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‘Going through a shy phase,’ Maisie explained. ‘Could you pop the robins in my bag?’ She turned so Jago could slip the tissue paper-wrapped parcels in a large tote hanging off her shoulder. ‘Wonderful. They’ll look gorgeous hanging on the tree. We’ve got a whopper this year. Right, young man, next stall to buy a felt version of Stan. That’s our spaniel,’ she explained. Looking down at Jago’s wares, she said thoughtfully, ‘You know, if you ever made any glass cupcakes, we’d love to sell them in the café. I’m sure they’d go like–’
‘Hotcakes,’ they said as one.
Jago liked this woman; she seemed friendly and straightforward. ‘I’d love to. Give me some time to experiment with a few shapes. It doesn’t always work out.’ He gestured to the piece depicting waves and a yacht bobbing on top. ‘These were a happy experiment, but it can be tricky with rounded shapes.’
‘Wonderful. Pop into the café. If I’m not there, speak to Tracy who’s the manager. Think we’d like a few to dangle in the windows. They’d look so pretty.’ Joshie flung a pudgy arm around his mother’s neck and whispered something urgently in her ear. ‘Yes, darling, we’re going to get a miniature Stan now. Say bye to Jago.’
‘Bye, Joshie.’ Jago waved and thoughtfully watched them go. He could remember Merryn being very similar at that age. One minute mischievous, the next clingy and shy. He liked children. He’d found Merryn great fun when she’d been tiny, he still did. At first, he’d been shocked at the idea of his parents having another child so long after having him but, to his surprise, he’d loved having a baby around. He’d enjoyed the work he’d done in schools too and the children’s enthusiasm had, in turn, buoyed him on to plough that enthusiasm into his own art. With a grin he remembered how rewarding getting Jaden to talk at the lantern workshop had been. Something inside him twisted, a sudden realisation. He was thirty-five. He was ready to have children of his own. He wanted to settle down with someone and create his own family. And he was beginning to realise he’d like to settle in Lullbury Bay. He’d never felt that way with Rose, neither of them had. They’d both been too busy getting their careers established to even think of starting a family. They’d worked hard and played hard. Anything more grown-up lay in the distance. They thought they’d had plenty of time. But Jago now knew time could be cut brutally short. Life could unscrew in a second and change irrevocably. His father had been looking forward to retirement. But he’d never made it. Jago had learned a bitter lesson through his father dying, he was no longer complacent about having his life stretching out endlessly in front of him. And he didn’t want to waste a precious minute of it.
CHAPTER19
‘BLUE CHRISTMAS’ – ELVIS PRESLEY
Honor went over to congratulate Tamara and the choir members. ‘That was fantastic,’ she said, kissing Tamara on the cheek. ‘I don’t know how you do those close harmonies and remember the words as well as those dance moves. I’d be hopeless.’ She turned to the man standing beside her. ‘Have you met Ben Townham? He teaches Blenny Class at school. Year Five,’ she explained further.
Ben shook everyone’s hand. ‘Great to meet you all.’ He smiled affably. ‘It was all very impressive. I really enjoyed it. We must book you to come and do some singing workshops in school, that’s if you’d be happy to.’ He winked at Honor. ‘But we might have to tone down some of those seriously sexy dance moves.’ They all laughed. ‘I’m just going to check out the candle store,’ he added. ‘I’ll catch up with you in a mo, Honor.’
She nodded. ‘Fine.’
Tamara waited until the other members of the choir drifted off in his wake before sidling closer. ‘You’ve kept him quiet. And there we were trying to get you set up with a man and you had one in your pocket all along!’
‘Oh give it up, Tam. He’s a teaching colleague from school. Besides which, I’m his line manager. Can’t go there.’
‘Shame.’ Tamara stared at Ben as he examined the scented candles, picking them up and laughing with the seller. ‘He’s lush. All that mucky-blonde hair. Reminds me of that actor from Fifty Shades.’
‘Jamie Dornan?’ Honor considered the idea. ‘Yes, I suppose he does a bit. He’d hate the comparison though. He’s a nice bloke, very modest. The kids love him.’
Tamara pulled a lascivious face. ‘I bet they do. If I had a teacher that good-looking teaching me at school maybe I would’ve paid more attention!’ She called to her co-singers. ‘Right then, ladies, shall we grab a tea and a mince pie? Think we’ve earned one. See you later, babes.’
