Chapter 7
Zoe’s third Monday morning arrived, and as she drove down the steep track that led from her cottage into the village, she recalled that Victor had offered to carry out some repairs to make the journey easier for her.
Ottilie had warned when she’d first arrived it was a tricky drive, though she conceded that Zoe was a more confident driver than she was and probably wouldn’t break a sweat.
While Zoe appreciated the compliment, she had found it trying, especially after rain.
This morning she noticed it was easier and assumed that whatever improvements he’d intended to make had been done at some point during the weekend.
Zoe had to admit she hadn’t noticed much in the way of noise, but her cottage was set a field or more away from the section Victor had worked on, and perhaps that, coupled with the very loud music she’d played as she’d cleaned the house, had been enough to shield her from it.
Close to the junction at the foot of the hill, where the track forked to go up to Hilltop, the neighbouring farm, or to join the road into the village, Zoe was forced to move over to allow a van to squeeze past. It was a good size, and there was just about room for the both of them, but that wasn’t what suddenly caught Zoe’s full attention.
In the driver’s seat was the man she’d met on the day she’d first got the keys to her cottage.
Next to him was a slight, pale young woman.
She had narrow shoulders and long, honey-blonde hair tucked behind her ears.
From the brief glimpse Zoe managed to get, she was pretty in a demure, unassuming sort of way, but there was obvious stress in her features.
Instantly, Zoe recalled the name of an expectant mum who was due to move into Hilltop. Was this her?
Zoe put her hand up, but the man didn’t respond. Either he didn’t remember their meeting like she did, or he was preoccupied with the drive up to the farm. Knowing how difficult that road could be, Zoe could hardly blame him.
Later, perhaps, she’d make a point of calling in to say hello.
She’d already said hello to…Alex, wasn’t it?
Yes, that was it. How could his name have slipped her mind for a moment?
He’d made an impression on her that had lasted for a couple of days after their first meeting, though the face she’d just seen through the windscreen of the van was a far cry from the relaxed charm of his expression that day.
Today he looked… harassed. Yes, that was the word.
Not stressed, exactly, or worried, but like someone who was managing, but only just.
‘I hear you’ve got new neighbours.’
Zoe put three packs of biscuits onto the counter. It was her turn to buy for break time at the surgery. Magnus rang them up while she looked for her purse.
‘What’s that?’ she asked, glancing up.
‘Someone’s moved in at Hilltop, haven’t they? Flo saw the van this morning.’
‘I’m sure she did,’ Zoe replied.
‘Yes, she’s a one-woman neighbourhood watch,’ Magnus replied with a grin, saying what Zoe still felt too much of a new arrival in the village to say.
‘One day, she might actually do something useful with her superhuman observation skills. Not that it’s anything to do with me, of course, but have you met the new arrivals yet? ’
‘You’re right,’ Geoff shouted from a shelf he was restocking. ‘Stop being so nosy. We’ll all meet them in good time, I’m sure.’
‘Sort of,’ Zoe said, noting Magnus frown at his husband. The furrows in his brow disappeared as he returned his full attention to her. ‘I’ve met the man in any case. He seems nice enough.’
‘A nice family, I expect,’ Magnus said. ‘I hope so. Hilltop needs a nice family living there. It’s not the same without Ann and Darryl.’
‘You hardly said two words to them of a week!’ Geoff cut in, and this time Magnus rose to the bait.
‘How do you know? How do you know who I talk to when you’re not around? Are we joined at the hip?’
‘Practically,’ Geoff said, in such a dry tone that it took all Zoe’s effort not to laugh out loud.
‘Well,’ she replied in an effort to soothe Magnus’s ire, ‘as soon as I know something I’ll report in. Unless you meet them first, of course, and then you can tell me all about it.’
‘Have no fear,’ Geoff said. ‘He’ll do that all right.’
‘You’re giving Zoe a very bad impression of me!’ Magnus huffed.
‘You’re doing that without my help,’ Geoff shot back.
‘No you’re not,’ Zoe said, unable to hold back a broad smile.
‘We’re all curious, and it’s only natural for villagers who’ve lived here a long time to want to know what sort of people are moving in.
I mean, first there was me, and now, only a few weeks later, there’s someone else.
I suppose it makes a big impact in a little village like this. ’
‘Exactly,’ Magnus said, seemingly soothed, exactly as Zoe had hoped he would be. ‘One new person arrives and everything changes.’
‘For what it’s worth, I have no plans to tip anyone’s apple cart up. I’m going to be very quiet in my little cottage on the hill. The most trouble I’ll be is when I don’t have the right change for some biscuits.’
