‘No.’
‘Ha, well, I think you have your answer.’
Mary smiled. She rubbed her thumb around the rim of her mug before making eye contact. ‘Henry, look. The past between your parents, it’s complicated. Really complicated. But I’ll tell you what I’ve tried to tell Ava — don’t let the past stop you from having the future you want. You and Ava are both lovely people. Lovely people who are hanging on to promises and responsibilities to parents who lived their lives in the way they chose to. This is your time now — don’t let the past stand in your way.’
Henry was a little taken aback. He took a moment to absorb Mary’s words and stroked Myrtle who had decided it was her turn for a fuss. ‘But Ava—’
‘Loves you.’ Mary bit her lip. ‘Sorry, I don’t know if I was supposed to say that. Actually, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to say that but—’
‘The night the puppies were born I heard her say she loves Gino. You were here. She said it to you.’
‘Of course she loves Gino. She loves him as she loves me. He’s her friend; he has been since he took over The Brown Dog. He’s a good listener and helped her when her mum passed. He’s not her best friend, obviously, that’s me, but—’
‘So she’s notin lovewith Gino.’ Henry felt a little dizzy.
‘No, she never has been. Gino can be a right pain but he has a lot of good qualities too. Yes, he’s very good-looking, but he’s also kind, caring, a good listener—’
‘OK, I get the picture.’
Mary’s cheeks flushed. ‘Anyway, I tried to get them together but it was never going to happen. They hit it off as friends and they’ve stayed that way ever since.’
‘And you think she loves me.’ Henry felt an uncontainable grin tugging at his lips.
‘If you can’t see that you’re blind. I can see it every time she speaks about you.’
‘But with what happened, how can she be with me when—’ Henry bent to pick up the puppy that was tugging and growling at his shoelace. She had a white front like Myrtle’s and adorable Malteser eyes; he held her in his arms. ‘When being with me will remind her of why she grew up without a father.’
‘She always knew about her father’s accident, even if she blocked the details out. You two shouldn’t be punished for the actions of your parents. If Lily had told her the truth it wouldn’t be something she’s coping with now, without her mum here to answer questions. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Lily. She was an amazing woman. But this, it isn’t fair. Perhaps knowing more, understanding the things she’d blocked out, might have helped Ava with her fear of blood. Lily must have known that but still she chose not to tell her. Parents, they have a lot to answer for.’
‘I guess.’ Henry thought about his own parents and remembered his mum saying she’d been twenty-one when she and his father had taken over Dapplebury House and the estate. ‘But how old were they when the accident happened?’
‘Probably similar to our ages now.’ Mary shrugged.
‘And do you feel you’ve got a handle on life or all of the answers? Because I don’t.’
Mary looked thoughtful. ‘Bugger me! Don’t get philosophical on me. I have a long list of things I hold my parents personally responsible for and I am not sure I’m ready to change my world view on that.’
Henry laughed, and the pink-collared puppy licked his face.
‘Well, Myrtle and Blossom are fans. Now all you have to do is convince Ava to give you a chance.’
‘Blossom?’
‘Ava’s keeping that pup. She was the weakest and needed the most care and now she says she can’t let her go.’
Henry looked at Blossom, then down at Myrtle still snuggled up close to him. If only Ava’s affections were as easy to gain as that of her dogs.
Mary took a sip of her tea. ‘That’s the thing about Ava. She has a big heart and she’s loyal. Once she loves you, you know she’ll love you forever.’
Henry hung on to the words. He knew she loved him once; she hadn’t denied their teenage affection for each other when his mother mentioned it, any more than he had.‘I hope you’re right. I’m just not sure Ava will think being together is the right thing in light of . . .’ He let his words trail off.
‘Then you’ll have to convince her, won’t you. And I think your plans for the end of the festival will be just the time to do it.’
Chapter Thirty-Five
‘And then there were two!’ Ava walked into the kitchen that felt far too empty now that three of the puppies had gone to their new owners. She knew they would all have happy lives. She’d made sure they were going to good homes to people she knew within the village, but for ten weeks they’d been her babies. She had been on call to them day and night, watched them grow and begin to develop their characters, only taking her shifts at the charity shop as she needed to and an evening out to the Mexican night at The Brown Dog as a break. Gino, who was holding Luna, put his arm around Ava’s shoulders.
‘You know you’re still going to see them all, don’t you? And you’ll never get rid of Luna and me. Adopting this one means I am now officially part of your family.’
