Chapter 17
The next morning, I was still thinking about how sad Penelope had seemed, even when she was doing her best not to.
‘Isaac?’
‘Yup?’
‘Would it be OK if I took a longer lunch today? I’ll stay on later to make up for it.’
‘No, you won’t.’ He stood up from where he was checking a delivery we’d just unloaded.
‘Of course I will.’
‘I don’t mean you wouldn’t. I mean you can’t. Edward’s taking you to dinner, remember?’
‘Oh. Bugger.’
‘But yes, you can take a longer lunch. How long?’
‘Couple of hours?’
Isaac staggered backwards, clutching his heart.
I ignored his antics. ‘Can I?’
‘Course. Doing anything nice?’
‘Taking Penelope out, if possible. She seemed a bit low yesterday, don’t you think?’
‘Yeah, she did. Unfortunately, it’s that time of year for them. Take all the time you need.’
‘Thanks.’
We beavered on for a few more minutes.
‘Were you here when it happened? The accident?’
Isaac kept working but I saw his broad shoulders sag for a moment. ‘Yeah. Awful day.’
‘Do you mind talking about it? Sorry.’
‘It’s fine. Was just a real shame. Such a nice bloke. Edward’s a lot like him.’
‘Is he?’
‘Yeah. Lawrence was very sensible and organised but also had a fun-loving side too. Penelope brought that out in him. They were a good match.’
‘Edward seems more sensible than fun-loving.’
‘He’s been through some stuff and things changed for him when he lost his dad. Some big shoes to step into and Penelope was distraught. He’s still got a fun side. I’m sure it will come out when it needs to.’
‘Yes. I suppose he suddenly had a lot more responsibility that he hadn’t planned for.’
‘Certainly hadn’t planned for it that soon. Lawrence was fit and well. It was a shock to everyone. He was a good man.’
‘You’ve known the family a long time then?’
‘Yep. Generations of us have worked on this estate and Edward and I aren’t that far apart in age so we played together when we were kids.
Some people disapproved that he was being exposed to an urchin like me,’ Isaac looked up briefly and gave me a wink.
‘But Lawrence and Penelope were fine with it, as were my parents.’
‘And it was no one else’s business anyway.’
‘Exactly.’
We drifted back into silence and the rhythm of the planting.
‘You’d better head off before Penelope gets something to eat at home.’
I checked my watch. It was a little before my usual lunch hour.
‘Go on,’ Isaac jiffied me along.
‘Thanks.’
I washed my hands, checked my face for dirt and gave it a splash of water and then headed out on a fast walk up to the house.
Dawkins opened the door when I rang the bell.
‘Miss Emmeline. Please come in.’
‘Hi, Dawkins. How are you?’
‘Very well, thank you. Are you here to see Mr Edward?’
‘No, Penelope, if she’s in.’
‘She is. I will go and tell her you’re here.’
I waited in the hall and nosed at some of Edward’s ancestors, trying to pick out resemblances in oil paintings of people in ruffs, powdered wigs and with enormous Victorian moustaches.
‘Lady Penelope will see you now. She’s in her drawing room.’
‘Thanks,’ I said. He began to lead me but his pace was a lot slower than I was used to and I ended up overtaking him.
‘Shall I see myself in?’
Dawkins looked a little unsure about this break in etiquette and it occurred to me once again that I really was the wrong person for the position of Edward’s fiancée.
‘Sorry. Is that OK? I’m sure you have much better things to do than escort me.’
He gave me a gentle smile.
‘I promise I won’t pinch anything.’
Why, Emmy?
His smile remained but I couldn’t tell if it did so through years of practice and underneath, he was now considering that perhaps he should really escort me all the way after all.
I gave him a wave that tried too hard not to be awkward and scooted along to Penelope’s drawing room.
‘Anyone in?’ I poked my head around the door.
‘Emmeline! How lovely to see you.’ Penelope began walking towards me, her arms out for a hug which I duly obliged.
‘Are you busy?’
‘No,’ she said, almost on a sigh.
‘Fancy lunch?’
A spark of light flashed in her eyes. ‘Lunch? Now?’
‘If you’re free?’
‘I am!’ she said, her smile becoming wider.
‘Come on then. But we might have to take your car. The Landy’s not too well. Isaac’s looking at it this afternoon.’
‘We’re going out?’
‘If you’re up for it?’
‘But I haven’t dressed for going out!’ Penelope, as always, looked immaculate and elegant.
‘Penelope, you look beautiful. And, hello!’ I gestured towards my gardening clothes. ‘If you don’t mind putting up with my clothes, I’ll put up with yours.’
Her laugh was joyful and I hooked her arm around mine as we left the room.
