Chapter 29
One month later
‘You weren’t wrong about this, were you?’ James beamed at me, as he swam back over to where I was treading water. ‘It’s utterly blissful.’
I had been astonished when he’d told me that he’d never swum in the river and had immediately set about rectifying that.
He accompanied me every morning he could now and sometimes, if they were staying in the village, Zack and Kaya came, too.
However, on the balmy September early start that day it was just James and I, and after such a hot and passionate night in the garden apartment, celebrating his last day working in London, the cool-down felt even lovelier than usual.
‘I’m not often wrong about anything,’ I smiled, as I drew him to me and wrapped my legs around his waist.
‘Tilly,’ he groaned, as I pulled him closer in. ‘We can’t be late, not today.’
Right on cue, the sound of Constance banging a wooden spoon on her ancient milk pan met our ears.
It was her new way of summoning us without having to open the sunroom door and risk letting Buddy out.
The dog loved to swim as much as we did, but we didn’t always have time to dry him off, and on this particular day, we certainly didn’t.
‘Come on then,’ I smiled, as I released James. ‘Let’s go.’
Ordinarily, I would have been disappointed to be interrupted, but with such an exciting time to look forward to, I didn’t mind at all.
‘Now then,’ said Constance, as she waved us off a short while later. ‘Are you sure you’ve got everything?’
‘Even the kitchen sink,’ I said, checking the list I’d jotted down in my new notebook.
I might have become a more carefree person since I’d left my old life behind and landed in Willowell, but there were certain things I would never part with, and my love of a good list was one of them.
‘And I’ll be back later to pick you and everything else for the party up around five, Aunt Constance,’ said James as he readjusted his too small straw hat.
I, of course, was wearing Mum’s so we looked like peas in a pod.
‘I can’t wait,’ Constance said excitedly.
I couldn’t wait either. The whole day was going to be the best fun. That said, I’d had to put a positive spin on what was going to occur ahead of our supper party that night, to ensure all my friends turned out to swell the numbers of the first Willowell Woods working party of the autumn.
The purchase of the wood was only just underway, but Constance had insisted that I should make a start on the remedial work that needed doing and we had agreed to split the cost. James, Zack, Rick and Carter had been keen to sign up for a day of path clearing and arboriculture assistance, but Kaya and Melody had needed some convincing.
In the end, it was switching it to a Sunday so Melody wouldn’t have to close the store and the promise of the first ever on-site supper party that swung it.
‘Are you excited?’ James asked, as I parked up next to Rick’s truck and noticed Tommy’s for sale board had been unceremoniously dumped in the back of it.
He’d been told to collect it but hadn’t, so Rick was going to get rid of it for us.
‘You know I’m excited,’ I said, as I leant across to give James a kiss. ‘I can’t wait to get started.’
‘No time for all that,’ scolded Rick, as he opened my door and made me jump. ‘Come on, let’s get this gate open before the others arrive and then we can crack straight on.’
‘Right you are, boss,’ I laughed, and James gave him a salute.
‘I’d love to see you in a uniform, James,’ Rick teased him and James blushed.
‘Any preference?’ I asked, as I climbed out and released Buddy from his harness on the backseat.
‘Don’t encourage him,’ James groaned, but with a smile.
‘Arb assistant will suffice for today,’ said Rick, as he thrust a large bag and a helmet and visor into James’s arms. ‘And there’ll be no messing about on my watch. Tree work is serious business.’
‘Right boss,’ James said, rather meekly.
We made a great start on the work and even Kaya and Melody got into the swing of it, though the air was occasionally blue when one of us got snagged by a particularly brutish bramble or stung by a nasty nettle.
I had stopped a few times during the day to look at the trees, admire a plant I hadn’t noticed before or tune into birdsong I hadn’t previously heard.
I was having fewer pinch me moments, but I was still in awe of Willowell Woods and extremely aware that I was poised to become the custodian of somewhere very special indeed.
I’d now had a more formal meeting with Helen – with Constance and James, who were still the current owners, in attendance – and she was even more enthusiastic about my proposal. In less than a year, I could be up and running and I couldn’t wait.
And on that note…
‘Hey, Tills,’ said Zack, late in the day and as we started to flag. ‘Have you got a sec?’
We’d all enjoyed a picnic lunch together next to the stinky pond, as Kaya had named it, but there hadn’t been a moment to talk to my brother alone.
