Mae threw up her hands. “Then he’ll have to handle it like a big boy. Which, God knows, he never had to do that when you were around.” The phone stopped ringing and Pippa felt like she could breathe again. They waited, eyes glued to the phone. A voicemail notification popped up.
“Shall I listen?” Pippa asked.
“Up to you.” Mae’s eyes darkened. “I know what I’d do.”
Pippa pulled the phone towards her and pressed play.
“Pippa. Please. Call me.”
Pippa gaped. “Is that it?” True, Alex wasn’t the chattiest of men, but after everything they’d been through together, Pippa felt she merited more than four words on a voicemail.
“What are you going to do?” Mae asked.
Pippa thought for a moment, then leaned over and hitdelete.
ChapterFourteen
The month of June advanced relentlessly and Pippa’s days were full of caring for the house and garden as well as organising the fair. She was grateful. It stopped her from dwelling too much on Alex’s unilluminating voicemail. But today, she’d checked the calendar and realised that he’d called on the anniversary of their first ever date. Coincidence? She wasn’t sure. But just as she’d felt she was turning a corner; Alex had reared his head again, threatening the peace she’d so valiantly created for herself. Those four words on the voicemail strummed through her mind, mocking her. Months without contact and that was all she got? An instruction to call like she was some kind of employee.
Her phone buzzed and she checked it anxiously, sighing with relief that it wasn’t Alex, just a text from Frankie. She had hoped that it was Mr Rogers from Pigs in Clover. She had been pursuing the upmarket butcherto purchase a stall for the Summer Fair, with little luck so far.They would be a perfect candidate for a premium spot on the green, but Mr Rogers wasn’t returning her calls. Pippa couldn’t deny a twinge of guilt though, as Juniper was fast becoming one of her favourite sights around the garden. The sassy swine had taken a liking to breaking into Squires’s Garden and was especially fond of rootling around Pippa’s fledgling vegetable garden for treats. Pippa was tackling it as best she could; however, there was scant advice out there on how to protect them from half-ton rare-breed pigs, even in the dusty old gardening books she’d rescued from Squires’s library. She’d ended up cobbling together something from old chicken wire found in the shed and fallen branches harvested from the wreck of the maze.
So far, it was working. Hilariously, it seemed like Juniper had taken her efforts to protect the vegetables as a personal challenge and visited more often than not, butting her snout into the wire mesh petulantly. Whilst the vegetable patch was doing very well, the maze was another story. Pippa had attempted to clear the weeds there several times, but the task seemed never-ending, with the weeds regrowing quicker than she was able to keep on top of them.
Wolfie hadn’t been around much in the past week either. The last time they’d spoken, he’d muttered something about being needed in London and Pippa could only presume that he was with his girlfriend, the one he was selling this place off to please. So, it was a little surprising to hear Wolfie’s voice that morning as she knelt in the dirt, pulling up the pesky weeds that had sprung up overnight. Wolfie emerged into the garden, accompanied by a short, ruddy-faced man in a shiny suit.
“…so, yes, on a good day you can see clear across the moors,” Wolfie was saying as they approached Pippa.
“Simply stunning,” the man commented. “You can’t buy a view like that. Well,”—he elbowed Wolfie with a wink—“obviously someone can.”
“Quite.” Wolfie agreed. “As you can see Clough Hill is nearby. A local landmark – great hikes.” Pippa rolled her eyes. Funny how Wolfie could be so complimentary about the place when he was looking to sell up.
The visitor caught sight of Pippa and snorted. “Speaking of stunning views…” He ambled over. “Lovely to meet you, my dear. Percival Smart.”
“Hello.” Pippa rose to her feet and shook his hand, cringing at how it managed to be both rough and clammy all at the same time. “Pippa Munro,” she said. “Are you looking to buy this place?”
“Oh no.” Percival flicked back his oily grey hair. “I’m the surveyor.”
A chill ran through Pippa’s bones. A surveyor. Could that mean a sale was agreed? She caught Wolfie’s eye, and he had the decency to look a little regretful. “I see.”
“Yes. I do a lot of land surveys.” The man preened. “For some of the biggest and best corporations in the country.”
“And who is today’s client?” Pippa asked boldly. She caught a warning glare from Wolfie, but she didn’t like the way Percival was eyeing up the property. Like it was something to be torn apart and devoured.
“Ah, confidential.” Percival tapped his nose then his eyes widened. “I say, is that a maze?”
“It is,” Wolfie said. “Unsubstantiated rumour is that my great-great-grandfather copied a Capability Brown design.”
“It’s not an actual Brown maze, is it?” Percival barked.
“No.” Wolfie shook his head.
“Phew.” Percival pretended to mop his brow. “Because if so, it would be protected, and you don’t need me to tell you why that would be a disaster. By the way, that gravel driveway out front … I have some concerns about the aggregate underneath. Looks like some sagging.”
“I’ll look into it,” Wolfie said sombrely.
“And those trees worry me.” Percival clearly meant the towering Cypress trees that lined the front drive. “Their root systems can be extensive and damaging – need to tear ‘em down. But no matter!” He bared large yellowing teeth in what might have been a smile. “All fixable issues.”
Pippa thought she’d explode with the heartbreak. Percival was casually discussing the total destruction of this beautiful old place, dissecting it like it was devoid of any worth aside from the scenery. Furthermore, because she’d not known about this visit, she hadn’t been able to prepare another off-putting stunt like the manure heap, which Todd had reluctantly moved after Wolfie threatened him with lawyers.
