‘Hello, boy,’ I said. ‘Getting over your star turn last night? I’m surprised Jacqueline hasn’t had words about you stealing her limelight. Or maybe she’s getting used to a few celebs being in the house and she’ll be inviting you to a joint colonic soon.’
I babbled away at him in this manner for a few more minutes before he removed himself back to his hay and I took my cue to leave. I was on the moor in a matter of minutes and took a route straight across, with the house behind me, so that I was confident I wouldn’t get lost. As I had hoped, the brisk weather and brisk walking improved my spirits, and although I can’t say I was feeling exactly cheerful by the time I turned to go back to the house, at least I was feeling less inclined to go down the whole wailing and calling ‘Heathcliff!’ route. It would only get me a donkey around here anyway. A little lump of sadness had lodged itself deep in my throat, but I was sure now that I had made a good decision for everyone’s sake. Mum had always emphasised the importance of believing in your own choices and sticking to them, and although that sometimes made her come across as brutal, or inflexible, it was good to lean on it now. She had always pushed forward, leaving behind the things and people that hindered her or made her uncomfortable, and look how successful she had been, without regrets.
Lunch that day was a little subdued and Alexander and I avoided each other’s eye, both engrossing ourselves in conversations with the people next to us, in his case Coco, in mine Constance. Both were polite enough not to appear surprised at our sudden passionate curiosity about their lives. I was just running out of questions to ask about archaeology in Belize – probably a considerable relief to both of us – when she grabbed her opportunity.
‘What have you got planned this afternoon? More work or are you resting after your trip to London?’
‘Neither. I was going to ask if I might borrow your car. My business partner – and friend – Sam is arriving to help withplanning the engagement party and I want to pick him up and take him down to The Keeper’s Arms where he’s staying.’
I hadn’t realised that Coco and Alexander had stopped talking and were listening to me, until Alexander’s voice came across the table.
‘Why is he staying there? Unless he prefers to. He’s very welcome here, we’ve got plenty of room.’
‘Oh, thank you. I didn’t want to ask, being a guest myself, but that’s kind…I hope the pub won’t mind?’
‘They’ll be fine. And I’ll still help with the party, Fallon, we did say we’d tackle it together.’
‘Oh, absolutely. I just thought three heads might be better than two, and Sam knows Mum well.’
He nodded and stood up.
‘Great. I’ll look forward to meeting him later.’
Then he left. Coco and Constance both looked at me questioningly, but I ploughed on.
‘That’s kind of him. You’ll like Sam, I think he’s great.’
‘Good, it will be fun to have someone else staying,’ said Coco. ‘We’ll be almost full. Come on, I’ll help you sort out the room, get sheets and so on.’
I smiled at her gratefully.
‘And of course you can take my car,’ said Constance. ‘I’m still chained to my book, so I won’t be going anywhere.’
‘Thank you.’
We cleared the table, then I followed Coco upstairs, Runcible at our heels.
‘How many bedrooms does this house have?’ I asked, as we walked down the corridor in the opposite direction from my room, up three stairs and through a large sitting room full of old-fashioned, chintzy furniture, that I hadn’t seen before.
‘Ten,’ said Coco, ‘although they’re not all furnished. Oh, and another few up in the attic if you’re desperate – old servants’quarters. There’s been talk over the years of making that space useable in some way, but no one’s ever done anything about it. It’s nicer up there than it sounds; loads of light, but it’s very cold in the winter. Maybe one day Dad or Alexander will sort it out. Here’s the room I thought Sam could use. Constance and I are over this side as well, so he won’t be isolated.’
She pushed open the door to reveal a medium-sized bedroom with dark floorboards and wooden panelled walls, painted cream. A large bed, stripped of its linens, stood against one wall and there was a heavy oak wardrobe. A large stone fireplace was opposite the bed and a door near that stood half open, showing a bathroom.
‘He’ll have a nice view here of the front garden,’ said Coco, going over to the window and looking out. ‘Oh! There’s Theo and Douglas back from the sanctuary.’
I walked over as she wrenched the iron catch and pushed open the window, then we both leaned out, waving and shouting. I held Runcible up to give Theo a wave with her paw, which made him laugh. We pulled our heads inside again and Coco shut the window firmly, then opened the huge wardrobe and pulled out some sheets. We set to making the bed, chatting about this and that, including the engagement party.
‘Mum and I would love to do the food, if you think Jacqueline would be all right with that?’ said Coco, throwing me a pillow to put in its case. ‘I wondered if she’d be uncomfortable with Dad’s ex-wife helping, but they seem to have been getting on well while you were in London – they’ve even gone off shopping together today.’
‘If you would, then that would be amazing,’ I replied. ‘It would be a weight off my mind, both in terms of finding someone but also finding someone good. Choice is almost non-existent by this stage at this time of year. And even if Mum didfeel odd about it, I promise you that will be overcome by the kudos of having Estelle Knight catering her engagement party.’
‘Oh good, Mum will be so pleased!’
‘Have they really been getting on?’
I found it hard to imagine my mother bonding with the homely Estelle.
‘They have. After that first awkward meeting, they got talking about people they know in common, and Mum told Jacqueline that she follows her Instagram account slavishly.’