‘Sure,’ I said, as I pulled off my thick gloves and raked a hand through my tangled, sweaty hair. I’d returned Mum’s hat to my car after lunch. ‘Are you okay?’
‘More than all right,’ he nodded. ‘Constance called me earlier—’
‘She did?’ I rummaged in my pocket for my phone. There were no missed calls. ‘Was she okay?’
‘She called me with an offer,’ Zack carried on, ignoring my fussing.
‘An offer?’
‘I’ve been talking to her about the possibility of working with you here and she realised that if I did, I was going to need somewhere more permanent to stay than Carter’s spare room.’
‘Yes,’ I said thoughtfully. ‘I don’t suppose you can stay there for ever, can you?’
‘She told me that you’re going to move into the house soon,’ Zack carried on. ‘You’re having one of the bedrooms, aren’t you?’
‘That’s right,’ I confirmed. ‘I’ll be bunking in with James really, but she wanted me to officially have a separate room in Fernside, for appearance’s sake.’
Zack grinned and I whacked him with my gloves.
‘So that means the garden apartment will be empty,’ he said and I began to join the dots. ‘So, she’s said I can move in there if I do decide to stay.’
‘Oh Zack. That would be perfect. But, what does Kaya have to say about it?’
He still hadn’t told me what they were planning to do, which was fine because I hadn’t wanted to put pressure on either of them, but I didn’t mind admitting that the offer of accommodation did make me hope that might encourage them to stay. For a while, at least.
‘She’s…’
‘She’s what?’ I demanded and whacked him again.
I could now appreciate how frustrating he’d found it the day I’d had my grand reveal and dithered a bit.
‘She’s totally on-board,’ he said in a rush. ‘And she wants to move into the apartment, too, with Constance’s blessing, of course! Settling into life in Willowell has quelled the wanderlust in both of us and we want to stay.’
‘So, you’re both staying put?’
‘We’re both staying right here,’ he confirmed.
‘Oh Zack!’ I sobbed and flung my arms around him.
We were set to become one very happy family, indeed!
As we shared this thrilling development with everyone else, I noticed how hot and grubby we all looked as a result of the day spent felling, clearing and chopping and suggested we went back to our respective homes to get cleaned up ahead of the celebratory supper party.
Everyone thought this was a great idea and I made sure I was first back because there was some preparation I wanted to see to and I wanted it completed before James arrived with Constance, who was going to be visiting the woods for the first time in a very long time.
‘Hey, Tilly!’ I heard James call, just as I added the final string of solar lights that I’d had charging in the sun all day to the interior. ‘Are you ready for us?’
‘Yes,’ I said, as I rushed outside to be greeted first by Buddy, and then by an emotional looking Constance. ‘I’m here.’ I swallowed as I smoothed down the shirt dress James loved so much. ‘I’m ready.’
I linked my arm through the woman’s who, in the space of just a few short months, had completely transformed my life.
Or helped me to transform it would perhaps be a better description.
It was high time I started owning my achievements and acknowledging that I was the driving force behind the brave life leaps I was making.
Constance had contributed so much, but I had found the courage to step up to accept what it was that she was offering and then find ways to make it work.
‘Welcome back, Constance,’ I said softly, the words catching a little. ‘Can we take you on a tour to show you what we’ve done today?’
‘I’d like that,’ she said, in a tone I’d never heard her use before, and I began to realise that this trip for her was every bit as significant as the journey James had been on. ‘Let’s have a look then, shall we?’
The sun was setting but it was still light enough for us to see how beautiful the woods were, and I very much appreciated the added ambience created by the pair of calling tawny owls as we walked along the freshly cleared paths.
‘This all looks rather different to how I remember it,’ Constance commented. ‘I think it’s been longer than I realised since I last visited and I can see what you meant about the state of the paths, Tilly.’
She sounded upset as she nodded to the stretch ahead of us that was still covered in brambles and meant we couldn’t comfortably walk any further.
‘But look how much we’ve cleared today,’ James, who was standing behind us, pointed out. ‘We’ll have all the walkways reinstated in no time. Or Tilly will, I mean.’
‘No, no.’ I turned and smiled at him. ‘It’s a time-consuming job James, so I’m more than happy for you take on the responsibility of that and free me up to sort some other things.’
Constance chuckled and James rolled his eyes.
‘I set myself right up for that, didn’t I?’ he laughed, his eyes shining in the fading light.