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Stevie squeezed her dainty hands into excited fists. ‘Then you’ll be the one to leave your important imprint. And while you’re feeling good, any chance of another staff discount on the rainbow sequin mini?’

Chapter 22

The white paper tablecloths fluttered in the light, August breeze as Margie surveyed the green. ‘That’ll do, Pig, that’ll do,’ she said to Temperance and Susie who both – unknowingly – rolled their eyes in perfect synchronicity.

Along with Abel, Gary, Praveen and a few Witch’s Nose regulars, they had laid out four trestle tables end to end down the grass this morning and then had spent a good hour ‘prettying it up’ as Margie had ordered. Abel had collected all the glass ramekins from the kitchen and filled them with tea lights; Gary had gently laid his own granny’s embroidered napkins into wicker baskets for the bread rolls later (which he’d now gone home to finish baking). The Molland sisters had been dispatched with some secateurs and a bucket to the wildflower meadow at the top of the cliffs so that they could put together some sweet, organic arrangements in jam jars along the table tops. ‘And free,’ Margie had wagged her finger. ‘If I’m getting closer to my pensionable age, I’ve got to watch that income, my loves. You can’t eat flowers so I’m not paying for them.’

Temperance had wanted any job but that one, having been haunted by the idea of this very wildflower field burning to a crisp all week. Her nails scratched at her palms incessantly as they walked along the path and Susie had told her to go home – reading her mood, her worries – but Temperance was determined to see this through. The nightmare hadn’t crept up on her again, so it was high time she unclenched and learned to live in her village normally now. No more twitching at the sight of one white cloud, no checking for the nearest fire extinguisher. And now Margie’s table was blooming with poppies, rock roses and marigolds. It would definitely do.

‘Like your twelfth birthday,’ a voice said behind Temperance. With a flinch she turned around.

‘Abel. Didn’t see you there.’

‘Oh I remember!’ Susie piped up. ‘You were having this weird Famous Five obsession that summer and you wanted us to have lashings of ginger beer and honey sandwiches as a picnic on the green. Cake and strawberries. Mum found that massive tablecloth and we all wore bows in our hair.’

‘I didn’t,’ Abel said gruffly.

‘No.’ Susie raised her eyebrows. ‘But you set up the treasure map so we could pretend to chase down some ruffians who’d stolen the, I don’t know, crown jewels or something.’

‘The church candlesticks,’ he said through a sigh.

‘Oh, yes.’ Temperance kept her eyes on the horizon, watching the seagulls riding the warm air. She needed to fix her eyes on anywhere but Abel Gulliver right now. If she turned and saw him being cool and dismissive about one of her favourite childhood memories, she might just cry. She’d been so exhausted by the past week that she felt more thin-skinned and vulnerable than ever.

Diane approached them from the pub, carrying two mugs. ‘Teas are up inside. Brought yours out, Marge.’

‘Thanks, love.’

‘What are we talking about?’

Susie grinned. ‘The time Miagi set up that elaborate treasure hunt for Tee’s birthday party, when she was twelve. He made maps for us all and stained them with old tea bags, remember, Abe? Singed the edges with your lighter, Diane, and got a bollocking. And then the candlesticks we had to track down turned out to be made out of loo rolls covered in tin foil.’ She snorted a laugh through her nose.

‘Hey, that was some Blue Peter level stuff!’ A smile cracked into Abel’s stubbled cheeks. ‘And it’s not like I used sticky-backed plastic. It was all recycled materials. I hid them in a cave at the back of the beach. They’d gone soggy by the time you read the map.’

‘It was special. I’m glad you remembered it at last,’ Temperance added finally, her eyes still averted. Her heart had gone from being shrunken with vulnerability to almost filling her chest with pleasure. He remembered.

‘Right,’ Diane spoke up quickly, ‘Abe, you get back inside now, babe. There’s a love. Plenty to do. And we shouldn’t keep the girls from getting ready, making themselves presentable. Off you go, come on now.’ She virtually shooed him off the grass and back to the pub.

A look passed between mother and son and he shook his head ever so slightly, a flush creeping up his neck.

‘Ohhhkayy,’ Susie drawled. ‘Nothing more you need us for, Margie?’

‘No, all set. See you at 12.30, you pair of scrumpets.’

Temperance shrugged at Susie and they walked off, arms linked.

A good strapless bra could do the work of ten men, keeping cleavage supported and bouncy and at just the right level. The bra Temperance had finally found at the back of Susie’s underwear drawer seemed pretty substantial: some sturdy underwiring and three hook-and-eye fastenings. Crucially, it couldn’t be seen while she wore the lilac halter and Temperance felt a lot more relaxed about the whole outfit now she could be sure nothing deeply private would escape from it. What this bra couldn’t handle, seemingly, was changing a beer barrel.

Temperance and Susie had been at the bar, assembling the first drinks orders of the guests at Margie’s BBQ.

‘Oh balls,’ Susie hissed. ‘This barrel’s nearly finished. I’ll have to change it. Could you finish the G&Ts for me? I’ll be ten minutes or so.’

‘Sure.’ Temperance’s phone buzzed on the bar and she picked it up.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Earth to Temperance . . .