Hope Blooms in Tuppenny Bridge (Tuppenny Bridge #5)

Chapter 13

THIRTEEN

It was Saturday morning, and the market square was heaving as Noah threaded his way between the jostling crowds and the various stalls, on his way to Lavender House. Despite telling himself not to, he couldn’t help but glance over at Pennyfeather’s, his eyes straying to the first floor and the windows of The Crafty Cook Café. Daisy would be rushed off her feet, even with Tess and Rowan’s help.

He was half tempted to call in but knew he didn’t have the time. Aunt Eugenie had been insistent when she telephoned him earlier that morning.

‘I need your help with the dogs. I’m not well and Ross is so busy with the art school that he can’t spare me any time.’

‘You’re not well?’ he asked, alarmed. ‘What’s wrong with you?’

Aunt Eugenie wasn’t one to discuss her health issues, and she certainly wouldn’t mention them if she hadn’t been forced to. Just how bad was she feeling?

‘It’s simply a cold,’ she said dismissively. ‘Nothing to make a fuss about but I don’t feel able to leave the house. Please, Noah, come and take my little angels for their walk, and then we can have a nice chat and some elevenses.’

Since Isobel was at work, and he’d only been intending to mow the lawn, he didn’t mind staying a few hours at Lavender House, and he was concerned enough about his aunt to set off as soon as he was ready. If nothing else, it wouldn’t do to keep Boycott and Trueman waiting.

He was waved straight through at the reception of Lavender House, and seeing they were busy with summer visitors already, and with concerns about his aunt’s health upmost in his thoughts, he didn’t stop to chat to them as he usually did. He strode purposefully to her private quarters, punched in the key number and made sure the door was safely locked behind him before proceeding to her apartment door.

‘Come in, Noah!’ Her voice sounded reassuringly strong when he knocked, and he opened the door, to be immediately pounced on by her two yapping Yorkshire terriers.

‘Okay, okay. I’m here now,’ he said, shaking his head in amused exasperation as they danced around him on their hind legs. He was amazed they had the energy, given how plump they both were, despite the frequent lectures Ben gave their owner on healthy diets for dogs.

Aunt Eugenie was sitting on one of her chintzy sofas, looking surprisingly well. As elegant as always in a soft grey dress, her short, white hair neat and stylish, she fixed him with a piercing gaze as he entered the living room.

‘Boys, boys,’ she said, addressing Boycott and Trueman. ‘Do behave yourselves or I’ll put you in the garden for the rest of the morning and see how you like that.’

Noah glanced at the small table in front of her where a pot of tea waited, along with a plate of buttered scones. He frowned.

‘I thought we were eating after I’d taken the dogs out?’ he queried.

She patted the sofa next to her. ‘Come and sit down, dear. I really need to talk to you.’

Noah sat next to her. ‘You’re not ill at all, are you?’ he asked.

‘Never felt better,’ she admitted. ‘Well, physically anyway. I do, however, have anxiety issues at the moment.’

‘Anxiety issues?’ Noah couldn’t imagine his great aunt ever suffering from anxiety. ‘What’s brought this on?’ He raised an eyebrow as Trueman yapped loudly. ‘Do they need their walk?’

‘Oh, they’re trying it on with you,’ she said, smiling fondly at the dogs. ‘I’ve already taken them for a long walk this morning. Let them out into the garden, dear. It will give us a chance to eat our scones and have a civilised chat without them interrupting us.’

Wondering what on earth was going on, Noah headed over to the French doors and opened them up, gazing out for a moment at his aunt’s pretty, walled garden, with its generous expanse of lawn which the dogs loved. He didn’t even have to call for them, as they charged past him, tumbling onto the grass with yaps of delight.

He closed the doors and rejoined Aunt Eugenie on the sofa.

‘All right,’ he said heavily. ‘So, you’ve got me over here on completely false pretences. I can see that now. What’s going on? What are you up to?’

She eyed him steadily. ‘That, dear boy, is what I was about to ask you.’

