A Fresh Start on Crumcarey (Crumcarey Island #5)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

MAGGIE

M aggie considered changing her clothes. The outfit she was wearing was still decidedly stiff from being baked in front of Luke’s wood burner. She kept most of her clothes in plastic boxes, so they should be okay… but… she really didn’t fancy stripping only to get dripped on. Right now, it felt like it was still raining inside the cottage, and everything was soggy.

Maggie quickly decided against it – especially considering Luke and Mr Harris were waiting for her just outside. Worst case scenario, she could beg Olive for the loan of a guest robe while she popped her outfit through the quick wash in The Tallyaff’s laundry!

As for grabbing anything else… she was too overwhelmed by the state of her home to think straight. Besides, she didn’t have anywhere to stash her stuff, anyway. The car might be miraculously in one piece, but it was still buried under a bunch of roof slates!

In the end, Maggie grabbed just one thing before making her way back outside.

‘What have you got in there?’ said Luke, curiously eyeballing the plastic box she had clutched to her chest.

‘It’s the drawings I made of the cottage when we first moved here,’ she said, smiling at him.

‘Seriously?’ said Luke, looking intrigued.

Maggie nodded. She felt slightly nervous. These drawings had stayed hidden away in this plastic box for a very long time. Ever since she’d shown them to Russell, and he’d promptly got the hump. He’d stomped around for hours and then told her that it would be better if she kept her nose out of things. He didn’t need the help of a failed designer . He wanted Pear Tree Cottage to evolve organically under his care and attention… because he knew best.

‘Can we take a look?’ said Mr Harris eagerly.

‘Oh!’ said Maggie in surprise. ‘Well… sure, why not.’

She rested the box on the bonnet of the truck and carefully lifted out the wad of drawings, handing them to Mr Harris.

The old man started to look at them one by one, handing them off to Luke as he went.

‘Blimey Mags!’ he gasped.

‘You did these?’ said Mr Harris.

‘Yeah,’ she said.

‘What did you say you did at uni?’ said Luke.

‘Design,’ said Maggie quietly. ‘I didn’t graduate, though.’

‘And after that?’ said Luke.

‘I worked in an architect’s office,’ she mumbled.

‘That explains it,’ said Mr Harris, looking impressed.

‘Not really,’ said Maggie, shifting her weight uncomfortably.

‘Why not?’ said Luke, shooting her a curious glance.

‘Because I was the office cleaner,’ she said with a small smile.

‘Well,’ said Mr Harris, ‘I’d say they missed a trick, there!’

Maggie felt her treacherous cheeks turn pink under the implied praise. She wasn’t used to it… but she had to admit, it was nice to have someone look through her drawings without turning their noses up at them!

‘I know they’re not exactly practical,’ she said.

‘Oh… I don’t know…’ said Luke slowly. ‘Looks like you plan on making the most of what’s already available on the island, rather than having to get tons of expensive materials delivered from down south?’

Maggie nodded.

‘Good thinking,’ murmured Mr Harris, handing another sketch to Luke.

Maggie shifted her weight again, suddenly uncomfortable with the praise. She was ready to get going. She needed to get away from everything to do with the cottage for a while and lose herself in some hard work!

McGregor clearly agreed with her as he gave an impatient woof from inside the truck. The poor lad was clearly not used to being held captive while the others had all the fun.

‘I like them,’ said Luke, completely ignoring McGregor’s less-than-subtle hints. ‘It’s like… now I can see why you want to live here.’

‘I… erm… thank you,’ said Maggie. ‘First things first, I guess – I need to get those tarpaulins back on the roof.’ She felt her shoulders sag at the thought of the amount of work that lay ahead of her just to make the cottage inhabitable again.

‘Not slates?’ said Mr Harris.

‘You know, right now I don’t really care what goes up there!’ she shrugged, giving him a small smile. ‘If I can figure out how to get a roof up there that keeps the weather out before the winter arrives, I’ll be thrilled.’ She paused and let out a huge sigh. ‘I’ll figure it out. Somehow.’

‘Of course you will,’ said Luke stoutly.

