Chapter 25 #2
Immersed in the catch-up with my much-missed brother, I knew I had been neglecting Constance, but that wasn’t all down to reforging family ties.
The problem was, every time we were alone together, she brought up the subject of the woods, and it was getting harder not to blurt out that I wasn’t going to buy them.
‘I think we’d better give you a file and polish, Constance,’ I suggested one day when I guiltily noticed how chipped the varnish was looking on her fingernails and realised how long it had been since we’d spent some time together.
‘And how about a swim in the tub ahead of the supper party this evening?’
The weather had turned warmer again and the gang were all getting together to celebrate the return of the sun.
Even Carter had managed to find cover for him and Zack so he could drive to Fernside in his car, meaning Zack could return mine.
My former concerns about Zack’s driving had proved unfounded, and having sorted the insurance we were now sharing my car as he’d previously suggested.
‘That might be nice,’ Constance said. ‘But only if you’ve got time. I know you and Zack have lots of places to visit.’
‘I can always make time for you, Constance,’ I told her. ‘I know I haven’t been around much—’
‘And with good reason,’ she cut in. ‘When a family member returns to the fold, it’s something to celebrate.’
‘I agree.’ I nodded. ‘And I’d love to see you and James back on a happier footing,’ I added, feeling brave.
‘We’ll be fine once he sees sense,’ she said crisply, and I bit back the temptation to remind her that he thought he already was. ‘And on that note,’ she continued, ‘could you please pass me the folder that’s on the worktop next to the egg safe?’
I kept my fingers crossed that it wasn’t the file containing Grace’s paperwork about the nursery, but it turned out to be something far worse.
‘I’ll go and run your bath, shall I?’ I said, the moment I’d handed the folder over.
‘Not just yet,’ she said and pulled out a bundle of papers. ‘First, I want you to have a quick look at these.’
I had no choice but to take the papers from her.
‘What are they?’ I frowned, then baulked when I saw a company name I recognised at the top of the first piece of paper.
‘Valuations for the woods.’
‘But when?’ I spluttered. ‘Who?’
‘I picked three firms last week, all with decent reputations, and got them to go and value the site straightaway,’ she told me briskly. ‘I thought it was about time we did something. You’ve seemed to be dragging your feet since James turned up.’
My throat felt dry, and I could feel a tightening around my chest.
‘I thought we were going to talk about sorting this?’ I croaked, as I sat at the table and flicked through the pages without really seeing anything.
Two of the firms were the ones I’d been going to recommend, but I hadn’t heard of the third.
‘We had talked about it,’ Constance pointed out. ‘And now it’s time to act. I know James still thinks I’m going to change my mind about selling, but I’m not.’
‘I see,’ I said and set the papers down.
‘I hope the change of value doesn’t take you too much by surprise,’ she smiled. ‘It did me, I’m not going to lie.’
‘I told you, you’d seriously undervalued the site,’ I reminded her.
‘You did,’ she said. ‘And you were right. I’ll always be grateful that you were honest with me about that.’
‘Well, I’m an honest person,’ I told her, but the words stuck a little because I wasn’t currently being honest with her, was I?
‘Indeed, you are,’ she smiled. ‘And once this sale has gone through and James can see the amount it’s given us, he’ll appreciate that, too.’
Now that was one thing I knew we would never agree on.
‘Well, now,’ Constance beamed, as we watched Zack and Kaya walk hand in hand down to the jetty that evening. ‘Don’t you two look a picture?’
She wasn’t wrong. The pair looked made for each other.
Kaya might have always had an eye for an attractive man, but she looked utterly besotted with my brother and he looked equally enamoured with her.
I couldn’t help wishing that James and I could have been enjoying as straightforward a relationship as they were.
‘Thank you, Constance,’ Zack and Kaya smiled, in perfect synchronicity.
‘Aren’t they a great match?’ Constance remarked.
‘Absolutely perfect,’ I smiled in response. ‘Is Melody here, too? I’ll go and help her with the food.’
By the time Melody and I had crammed everything into the fridge, and Carter and Rick had carried down the tin bath Rick had found in the shed and filled it with ice for the drinks, I was feeling something akin to the excitement I’d enjoyed during our previous supper soirées.
Unfortunately, however the feeling didn’t last. The evening went downhill from the moment I returned with a jumper from the apartment as the temperature had started to drop.
‘Constance has just told us that she’s had the woods valued,’ Zack called to me as I walked back.
I appreciated the heads up and even though my steps faltered for a moment, I was able to carry on.
‘That’s great news,’ said Carter. ‘You can forge ahead now, can’t you, Tilly? Assuming you’re happy with the updated asking price.’
I knew everyone’s eyes were on me and I took a moment to pick out a bottle of drink. I didn’t really want anything, but I was trying to buy myself a second to decide how to play it. Should I continue with the pretence or come clean?
‘Well,’ I said, toying with the idea of saying I couldn’t afford the new price but abandoning it because I knew Constance would immediately reduce it, ‘I haven’t had a chance to look properly through the documents yet, but it’s a step in the right direction.’
‘Cheers!’ said Melody and Carter as they held aloft bottles and clinked them together.
‘Cheers!’ everyone else responded.
I knew I was slightly behind the toast and Constance noticed it, too.
‘It is a step in the right direction, isn’t it?’ She frowned at me.
‘I’m not sure,’ I heard my voice shakily confess and suddenly you could have heard a pin drop. ‘I would have been certain before…’
‘Before James came along and made you doubt yourself,’ Constance said crossly.
‘I’m not doubting me,’ I told her and everyone looked from one of us to the other. ‘As we’re truth telling, it’s you I’m not sure about, Constance.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘I think we should—’ began Melody.
‘Stay where you are,’ Constance commanded. ‘Explain yourself, Tilly.’
‘How can I buy the woods and happily set up a business in them knowing that my being there has broken James’s heart?’ I said in a rush.
She didn’t ask why I cared for James’s heart. Perhaps she’d simply assumed it was because I was trying to be honest, open and fair to everyone.
‘So, you’re not going to buy the woods then?’ she demanded.
‘No,’ came a voice behind us and we all jumped. As one, we turned around to find James with Buddy, on a lead and quiet for once. ‘Tilly isn’t going to buy the woods.’