Zenya spotted Rita and smiled. ‘They have all had a cooked breakfast and theycouldall have stayed up on High Meadow, to be honest; their yurts are dry. Stan has just taken Odette back upthere. She moaned a bit last night, but everyone accepted it for what it was.’
Rita paused for a moment, taking it all in. ‘You lot… honestly, I don’t know what to say. This is your retreat, your holiday. You shouldnotbe working on it.’
Priya smiled. ‘Treat others as you would have them treat you, I say.’
Davie, standing on the bottom rung of the ladder, grimaced as he noticed a splodge of mud on the back of his hand. ‘I am going to remember that one, Priya. If only everyone in this mad world lived by that, it would be a more peaceful place.’
Imogen gave a little shrug. ‘Where exactly will the wedding party be seated? Will they be looking over that beautiful view?’ Her already posh accent lifted another notch. ‘After all, it is gobsmackingly gorgeous.’
‘We are about to discuss that.’ Sennen slipped into work mode. ‘If it is a glorious day, which it very well could be on June the fourth, then we will have the ceremony up at the Singing Tree and maybe the reception in here.’
Rita clapped her hands gently. ‘Honestly, you have all done enough. Get showered, get snacks, please have a day doing something lovely for yourselves. The sea will be warming up now. As it’s Sunday, there are no classes. Zen and Teo, you must take a day off as well. You must be shattered. And how about I give you all a lift down to the harbour later? Drinks and food at the Winking Pilchard. My treat for all this inconvenience.’
She remembered she still had to cook Thom’s promised roast dinner.Slow down?She didn’t have time to, even if she wanted to.
There were appreciative nods all round.
‘OK, great.’ Rita clapped her hands. ‘Those of you who want to join the harbour party tonight, be ready outside your yurts at six thirty and I will ferry you down the hill.’
Cass looked up. ‘Will you be joining us too, Rita?’
She considered it for a moment. ‘Yes. Do you know what? I will.’
‘Ace.’ Cass headed off to carry the ladder outside. Teo arrived back and took it from him.
‘I have the Land Rover outside,’ Teo called. ‘Anyone who want the lift, I will not spare the ponies!’
Everyone looked perplexed.
‘The horses, Teo, the horses.’ Realising he was mimicking an old fashioned saying one of the former retreat guests, Michael, liked to use, Rita laughed aloud which set everyone else laughing with her.
Rita sat in the barn on a dry hay bale and smiled at Sennen, who was sitting opposite her, picking at her gel nails. ‘Wow, peace at last. And leave your fingers alone; they still look great.’
Sennen made a groaning noise at her mum but did as she was told. ‘I’m so happy, Mum, that you’ve set up this retreat. I was worried about you being here on your own without Dad, you know.’
Rita shook her head. ‘And now, ironically, I’d quite like half an hour of my own company.’ She suddenly remembered the little flicker inside of her and realised that certainly wouldn’t be the case by the end of the year. She sighed deeply.
‘Mum? Are you sure you’re OK?’
‘Fine, fine.’
‘Oh God, a Joryfine,that doesn’t sound good.’ Sennen looked into her mum’s eyes to try and read them.
Rita quickly looked towards the huge barn opening and took in the magnificent vista of the sea and cliffs beyond.
‘Right.’ Rita perked up. ‘We have a wedding to sort out. Jago told me you asked if he could store a Cinderella coach in his barn?’
Sennen pulled a small notepad and pen from her pocket. ‘Yes, there’s me thinking that organising an older bride, she might just want something simple. Just lovely flowers and music and…’
‘Sennen, what did I say to you before? Age is just a number, love.’ Rita wagged her finger with mock severity. ‘We still want the hearts and flowers and amazing things. OK, maybe not a reception that bangs on until two a.m., but who knows?’
‘OK, Mother! I hear you. Right, so are the required licences sorted?’
‘Tick. Yes, the wedding one is in hand.’ Rita crossed her fingers behind her back; it was going to be tight, but she had faith in Jago working his magic with his council contact. ‘It takes days for the music one, if you do need one, and I’m getting a temporary one for drinks for now.’
Sennen grinned. ‘You’re amazing, Mother, and we will need a music one! I’ve sorted a celebrant and a harpist, who soundssobeautiful from her online clips. The bride loved her. She wants the Cinderella coach pulled by a white horse.’
Rita’s eyes widened. ‘Does she indeed? We don’t need another bloody licence for that, too, do we?’