Noah’s heart thumped, and his face burned as guilt seared through him. Then he remembered that he hadn’t actually done anything and had nothing to feel guilty about. Except, he’d kissed Daisy, and he’d wanted so much more, and—oh, hell. He had a lot to feel guilty about. But what, exactly, was Aunt Eugenie referring to? Because she couldn’t possibly know about Daisy. Could she?

‘I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific,’ he told her, reaching for a scone.

‘Really?’ She poured tea from the pot into two china cups, added milk and sugar, and pushed one towards him. ‘Very well. What’s going on between you and Daisy Jackson? Is that specific enough for you?’

Noah stared at her in dismay. How could she possibly know about Daisy?

‘You’re not going to deny it outright,’ she said flatly. ‘I suppose that’s something. I am disappointed enough in you, Noah, without you lying to my face.’

‘How did you…?’

‘You have Rita and Birdie to thank,’ she told him. She took a sip of tea and eyed him, with some reproach, over the cup. ‘Can you imagine how I felt? There I was, minding my own business, when the walkie-talkie crackled into life. Birdie had gone to Millican’s for fish and chips, and she spotted you, skulking around in the rain. She couldn’t believe her eyes when you went into Daisy’s flat. Naturally, she told Rita immediately—they always have their walkie-talkies on them—and Rita felt it only fair that she tell me.’

‘How very altruistic of her,’ he said drily.

‘Don’t go passing the buck,’ she snapped. ‘I’m ashamed of you, Noah. I really am.’

‘For visiting a friend?’ he asked. ‘Do you never visit friends?’

‘I’ve been making some enquiries,’ she continued, as if he hadn’t spoken. ‘That is, Rita and Birdie have been making enquiries on my behalf. Subtle ones, naturally. We wouldn’t want to draw attention to this matter, would we?’ She sounded as if the whole subject was distasteful, which made him want to ask why she was so insistent on talking about it. ‘It seems you make a habit of frequenting The Crafty Cook Café, and you’ve struck up quite a friendship with Daisy. Your passion for her, er, cake is well known among the regulars.’

He glared at her. ‘Are you seriously telling me that the Pennyfeathers, of all people, have been asking people about me? Can’t you see how damaging that is? What if Isobel heard about all this?’

‘It’s Isobel I’m thinking of,’ she said sternly. ‘Which is more than can be said for you.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘What happened to you, Noah? You were always the sensible, loyal one. Steady. Reliable.’

‘Like Binks,’ he said bitterly, referring to her previous dog, a yellow Labrador who she often talked about with great fondness.

‘Don’t be facetious. We need to nip this in the bud at once. You must stop seeing Daisy Jackson immediately.’

He stared at her incredulously. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘You heard me! If you must frequent a café, go to Market Café. Better yet, take a packed lunch to work if you won’t eat one of the school meals.’

‘You’re asking me to drop my friendship with Daisy? Why should I?’

Her gaze seemed to pierce his soul. ‘Friendship? Is that what you call it!’

‘Yes!’

‘So, you have no deeper feelings for Daisy?’

His face burned again, and he wished he could get better at hiding his emotions, especially from his aunt who was almost telepathic.

‘Oh, Noah,’ she murmured, shaking her head. ‘I knew it!’

‘It’s not what you think,’ he said, wondering how many times cheating men had said the same thing. ‘We’re not having an affair. I swear it.’

‘Then what is this thing?’ she demanded. ‘Have you touched her? Kissed her?’

‘I hardly think I should be discussing my private life with my great aunt,’ he said uncomfortably. ‘With all due respect, Aunt Eugenie, it’s none of your business.’

‘I’ll take that as a yes then,’ she said, replacing her cup on the table and folding her hands in her lap. ‘Well, this is a pretty pickle, isn’t it?’

‘It was one kiss,’ he said dully. ‘Well, two. But that’s it! We’ve both agreed to…’

‘To what?’ she asked, narrowing her eyes. ‘What have you agreed to, Noah?’

He swallowed. ‘To wait,’ he said at last. ‘We’ve both agreed to wait.’

‘Wait for what?’ She glared at him. ‘Oh, this is too much! You’re planning to leave Isobel for this woman, aren’t you? Are you completely insane?’