‘I just need my bag and jacket. Two shakes.’ Penelope disappeared off into a room unseen and returned quickly with both, plus a set of car keys which she tossed to me. ‘Do you mind driving?’ she asked as I caught them in one hand. Take that, cliquey netball girls!
‘Nope.’
‘Good. I was hoping you’d say that.’
* * *
‘This is your car?’ The glossy red paint of the Jaguar F Type gleamed, the silver of the alloys sparkled and the leather seats were pristine.
‘It is. Lawrence bought it for me just before he died.’
I looked up from where I’d been admiring the sleek lines.
‘Oh… maybe—’
‘No. I want you to drive it. I want to ride in it. It just sits here. The boys give it a run every so often but today seems like a good day to take it out for a purpose.’
‘But don’t you want to drive it?’
She shook her head. ‘No. I’m afraid I haven’t driven for a long time now and I’ve lost my confidence.’
I sucked in a breath. ‘OK. Then I’ll drive it today but maybe we can do something about getting that confidence back so that you can drive your gift.’
Her eyes glistened. ‘Thank you. I’ll give that some thought.’
‘I’ll take that. Now, in you pop.’ I held the door for Penelope and she slid in elegantly, legs together, swung in neatly.
I blinked back a memory of my mum getting in and out the same way.
I pushed that image back down, closed the door and got in myself, less elegantly but in a way that had served me well for decades.
‘Any recommendations for lunch in town?’ I said, as I drove slowly down the long driveway.
‘Juniper’s is always nice. Have you tried that?’
‘I haven’t. Shall we?’
‘If you have time? When do you have to be back?’
‘Isaac said I could take a long break so no rush.’
‘Oh look, there’s Edward.’ She waved at the oncoming car and I slowed down, buzzing down the window as I stopped.
‘Hello.’
‘Hello, darling! Emmeline asked if I wanted to go out for lunch. Isn’t that kind?’
Edward looked down at me from the Range Rover. ‘It was kind,’ he agreed. His eyes smiled more than his mouth, as though he was turning something over in his mind. ‘I’m surprised to see the Jag.’
‘I thought it was about time it had a proper outing, don’t you think?’
‘I do.’
‘I did ask if Penelope wanted to drive it.’ For some reason, I felt like I had to defend the fact that I, and not his mother, was behind the wheel, especially bearing in mind the provenance of the vehicle.
Edward nodded.
‘I’m not ready for that yet, Edward.’
‘That’s OK. I’m happy to see you in it.’ His smile this time involved his whole face and I could suddenly see the side that Isaac mentioned, the one that had been depressed by the sudden responsibility and grief and perhaps something else. ‘I’d better let you get to lunch then.’
‘Bye, darling!’
‘Bye, Mum. Bye, Emmeline.’ His eyes lingered on me. ‘Enjoy your lunch.’
I buzzed up the window and drove quietly on.
‘Give it a rev.’
‘What?’
‘When Lawrence gave me this, he would say that when we went out in it. Do it for me, please?’
‘Are you sure?’
She nodded.
I blipped the throttle and she squealed with laughter and then started to cry.
‘Oh, Penelope!’ I brought the car to a halt.
‘No, no! It’s fine.’ She pulled a pressed lace edged handkerchief out of her bag and dabbed at her eyes with it. ‘Silly old woman.’
‘Stop that. You’re not old. You’re fabulous. Do you want to go back?’
She shook her head and grabbed my hand. ‘No! No, no, no! It’s stupid, I know. I don’t even know why I’m crying.’
‘Grief is never linear.’
She turned to face me. ‘You’re right.’ Her hand went to my cheek. ‘You’re so right. Lawrence would have loved you.’
‘If you make me cry too, I won’t be able to drive either and then where will we be?’
‘Let’s go!’ she said. And then she put her fist up. ‘And give it some welly!’
So I did.
‘There it is.’ Penelope pointed across the street at a sage painted shop frontage. A swirly font depicted the word Juniper in cream across the front of the pane.
I nosed the car into a parking space and with a grin, gave it one last rev before switching off the engine.
Penelope leant across and kissed my cheek. ‘Come on, I want to buy you lunch.’
‘I asked you!’
‘Yes but you wouldn’t refuse me, would you?’ She pulled a sad face but I could see mischief dancing in her eyes. I wouldn’t refuse anything that kept her smiling.
‘Come on, trouble.’
* * *
After a delicious lunch of smoked mackerel with a fresh rocket salad, and lightly toasted sourdough which Penelope categorically refused to split the bill for, we left the restaurant.
‘Do you have to get back?’
‘In theory, you’re my boss so…’ I shrugged and she giggled. ‘But let me just call Isaac and check it’s OK. I don’t want to lumber him.’
He picked up on the third ring. ‘All right?’
‘Yep. Is it OK if I stay a bit longer? I’ll make up the time.’