‘I’m sure…’ Magnus blushed. ‘We don’t have a problem with newcomers, you know. We only mean?—’
‘Magnus,’ Geoff said. ‘Put the shovel down – you’re only digging deeper every time you open your mouth. Zoe,what he’s trying to say is sorry if it appears we’re a couple of outrageous gossips, and sorry if we’re coming across as judgy.’
‘I’ve never thought that.’ Zoe collected the biscuit packets into her arms. ‘I think you’re both lovely.’
Magnus beamed.
Geoff turned back to his stock with a broad smile of his own. ‘The feeling’s mutual. Have a good day.’
‘You too.’ Zoe headed for the door.
No sooner had she emerged onto the street than she heard Flo’s voice. She turned to see the old woman charging towards her at a speed that didn’t seem possible for someone of her age. ‘Morning!’
‘Have you met your new neighbours yet?’ Flo asked breathlessly. ‘They’ve moved in, haven’t they? I saw a van!’
‘I’ve seen the van too, but I was on my way down the hill, so no, I haven’t had a chance to call in yet.
’ Zoe gave a patient smile and decided not to divulge that she’d met Alex a few weeks before anyone had known he’d be moving in.
It would demand more information from Zoe than she had time to give, and even if she had time, she wasn’t sure Flo was the best person to share it with.
‘Funny couple,’ Flo said. ‘He looks a lot older than her. Sugar daddy or something, I’ll bet. Perhaps he’s got a lot of money – though why someone with money would buy Hilltop is beyond me. It’s a desperate spot up there – needs plenty of work.’
‘Perhaps he likes work,’ Zoe said, choosing to ignore Flo’s speculation on the relationship between the new arrivals. ‘He might be into fixer-uppers.’
‘Do you think? He’s a builder then?’
‘I didn’t say…’ Zoe held back a sigh and checked her watch. ‘Sorry, Flo. I’d love to chat, but I’m going to be late for my first appointment if I don’t get a move on.’
‘Oh…’ Flo looked disappointed but stood back, as if she was somehow blocking Zoe’s way. ‘Nobody has time to stop these days. That’s how the world is now – no time for us old ’uns.’
‘Sorry,’ Zoe said, and she was sorry. Much as she’d dug deep into her well of patience to listen to Flo’s idle gossip, she hated to think she’d offended the old lady, especially as she was practically family to Ottilie now.
‘Any other time I’d have stopped for a bit, but, you know…
work. I’ll have no cottage on the hill if I don’t earn enough to pay the rent.
I promise if I meet the people at Hilltop before you, I’ll make time to tell you all about it. ’
‘You could call round for a cup of tea,’ Flo said, brightening. ‘I’m always in.’
‘That sounds nice. Thanks. I’ll do that.’
‘Met your new neighbours yet?’
Zoe halted at the door to the reception with a frown. ‘Is there anyone who hasn’t seen that van go up the hill? Has GCHQ been informed yet? Do you think we should ask the BBC to send a reporter?’
‘OK,’ Lavender said with a smirk. ‘Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning – I only asked.’
‘Sorry…it’s just you and everyone else I’ve bumped into on the way here has asked me the same thing.’
‘We did warn you nothing much happens around here – it’s hardly surprising we get a bit overexcited when someone new moves in. You should have heard the fuss about you when you arrived.’
‘I’m glad I didn’t,’ Zoe said, putting the biscuits she’d bought from the shop onto the counter for Lavender to put away. ‘I dread to think what sort of theories everyone had about me.’
‘Oh, they weren’t too bad,’ Lavender said carelessly. She scooped up the biscuits. ‘Ottilie got much worse. So you haven’t met them yet?’
‘Not officially. I did pass them on the road. They looked normal enough, if it helps. I only counted one head on each of them, so that’s a good sign.’
Lavender began to laugh as she put the biscuits into the drawer of a filing cabinet.
‘Oh, you’ve got the measure of this place already.
One head each …’ She continued to chuckle as she went back to her desk and began to type.
Zoe couldn’t help but smile as she went to her own office.
On the way through, she popped her head around the door of Ottilie’s room to say good morning, and then did the same with Fliss and Simon.
Almost as soon as she’d got her coat off, the office phone rang. Lavender was on the line.
‘Your nine thirty is here.’
Zoe looked at the clock. There was twenty minutes to go until the appointment time. She was about to say so when Lavender anticipated it.
‘I’ve told her she’s early and you’re not ready yet, so don’t stress. I’ll make her a cup of tea.’
‘That’s sweet of you, thanks.’
‘Well, I’m making one anyway, so…you want one?’