‘You know nothing about it,’ he said. ‘And don’t call Daisy, this woman ! It’s not her fault. None of this is her fault.’

‘She kissed a married man. Twice.’ Aunt Eugenie sniffed. ‘Whose fault is that?’

He placed his half-eaten scone on the plate and got to his feet.

‘Where do you think you’re going?’ she demanded. ‘Sit down.’

‘I think we’re done here,’ he said.

‘I said, sit down !’

Noah dropped back on the sofa. When all was said and done, she was the closest thing to a mother he had, and he owed her his respect. He couldn’t just walk out on her, however much he’d like to.

‘You’d better tell me how this all began,’ she said, sounding suddenly tired. ‘And then we’ll figure out what we should do about it.’

He wanted to tell her that if she could figure it out, he’d personally recommend her for a medal, but he didn’t. Slowly and carefully, he told her about that first fateful meeting in Camacker with Daisy, and how they’d walked the wildflower trail, and eaten lunch, and sung along to ‘Mr Blue Sky’. She listened without interrupting as he told her about their other trips into the countryside, their visit to the theatre, how they talked and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company.

‘And you can’t do all that with Isobel?’ she asked, when he’d finally brought her up to date.

He gave a short laugh. ‘Isobel’s hardly the hiking in the Dales type.’ And he couldn’t remember the last time they’d laughed together. Seriously.

‘So, you find something that you’d both enjoy,’ she said with a shrug.

‘Like what?’

‘I don’t know, Noah! Anything! Figure it out. Can’t you see how dangerous this is? You’re risking your marriage for a woman you barely know!’

‘Yet I feel as if I know her better than I ever knew Isobel,’ he said quietly.

‘I’m sorry but this has to stop,’ she said firmly. ‘I’ve listened to what you have to say and it’s flim flam. The pathetic cry of every cheating husband. My wife doesn’t understand me. I wasn’t happy at home. Boo hoo. You made your vows, and you need to do everything in your power to make your marriage work.’

‘I don’t think this marriage has ever worked,’ he said. ‘And I certainly don’t think it can be fixed now.’

‘Excuses! You haven’t walked out and neither has Isobel. That means there’s something keeping you together, and you must figure out what that is and build on it. The trouble is, you’ve let your head be turned by this newcomer with a pretty face. She’s shown you some attention and you’ve fallen for it. Men do, don’t they? But women like her are only out for one thing and if you don’t drop her, you’ll lose Isobel for good.’

‘You don’t know anything about Daisy,’ he said angrily. ‘She’s a good person, and she makes me happy. Or doesn’t that count for anything in your book? Would you rather see me miserable for the rest of my life as long as you can hold your head up in this bloody town?’

‘Noah!’

‘I’m sorry, Auntie, but it’s true. All you really care about is your reputation, and the name of the Lavenders. If I’m unhappy, what does that matter? Right? You honestly expect me to throw away the one person who’s made me want to get out of bed in a morning for the first time in years, and I can’t do it. I just…’

He broke off, blinking away tears at the thought. She was seriously expecting him to give up Daisy, and the thought of it broke him.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I won’t.’

‘And if I decide to tell Isobel?’

Noah thought about it. He could imagine how Isobel would react. Imagining the scene made him feel physically sick and he knew he’d never have the courage to tell her himself. Maybe it would be better if his aunt did tell her. Yes, he was a coward, but at least it would be over. Finally. One way or the other.

‘You must do what you feel best,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘I will say this. I am not having an affair with Daisy. Neither of us want that. If our relationship is to develop it will be when we’re both free to pursue it. I can’t deny I hope that day comes soon. In the meantime, we’ll continue to be friends and if you don’t like that—well, as I said, you must do what you think best.’

When she stared up at him, clearly shocked, he bent down and kissed her cheek. ‘I’m sorry, Auntie,’ he murmured. ‘I really am.’

Leaving her speechless for once in her life, he left Lavender House, his head held high but feeling sick to his stomach as he pondered what might happen next. But her demands had shown him one thing. He couldn’t turn his back on Daisy. She was the one thing in his life that made it worth living. He would just have to face whatever came next.