Page 22 of Never Too Late to Date

A quick check on her phone told her it was time to take her sandwich and bottle of water to the top field and sit in the sun. She was striding out to the right and away from the outbuildings when the sight of a dishevelled Maeve rushing into the courtyard and gesticulating stopped her in her tracks.

‘Emergency! Emergency! Is anyone around?’

Vicky changed direction at the same time as Alex bowled out of the kitchen with a half-eaten pie in his hand. Being considerably closer, he reached the older woman’s side a few seconds before her. His low, deep voice was distinctive.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘It’s a rescue call. A sighting of a bag of kittens up at the old Georgiou place. They’re in a pretty bad state. Can you go now? The couple who found them will wait until you get there.’

Alex put his hand on Maeve’s arm.

‘OK, don’t worry. Of course I’ll leave immediately.’

He swallowed the last of his pie and looked all round him, as if expecting more people to appear magically.

‘Who shall I take with me? It sounds like a two-person job.’

Vicky gave him a hard stare. Apparently she’d become invisible overnight. What am I, chopped liver? was on the tip of her tongue, but luckily Maeve spoke first.

‘Take Vicky, of course. She’s right here.’

Alex looked at her eventually and gave the impression that she was the very last person he wanted at his side. It brought back uncomfortable memories of not being picked for the netball team. Being tall, she should have been a shoo-in, but being the clumsiest girl in the class had worked against her time after time.

‘OK.’

His voice was downbeat, but Vicky managed to stay silent. It was the kittens that were important here, not her hurt feelings. Alex stared at her trainers.

‘Are you okay with rough terrain? The quickest way is to walk. It’s about half a mile.’

‘I think I can cope.’

Did he think she’d keel over at the thought of a spot of hiking? She’d show him.

‘If you’re sure.’

He was still managing to give the impression she might hold him back somehow, which was quite a skill. He took one last look around, but most people were off at lunch after their busy mornings. His shoulders slumped before her eyes.

‘I’ll grab my bag. Can you get the silver blankets, some water, the really small bottles with the pre-prepared milk for newborns, a foldable box, plus a rucksack to put it all in. We really don’t know what we’re going to find. Meet me back here in five.’

It was like some sort of memory game. He’d walked off before she’d even had the chance to reply. A ‘please’ was obviously out of the question. Vicky saluted his departing back, which brought a small smile from Maeve’s lips, and softened her worry lines.

‘Come with me. I’ll show you where everything is. And make sure you wear a hat and use protection; the sun’s hot today.’

She’d need protecting from Alex, that was for sure.

All geared up, Vicky was determined to match the blistering pace he set as they exited through the gate and ate up the first field.

‘Everything OK?’

‘Sure.’

Her energy needed to be conserved for helping the cats, not wasted chatting to him. However, she didn’t appear to be in any imminent danger of Alex pestering her for conversation.

The variety of spring flowers everywhere was astonishing, even so close to the sea. If circumstances had been different, she’d have loved to stop, but she could imagine the reaction she’d get if she bent down to have a proper look.

Red poppies grew all along the coast, and the contrast between their vibrant blooms, the green of the grasses and the blue of the sea was stunning. The back garden of the Victorian terrace she’d shared with her husband and daughter had been her sanctuary, somewhere to escape to when life inside the house became unbearable, so she was well up on her plants.

As the metres flew by under her feet, she also spotted purple and pink anemones, the odd wild orchid and cyclamen and low bushes with either pink or white flowers. She thought they were called rock roses and she’d have liked to check but didn’t ask for fear of being considered frivolous.