. Thank you so much for all you’ve tried to do for me. I…I….’
The tears were welling once more and she was grateful when Sarah stepped forward to take her hand.
‘Come on Beth. We’re not beaten yet.’
Allowing her friend to lead her onto the sand, Beth took a deep breath and started to follow her to Number 4.
Despite anything that Jemima might say, Beth thought it looked amazing. The soft pink colour was a perfect backdrop for the golden yellow sand and the sparking blue sea beyond. It shimmered in the distance, shouting out a welcome and inviting you to explore.
Beth stopped, blinking. Taking another step forward she stopped again, shaking her head slightly trying to clear her vision.
‘I don’t understand…what…?’
She stood still, feeling the sand shift between her toes, as she stared.
‘What… why….’
Her friends had stopped behind her, gathered in a small semi-circle as though to protect her as she stared down the beach at Number 4.
Freshly painted it looked bright and cheerful. Despite the lack of wrought iron railings surrounding the tiny deck, despite the lack of any turrets or designer blinds or mahogany steamer chairs, it looked just perfect to Beth. But the thing that had made her stop mid-stride, stare and stare again, was that there was no longer one Number 4. There appeared to be two.
She took another hesitant step and then looked around trying to regain her bearings. Number 4 was, logically, the fourth in the row. And right now, Beth was standing outside Number Three which was whimsically called The Retreat. Except that it was also painted Ice Cream Sprinkle Pink.
On the deck, she recognised Sarah’s straw bag and her cardigan. Standing beside them and smiling was a man she didn’t recognise. And behind him, painted a glorious, rich, fresh pink, was Sarah’s beach hut.
The two huts nestled side by side, looking quite at home and stunning in their pink glory. Around them, the sensible and elegant indigo blue and grey of the other huts looked washed out and bland.
Beth turned to look at Sarah in shock and confusion.
‘You painted your hut pink?’
The small group had been holding their breath, waiting for her reaction.
‘Yes,’ whispered Sarah. ‘It was all we could think of. Nobody can say that it contravenes the rules now because it’s not the only pink hut.’
Beth listened, shaking her head. ‘You painted your hut pink?’ she repeated, as if not quite able to believe what she was seeing.
‘Yes,’ answered Sarah, a little less sure of herself. ‘Do you mind?’
Her eyes had lost their smile and become anxious and Sam and Lavinia reached out to clutch each other’s hand.
’You painted it pink for me?’ asked Beth in wonder.
Sarah nodded, casting anxious eyes to the man on her decking who was watching the events unfold with an interested expression and pink stains on his shorts.
‘But you didn’t want your hut pink! You said your husband hated the idea.’
‘I did,’ interrupted a deep baritone. ‘I thought it sounded dreadful but I must admit, it’s growing on me.’ He came down the steps, holding out his hand to a dazed Beth.
‘Darren Brookland,’ he informed her. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘And you painted your hut pink to help me?’
Beth felt her repartee probably needed some work, she had said more or less the same thing for the last 5 minutes,
but she was having a great deal of difficulty processing what was before her eyes.
‘I have to admit, I painted it pink for Sarah,’ he admitted. ‘She gave me a telling off the like of which I haven’t had since my school days but it needed saying. I flew home to stop her walking out after the latest of my insensitive decisions, and it seemed painting our hut pink was the only way to save my marriage.’
He was smiling over Beth’s shoulder and she realised that despite the tension of the moment, Sarah was positively glowing.
‘Will it work?’ she asked of the group of friends around her. ‘Will I be able to keep the hut?’
‘Well, we’re about to find out,’ muttered Darren and turning round, Beth saw a small delegation heading their way led by Jemima Carrington-Smythe.