Coming Home to Jasmine Cottage Read online

  Lucy stopped listening. She was too busy reading the small print – and the suggestion that an alpaca or Annie’s pony Mischief stand in for the donkey, as it ruined proceedings last year by braying loudly throughout the carol singing.

  ‘You’ll be fine.’ Jill patted her hand in a gesture of solidarity. ‘It’s the goats I worry about, they always try and eat baby Jesus.’

  ‘Back to the coal face everybody, and don’t forget that posh George, sorry the Right Honourable George Cambourne will be switching our lights on, so any suggestion on how best to curtail his speech will be welcome.’ He shook his head. ‘Life is just too short, I rather think I might confiscate those cap guns and use them myself.’

  Lucy opened her eyes in alarm and nudged Jill as they made their way out of the staffroom. ‘You don’t think he’d dare, do you?’

  ‘Wouldn’t put it past him, from the rumours I heard, him and posh George didn’t get on at all at school, and boys will be boys.’

  ‘Old boys.’

  ‘Could be as entertaining as last year when the lights exploded, the cow took off and the Christmas tree toppled over on top of the bell ringers.’

  One word stood out. ‘Cow?’

  ‘Oh yes, cattle are lowing and all that. We like to be authentic.’ Jill giggled. ‘Oh you should see your face. Oh, don’t worry, there’s plenty of time to sort things. You are coming to the bonfire on Friday night I take it? Apple bobbing, barbecue, beer.’

  ‘And fireworks?’

  ‘Briefly. You can’t have missed the bonfire they’ve built on the cricket pitch? You’ve got to come, it’s compulsory.’ Jill slipped her hand through Lucy’s arm. ‘And it’s perfect cover for a rendezvous.’

  Lucy frowned. ‘Rendezvous?’

  ‘With Matt.’ Jill’s hand tightened and she slowed her pace. ‘He’s not told you, has he?’ A flush of red tinged her cheekbones. She sighed and shook her head. ‘I cornered him after he’d been chatting to you in the playground and asked him what he was up to, and well, you know what Matt is like.’

  Lucy knew what Matt was like; fun, flirty, friendly, a gossip, and with an enormous crush on the woman stood next to her.

  On the last day of school before the half-term holiday, Matt had cornered her, which had been slightly annoying as she’d missed her opportunity to talk to Charlie when he’d picked Maisie up. It was daft really, she saw quite a bit of him, but there was something extra lovely about seeing him in his role of dad. Having a shared interest over how Maisie’s day had gone, watching the delight on the little girl’s face as she showed him the pictures she’d painted. And instead Matt had accosted her – and by the time she’d glanced up, Charlie and Maisie had gone. It was hard to be cross with Jamie’s big brother, loveable rogue that he was, though.

  It was even harder, after he’d got the flirting and hello’s over, when he’d explained why he was there. He was a man on a mission.

  It appeared she wasn’t the only one to know about Sally and Jamie’s elopement – Jamie had confided in his brother. He’d also asked him a favour. A big favour.

  Lucy raised an eyebrow at Jill, she was beginning to wonder just how many people knew about this secret wedding.

  ‘He told you about Jamie, and …?’

  ‘Yep, he told me about Jamie and …’

  ‘The whole thing?’ Lucy had dropped her voice, but she really didn’t want to say anything that might be overheard, if there wasn’t anybody that didn’t already know every single detail that was. ‘And the surprise Jamie’s trying to plan for …?’ She didn’t want to say Sally’s name, just in case.

  Jill nodded. ‘But he swore me to secrecy. He’s crap at keeping things quiet isn’t he?’

  ‘Well he is, I really hope she doesn’t get wind of this though, Jamie will be gutted if she does.’ Lucy had thought that Jamie’s surprise for his new wife was ambitious, but incredibly romantic, and when Matt had outlined it and asked for her help there was no way she would have said no. Now she was beginning to wonder if Jamie had picked the right person when he’d asked Matt to help.

  ‘I don’t think she will.’ Jill glanced round, to double check nobody was listening. ‘Everybody likes to gossip and know what everybody else is up to, but they really will be careful not to spoil the surprise. Nobody will dare breathe a word to Sal, or they’ll have the whole Harwood clan to answer to.’

  Lucy nodded. ‘And four of us do stand more chance of organising this than three, and you know much more about this place than I do, I’m not going to be much use at all.’

