Hope Blooms in Tuppenny Bridge (Tuppenny Bridge #5)

Chapter 3

THREE

Noah was just reaching for the latch on the gate to Peony Cottage when he heard Isobel’s voice. Her flower shop, Petalicious, was just a few doors away from their home. He glanced at his watch, surprised to see it was closing time. He hadn’t realised he’d stayed so long at Aunt Eugenie’s.

‘Where have you been till this time?’ she asked, frowning as he pushed open the gate and headed up the path.

‘At Lavender House,’ he said. ‘I told you; Aunt Eugenie invited me round.’

‘I thought you were going there after lunch?’ She sounded suspicious. ‘Are you sure that’s where you’ve been? Nowhere else?’

Noah took a deep breath. Not this again, surely?

‘Nowhere else. Oh!’ He turned the key and pushed open the front door of Peony Cottage, standing aside to let her through first. ‘I did call somewhere before I went to see her, though. I’ll tell you about it when we get in.’

She headed straight into the kitchen, not saying a word, and his throat tightened. Had she had a bad day at work or something?

‘Go on then,’ she said, throwing her bag onto the island and turning to face him. ‘Where did you go?’

‘Shall I make us a cup of tea first?’ he asked. He wanted to tell her when she was in a more receptive mood. He’d planned it very differently to this.

‘Never mind the tea, just tell me. Where did you go?’

Noah pulled out a stool and sat at the island. He gave her a smile that he hoped would reassure her.

‘To the travel agents. I got us some brochures and…’

His voice trailed off as he realised with dismay that he’d left them at Lavender House.

‘Really? So where are they?’ Her tone told him she didn’t believe him.

‘I’ve forgotten them,’ he admitted bleakly. ‘They’ll be on Aunt Eugenie’s coffee table. I was showing them to her.’

‘Well, that’s convenient,’ she said. ‘Who goes to a travel agent these days, anyway? Normal people book online.’

‘But it’s good to have the brochures in front of you, don’t you think?’

When she didn’t reply he said, ‘Isobel, I’m sorry.’ He shook his head, in despair at his own stupidity. ‘I’ll call at Lavender House tomorrow and get them back for you. The travel agent was really helpful, by the way. He reckons there are still a few last-minute bargains to be had, and we might be lucky depending on where we want to go.’

‘I’m out tomorrow,’ she said flatly, turning to fill the kettle. ‘I suppose you’d forgotten that.’

‘Let me make the drinks,’ he said, jumping up from the stool. ‘You’ve been at work all day.’

‘Yes, I have, but I can make a cup of tea, thank you very much.’

She opened the cupboard door and took out a mug. ‘I suppose you want one?’

‘If it’s not too much trouble?’

Her heavy sigh told him it was, actually, but that she was noble enough to make him one anyway. She took out a second mug and busied herself putting teabags into them. No sugar, of course. They didn’t have sugar at Peony Cottage. Any visitors who took it in their beverages were out of luck, unless they’d accept a sweetener instead. Not that they had many visitors. Even his aunt and Ross rarely came here.

‘So where were you thinking?’ she asked at last.

Noah brightened. ‘The travel agent suggested Turkey. He says it’s very popular and?—’

‘No thanks.’ She poured boiling water over the teabags and headed to the fridge for milk. ‘Don’t fancy Turkey.’

‘Okay.’ Noah frowned. Hadn’t she said only last year that she’d always wanted to visit Turkey? ‘What about Spain then? I’m sure?—’

‘We’ve been to Spain. Twice. You haven’t got much imagination, have you?’

‘Spain’s a big country,’ he pointed out carefully. ‘You can’t possibly see it all in two visits. We could go somewhere different. When I get the brochures?—’

She slammed his mug on the island, spilling tea on the work surface. ‘Don’t bother. Anyway, I’ve sorted something out myself.’

Noah tore some kitchen paper from the roll and mopped up the tea. ‘Oh? You’ve found us a holiday?’

Isobel leaned against the sink, cradling her own mug in her hands. There was a look on her face that made him uneasy. She was up to something.

‘Actually, I didn’t find it. Granny called. She’s going to visit Daddy at his new house, and thought I might like to go with her, so I’m going over to Portugal at the end of July.’

‘Portugal? Your dad’s moved to Portugal?’ It was the first he’d heard of it. ‘When did that happen?’

‘Last month apparently.’ She shrugged, not meeting his gaze.

