“Then over there you have Angela’s house.” He points to a whitewashed stone cottage up the lane, covered in pink roses and ivy with a little stone wall round it. “She’s lived here since, well, forever. Widowed three times, a hundred percent some kickass husband assassin. Or just has really bad luck. Friends with my nana, so kind of explains the kickass vibes.” He raises his eyebrow at me as if to impress me.
I play into him. “I’ll remember to not cross her bad side then!”
“I’m only joking. She’s an angel! Then up that road is Pete’s farm. He supplies us with most of our stock. Quiet but nice fellow all the same.”
“Definitely has a crush on Aradia,” I say under my breath.
“Huh?” He hasn’t heard me.
“Nothing, seems nice. I saw him in the cafe the other day.”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy. You’ve also got Phil and Neil who deal in antiques, so they travel a lot all over the world trying to find the next major find. Then that way you have the Joneses which are just a nice family that have also moved from the city with their two kids. Victoria looks after the kids and her husband commutes daily back to the city. Mental, right? But I think he has some hot shot job there. You’ve got Reggie and Emmie living next to them. Emmie is probably the best cook in the village. Her curries are all you need if you’ve got a cold, sore head or my least favourite, a killer hangover.”
“Now, a curry does sound good in this weather.” My mouth waters at the thought. I’ve gone from eating barely anything all day, drinking martinis in the nighttime to eating anything and everything. I’m not talking just stuffing my face but big nutritious homemade meals and lots of Aradia’s homemade red wine. Food that warms your bones. My once slim frame has never looked so curvaceous. But I feel so much better in the skin I’m in now than before.
“Definitely!” He bows into his hands agreeing on the temperature drop. “Then the other side you have Kieran who has the village library which is just a box outside his house where you can swap and borrow books. Next to him is Holly who makes county-winning plum jam and her son Riley. He is obsessed with counting and AC/DC, so he comes to the shop once a week to help with counting stock and plays me AC/DC records. He’s great. Amie and her sister Faye own the post office and live above it. With, I believe, six… no, seven cats all named after British literature characters. Dodger is my favourite and often visits the back door of the butcher’s for scraps.”
So, he’s a family man, a community man, works hard, helps those around him and an animal lover? I’m waiting for the red flag. He carries on, still with such passion about his tiny home village.
“Jim the grocer lives at the back of his shop and gets all his stock from Pete and your aunt. His wife Fi is in the hospital with cancer at the moment, so he’s not opening every day. We all try and give some time each week to cover him so he’s not losing any income. Fi used to teach at the school in the next village over so a lot of us have been taught by her. Am I boring you? I do tend to go on about this place.” He does his usual nervous neck rub and dimple smile.
“Not at all! I love it. You have such a little community here. I can’t believe that you know everyone’s stories and you actuallycare.” I laugh. “I love that so much. You don’t get that where I’m from. Let me know if I can do anything to help with Jim and his store. That must be so hard for him, and all of you in fact.”
“Yeah, it is. I can’t imagine the thought of losing someone slowly. Someone you’re utterly devoted too. It’s the worst kind of heartbreak. So, what about London then? You don’t rally around each other?”
“Well, I know everyone’s gossip, but I don’t know them like you all seem to know each other. You seem to help each other out of kindness. Where I’m from it’s always for gain.”
“Well, gain can be good, right?”
“I guess, but it’s more than likely a selfish gain. But anyway, please, carry on with the who lives here. It’s like a Hallmark movie. I’m obsessed with Brindlewood already!”
“To your city folk anything that has a bit of green is a Hallmark movie.” He gently pushes his shoulder into mine. I think he might be flirting with me. Stop it, Harri. This is temporary. “So, then we have us. Well, me, Lola and Nana. Then Lois and Hannah and their boys Toby and Alfie. Oh, and of course your aunt and grandmother. You know that house used to belong to witches. It’s in this weird book about the village that Kieran lent me once. Spooky.” He makes a face like he’s trying to scare me, but I play it cool.
“Oh right. Well, I guess that’s pretty cool really.” I lean my shoulder back into his and he smiles down at me.
“Oh, it’s very cool! Brindlewood has quite a bit of history with witches and all things fantasy. Kieran also has a book on pixies and fairies that apparently live in the forests here. Lola often makes me take her for walks in hope of spotting one.”
“And have you?” I ask a little too seriously.
“Not yet. But there’s always tomorrow!” He smiles. “Come on, let’s help my nana.” He nods his head towards The Wandering Wisp.
We take the short stroll to the cafe where we can see Gloria cleaning down the tables through the window. The sun is now long gone, and the temperature has sure enough dropped further. The light from the houses and one streetlamp in the centre of the green are the only source of light around, drenching everything else in darkness. I hadn’t noticed walking around but now standing outside the cafe it shows just how dark this place is. We walk inside and the heat from the log burner burns my cheeks and nose from where the cold has left its mark.
“What a lovely surprise.” Gloria beams. “Please tell me my grandson has been behaving himself.”
“I always behave myself, Nana.” He smirks playfully.
“He’s been showing me around your little village and giving me the stories of everyone here,” I chime in.
She looks at her grandson. “Well, I hope he’s been kind about everyone.”
“He has,” I assure her.
Satisfied with my answer she continues to wipe down the tables. “I’m nearly done here. Why don’t you two grab Lola from Lois and Hannah’s and I’ll meet you at home? Harri, will you stay for some hot chocolate with us before you head back?”
“If it’s no bother, sure. That would be nice.”
“Wonderful, dear.” She gives me another soothing smile before looking back at Sam. “Can you give Hannah and Lois that crate of buns on the side, Samuel?”