  ‘Oh yes you are, Lucy Jacobs. We’re relying on you and your spreadsheets to make this work. Come on,’ she inclined her head towards the classroom, ‘the little horrors will be coming in any second. Firework pictures using straws and paint is it?’

  ‘It is, and let’s hope the Hargreave twins don’t try and suck the paint up their noses again. I mean why? They looked like they’d had a Jackson Pollock style nosebleed.’

  ‘You’re funny.’

  ‘I’m not the one with a green and purple spider in her hair,’ said Lucy drolly as she propped open the classroom door and Jill fought with laughter, and a pipe-cleaner spider that had somehow attached itself to her head.

  ***

  Lucy hugged her jacket round her as she strolled across the cobbled square, clutching her bag of books to her chest. Her steps slowed as she approached Elsie Harrington’s house. In the spring and summer the old lady could often be seen pottering about in her garden, and keeping an eye on proceedings, but with the arrival of the colder, damper weather Lucy had hardly seen her. The damp got into her bones she’d said, and the flu bug certainly seemed to have left her feeling frail. She’d even accepted Trish’s offering of soup and crumble with only a murmur of objection, and when Lucy had popped in with her own (inferior) versions a few days later Elsie had welcomed her in and actually admitted that it seemed to be doing her good – she’d then insisted on a copy of the soup recipe saying she was more than capable of making it herself. Lucy wasn’t quite sure whether to take this as a sign she was feeling more her normal self, or a gentle rebuke and reminder that she didn’t need help.

  Her mum had told Lucy not to worry. She’d popped in to chat to Elsie a couple of times in the holiday when she was staying with Lucy, and then said she’d got the old lady’s phone number. ‘Don’t you worry, love, I’ll keep an eye on her and ring every week. I told her I wanted to check up on you, but I didn’t want to be too obvious’, Trish had told Lucy with a wink and hug, before she’d got back into her little car at the end of the week and set off back to her home.

  Lucy pushed the gate slowly open. She missed her mum, it had been nice to have her stay, they’d spent far too little time together since she’d graduated and started work, and she knew that she was to blame. She’d almost shut her mother out in her bid to escape her old life, and only realised when she’d come here. Slowed down, taken Elsie’s advice.

  The old lady was wise, but now she suspected there was more to Elsie’s frailty than a winter cold, that there was another reason she felt so down at this time of year.

  Planning for the Christmas festivities gave her an ideal excuse to pop in, not that she should really need a reason. But Elsie wasn’t keen on charity, and would be highly suspicious of visitors who were obviously just checking up on the state of her health, especially now she was so obviously slowly getting better.

  ‘Checking I’m still alive?’ Elsie answered the door before Lucy had even reached it, with a raised eyebrow and dry tone that made her grin.

  ‘I am, so that’s mission accomplished.’

  ‘I suppose you’re here to sample some parkin?’

  ‘I wouldn’t say no.’ All of Elsie’s cakes were delicious, and she seemed to cook to match the seasons. Parkin was perfect for this time of year, and Lucy was sure it would be as dark, rich and sticky as it should be. ‘Although I’m sure I’ve put weight on since moving here.’

  They were soon both settled
in Elsie’s immaculate room, with Molly the Labrador at Lucy’s feet and a large slice of cake in her hand.

  ‘I assume you’re here to pick my brains about the Christmas nativity?’

  ‘How on earth did you know that?’ Lucy knew she shouldn’t be surprised, Elsie knew everything.

  ‘Well Timothy is a man of habit. Whilst the rest of the village is still planning the bonfire, he is already thinking about mistletoe and mince pies.’ Elsie levered herself up and walked over to the bookcase, then picked out a faded photo album, before settling herself down again.

  ‘I thought it would be nice to find out what it was all about before I launched myself into finding donkeys and cows.’ Lucy grinned, already feeling a bit more positive about the challenge ahead. ‘I knew you’d be the best person to ask.’

  ‘The oldest person, you mean.’ Elsie raised an eyebrow, and a little bit of her mischievous air re-emerged. ‘Now, you know the pictures of the summer picnic that I showed you earlier in the year?’

  Lucy nodded. Elsie’s photographs had played a major part in saving the school from closure. Without her, Lucy would have never realised how many influential people had attended the small primary school. People like posh George, who was a councillor.