‘And you didn’t know?’ His heart swelled with sympathy for her, but too late he realised he’d betrayed his feelings in his tone of voice.

She glared at him. ‘He’s a busy man! For goodness’ sake, we’re not joined at the hip. Daddy has so many business interests that you can’t expect him to give me a running commentary on his every move. I expect you find that hard to understand, what with you being surgically attached to your aunt.’

He understood where her anger was coming from so didn’t argue the point. Instead, he focused on something else she’d said.

‘When you say you’re going over…’

‘Just me,’ she confirmed, without a trace of awkwardness or embarrassment. ‘Well, me and Granny obviously. Daddy and I see each other so rarely. We need some time together as a family. I suppose you’re going to be difficult about it?’

‘N-not at all.’ His heart sank as it dawned on him that she’d never had any intention of going on holiday with him. She’d only brought up the subject as a way of easing him into the fact that she was going to Portugal to be with her dad. He knew how Isobel’s mind worked. He should do after all these years. ‘It will do you good to get away, and if you think Kelly can manage in the shop…’

‘I already told you that, too. Kelly’s gran’s a retired florist. She’s going to take the reins while I’m away. It’s already arranged.’

She’d told him Kelly’s gran had offered if Isobel decided to go on holiday, not that it was already arranged. He said nothing but sipped his tea.

‘I hope I can trust you while I’m away,’ she said pointedly.

He fought the urge to snap at her, sick to death of hearing her constant suspicions and accusations. He would never betray Isobel, and had no interest in other women. He wished she would believe that instead of always expecting the worst of him.

‘Of course you can trust me,’ he said, not looking at her. He put the mug back on the island. ‘When do you go?’

‘The twenty-second. I’ll be away a fortnight.’

The day before school term ended. He would spend the first two weeks of his summer holidays alone then.

‘Is that all right with you?’ she asked, a challenge in her tone.

‘Of course. Whatever makes you happy.’ He managed a smile.

‘So what will you do with yourself while I’m away?’ she asked. ‘You won’t have work to keep you occupied and even you can’t spend a whole two weeks glued to Aunt Eugenie.’

‘I expect I’ll f-find something to do,’ he said.

‘Like what?’ Her eyes narrowed and he wondered why he was being cross examined as if her going away and leaving him alone had been his idea.

‘I’ll catch up with Ross for one thing,’ he said. ‘We’ve hardly seen anything of each other since the art school opened. I’d l-like to see how it’s going up there.’

‘I’ll bet you would,’ she muttered. ‘Running life classes, is he?’

Noah buried a sigh of impatience. ‘I can do some work in the garden, too. And I might paint the bathroom. You said it could do with refreshing. Maybe you could choose the colour before you leave.’

‘I’ll be far too busy to worry about paint samples! Can’t you decide anything for yourself?’

‘Of course. A surprise then.’

‘Hmm. Maybe not. Not with your taste. I’ll look at some online tonight and leave you with a shortlist.’

‘Fine,’ he said wearily. ‘Now, what would you like for dinner?’

‘Oh, make what you like,’ she told him, waving her hand dismissively. ‘I’m too excited to worry about food. Besides, I want to look good in my bikini. Although,’ she added, a gleam in her eyes, ‘I’m going to treat myself to some new ones. A whole new holiday wardrobe, I think. Gran and I are going to shop till we drop tomorrow. We’re going to Leeds, did I mention?’

‘You did. I hope you have a wonderful time.’

Isobel viewed him suspiciously. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘What I said. Nothing more.’

‘And just what will you be doing while I’m in Leeds and out of the way?’ she asked.

‘Reading the Sunday p-papers,’ he said quickly. ‘And finishing off some odds and ends for work.’

She poured the remains of her tea down the sink and turned to face him. ‘This is a small town,’ she said slowly. ‘You know how gossip spreads. Don’t think I won’t get to hear about it if you’re doing something you shouldn’t. I know how your mind works. While the cat’s away and all that.’

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that if she was so worried about him misbehaving maybe she ought to stay in Tuppenny Bridge instead of heading off to Portugal without him.

But he didn’t, and after a few minutes of silence she said, ‘I’m going upstairs for a shower.’

As she flounced past him, she called over her shoulder, ‘Salmon! I want salmon, new potatoes, and asparagus for dinner.’

‘I don’t think we’ve got—’ he began, but she cut him off.

‘Maister’s is still open. Don’t be long.’

Noah winced as the door slammed behind her.