Chapter 25
That evening was one of the best I’d had in months. When I got back, Freddy had already raided the fridge, found some chicken and veggies and was in the process of prepping a stir fry.
‘That smells amazing!’
‘That’s because it is amazing. Wash your hands. It’s nearly ready.’
‘Yes, Mum.’
After dinner, we loaded the dishwasher and then sat in the living room overlooking the cottage garden.
Freddy had opened the French doors earlier and the early-summer evening was still warm enough to keep them so as we flopped down onto the squishy sofa with our cups of tea and gazed out at the vista, soaking up the evening birdsong.
‘This is perfect,’ Freddy said after a while of us sitting in companionable silence.
‘It is, isn’t it?’
‘Thanks for letting me come and stay. Staying with that slob in the flat was doing my head in.’
‘I noticed your nails.’
Freddy stretched out her hands. Her normally medium-length, always manicured nails were bitten down to the quick.
‘I know.’ She let out a sigh. ‘It wasn’t as much fun doing the manicure nights on my own but I did keep it up for a while until he moved in. Bloody telly or music on all the time. There was never, ever any peace.’ She lifted her hand to her mouth and began to nibble.
Gently, I laid a hand on it and moved it away. ‘But you’re here now and,’ I looked at my own nails, ‘I don’t have much to offer in the way of manicure potential these days but let’s start that tradition up again. Face packs and manicure night.’
‘Yeah?’ Freddy asked. ‘Really?’
‘Definitely! Why not?’
‘Put your tea down.’
I did as she said and was nearly bowled off the sofa by the incoming hug. ‘You’re the best!’ she said, her words muffled by my shoulder.
‘You can thank Edward. It was his idea, although I’m extremely glad he came up with it.’
‘Oh, believe me!’ she said, sitting herself back. ‘I shall definitely be chatting to your future husband.’
‘Ha ha. Hopefully, Barnaby – he’s the younger brother – will be there tomorrow too. He’s the one I had the interview with. You’ll like him. He’s good fun.’
‘And Edward isn’t good fun?’
‘No, he is. I mean, he’s more serious but he does have a fun side. It’s just more well hidden. Isaac said he changed a bit when his dad died.’
‘I guess he suddenly had to step into his shoes?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Hardly surprising then.’
‘Not at all. Penelope blames herself.’
Freddy’s brow rumpled. ‘For what?’
‘Lawrence’s death. She was thrown from her horse and he rushed to her side and the horse kicked him. Never regained consciousness.’
Her hand was at her mouth. ‘Oh God, that’s awful. The poor woman.’
‘Both the boys saw it happen too.’
‘No! That’s heartbreaking.’
‘I know. And she’s so sweet and funny and cheeky but apparently, she really struggles around the anniversaries.’
‘It’s tough. You know that. It sounds like you helped taking her out that day, though.’
‘To be honest, it was as good for me as it was for Penelope. At least it felt like it. I think about Mum sometimes and moments like that, just grabbing lunch together, simple things that so many take for granted. And it’s utterly shit I didn’t get to do that with her as an adult.’
‘I agree. It is utterly and completely.’ Freddy flung her arm around me and I leant on my friend’s shoulder, looked out at the burgeoning blooms in the flowerbed, and missed my mum.
* * *
‘Emmeline tells us you’re a painter?’
‘Illustrator, Mum,’ Barney, who was already smitten with Freddy, corrected her.
‘That’s right, but I like to paint too.’
Penelope beamed at her then stuck out her tongue at Barney and I saw Edward smother a laugh before taking up the conversation.
‘Emmeline mentioned you’re working on a children’s book?’
‘I am. And I just heard my agent’s got me another contract for a nature book so staying here is absolutely perfect. I already feel so much calmer and of course the scenery is incredibly inspirational. Thank you, Edward, for suggesting the plan.’
‘You’re more than welcome. It sounds like you two are extremely close and Emmeline mentioned you weren’t terribly happy in London after she’d left.’
‘That’s putting it mildly.’
‘Edward is a master of the understatement,’ teased his brother.
‘Well, feel free to wander anywhere you like on the estate to work or take inspiration, whatever you want.’
‘Thank you. That’s so kind.’
‘Just watch out for Gerald,’ I added.
Edward’s brows pinged up as he let out a laugh. ‘Oh God, yes!’
‘I mean, Freddy will take it in her stride but it’d be good to warn a person.’ I gave him a meaningful look and he laughed even more.
‘Point taken.’
‘Who is Gerald?’ Freddy asked, looking between us with an expression I knew would mean questions later.
‘Gerald is,’ Penelope began, ‘a rather eccentric gentleman who likes to take advantage of the access we give the villagers to some of the estate.’
Freddy was smiling but her brows were drawn down in confusion. ‘OK. So far, so normal. What am I missing?’
I, childishly, sniggered. ‘I wish I’d missed it.’
‘Whaaaaat?’ she asked, laughing.
‘Gerald is a keen walker,’ Barney took up. ‘And for reasons which elude any of us, prefers to carry out this activity starkers.’
‘Oh God!’ Freddy snorted with laughter. ‘Seriously?’
‘Sadly. Yes.’
‘Is that even legal?’
‘Private land. Police can’t get involved and we wouldn’t want them to. He’s really quite harmless and tends to warn us if he’s out and about.’
‘So to speak,’ Edward said quietly and I choked on my wine.
