Page 27 of The Happiness Project

‘Grasmere is famous for it,’ I tell her. ‘It would be a travesty not to try some.’

‘And that’s the churchyard, isn’t it?’ asks Sarah, pointing at the church next to the gingerbread shop. ‘The one where Wordsworth is buried?’

‘It is,’ I reply. ‘And again, it would be a travesty not to visit it, given that he features in the book.’

As I pull up to our hotel, the rain has stopped and the air has that smell of being freshly washed. We’re in the centre of the village with its twisty lanes and slate-built houses.

‘Hmm,’ says Patty, scribbling away. ‘I need to add that to the bingo — “should visit grave”. You’re excused for saying it this time.’

I protest that it’s not a clichéd expression and therefore can’t go on the card but she’s not listening. She finishes scribbling then hands Sarah and I separate pieces of paper containing the phrases that we have to listen out for. ‘Just as with bingo, you’ve each got different ones to look out for,’ she says with a smirk.

Peter, Ed and Caroline have already arrived when we go to check in. They wave at us from the bar, where they look very cosy around a real fire with a bottle of delicious-looking red. We girls quickly head to our rooms, freshen up and then join them, ordering another bottle to ease us into the weekend.

‘So what’s the plan for these next two days?’ asks Ed after we’ve toasted our book club. ‘I guess we should really go and see Wordsworth’s grave at some point.’

Patty purses her lips trying to hold back the laughter and I notice Sarah taking a discreet look at her piece of paper and giving me a barely noticeable shake of the head. That means she doesn’t have that phrase on her card and it’s one–nil to me.

I explain that my idea is to relax after our drive and discuss the book after dinner; that leaves tomorrow for exploring the village and the surrounding countryside. The hotel has a library room which I’ve reserved so we have a snug place filled with the smell of paperbacks and leather chairs to settle down in and discuss the story. This book actually combines both Ed’s and Peter’s literary loves. It’s a crime story but with a historical twist involving a lost Wordsworth poem. So I hope that being here, where Wordsworth lived and died, brings the book to life.

‘Have you been doing these weekend jaunts for long?’ Sarah is asking the group.

‘It’s nearly a year since our very first,’ replies Peter. ‘We went to a haunted castle not far from here to discuss a ghost story.’

‘And Peter met his partner, who was skulking in the dungeons wearing a tattered wedding dress,’ adds Ed.

‘I should have guessed then that was his thing,’ said Peter with a smile. ‘It was a lovely break anyway, so we kept them going.’

‘It sounds very special,’ says Sarah. ‘I’m really looking forward to this.’

After drinks we head to our rooms to change for dinner. Mine is a small suite with a king-sized bed which seems a waste; if things had gone differently I might be sharing that bed. Although I still can’t imagine doing anything more than lying in someone’s arms; it’s romance rather than sex I think I need — which is not the case for Patty.

‘The bed in my room could certainly withstand some action,’ she declares as she bursts through the door. ‘I’ve just videoed it for Jack. This isn’t bad either, shame Michael didn’t work out.’

‘Never say never,’ I say. ‘I’ve decided I’ll call him when we get back. After all, he might have a good reason for not showing up.’

‘You’re right, he could have died for all we know — at least that would be excusable,’ says Patty, getting a pillow thrown at her.

‘Are you ready for dinner?’ I ask, refusing to dignify her comment with any further discussion.

‘Born ready,’ is her reply.

* * *

We descend the stairs side by side, looking as if we’ve coordinated our outfits. We’re both wearing thigh-length dresses in rich winter colours with high-heeled boots. Of course Peter notices it.

‘You two look like you’re about to do some catalogue modelling,’ he says. ‘Or appearing on daytime TV showcasing the fashions for this season.’

‘Makes a change from me always modelling last season’s clothes,’ I reply, smiling.

Sarah looks stunning. She has thick auburn hair which I’ve only ever seen tied up, but now that it’s down, it’s gorgeous. With the deep plum tunic she’s wearing, the effect is so glamorous.

‘You look like a classic movie star,’ I tell her, getting a shy smile in response.

The hotel does us proud with a dinner full of local produce including Lakeland lamb and sticky toffee pudding. We’re almost ready for a nap by the end of the meal but Caroline wakes us up by clinking her glass with her knife and telling us it’s time to adjourn to the library. We carry our full tums through the hotel lobby and take our seats with the book on our laps. Most of us have little post-its inserted to talk about paragraphs and pieces we have particularly enjoyed.

‘I don’t mind kicking off the discussion,’ says Ed. ‘And you may find this surprising but I was most fascinated by the historical element. Every time the narrative veered towards modern day, I just wanted to be back in Wordsworth’s time or hearing more about Fletcher Christian.’

‘I feel the same,’ added Caroline. ‘If this is true, the author must have spent months researching it — there were details I would never have known.’

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