‘Look, I’m really sorry to be a pain,’ she said, ‘but I think I’d better head over to The Tallyaff before Olive sends out a search party!’

Luke glanced at his watch and swore.

‘Shit, you’re right – sorry Maggie,’ he said, carefully laying her drawings back inside the box. ‘Connor’s going to be wondering where on earth I am, too!’

‘Drop us both off on your way, lad,’ said Mr Harris. ‘I could do with a coffee and some breakfast after all the excitement. You can take the truck - I’m sure I can grab a lift back from someone.’

‘Thanks for the ride… and the rescue… and everything!’ said Maggie, scrambling down from the truck and shifting out of the way as McGregor made his own break for freedom.

It had been a weird drive. Mr Harris had spent the entire journey complaining about the non-existent traffic, and Luke had just nodded along, sending her sidelong glances that kept making her want to giggle despite the fact that she’d just left her home in tatters behind her.

‘No worries, Mags,’ said Luke with a grin. ‘Catch up very soon, okay?’

‘I’d like that,’ she said quietly.

‘Oh… would you mind if I keep your drawings for a bit and have another look through them?’ he said, already putting the truck in gear.

‘Yeah, of course!’ said Maggie in surprise.

‘See ya!’

Maggie stared at the truck as it pulled away from her, feeling strangely bereft.

‘Idiot,’ she muttered.

‘What’s that?’

She jumped and turned to find Mr Harris waiting for her patiently.

‘Oh, nothing,’ she said with a little shake of her head.

‘Come on, lass. You’ve had a bit of a morning of it,’ he said.

‘I guess…’

‘Nothing a bit of hard work won’t cure,’ he added with a grin, opening the door of The Tallyaff for her. ‘I need that coffee!’

Maggie smiled at him and led the way inside.

‘Maggie lovely!’ said Olive, dashing towards her from behind the bar. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m so sorry,’ said Maggie. She was a good twenty minutes late for her shift. ‘I should have called!’

‘Don’t be daft,’ said Olive shaking her head. ‘I was just worried. I literally just got off the phone with Stella – she said she drove past your cottage just now, and you’ve lost most of your roof!’

Maggie nodded.

‘You’re not hurt?’ demanded Olive, grabbing her hands and looking her up and down, searching for injuries.

‘She was at Luke’s,’ said Mr Harris blandly, plonking himself down on his usual bar stool and throwing dirty looks around at the visitors who must have arrived on the early morning ferry.

‘Luke’s?’ echoed Olive, her eyes lighting up with the promise of impending gossip.

‘Yep. Caught her there myself,’ said Mr Harris. ‘In her underpants!’

Olive’s jaw dropped dramatically, and Maggie started to laugh.

‘Want the really filthy bit of gossip?’ she said.

‘Um – YES!’ said Olive going wide-eyed in anticipation.

‘They weren’t even my underpants… they were Luke’s!’

The pronouncement drew a gasp from both Olive and Mr Harris… and then the pair of them dissolved into a fit of giggles.

Maggie caught the eye of a decidedly surprised-looking tourist who was waiting patiently at the bar to place an order. She smiled at the woman.

‘Don’t mind them,’ she said. ‘They’ve had a bit of a strange morning. How can I help?’

From that moment on, Maggie’s day didn’t let up. After serving Mr Harris, she’d filled Olive in on the details of what had happened the previous evening between serving late breakfasts to The Tallyaff’s guests. Then, she manned the bar while Olive changed over the vacant rooms in time for their new arrivals.

Maggie was just waving Mr Harris off when all the passengers from the morning plane turned up. To say she was run off her feet was an understatement, but it was exactly what she needed. She was so busy that she was able to completely forget about the disaster zone that was waiting for her back at the cottage.

Until home time, that was.

‘Erm… Olive… I don’t suppose either of the hire cars are free?’ she said, wiping down the bar for what felt like the millionth time that day.

Maggie could kick herself that she hadn’t even considered this problem until now. Not only had she not given a thought to how she was meant to survive in a cottage with no electricity and very little roof, but she also hadn’t considered how she was going to get back there without her car.