‘Sorry,’ he said, pouring me a glass of water, the mischief still showing in his eyes. I could see now what Isaac meant. This was the side that had become buried under pain and responsibility but was gradually, slowly re-emerging.
‘Best to warn you. Just in case.’
‘Much appreciated. Anything else I should know about?’
‘Nothing else comes to mind.’
‘Fenella,’ Barnaby offered.
‘Oh yes. Fenella.’ Penelope grimaced. ‘And by extension, Verity.’
Freddy tapped one finger-bitten nail against her lip. ‘Fenella is the reason you two are,’ she gave a little cough, ‘engaged.’
The family exchanged a look.
‘It’s OK. Freddy knows all my secrets.’
‘Ooh!’ Barnaby sat up straighter. ‘Do tell.’
‘Never,’ replied Freddy loyally. ‘But this is the most interesting one anyway and you’re already clearly in on it.’
‘Obviously,’ he said with a grin.
‘And yes,’ Penelope rerailed the conversation. ‘Fenella’s banging on was the reason I lost my head and blurted out a bit of a fib.’
‘A bit of a fib?’ Edward echoed.
Penelope tilted her hand back and forth as she took a sip of her wine. ‘All right then, quite a porker, but oh, she was just so annoying.’
‘Right time, right place, eh, Emmy?’ Freddy elbowed me with a giggle.
‘I’m certain that Emmeline feels quite the opposite of that,’ Edward said, lifting his own glass, his gaze settling on me.
‘I just don’t think I’m the best choice that could have been made. Dawkins looked positively befuddled when I overtook him on the way to your drawing room a while ago. I don’t know all the rules.’
‘Rules, schmules,’ Barney stated. ‘This is why you’re the perfect person for Edward.’
I pretended not to see the quirk of my best friend’s smile at this comment and concentrated on the fact Barney was on his second glass already, we’d only just begun the starter and he hadn’t noticed the slip in his phrasing.
‘Our family have never been big on all those rules. Quite a few rebels in the lineage.’ He winked at Freddy, who laughed and shook her head. ‘And Edward needs a bit of fun back in his life.’
‘Then I’m definitely not the right person. Freddy is the fun one in this friendship.’
‘No disrespect to you, Freddy, but I’d have to disagree. You are certainly fun.’
‘And no disrespect taken, Edward. I quite agree with you. She’s always doing this. Putting herself down. Just because you’re not what you consider to be spontaneous doesn’t mean you’re not fun.’
I chewed my lip, kept my eyes down and took a sip of water in the hope that the spotlight would swing over to someone else sooner rather than later.
‘And my friends obviously agree. Ever since Verity’s comment about Harriet, Giles has been very selective on who he invites to his gatherings.’
‘He doesn’t know me. You’re obviously a good friend and he could hardly invite you without me,’ I countered.
‘Actually, he could. Had I been seeing Verity, or her ilk.’
‘Heaven forbid!’ Penelope cried and took an extra-large gulp of her wine.
The corners of Edward’s lips tilted up before he returned his eyes to me. ‘In those circumstances, he’d very much have felt at ease not inviting me.’
‘What are you going to wear?’ Freddy asked.
My chin dropped into my hands. ‘I have no idea! There’s not been much call for posh garden party frocks so far in life.’ I raised my eyes to Freddy. ‘We’re going to have to go shopping.’
‘You say that in the same tone as if someone asked you to lick a frog.’
‘Barnaby!’ His mother laughed.
‘What? She did,’ he replied, joining her.
‘I’ll take the frog.’
‘Oh, Emmeline!’ Penelope continued, giggling. ‘This will never do! Do you really detest shopping that much?’
‘She does,’ Freddy replied for me. ‘I can vouch for that.’
‘But you seemed to enjoy our lunch out and subsequent “mooch”. Or were you doing that for me?’ she asked, the laughter drifting away now.
‘No! Not at all. That was so fun. But, that was mooching. Completely different thing to going out and having to get a specific thing for a specific event. I know some people relish the opportunity but sadly, I’m not one of them.’
‘Oh my goodness! I’ve just had the best idea!’
‘If it’s as good as your last idea, Mother, I’m going to reserve judgement,’ Edward said as he concentrated pouring sauce on the main course of seabass that had now been served.
Freddy flicked him and he looked up, shocked.
I snorted at the surprise on his face.
‘That’s my best friend you’re talking about. You should consider yourself lucky!’
‘I didn’t mean it like that!’ His eyes shifted to me. ‘I didn’t. I just meant that it’s proving inconvenient to you and making you uncomfortable which I’d have preferred to avoid. That’s what I meant.’
‘I know.’
‘Oh,’ said Freddy, hopping back in her box. ‘That’s all right then.’
‘So, what’s your idea, Ma?’ Barney asked as he shovelled in a forkful of fish.
‘Don’t speak with your mouth full, darling. Emmeline, I have a wardrobe full of appropriate dresses that never see the light of day. We’re not so very different in build. How about you two girls come and raid my wardrobe after lunch? I’m sure we can find plenty of options.’
‘That sounds great, Penelope. Are you sure you don’t mind?’
‘Not at all! I can’t think of a more fun afternoon. And obviously a glass of champagne must be had.’
‘At least one!’ Barnaby added.
‘You do realise you’re not invited, Barns?’ Edward said without looking up.
Barnaby’s face fell. ‘Bugger.’