Chapter 7 #2
Leo stopped just short of rolling his eyes. ‘Which is why I’ve told him he must be gentle. Give him a chance, look – he’s practically beside himself with excitement. He likes people, that’s all.’
It was true, the dog was all aquiver.
Gemma had thought she couldn’t care less what Leo thought of her, but she was disgusted to find that she did.
He’d think her callous if she refused the dog’s attention, and even though there wasn’t an unfeeling bone in her body, she’d never been a big fan of dogs.
They could be dirty and smelly, and this one was huge…
Gemma lowered a cautious hand towards the dog and, seeing her signal, Mulligan slunk into the room, where he took up position next to her, body wiggling with excitement as he pressed his broad back up against her legs.
He held his enormous head away from her, refusing to make eye contact, as if somehow that would constitute more than was permitted.
It was quite comical, really. She ran a hand down his fur.
‘There, I’ve said hello.’
‘Good boy,’ said Leo, dropping to his haunches in front of the dog before burying his face in its neck. Gemma wrinkled her nose. He rose, patting the dog on the head. ‘See, he does do what he’s told. There you are, boy, off you go now.’
Obediently, Mulligan trotted from the room.
Evidently, Gemma was supposed to be impressed, but dogs were supposed to be trained, so she said nothing, spotting a crumb of flapjack in her lap and popping it into her mouth instead.
Then she paused, checking herself – it wasn’t like her to be mealy-mouthed, and Leo had thought to keep the dog calm.
It was thoughtful, and were it anyone else she would be thanking them.
‘I’m just nervous, you know… My ankle’s still really sore.’
Leo nodded. ‘I thought it might be. Perhaps we ought to get it checked out, make sure no bones are broken.’
Gemma shook her head. ‘I’ve caused enough trouble. And I’m sure it’s just a sprain. It’ll be fine.’
Leo frowned. ‘It’s going to be painful for a few days yet, that’s for sure.
So, meanwhile…’ He dipped back out the door, reappearing almost immediately.
‘I’ve brought you this. I thought it might help you to get around.
’ He was holding a walking stick. ‘I think it should be about the right size. I made it for a friend of mine a couple of years back and she was about your height.’ He cleared his throat. ‘She broke her leg skiing.’
A friend of mine… or something more? Gemma studied his face but his expression hadn’t altered, and besides, it didn’t matter either way.
‘Willow left some soup for you,’ he added. ‘Would you like some? We’ve all had our lunch.’ He handed her the stick, helping her to her feet.
It was the middle of the afternoon, no wonder.
‘Please,’ she said, feeling next to useless as she hobbled into the kitchen.
Doubtful though it was, she was about to protest that she could get it for herself, when Willow appeared in the doorway, holding a bunch of long, thick stems blushed with pink.
‘Look what I’ve found,’ she said. ‘The first of our rhubarb. Anyone else thinking crumble for pudding would be a good idea?’
Leo groaned. ‘Don’t tempt me,’ he said.
‘Why?’ asked Willow, looking puzzled. ‘Aren’t you staying for tea?’
‘Can’t tonight, sorry. I’ve got a meeting with a potential client and for some reason he’s insisting we chat over a pie and a pint.’
‘Okay,’ said Willow. ‘More for the rest of us then.’ She paused, a wry look on her face. ‘Although don’t you go getting more customers – we need you here.’
Leo held up his hands in submission. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll have me for as long as you need me. I promised you that.’
With her back to both of them, Gemma grimaced, unseen. None of this was in the plan. She sank onto a chair, feeling overcome.
‘Well, that’s all right then.’ Willow came round the table to lay down the stalks of rhubarb. ‘How are you feeling, Gemma?’
She grimaced again. ‘Better… although I’m afraid my ankle is still very painful.’
Willow gave her a warm smile. ‘And I’m afraid you missed lunch. Can I get you some? It’s just soup, but the bread is still nice and fresh.’
‘I was just about to do that very thing,’ said Leo. ‘But if you’re here for a bit now, Willow, I probably ought to find Rowan.’
‘Sure,’ she replied. ‘You get off. And good luck with your meeting later.’
Leo turned at the door, momentary confusion crossing his face. ‘Oh, yeah… thanks.’
‘I’m so sorry, Willow,’ said Gemma as soon as Leo had gone.
‘What on earth for?’
‘Rendering myself next to useless.’
Willow raised her eyebrows. ‘Fell over on purpose, did you?’ She smiled. ‘Thought not… I’m sorry you’ve hurt your ankle, but you mustn’t worry about being out of action. These things happen. It can’t be helped.’ She crossed to the cooker and moved a pan onto the heat.
