Page 26 of Spring Dreams at the Cornish Bakery

‘So, the last time you actually saw your purse was in here?’ Lynsey’s voice quivered. This was it. This was how it would begin. She could see it now. No one knew of her past down here, but if the police were called, and questions asked, everything would come out. The accusations, the suspicions that she’dknown all along about what Ross had been up to. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Elsie standing there.

‘What’s wrong, Nora, love?’ Elsie slipped into the chair opposite Nora as Lynsey stood up.

‘My course. I’ve gone and lost my purse.’ Nora began to recap the events again. ‘I didn’t notice until I hopped on the bus. I keep my bus pass in there, you see. In my purse. And that’s when I realised I didn’t have it.’

‘Oh, love, that’s not good. Where were you when you had it last?’ Elsie patted Nora’s hand.

‘In here. I definitely had it in here as the lovely Lynsey, here, found it in my bag for me.’ Nora indicated Lynsey.

Feeling her cheeks flush, Lynsey gripped the edge of the table.

‘And then I popped into the café for a spot of tea, but I didn’t use my purse in there.’

‘Shall we take a look in your bag then, love? Double-check it’s not hiding at the bottom anywhere? If you’re anything like me, you’ll be carrying around hoards of stuff you’ll never need.’ Elsie chuckled.

‘Yes, yes.’ Nora pulled her handbag from the floor and pushed it across the table towards Elsie.

Opening the bag, Elsie began pulling out the scarves, folding them carefully before placing them on the table.

‘You look like a magician, pulling them out like that.’ Nora chuckled despite the tears in her eyes.

‘Haha, I knew I’d missed my calling somewhere along the way.’ Pulling the last of the scarves from the bag, Elsie tipped it upside down. ‘You’re right. No sign of it.’

‘I just don’t know what I could have done with it.’ Nora shook her head sadly.

‘Lynsey, love, why don’t you go and check behind the counter in case it fell that way while I take a look around here?’ Standingup, Elsie placed her hand on Nora’s forearm. ‘Don’t worry, love. It’ll turn up.’

‘Good idea.’ Lynsey croaked out the words and turned, catching Zac’s eye as he frowned and held his arms out as if asking what was happening. Looking away, she dipped her head. Once behind the counter, she walked up and down, her eyes fixed on the floor. There was no sign of the purse. With it being so bright and flowery, she knew she or Brooke would have spotted it before now, anyway.

‘Any luck, love?’ Elsie joined her behind the counter.

Shaking her head, Lynsey kept quiet. What was she supposed to do? To say? She couldn’t cope with a false accusation again.

‘Never mind. I’ll take a look outside.’ Elsie smiled before walking across to Nora again.

‘You okay, Lynsey? You look kind of pale.’ Brooke frowned as she spoke between serving customers.

Standing there, watching Nora and Elsie speaking, Lynsey could hardly keep her eyes focused. She couldn’t explain what was happening, just that she could feel a dark dread stirring in the bit of her stomach. ‘No, I think I need to get some fresh air.’

‘Okay, no worries. Take as long as you like.’ Brooke’s expression turned to one of concern. ‘And let me know if you need anything.’

Nodding, Lynsey pulled her apron from over her head and left it crumpled on the back counter before stumbling to the door. Once outside, she took a large gulp of air, filling her lungs. She needed to get out of here. She needed to run before her past, true or not, caught up with her.

The further she got from the bakery, the faster she walked until she was running towards her cottage. Pushing open the wrought-iron gate, she hurried up the garden path before letting herself inside.

Coming to a stop in front of the fireplace, she gripped the edge of the mantelpiece, her breath quickening. What should she do? Run? Go back to her hometown? It wouldn’t be any different here in Penworth Bay if Nora or Elsie called the police, would it? They’d have it in their records that she’d been a suspect, wouldn’t they?

Or would they? Once a suspicion had been disproved, was it wiped from the records? It should be.

Why hadn’t she asked? She’d been so relieved when the investigation had finally come to the conclusion that Ross had been the culprit, not her, that she hadn’t thought to ask anything. She’d just wanted to put the nightmare behind her.

A knock sounded against the front door before she heard Zac’s voice. ‘Lynsey?’

Glancing towards him, she watched as he came up to her, felt him place his hands on her shoulders as he gently turned her towards him. ‘It wasn’t me. I didn’t steal Nora’s purse.’

Zac frowned. ‘Of course you didn’t. Why would anyone think that?’

‘They will. They’ll blame me, they’ll all think it was me. But it wasn’t, I swear.’ She kept her eyes focused on a brick on the opposite wall. She couldn’t look at him. Even when he took her hands in his, she continued to focus on that one brick.

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