‘See you, Tamara.’ Honor joined Ben at the scented candles table. ‘Spending all your money?’ she asked jokingly.
He held one to her nose. ‘This one is Christmas in a candle. Have a sniff.’
She obliged. ‘Oh, it’s lovely. Just like a Christmas tree. I was expecting something sweet but it’s pine and something else–’
‘Eucalyptus and a hint of orange,’ the seller explained. ‘Makes the room fresh and invigorating.’
‘I’ll take two if I may,’ Ben said, and they watched as the seller wrapped them in pretty tissue paper. He took them, paid, and handed one to Honor. ‘I know we did Secret Santa at school, but I wanted to get you something to thank you for all the support you’ve given me this term. Year Five hasn’t been the easiest and I’ve really appreciated all your mentoring.’
Honor was touched. ‘Oh, Ben, you really didn’t have to. It’s my job. I enjoy the mentoring part of being deputy. And, honestly, you hardly needed any. It’s a class that just needs a certain handling and some behavioural strategies put in place. But thank you for the candle, I love it.’ She clutched it to her, smelling its sharp tangy scent even through the wrapping. It would be perfect lit on Christmas Day. ‘What do you want to have a look at next?’ she asked, giving him a warm smile.
‘I’m heading towards those stained-glass hanging things. Mum would love the moon with the crystals hanging off it.’
Honor followed as he battled through the crowds to Jago’s table. Smile vanishing, her heart sank. She knew he had a stall here but she’d wanted avoid him. It was lucky term had ended; it would have been impossible to avoid him or Avril when they collected Merryn from school. The kiss at the German Market last night should have never happened. Complications of this sort were exactly why she was so circumspect about mixing her private life with her professional. But there was another reason too – it was Gino all over again. Gino having cheated on her had done unimaginable harm to her self-esteem and it had taken a long, long time to build it back up. She was determined the next man she was involved with would be worth the emotional investment. And, even though every hormone and cell in her body was on fire for it to be Jago, it just couldn’t happen. She refused to do that to Avril and Merryn. With a pang, she realised the situation could make her the other woman and, after the heartbreak caused by Gino, she refused to hurt another woman the same way.
A loudly distorted ‘Last Christmas’ burst out of the Tannoy, now the choir had finished singing. The poignant lyrics weren’t lost on her. Trailing despondently in Ben’s wake, she got to Jago’s stall to find the two men deep in discussion over the exquisite piece held in Ben’s hand. As if it wasn’t bad enough, not only was Jago the perfect father and husband (kissing other women notwithstanding) who was kind to animals and children, but he was also massively talented. Honor thought it couldn’t be any more unfair. Gazing at Ben, she wondered why, all professional considerations aside, she couldn’t fall for a nice, uncomplicated man like him?
‘What do you think, Honor? Do you think my mum would like this?’ He turned to her, his grey eyes alive with enthusiasm, and held out the crescent moon made from frosted silvery glass. He trickled the semi-precious stones which glitteringly hung from it through his fingers.
It was stunning. Much larger than the other pieces on the stall, it caught the light in a magical way, as if it were alive. Honor’s heart thumped. Jago was a talented artist. It was delicate and ethereal and caught the essence of the moon in a deceptively simple way. The moon itself shone with a light that seemed to come from inside and the glimmering stones which dangled could easily be the moon’s reflection on the sea; she’d often seen it make those shimmering, shifting patterns over the bay. For some reason, the sight of Jago’s artwork made her emotional. Her words choked in her throat. ‘It’s… it’s beautiful. I’m sure she’d love it. Anyone would.’ She couldn’t quite meet Jago’s eyes and longed to get away.
‘I’ll wrap it up for you,’ he said. ‘Would you like it in a gift bag too?’
‘Yes please,’ Ben said. ‘It’ll make it extra special and I’m hopeless at wrapping presents. Thanks so much, Jago is it? I’m Ben Townham by the way, a teacher at St Winifred’s. I teach with Honor here. I think I might have seen you at our nativity.’
The men shook hands. ‘Jago Pengethley. Nice to meet you. And yes, I came to watch the nativity. Enjoyed it very much.’
Honor saw Jago glance intently from Ben to herself and, ridiculously, felt her face flame.
