Chapter 24
‘I’m fine to pick up Freddy myself today.’
‘Coincides with my lunchtime anyway.’ Isaac gave a shrug. It didn’t, and the fact he’d had a haircut and was looking more spruced up than he generally did for work hadn’t escaped my notice.
‘OK.’
‘Give you two a chance to catch up without having to concentrate on the driving.’
‘That is a good point. And in the meantime, I’m going to go and do some more potting up for the planters on the front steps.’
‘Great. I’ve got a couple of meetings this morning but I’ll join you as soon as I can.’
‘No rush. Freddy’s train gets in at two.’
‘We’ll leave at twenty to. I’ll meet you by the Land Rover then.’ He began walking away. ‘She won’t mind, will she? Being picked up in that?’
I shook my head. ‘Not at all. Freddy’s pretty down to earth.’ I mock-frowned at him. ‘Why? Are you worried about making a bad impression?’
‘What? No! Of course not.’
‘Right. Good. It’s just that you didn’t seem overly fussed about my comfort when you picked me up from the station. In fact, I think I could have fallen out the back and you wouldn’t have noticed.’
‘Of course I’d have noticed!’ he said. ‘There’d have been a breeze, for a start.’
‘Hardy ha. I hope you’re still not expecting me to put in a good word for you because, if so, you just blew it.’
* * *
That afternoon, as the sun warmed the brickwork of the tiny Victorian station, I took a seat on one of the wrought-iron benches.
The wooden slats had been replaced but the ornate sides remained the same, repainted but still as sturdy as the day it was built.
Isaac had stayed in the Land Rover, pretending to be casual about the arrival of his crush.
I’d spent the morning potting up planters.
Half of the front steps were now looking beautiful.
The rest I could do when I got back this afternoon, although Isaac wanted us to go and see how the renovation of the kitchen garden was coming on first. From what I’d seen when going to and from the greenhouses, Krish and his dad had made great inroads into digging the beds back as they once were according to the old plans from the archives.
There were already some heritage veg and flowers being grown on in the glasshouse which, if we got far enough quick enough, we were hoping to get in this season.
There was no way it would be up and running as a fully functioning kitchen garden this year but hopefully, next year, we’d be able to move everything from the existing one over to this new, old walled one.
When is the guy coming to do the brickwork on the wall?
I messaged Isaac as I glanced up the track, still waiting for a sign of the train.
Next week.
His reply came back swiftly.
I thumbed-up the answer and shoved my phone back in my pocket.
As I did, I heard a faint but distinct steam whistle and jumped to my feet.
There above the solid green of early-summer leaves was a trail of puffing white smoke as the train chugged its way up the last hill.
And then I could see it, far up the track as it came towards us.
A head popped out of a window, followed by an arm as Freddy waved madly, a huge, joyful grin on her face.
The engine sighed to a halt and doors opened and closed.
Some passengers were day trippers, taking advantage of the novelty of a steam train, and heading towards the station café, chivvying along small children, hands held tight along the platform.
An older, mildly weather-beaten couple with wide smiles and Scandinavian looks hoiked up enormous rucksacks onto their backs, grabbed their hiking poles and marched off.
And there behind them all was Freddy in wedge heels, loose flowy trousers that flapped in the gentle breeze, a vest top and a Japanese silk duster.
A straw trilby topped off her outfit. She looked every inch the glamorous artist. On one shoulder, she carried a tote, and each hand wheeled a shocking-pink suitcase.
I was already running up the platform as she hurried along, both of us laughing until we collided in a massive hug.
‘I can’t believe I’m here!’
‘I’m so glad you are!’ I took charge of the suitcases as Freddy yanked up the tote on her shoulder once more.
‘This way.’ I pointed to the exit as I wheeled the cases along. ‘How was the journey?’
‘Fine once I eventually got out of London. Sorry about the delay.’
‘No problem.’
‘I can’t believe it’s a steam train to get here! How romantic.’
‘It’s kind of cool. Amazed it survived the axe back in the sixties but apparently, the family were still pretty influential and managed to persuade them to leave the branch line as it was.’
‘Wheels greased,’ Freddy said as we headed to the Land Rover. ‘Or at least palms.’
‘Needs must, I guess. Cars were still expensive and lots of people relied on the railway to get anywhere. This is us here.’ I nodded towards the Land Rover.
‘That’s good the family intervened then.’
‘From what I understand, they’ve always taken their role as local landowner seriously and done all they can to ensure people in the area are well cared for, even when they were no longer part of the estate.’
‘So, you’re marrying a saint?’
