Chapter Seventeen
Preet sits crossed-legged on one of the wicker chairs in the kitchen while I boil the kettle, regaling me with stories of her time in India. She stayed with her auntie whose house must be ginormous, because in addition to Preet, four cousins and her grandparents were stopping too, not to mention the frequent visitors such as neighbours, family friends and distant relatives she’d never met before.
I’m so happy she came down this weekend, it feels like forever since I last saw her. Well, it’s got to have been at least two months, she’s so busy with her job and when she’s not, she’s almost always got some trip booked up.
‘It sounds amazing,’ I sigh pensively.
It’s been a long while since I’ve been on holiday, I think the last one was our trip to Copenhagen. I can’t even remember when Nathan and I last went away together, it might have even been our honeymoon, when we went to Barcelona for a week and a half. We had such a lovely time, I still can’t put my finger on where it all went wrong. When he stopped loving me …
‘You can come with me next time, if you like.’
‘Oh, I’d love to, as long as your auntie doesn’t mind.’
‘Are you joking? My auntie loves hosting, and you’ll not go hungry when you’re under her roof, believe me!’ Preet snickers, patting her tummy. ‘I’m still bursting at the seams from all the food I scoffed.’
‘Okay, now I’m definitely taking you up on that offer. I can’t imagine how incredible authentic Indian cuisine tastes.’
‘Oh, there’s nothing like it, trust me. Anyway, enough about me.’ She leans over and pokes me in the ribs. ‘You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.’
With a titter, I hold up my hands in defeat. ‘Alright, let’s get this over with.’
‘So, you decided to move all the way to this random village you’ve never even heard of before because someone you’ve never even met told you their friend was renting a cottage?’ Her face flickers between concern and disbelief. ‘Did you have some sort of early mid-life crisis while I was away?’
My shoulders lift dejectedly. ‘Well, your husband leaving will do that to you.’
Softening, Preet squeezes my knee. ‘This is why I plan to stay single for life.’
That’s Gurpreet Kaur for you, even when I’m lamenting over my train wreck of a marriage, she can’t resist a sassy remark! Still, that’s part of the reason I love her, she won’t allow me to wallow too long.
‘Still, it’s kind of a crazy thing that you did.’ She mouths thanks as I pass her a mug of tea. ‘Though I have to admit, this cottage is rather lovely, I can see why you were charmed.’
Leaning against the granite countertops, I look around the small, cosy kitchen.
‘It is, isn’t it? When I first arrived, I wasn’t so sure about it, you know, because it’s so old-fashioned and a world away to what I’m used to. But it’s really grown on me.’
Preet smiles sweetly. ‘So, are you going to show me around Lily Vale, then? I didn’t travel all this way to just see your kitchen.’
‘Of course.’ I down the rest of my tea in a quick swig. ‘Let’s go!’
Arms linked, we stroll down the cobbled streets side by side. They are a bit too narrow so I have to walk in the road, but there’s so few cars about, it doesn’t really matter.
‘Let me show you my latest favourite haunt.’ We stop in front of the cute little cafe and I hold out a dramatic arm. ‘Welcome to The Cosy Little Tearoom!’
Preet giggles, peering through the big glass window. ‘Oh my gosh, this place looks adorable!’
‘Just wait until you try the cakes.’
I order our drinks from Bill, insisting that Preet try one of their famous coffee and cake Cosy Combos, and we take root at a small round table for two. It’s only when I plop down on the little wooden chair that I notice Shaun, sitting directly opposite from us, nursing a coffee and a slice of tiffin. It might be my imagination, but I swear a touch of pink edges along his cheekbones as we exchange a quick glance. He offers me a small smile before lifting his mug and swiftly averting his gaze.
My tummy twists. Why doesn’t he just come over and say hello? Though perhaps that’s asking too much of him - underneath his churlish exterior, he’s concealing a shyness, one that’s only visible once you get to know him. Preet is a stranger to him, and he probably doesn’t want to interrupt our chat. Still, I wish he’d say something , things were left so weird between us last time.
I try to ignore him and focus on my friend. ‘So, how’s the lavender coffee?’
‘I was sceptical, but do you know what? It’s delicious! Who’d have thought to put those two flavours together?’
‘Ah, that’s Holly, she’s a total genius when it comes to flavour combinations. And Rachel makes all the cakes to compliment them.’
Incredulous, Preet shakes her head. ‘You know everyone’s names already? God, you’re a right little local, aren’t you?’
Shrugging, I grin. ‘I guess I am.’
Playing with the crumbs on her plate, Preet’s brows knit in the middle. ‘So, do you think you’ll stay here, then? Or will you come home?’
The question sends rivulets of cold panic coursing through my veins. Though I wrestle to stop them, my eyes dart to Shaun, and his lock with mine, only for a moment. Then he tears them away, pretending to be utterly absorbed by the grain of the floorboards. Heart drumming out of my chest, I clear my throat and turn to Preet.
‘I - I don’t know yet,’ I admit.
‘Oh come on, Ruth, you can’t hide from reality forever,’ Preet says gently. ‘This place is gorgeous, but sooner or later, you’re going to have to go back to your real life, you know?’