  Nostalgia was a valuable tool to add to her box of tricks Lucy had found. Resurrecting the summer picnic on the green, and inviting past attendees to journey down memory lane had made it hard for them to consider cold logic and figures at all. The picnic had shifted the balance in their favour.

  ‘These are the photographs of the Christmas nativity, taken at around the same time.’ Elsie ran a slightly shaky hand over the photograph on the first page and Lucy studied it. Wondering.

  Elsie had kept careful records, all covering the same period of time, all no doubt showing her son growing up.

  She studied the by now familiar faces of Timothy Parry, Jim Stafford, George Cambourne and many others that Jim had put names to for her. Young boys with clean shiny faces and tidy haircuts, and she searched their faces, looking for familiar features. Trying to see things that she might have missed before.

  ‘You may borrow these if you like, my dear.’ Elsie closed the book, as though she’d looked at it too long, as though she was frightened of giving something away. ‘I rather think we should ask the vicar to set the church bells off if George drones on for too long, don’t you?’

  ‘Well Timothy is a bit worried, he did go on a bit at the picnic.’

  ‘He did indeed, he always did like the sound of his own voice that boy. One year they made the mistake of letting him play the innkeeper, you cannot imagine how difficult it was for poor Mary to find out if there was a room at the inn.’

  Lucy grinned. She’d spotted a chubby Annie on the photographs, standing over the crib as though she was guarding it with her life. ‘I’m sure Annie found a way to get a word in.’

  ‘She kicked him, from what I remember.’ Elsie smiled. ‘But that child was only six or seven at the time, and he was already an attention seeker. Born like that.’ She paused. ‘Now, do remember to organise some fencing around the stable my dear, one year it was rather unstable and we had animals all over the square, we nearly lost the mulled wine. But I’m sure Liz Potts has that in hand. Now I’m sure you have enough to go on with. Tell me about Charles and that terrible woman of his.’

  Lucy sighed. ‘There’s not much to tell to be honest, but we did go and talk to his solicitor.’

  ‘Young Malcolm? Now he was another one with a mind of his own.’

  ‘He went to Langtry Meadows Primary School?’

  ‘Oh yes, for a short while, until his parents inherited the family pile and business. He could be quite intimidating, an answer for everything even though he often made it up on the spot. But I suppose that’s what some of these legal types do isn’t it? Think on their feet. Although he did tell a lot of little fibs back then.’

  ‘He still is quite intimidating.’

  ‘But reassuring?’

  ‘We-ll.’ Lucy drew the word out, not quite sure of the answer. ‘It wasn’t exactly what Charlie wanted to hear, but he seems very capable. Josie got in touch demanding a divorce.’

  ‘But it is the childcare arrangements that are in dispute?’

  ‘I’m sure they will be.’ She sighed. ‘He’s such a good dad, even though he doesn’t think he is. He loves Maisie.’

  ‘And that is half the battle my dear.’ Elsie leant forward and patted her hand. ‘Have faith. And now you had better get back to that puppy of yours, Jim tells me she gives old Molly quite the run around.’

  ‘I’m sure she does.’

  ‘Which is jolly good, the old girl is getting lazy, aren’t you?’ Molly flapped her tail and smiled apologetically.

  Feeling she’d been dismissed, Lucy stood up and added the photograph album to her bag of school books.

  ‘I’ve given what you said some thought.’

  ‘Oh?’ The softly spoken words stopped Lucy in her tracks.

  ‘I think maybe every person should know their true origins, and that announcing it in my will would be cowardly on my part and leave him with unanswered questions. Which would be cruel.’

  ‘I’m sure you’re right. Charlie thinks Maisie should know the truth, too.’

  ‘Well that day will come, but I think it’s rather closer for me.’

  Lucy went to object, but Elsie lifted her hand in a warning, then let it drop back into her lap. ‘Oh I know I’m an old lady, my dear. I’m feeling much more myself now, your mother has been so kind, so nice to have company. And it has made me stop and think.’ She paused, and had that faraway look on her face that Lucy had seen more and more often recently. ‘I suppose one never considers that one won’t,’ her voice was so soft Lucy could barely hear the words, but they still carried in the quiet air of her house, ‘live for ever. I’ve never felt old, I’ve always had so much energy. But this autumn has been different. I’m as human as the rest of you, aren’t I?’ A small smile lifted the corners of her thin lips, then faded as her gaze met Lucy’s. ‘I will tell him, Lucy. I’ll tell him.’ She closed her eyes. ‘When the time is right.’

