‘This is Winnie,’ he smiled, glad of the shift of focus too. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’
‘That would be lovely, thank you.’
‘Tea? Or coffee? Or I could do you an elderberry tea.’
She looked surprised. ‘I never thought…’
‘That I’d keep up an interest in the elderberry bushes?’
‘Well…yes. I assumed that side of things would stop.’
‘Never, it’s part of this place.’
‘I suppose it is.’ Memories hung between them until he broke the silence.
‘Mum still enjoys coming over when the berries are ready to pick, we do it together.’
‘How is she?’
He thought about how his mum had tried to read his face earlier when he mentioned Melissa’s name. He’d shut her down quickly enough, he didn’t need to rake over the past – at least not with anyone other than Melissa. ‘She’s good, settled in her own cottage now rather than pottering around in this place. And she’s finally free of my father, so enough said…’
‘I’m glad she’s happy.’
‘She asked after you, she heard you were back in the village. She always liked you, you know that,’ he added when a strange look crossed her face. ‘Mum isn’t one to hold a grudge, no need to worry about that if you bump into her.’
Relieved, she accepted the offer of elderberry tea. ‘I remember your mum talking about how elderberries –’
‘Boost your immune system,’ he finished for her with a chuckle. ‘She said that all winter long. Who knows if it ever worked. But I’ve maintained the bushes, the berries are picked in season and dried out before freezing so we have plenty of supplies year-round.’
He set about the task of making her a cup of elderberry tea. He put a few teaspoons of dried elderberries into a glass teapot he didn’t often use but brought out if he had a guest, which he supposed she qualified as. He added a cinnamon stick the same way his mum always did, topped it up with boiling water and while it had a chance to steep on the table, found out two decent china cups. The last time he’d done this was about a month ago when Barney was convinced he was getting a summer cold. He’d come round for what was locally known as the Luddington go-to winter remedy even though the sun was almost on its highest rung of the ladder to the sky, the days were long, with not even a hint of autumn in the air.
‘Have you done much to the house?’ Melissa asked.
‘Nothing major. I repainted, carried out a few repairs, redid the floor in here, and the loft is a great additional space of course. I still go up there to listen to the rain hammering down on the roof some days.’ She’d know his memories of the loft and hiding out from his dad, he’d told her about it more than once.
While he poured the tea she went to the kitchen window and gazed out beyond the elderflower bushes to where trees lined the rear of the land that then dipped down so you couldn’t see any further. ‘It feels as though you’re in the middle of nowhere.’
‘That’s what I love about living here.’ He took both cups over to the table.
The second Melissa came to sit down again Winnie put a paw up onto her knee, demanding attention. Melissa put her hands either side of Winnie’s face and rubbed beneath her chin and around her ears.
‘Just tell me if she’s annoying you,’ he said.
‘Not at all. She’s got a lovely temperament from what I can see. I’ll bet she misses you when you’re at work every day.’
‘I think she does.’ He laughed as Winnie rolled over and Melissa was prompted to bend down and rub her tummy. ‘She’s got you wrapped around her little finger…or should I say paw?’
‘She’s adorable.’
‘She loves company. I have Gracie on hand to take her out for walks when I’m working longer hours, so that works well.’
‘Gracie from Hollyhock Cottage?’ She gave an appreciative nod when she tried the tea.
‘You remember her?’
‘Of course, she was finishing school and started work in the pub from what I remember.’
‘Well, she’s no longer at the pub,she’s working in Cambridge three days a week as well as studying.’