That twisting in my stomach morphs into a sickly churning. She’s not telling me anything I haven’t already considered, but hearing it aloud from someone who cares for me really hammers the point home. I did come to Lily Vale to escape my life, I wanted to be as far away as possible from not just Nathan and the home we shared, but everyone I knew. I couldn’t face my family, my friends, anyone I had to endure pitying tones and encouraging speeches from. I just wanted to pretend I was someone else, and now … well, now I’m not sure what it is that I want.
‘I’m just working on something right now,’ I mumble vaguely, not wanting to divulge the whole Rosemary Grey mystery. I feel a bit mean keeping it from Preet, she’s my best friend, after all, but I don’t think she’ll understand how much the lost garden means to me, how healing it has been healing me. ‘And this place, it’s really been an inspiration for my work, you know.’
‘Well sure, I totally get that.’ She reaches across the table and takes my hand. ‘But I don’t like the idea of you being so far from friends, people who care about you, especially when you’ve gone through the mill lately.’
Pulling away, I twiddle my thumbs in my lap, suddenly feeling like a silly little girl. Preet’s spot on, I have been hiding, and I can’t hide forever.
‘I know, I guess I just needed a break from everything that was going on.’ I take a determined bite of my lemon and lavender bar. ‘But you’re right, I have nothing to stay for here.’
The chair opposite us scrapes along the floor as Shaun rises. He doesn’t deign to glance in my direction as he leaves the tearoom, the tiffin on his plate barely touched. I nibble at my lip as I watch him stride down the street through the window. Did he hear our conversation? It certainly looked as though he did, when our eyes met, though it could have just been a coincidence.
Preet and I finish up our coffee and cake and head back onto the streets, as she’s eager to explore the village. It’s market day, and the centre is bustling with folk. Though it’s busy, I spy a familiar face over by a stall of farm fresh produce - Maude Hanson.
‘Ooh, look!’ Preet points excitedly across the square. ‘One of those old timey sweet shops! Oh, let’s go in, I want to get some sherbet.’
‘I’ll catch up with you, I just need to grab something from the market.’
Cheerful as a child, Preet skips off to the sweet shop, while I set my sights on Maude. As discreet as someone can be when they’re running, I sidle up to the vegetable stall, keeping a watchful eye on my mark. After all, she’s already proven herself to be a flight risk, and I can’t allow her to dash off again, not until I’ve got some answers. I wait for the opportune moment and as she turns away from the cashier, canvas bag slung over her shoulder, I step in front of her path.
‘Hi, Maude.’ I stand firm before her, blocking her escape. ‘We haven’t been formally introduced, I’m Ruth Harper.’
With suspicion, she drags her eye over me. ‘I know who you are. Sent my gardener to interrogate me for you, hm? Well, I already told him that he was barking up the wrong tree.’
‘Look, we both know that you know about the garden.’ I fold my arms across my chest, refusing to cave. ‘You must have known Rosemary Grey.’
Maude’s eyes shift from side to side, and I can tell she’s considering whether she can get away with lying again. But then she sighs in resignation.
‘Yes, I knew her. Quite well, in fact.’ She clears her throat. ‘I was her housekeeper.’
I stifle a gasp. The housekeeper - Mr Jenkins said that it was the housekeeper who found Rosemary’s home empty that day she disappeared.
‘That’s all I’ll say on the matter.’ Maude bristles, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. ‘I don’t want you raking over the past, hurting her reputation.’
‘I don’t want that either, I swear to you,’ I tell her earnestly. ‘I’m an admirer of her artwork and I’m trying to restore her garden back to its original state, I wouldn’t want to bring to light anything that could hurt her. But I just need to know more.’
Once again, Maude looks around. ‘I can’t talk right now, especially not here.’ She reaches into her bag and takes out a receipt and a pen. Hastily, she scribbles something down and presses it into my palm. ‘Come to this address Monday, at noon. Alone.’
Before I can respond, she flees, disappearing into the hubbub of the market. Stunned, I stare at the crumpled receipt. Have I somehow slipped into a cloak-and-dagger operation, with treachery and spies around every corner? Is Maude a spy? That’s ridiculous, I know, but still, what’s with all the secrecy and fishiness? Now I’m really starting to wonder if something awful happened to Rosemary …
There’s no time to muse further, as I’ve left my mate alone long enough. I catch up with Preet in the sweet shop, and she squints at me, puzzled.
‘I thought you needed to get something from the market?’ she says, nodding to my distinct lack of shopping bags.
I brush her off easily enough, stating they didn’t have what I wanted. Normally, she’d likely question me further, but she’s too distracted by the treasure trove of sweets out on display. She fills her boots, opting for two big swirled lollipops, a bag of treacle toffees and of course, her orange sherbet.
‘Hm, perhaps I wouldn’t mind it if you lived here permanently after all, Ruth,’ she says through licks of her lolly as we step out into the street. ‘I’d have an excuse to visit and load up on more candy!’
‘Yeah.’
Wistfully, I cast my eyes around the village, breathing it all in. Maybe I wouldn’t mind if I lived here permanently, either.