Page 2 of Spring Dreams at the Cornish Bakery

‘Oscar!’ Nina’s voice became muffled as she turned to speak to her son before turning her attention back to Lynsey. ‘Sorry, Lyns, I’m going to have to love you and leave you. Poor Oscar’s just woken after a nightmare.’

‘Okay. No worries. Hope he’s okay. Bye.’ Ending the call, Lynsey pocketed her mobile before rolling her shoulders back. She could do this. Pulling her purple bobble hat lower to cover her ears, she grabbed her flower-covered rucksack from the boot and flung it over her shoulder before closing the boot again, careful not to dislodge anything – the last thing she needed was for the mound of boxes and bags she’d packed Tetris-style into her small fiesta to become displaced and end up across the tarmac.

Chapter Two

As she began walking towards the row of shops, she took deep breaths, trying to steady her nerves. Nina was right. She’d get back into the swing of things easily. For six months before she and Ross had split, she’d taken on an extra job, waking up early and baking at the local patisserie before heading to her job at the insurance company with Ross, so it wasn’t as though this work would be new to her. She knew what she’d be doing.

As she neared the row of shops, she noticed that she’d been right. One of themwasThe Cornish Bay Bakery. She slowed her pace before forcing herself to walk towards the bakery door and knock. The sound of her knuckles against the glass of the door echoed through the quiet cobbled street as she waited for a response.

Nothing.

After knocking again, she stepped back and looked up towards the upstairs windows. One light was shining through the gaps in the curtains, but still no answer. Maybe they’d gone out and just left the light on.She wouldn’t blame them. She’d kept Elsie waiting long enough.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her mobile again. Would she seem pushy if she rang Elsie, the owner of the bakery, again? She felt as though she’d been bugging her all day, keeping her up-to-date with when she’d arrive. She didn’t really want to interrupt her evening now, but what other choice did she have?

Pressing the Call button, she lifted her mobile to her ear, listening as it rung before the answerphone kicked in. Lookingback down the street, she turned and began walking back across the cobbles. She’d driven past a pub up the hill when she’d been looking for somewhere to park. Not that she’d needed to as she could have likely pulled up outside the bakery until she’d asked Elsie where best to park but, never mind, she was here now and she could always move her car later, or in the morning.

Turning up the hill, Lynsey looked at the gorgeous, thatched cottages as she walked past them, all illuminated by the Victorian style lampposts which lined the street up here too. Each of the cottages had little front gardens with narrow paths meandering towards the front doors. She could just imagine how beautiful they’d look in the warmer months when the flowers were all out in full force.

She grinned. She’d be living here, in her own place, soon enough. Her cottage was a little off the beaten track from what she’d been able to gather by looking at online maps and Google Earth, but it was still close enough to feel like a part of the Penworth Bay community, or so she hoped. Hugging herself around the middle, she paused and turned back to look at the way she’d come and the ocean. This really was the perfect place to put her past behind her and move on. She just hoped she didn’t mess it up. Not this time.

A van headed up the hill, its headlights highlighting the beauty of the street before it stopped just ahead of her. Turning back, she began walking towards the van, hopeful that whoever was inside might know Elsie. She squinted in the dim light and watched a woman rush out of the pub as a man jumped out of the van. She could ask them. It would certainly be less daunting than wandering into a likely packed pub on her own.

Keeping her head down, she hurried towards them, slowing her pace as she reached the pub. ‘Excuse me, please?’ Looking up, she clamped her mouth shut as a flush of embarrassment coursed across her face. She should have waited; she shouldhave looked at them before speaking. If she had, she would have seen they were clearly in the middle of something and about to kiss.

Leaning back in their embrace, the couple looked across at her, having clearly been unaware of her presence until now. Stepping back from the man, the woman took his hand and smiled at her. ‘Hi, can we help?’

Swallowing, Lynsey pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, the page of her notebook she’d scribbled Elsie’s name and address on when she’d answered the ad about volunteering in the bakery. Not that she needed reminding of the bakery or of Elsie, she’d memorised the address weeks ago, but it gave her something to do, something to distract her. ‘I’m wondering if you could. I’m looking for someone called Elsie?’

‘Ah, Elsie.’ The woman broke into a grin. ‘You must be Lynsey, right? You’ve come to volunteer at The Cornish Bay Bakery?’

Lynsey nodded. ‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘I’m Robyn. I’ve not long ago finished volunteering there myself. And this is Jasper. It’s lovely to meet you.’ Stepping forward, Robyn gave Lynsey a quick hug.

‘Great to meet you.’ Jasper smiled. ‘If you’re anything like Robyn, you’ll have a great time working at the bakery.’

‘I hope so. It’s lovely to meet you both, too.’ Lynsey nodded, her shoulders relaxing. They seemed nice. Hopefully it was a good sign of things to come.

‘We can show you where the bakery is, if you like?’ Jasper indicated down the hill.

‘Oh, thanks, but I’ve just come from there. I tried the bakery, but there was no answer.’ Lynsey carefully folded the piece of paper and slipped it back into her pocket. ‘I tried ringing too, but, again, no answer so I wondered if she was here, at the pub.’

‘Ah no, it’s pub quiz night. Elsie should be at home. She looks after a couple of the bakery family kids.’ Robyn frowned. ‘I wonder if she just didn’t hear the door. We’ll walk down with you and check.’

‘Okay, thanks.’ The bakery family? What did Robyn mean by that? Just Elsie’s family, she guessed. She owned a bakery, so maybe her family was just referred to as the bakery family. It was probably a village thing, a sign of a close-knit community, and was rather sweet. ‘I don’t want to interrupt if she’s with family.’

‘She won’t mind. Diane, Ollie, Wendy and Connor will be leaving the quiz soon and going to collect their kids, anyway. Besides, Elsie’s expecting you.’ Robyn linked arms with her as the three of them made their way back down the hill.

‘Yes, I guess so.’ Lynsey shrugged. ‘I’m late. Super late as I got lost.’

‘That’s okay. Elsie’s lovely. She doesn’t mind things like that. Besides, you know what she always tells the volunteers who come here?’

Lynsey shook her head.

‘That this is as much about giving the volunteers a break, a holiday, as it is about her having help in the bakery.’

‘Oh, that’s really sweet.’ Lynsey felt herself relax a little more.Elsie had seemed lovely on the phone, but she still had that little niggle of a doubt that she was being judged, that being late would go against her once she started working at the bakery. She knew it certainly would have in her previous jobs. She fixed her eyes on the ocean, illuminated by the moon in front of them as they made their way down the hill. She needed to remind herself what this was - her fresh start. Nobody knew about her past or why she’d now been out of work for almost a year, and they didn’t need to know. She just needed to put her front on, pretend everything was fine, ooze confidence as Nina had advised her – yeah right! As if that would happen! Still, Ninawas right in some respects. Lynsey did need to put recent events behind her and give herself a chance to enjoy life again.

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