‘But it’s my first day and now—’ Gemma broke off. ‘Perhaps I should leave.’
‘Leave? But you’ve only just got here. Are we really that bad?’
‘No,’ replied Gemma quickly. ‘Not at all. But… it’s not the best of starts, is it? I’ve done nothing today, and now this.’
Willow was watching her carefully. ‘This being the fact that Leo is here?’
Gemma sighed and Willow’s face fell.
‘It must have been quite a shock for you, finding him here.’
Gemma nodded, aware that Willow was sounding her out. ‘It was, not that it’s a problem as such, just… unexpected.’
‘Then all is well.’ Willow dipped her head. ‘There’s really nothing for you to feel guilty about, Gemma. Everything will be fine.’ She gave her a warm smile. ‘I’ve just had a brilliant idea.’
‘Oh…?’
Willow took down a bowl from a cupboard. ‘I’ll tell you in a moment. But can I ask you something first?’
‘Of course…’
‘I don’t need to know the details, but you and Leo… is the split a recent thing?’
‘God no, it was ages ago.’
‘And you haven’t kept in touch?’
Gemma frowned. ‘No. It wasn’t an acrimonious break-up as such, but we… well, there wasn’t much reason to keep in touch. I haven’t seen him for…’ She tallied the passage of time in her head. ‘Nearly eighteen years.’ The figure surprised her. How had so much of her life passed by?
Willow placed the bowl of soup and a spoon in front of her. ‘Oh right, that is a long time.’ She raised her eyebrows slightly. ‘I just wondered, that’s all,’ she added, tucking her hair behind her ears with a smile.
‘We got married too young,’ added Gemma.
‘I think that was the problem. Mainly, anyway.’ She shrugged.
‘Something happened and he let me down. Turned out it was something we couldn’t get past, and that was that.
But it’s all water under the bridge now, so both of us being here really won’t be a problem. ’
‘Oh, I wasn’t checking up,’ said Willow, waving an airy hand. ‘Just easier if I know your recent histories aren’t shared ones. Don’t want to put my foot in it and say something I shouldn’t.’
Gemma narrowed her eyes, following Willow’s movements as she fetched bread from a board on the side. Her words made sense, but she had the feeling that wasn’t why Willow was being cautious.
‘What was this idea then?’ she asked, taking a mouthful of soup. Perhaps a change of subject would be best.
Willow’s face grew animated. ‘Oh yes… It might be nothing. In fact, it probably is nothing, but—’
‘This is lovely, by the way…’ said Gemma, spooning in more soup.
‘Thank you. Parsnip and apple,’ supplied Willow, smiling.
‘So the thing is… Leo was having a read through the local history books while you were asleep – I’ve had them for ages and not really had time to look through them yet – but there isn’t much information about Thistledown, which is odd because we always believed it was the site of a much older, much bigger property.
There are the stables, of course, but the whole layout of the area looks to me as if it was larger at one point, as if the old farmhouse was actually built within the stable yard.
Plus, the avenue of trees by the kitchen garden look as if they were planted that way deliberately, and yet they don’t seem to lead anywhere.
We wondered if at one point they might have flanked a rather grand driveway. ’
‘Yes, I noticed those earlier. I hadn’t thought about their location but now that you mention it, I can see what you mean.’
‘It’s much clearer if you look at a map of the site.’
Gemma nodded, waiting for Willow to continue, but as the seconds ticked by she began to look more and more uncomfortable. She was about to ask what was wrong when Willow’s expression changed.
‘I’m not sure how to ask this,’ she said. ‘I mean, I was – in my head it was very simple. But now that I’ve started to explain, I realise it might seem a bit callous.’
‘Maybe you’d better just ask,’ replied Gemma, trying to arrange her facial features into something neutral.
‘Yes, you’re right. So what we wondered…
what I wondered is if you’d like to do a bit of research for us?
Just until your ankle feels better.’ She pulled a rueful face.
‘I don’t want you to feel you have to, or that you being laid up is a problem.
I just know you feel bad about it and thought it might help. ’
Now Gemma could see what Willow was getting at. She smiled. ‘I’m not offended at all. I’d much rather have something useful to do than sit about moping.’
‘Great… I’ve got to pop to the village tomorrow and, if you’re okay with it, I thought I could drop you off at the tearoom so you can use their internet to help you get started. It’s going to be next to impossible to do from here.’
Gemma thought of the message she’d sent Cat earlier.
She could tell her the whole sorry story so far, and at the same time do something useful as well.
Plus… it would keep her out of Leo’s way.
She wasn’t sure why Willow was being so cagey asking about her and Leo’s recent past, but there was more to it than simple tact, Gemma was sure of it.
And she was equally sure she didn’t want to know what.