‘Nope, sorry love,’ said Olive. ‘They’re both out with visitors.’

‘Oh. Of course they are,’ she sighed. ‘And… do we have any empty rooms?’

Maggie didn’t even know why she was bothering to ask. She already knew the answer to that. No. The Tallyaff was full to the brim for the foreseeable.

Olive shook her head again.

‘Maybe there’s something available over at the conference centre,’ said Maggie.

‘Oh no you don’t!’ said Olive. ‘You’ll stay in my spare room before you end up over there. They’ve only got one decent room, and from what I’ve heard Joyce has commandeered it.’

‘Well… thanks!’ said Maggie, smiling at Olive. ‘I might have to take you up on that offer, you know?’

‘You’re welcome any time,’ said Olive. ‘But no need to make any plans straight away. Maybe… take a look at your place with fresh eyes this evening and see what’s what. You were still in shock this morning.’

Maggie bit her lip and nodded. Somehow, she didn’t think “fresh eyes” were going to do her any favours. And even if things did miraculously look better… she didn’t have a car to get there.

‘Head off, lovely. You’ve had a busy day,’ said Olive. ‘There’s someone waiting for you out in the carpark.’

‘There is?!’ said Maggie in surprise. For one horrible moment, her mind flew to the possibility that Russell might have suddenly reappeared. It would be typical of him to turn up just as she hit rock bottom.

Just when she’d met someone who made her toes tingle every time she thought about him.

Wait… maybe it was Luke outside?!

‘Thanks Olive!’ said Maggie, brightening up considerably at the thought. Suddenly she couldn’t wait to get out into the carpark. ‘See you tomorrow. I promise not to be late!’

Maggie practically jogged out of The Tallyaff and into the car park. Sure enough, Mr Harris’s old truck was sitting there waiting for her… but it wasn’t Luke behind the wheel.

‘Mr Harris?’ she said, opening the door. ‘You came back for me!’

‘Can’t leave you stranded at work now, can I?’ chuckled the old man. ‘Hop in. Give McGregor a shove – he likes to take up the entire seat.’

It didn’t take long for the little dog to climb into her lap and fall asleep.

‘Good day?’ said Mr Harris.

‘Not bad,’ said Maggie with a smile. ‘I mean… all things considered. It was super busy.’

‘That’s what I keep saying,’ said Mr Harris. ‘You’re busy. Roads are busy. There are people everywhere!’

Maggie grinned, wishing Luke was sitting next to her so that they could share a conspiratorial eye roll.

‘So… you got the truck back from Luke, then?’ she said.

‘Aye,’ said Mr Harris, shifting slightly in his seat. ‘He finished a bit earlier than expected and I had some things I needed to collect from here and there. Thought I’d pick you up at the same time.’

‘Well… thank you!’ said Maggie, glancing out of the window at the wing mirror. Sure enough, she could just make out a pile of something in the back of the truck, covered over in what looked very much like one of her errant tarpaulins.

Well, she certainly didn’t mind if Mr Harris needed to commandeer them - especially considering they’d blown into his field! Besides, after everything he and Luke had already done for her, she owed them both – big time!

Maggie leaned back and did her best to relax. The window was open a crack, and the fresh air was making McGregor’s ears flap around. She smiled, stroking his head. She was getting decidedly fond of this little dog!

‘Right… so… nearly at your place!’ said Mr Harris.

Maggie raised her eyebrows. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but that announcement had been a bit… odd.

Leaning forward in her seat, she peered along the road, half-dreading the first sight of her poor, battered cottage.

‘What on earth?!’ she gasped.

It… had a roof. Or… nearly a whole roof, anyway.

It looked quite strange. She was so used to seeing it covered over with green tarps that it almost felt like they were pulling up at the wrong house.

Mr Harris drew the truck to a standstill and grinned across at her. She stared back at him, her mouth gaping in shock. Then she turned back to the cottage again. The grass on the driveway was marked with dozens of tyre tracks. There had clearly been a lot of action here today!

‘What… what’s going on?’