Page 70 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

‘Can’t wait till I’m here every day.’ Rachel tenderly stroked his bare chest.

‘Me too … and you’re definitely okay with that now?’

‘Yes, it’ll feel a bit strange at first to be leaving Primrose, if I’m being totally honest, but you know, now I’ve had time to get used to the idea, I think it’ll work out really well for me and Maisy. It’s time … time to leave some of those haunting memories behind … and it’ll give Mum some space. And, hey, I’ll be back over there just about every day, working the farm and at the Pantry. I’ll not exactly be a million miles away.’

‘We’ll make it work fine, my love. More than fine …’

And the kiss that followed was filled with love and hope and all their dreams for their future.

Reluctantly, a few minutes later, she stole from under the covers, dressing by the cool moonlight of a Northumberland summer’s night.

‘Good luck, Tom. I’ll be rooting for you every step of the way.’ She gave Tom a tender kiss on his forehead, and then made her way downstairs, past Mabel, who raised one eyelid and then settled back to snooze in her dog basket in the kitchen. Rachel set off with a sigh on her pumpkin quad.

37

The next morning, Rachel headed out to pick up some baler twine and washing powder at the agricultural merchant’s, and decided to stop by the supermarket on the way back as they could do with some more flour and sugar. Old Mrs Jackson was standing in the sunshine on her terraced cottage doorstep on the high street. Rachel gave her a little friendly wave as she stepped out from the Land Rover, but the often-dour woman just tutted and shook her head at her. What was that all about?

Then, in the Co-op, three middle-aged ladies were chatting away, heads bowed close together. Yet as soon as Rachel walked in, the talking ceased abruptly and they looked up, rather flushed. She did get a ‘hello’ in the baking aisle from one of her regulars at the Pantry, thankfully, but even that greeting seemed a little subdued. Was she just being paranoid? No, this wasn’t like the villagers; something was up, and Rachel was sure as hell going to find out what. If anyone knew what was going on, it’d be Sarah the shop supervisor, and she was currently serving behind the till.

With no one behind her in the queue, Rachel handed over her goods and seized her chance. ‘Hi, Sarah.’

‘Hey, Rachel. You okay?’ At least Sarah was smiling at her. They’d known each other for years, with Sarah having been in the year above her at school.

‘I think so … Maybe I’m just being silly, but everyone’s acting really strangely with me today. What’s going on? I feel like I’ve grown two heads or something this morning here in town. I’m definitely being talked about … and not in a nice way.’

Sarah blushed and busied herself with packing the shopping.

‘Come on, Sarah, you obviously know something.’

‘Now Rach, don’t think that I believe it – sure it’s just the rumour mill in overdrive – but there is a story doing the rounds. I’ve said it’ll be a load of nonsense. But you know what this place can be like when there’s a bit of gossip going about. Everyone leaps on it.’

‘And …?’ Rachel felt her cheeks burn.

‘I think it started with Vanessa.’

‘Well, there’s no surprise.’

‘She heard something on good authority, apparently, and told Susan Davenport, who told Melanie at the Cheviot Café, who told Rog at the post office, who—’

‘What did she say? What is it?’

‘Well. I’m sorry Rach – and again don’t think I’m buying into it – but Vanessa heard you’d been spotted kissing someone …’

Well, Rachel mused, there had been that rather gorgeous moment in the hay field recently, but when had public kissing been banned between a future man and wife? What was wrong with everyone?

‘And it wasn’t Tom,’ Sarah clarified.

Oh.

‘Well, who the hell was it? The bloody invisible man?’

‘Again, according to rumour, it was Jake.’

‘You what? Jake? Are you sure about that?’

‘Well obviously I don’t believe it, but that’s what’s being said … I suppose with him being around a few weeks ago …’

‘Well, that’s bloody ridiculous.’ There were two people behind her in the queue now, in fact two of the little group who’d been gossiping as she came in, but she didn’t mind ranting out loud, she might as well set a few records straight. ‘You can put paid to that rumour. Bloody hell, you couldn’t pay me to kiss Jake. He’s only been about to see Maisy, his daughter. So, you can all stop your gassing right now. Thank you, Sarah.’ Rachel picked up her shopping, and marched out of the store, head held high.