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Reluctantly she trailed her way down the hallway behind Edie. Molly must have sensed the sombre mood as her tail was down and firmly tucked between her legs.
‘Is this all you’ve got?’ Declan said, lifting up her rucksack which was sitting by the door.
‘Yes, that’s it. Declan, this is Edie. Edie, meet Declan.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ he said, extending his hand.
Amelia watched as Edie took his hand without her usual warmth. Molly sniffed around his feet and Amelia could tell Declan was antsy about her putting a muddy paw on his designer jeans.
‘Well, we’d better get going. We don’t want to miss the ferry and be stuck here.’
Amelia flinched at his words and smiled apologetically at Edie, but she just looked back warmly at her.
Amelia fought back the tears. This was much harder than she’d expected it to be.
‘I’ll give you a minute,’ said Declan. ‘Bye, Edie.’
Amelia lifted her gaze sadly to Edie and then gave her a warm hug. The women clutched each other tightly, neither wanting to let go.
‘Now you remember you will always be welcome here, Amelia,’ Edie said fiercely. ‘You will always have a place to stay here when you need it. I will never forget what you did for me and how much you helped me with my sister. I am always here if you need me. Remember that.’
‘Thank you, and I will. I promise.’
As they walked outside, Amelia took one last look around at Edie’s garden, patted Molly and took a dramatic breath of the salty air. ‘How I will miss that smell. And how I’m going to miss you, Edie.’ She looked at the car and then back at the cottage, and was about to say something about passing on a message to Fergus, but stopped. There seemed little point.
‘Take care, my love. Safe travels . . . and . . . Amelia?’
‘Yes?’
‘Be happy, my dear.’
‘Thanks for everything.’ Amelia nodded, the tears now stinging her eyes.
She climbed into the hire car, and as Declan turned out of the driveway and waited to turn right onto the main road, she spotted an orange van driving past. It was Fergus. But he didn’t look her way and she was glad.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Edie stood in the doorway watching until they had driven away; she couldn’t help but feel sad. Saying goodbye to people was becoming a recurring theme in her life these days. She walked over to the holly bush by the gate, pleased to notice it was now bearing red berries. Yet it didn’t feel like Christmas. Not now Amelia had gone. She had been looking forward to putting the tree up and decorating it with her. Maybe she would just give it a miss altogether this year. She didn’t feel like celebrating.
She went back inside, calling Molly to come with her, and closed the door. Leaning against it for a moment, she wiped the tears from her eyes. Sighing, she wandered back through to the kitchen, and the silence that greeted her was broken only by Molly’s intermittent whines. Edie curled up in her seat by the window and the dog lay her head on Edie’s lap, sensing her sadness. Scratching Molly’s ears, Edie looked down at her beloved pet. ‘It’s just you and me, Molly.’ She glanced out of the window. ‘I just hope Amelia is doing the right thing.’
Something about Declan’s sudden arrival and his subsequent haste to leave and get back to London unsettled her. What was the rush? Why wasn’t he giving Amelia any time to get her head around it all? And what had made her suddenly change her mind and leave so quickly? Edie knew Declan’s type. The way he’d touched her on the arm when he spoke to her, as though he was trying to reel her in with his charm. Edie was far too long in the tooth for that nonsense. But she didn’t want to show her disapproval to Amelia. That wouldn’t be fair.
She thought Amelia had been happy here; the young woman had started to blossom and flourish compared to the uncertain and pale girl who had arrived just a couple of months ago. When Edie thought back to how nervous and reticent she’d seemed, it was obvious that her stay at Coorie Cabin had rejuvenated her and done what it said it would on the tin. She had become serene and calm and joyful. Edie was puzzled as to why things would so rapidly change. Unless of course Amelia truly was still in love with her husband, despite everything. Of all people, Edie knew how love could indeed be blind.
She looked out across the bay with a sense of foreboding as the dark clouds gathered overhead. Amelia’s arrival and her company had been wonderful, their subsequent friendship unexpected but so welcome at a time when Edie had really needed her. She couldn’t help but feel bereft. But that was life. At least Amelia had done an amazing job with Coorie Cabin, and in the New Year she would launch the website for her. It was just such a shame that she would miss the Christmas Eve ceilidh.
Maybe I’ll give it a miss too. What was the point? She had seen everyone she wanted to at the fair and to be honest she was tired. The fair had taken more out of her than she’d thought. She had to remind herself that she was only just processing Christine’s death and that it was no wonder she was exhausted. Grief could overwhelm you, and all the complicated emotions around their reunion and her sister’s death were all so very fresh. She knew it would take a long time for her to process the feelings.
As she sat watching clouds darken and the afternoon light fade, she began to doze, but smiled when she felt the warmth of the sun on her eyelids. She briefly fluttered them open and noticed another rainbow.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Amelia clambered heavily up the stairs from the car deck behind Declan, feeling like a petulant child. Oblivious to her sorrowful mood, Declan muttered that he would go and get some coffees.
‘Okay. I just want to go outside and get some fresh air,’ she said. Her tone had turned snippy and she pulled away as he reached to kiss her.
‘I’ll meet you outside,’ he said, and grimaced.