‘Is Penelope smiling?’
I looked over and she grinned, giving me a hopeful thumbs up. It seemed so incongruous from this elegant lady that I chuckled. ‘She is.’
‘Good. Take as long as you need.’
‘Thanks, Isaac.’
‘Welcome. The minute I saw you both in that Jag. I knew you’d done the right thing.’
‘Penelope made me rev it!’
‘Yeah, yeah.’
Penelope was laughing now.
‘See you later. Keep her smiling.’
‘Will do.’ I hung up.
‘Everything all right?’
‘All good. Let’s mooch!’
‘Mooch! I like that term. I’m not sure I’ve ever mooched before.’
‘I’m sure you have. What do you call it then?’
She pondered this for a few moments as we peered in shop windows and entered a bookshop. ‘I suppose I’d call it browsing but I think mooching sounds far more fun.’
‘Then mooching is what we shall do! Ooh, this looks interesting…’
Twenty minutes later, I’d bought one book and Penelope had bought two.
‘I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a book.’
‘Are you not a big reader?’
‘I am! That’s the thing. I mean, there’s an excellent library at the house but I used to love going into bookshops to see what was new, what caught my eye.
Lawrence and I would go places and he’d always have something from his library on the go so would drop me off and tell me to come and find him when I was ready, then go and ensconce himself in a café.
It was one of our favourite things to do. ’
There wasn’t anything to say so I tucked my arm around hers and we mooched on.
Half an hour later, Penelope had also bought two soy scented candles and a stunning bouquet of flowers.
‘Ready to head back?’ I asked.
‘Yes, I think I am. Thank you.’
We walked to the car and I placed our purchases in the boot then slid back behind the wheel.
As I was about to start the engine, Penelope laid her hand on my arm.
‘Thank you for this, Emmy.’
‘You’re very welcome, Penelope. I’ve had a lovely time.’
She squeezed my arm and I started the car and drove us back to the house.
As I pulled up, the door opened and Edward stepped out.
He’d changed from the suit he had on earlier and was now in jeans and a casual, but no doubt expensive, white shirt, the sleeves of which were folded back to just below his elbows.
His forearms were more tanned than I’d expected.
Not that I’d spent much time thinking about Edward’s forearms. Although I might now.
‘What?’ I realised Edward was speaking to me. I opened my door and in my haste, whacked him in the side.
‘Oof!’
‘Oh!’ Penelope echoed.
‘Oh God! Are you OK?’
He straightened and winced. ‘Perfect.’
‘Sorry. I was… distracted.’ Although I certainly wasn’t about to divulge what exactly had distracted me.
‘Clearly.’
‘Thank you again so much!’ Penelope said, stepping between us and giving me a hug.
‘You realise you’re hugging my attacker.’
I peered over his mother’s shoulder and met Edward’s gaze.
‘It was just a tap. Don’t be such a baby.’
Penelope stood back, looked at Edward and burst out laughing.
‘And this is the sympathy I get from my own mother.’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll run you back.’
‘You look like you’d rather run me over.’
‘Don’t give me ideas.’ He held open the passenger door and I slid in.
‘Bye!’ I waved to Penelope as Edward set off down the drive a lot faster than I had. ‘There’s some things in the boot your mum bought.’
‘Thanks. I’ll get them out when I go back.’
‘I need to grab my book too.’
We drove on for a few moments in silence.
‘Sorry about whacking you.’
‘I’ll survive… probably.’
I looked over and he sent me a grin that just made me glad I was no longer driving Penelope’s pride and joy.
Most of the time, I didn’t think too much about how well Edward had done in the genes lottery which, in the situation we now found ourselves, made things a lot easier.
But every now and then, he’d smile like that or reveal unexpectedly muscular forearms and it was really, really inconvenient.
Isaac looked up as the car pulled up and strolled over to the driver’s door.
‘What sort of time do you call this?’
‘Time for a cup of tea,’ Edward replied.
‘Good answer. Come on then.’
I was out and hovering at the boot. Edward walked round and pressed the button to release it.
‘Thanks.’ I leant in, pulled out my new book, tucked it under my arm and made to close it again. Edward’s hand stilled it.
‘Thank you for today. For doing what you’ve done for my mother.’
I shoved a hand in my pocket. ‘I didn’t really do anything.’
‘You did, Emmeline. I’ve not seen my mother in this car since my father died, and to see her get out, looking so joyful. It was…’ He stopped, frowned briefly and cleared his throat. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. Both of you. I had a great time with her so…’
His fingers moved to touch mine on the boot lid as he looked at me. I nodded and then let go.
‘Tea’s up!’ Isaac bellowed from his office.
‘See you tonight.’
Oh God. Dinner. I’d forgotten about that!
‘Absolutely!’