I blew her a raspberry and she laughed.
In front of us, the driver door opened and Isaac jumped out.
‘This is our driver for the day. Sorry. Best I could get at short notice.’
Isaac turned his head slowly towards me as he lifted a hand to his side. ‘Ow. My rib.’ He then focused back on Freddy and held out a hand. Well-scrubbed, I noticed. ‘I’m Isaac, lovely to meet you.’
Freddy had barely taken her eyes off him. ‘Freddy,’ she returned, shaking his hand. ‘Thanks so much for taking the time to come and pick me up.’
‘No bother at all. Any time,’ Isaac replied, his grin was now practically hooked on his ears.
Freddy flashed him a wide smile and I thought he might actually burst.
‘Shall we get on?’ I asked.
They both turned with the same mildly surprised expression at finding me there.
‘Sounds great.’ Freddy recovered first.
Isaac hurried around to the passenger door and offered his hand for her to climb up on to the front bench seat.
I followed as he headed to the back door, lifting in Freddy’s luggage, stowing it neatly and securely.
More securely than he’d established I was several months ago, I noticed with a wry smile.
‘Everyone in?’ he asked, jumping back in.
‘Yep,’ I replied, although I honestly think he’d totally forgotten I was there by then, his eyes focused on my friend. She nodded and tucked her arm around mine as Isaac pulled out of the car park.
‘So, tell me everything.’
By the time we got to Rose Cottage, Freddy had received a potted version of things, with a few extra details she hadn’t been aware of from our video chats.
‘And Penelope has invited us to lunch tomorrow.’
‘Me too?’ Freddy asked.
‘Of course! She’s dying to meet you. Her sons are lovely but I do think she misses female company sometimes.’
‘Unless it’s Fenella or Verity.’
She turned a little towards Isaac. ‘Now those are the snobby ones, right?’
‘Right. Fenella’s the reason your mate here is engaged to Edward. She’s always been like that. Her friend, relation, dog is always more talented, more important, more interesting than anyone else’s.’
‘Quite often the opposite is true when it comes to such people, I’ve found.’
‘Wise as well as beautiful.’ Isaac beamed and Freddy gave him a look under her lashes.
I made a retching noise.
* * *
Isaac dropped us off, scooting round to grab Freddy’s luggage and whisking it into the cottage.
‘Thank you,’ she replied.
‘You’re welcome. Any time.’
‘Hopefully not for a while as Emmy said the family are happy for me to stay as long as she’ll have me.’
‘Then let’s hope that’s a long time.’ He glanced over at me with a look that said it had better be.
I made a shooing motion.
Isaac looked back to Freddy and rolled his eyes but she merely smiled and suddenly, he was all sunshine and rainbows again.
‘Come on, out you go. Thanks for the lift but I need to get Freddy settled before I get back to work.’
‘See you soon,’ Freddy called around me as Isaac jogged down the front steps.
‘I hope so,’ he said, turning before I closed the door.
We looked at each other for a moment before both letting out a scream of excitement.
‘I can’t believe you’re here!’
‘I can’t believe you or I are here! I’m so happy you decided to go for this job.’
‘Me too.’
Her gaze travelled to the front door. ‘I know he was a bit of a git to start with but your photo didn’t do Isaac justice. He’s gorgeous.’
‘Oh. It didn’t really occur to me. I did say he was fairly good-looking.’
‘Fairly? He’s beautiful.’
This was definitely not a description of my boss that had crossed my mind but Freddy seemed already smitten.
When I didn’t reply, she stepped closer and took my hands. ‘Don’t worry.’
‘I’m not. I’m sure he already knows if he hurts you, I will use him as fertiliser but if something did happen between you, I’d be sure to remind him.’
She laughed. ‘Would you?’
‘Absolutely.’
Freddy flung her arms around me. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you too.’
‘Anyway,’ she said, standing back, still holding on to my hands. ‘I’ve no intention of jumping into something headfirst.’
‘That would be a change.’
‘I know. And yet my previous relationships have worked out so well with that approach.’
I gave her hands a supportive squeeze.
‘Which is why,’ she said, ‘I’m not doing that any more.’
‘Even though he’s head over heels about you and you’re half in love with him already.’
Freddy scoffed but I knew my friend. ‘We barely know each other.’
‘To be fair, he knows more about you than you’d think.’
‘Has he been asking you about me?’
‘Only every other ten minutes.’
She squidged herself up in delight.
‘And now, I’m going to show you the basics and then you can make yourself at home while I go back to work. Is that OK? There’s a sarnie in the fridge for you.’