  ‘Good.’ Lucy wasn’t sure Elsie had even heard the word, but she was pleased. Elsie had carried a burden for far too long, and it was starting to weigh heavy on her slight frame. It seemed that Sally had been right. Her mum had been the ideal person to chat to Elsie; the women did have common ground. They’d both held onto secrets, both tried to protect the children they loved.

  Saying a soft goodbye Lucy sneaked out, pulling the door shut gently behind her.

  Chapter 14

  After a tiring week at school all Lucy wanted was a long soak in the bath, followed by a night curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine and a good film, or book, or preferably Charlie. What she’d actually got was a quick bath, which was interrupted by a phone call from Matt.

  She stared at his name flashing out on her mobile phone. She could ignore it, but then he’d probably be knocking on the door in half an hour. And he wouldn’t be ringing her unless it was something important. Why, oh why hadn’t she left her phone downstairs?

  ‘What are you up to?’

  ‘I’m not telling you.’ She froze, hoping the swish of the water in the bath wasn’t as loud as it sounded.

  ‘You’re in the bath, aren’t you?’ Fail. It obviously was loud, and unmistakeable. The deep chuckle brought her out in goosebumps.

  ‘I’m washing up.’

  He ignored the diversionary tactics. ‘If you want me to pop over and scrub your back, just say the word, I’m all yours, darling.’

  ‘No I don’t!’ She tried not to grin, knowing the smile would show in her voice.

  ‘I can hand you a towel?’

  ‘I’m quite capable of reaching my own towels thank you Matt Harwood.’

  ‘Only trying to help, you know me.’

  ‘I do know you.’ She did laugh then, she couldn’t help herself. ‘The best help you can be is telling
me why you’re disturbing the first proper bath I’ve had in ages.’

  ‘And I had you down as a clean girl, not a bad, dirty …’

  ‘Matt! Stop!’ She was laughing properly now. ‘Tell me why you’re ringing, or go away.’

  ‘You’re such a spoilsport, isn’t she Archie? Actually, I was just checking that you’re coming down to the fireworks tonight?’

  ‘Well …’ Hell, she’d forgotten about that.

  ‘You’ve got to, this is the main event.’

  ‘I thought the Christmas nativity was the main event?’ Langtry Meadows seemed to have a lot of ‘main events’, and the fact that the school played a part in most of them was a bit scary. At least she had absolutely no responsibility for tonight’s fireworks, bonfire or barbecue. In fact, it was nothing to do with her. She could stay in and eat chocolate. As planned.

  ‘Christmas is for kids, this is the big one.’

  ‘I might.’ She sank down further into the still warm water until it covered her shoulders, and poked a toe up out of the bubbles. It would be freezing cold outside, in here was all cosy.

  ‘Didn’t Jill tell you we’ve got a date?’

  Lucy sat upright abruptly, and the water sploshed out. He had to have heard that. But, it didn’t matter. A date. Him and Jill. At last. And she hadn’t told her. ‘Oh my God no, she didn’t.’ She’d probably felt embarrassed. ‘You’ve got a date? That’s fantas—’

  ‘Not me and Jill.’ His voice had a strained edge. Ahh, she’d put her foot in it. Her toes emerged from the water again as she sank down guiltily. ‘We, as in you and me,’ he paused, ‘and Jill of course. I thought it would be good to rope her in, it’s a lot for the two of us to sort out, a party this size.’

  ‘Yeah, brilliant idea, yes Jill’s great, so organised.’ She was waffling. She pulled herself together. ‘Date, yes, tonight.’ Crumbs, she’d forgotten all about that. ‘She did mention it, but I thought this was a secret, top secret, you, Jamie and me? Have you told him?’

  ‘Yeah I’ve told him, he’s cool.’ Jamie was cool about most things, laid back and gentle, nothing like his brother who was nearly always centre stage in the pub. ‘Jill’s the last, I’m not telling anybody else or it’ll get round, and Jamie says he’ll kill me if it does. So, what time are you coming? The bonfire’s being lit in a bit then I might get a bit busy, although there’s always the Taverner’s after, but people will earwig. Although I reckon old Jamie and Sal are thinking it’s a good time to break the news that they’ve just got hitched to their parents, you know in the pub after a couple of pints, surrounded by people. Not even Sal’s mum would dare kick off.’