Page 136 of The Little Teashop of Lost and Found
‘Alice …?’ he said and his voice sounded as if he was laughing. I went straight in and closed the door with a slam.
Then I leaned against it and cried and cried, though I’m not sure why. So much had happened in so short a time, so many life-changing things: I expect it was all just too much for me.
Surprisingly once I got to bed I slept well and then, since next morning was a Monday when we were closed, Tilda appeared and threw herself into a deep cleaning session as if it was a high treat. Not that she and Daisy hadn’t left it clean as a new pin on Saturday evening, but she wasn’t satisfied and scoured the place, then began giving the fridge, oven and microwave an extra good going-over.
I could have done with having her scour Nile out of my heart, too, because he seemed to have established himself there without my wanting him to in the least. While I was running through the checklist of tasks I’d need to do so we were ready to open the teashop next day, my mind kept going back to what he’d said last night.
Thinkinghe loved me just wasn’t good enough … and suggesting we give our relationship a go was hardly the romantic proposal of a girl’s dreams. But if he’d askedmewhether I loved him, what would I have said? Would my subconscious have popped up like a jack-in-the-box and yelled, ‘Yes, yes! I’ll settle for whatever you give me – take me, I’m yours’?
It took my mind off worrying about how Dr Collins was going to react – orifshe would react. She’d probably read the letter by now, and if we’d got it all totally wrong and shewasn’tmy mother, maybe she waseven at this moment ringing her solicitor to sue me for defamation of character, or something like that.
I checked for messages and emails about every ten minutes, notreallyexpecting anything – but then suddenly, late in the afternoon, up popped a text.
At the Oldstone, dawn tomorrow. Don’t tell anyone and come alone – I will not talk to you before witnesses.
I am horrified that Alice has somehow discovered her true father and my long-ago connection with him. I must move quickly to scotch this story before rumours spread like a new creature springing from that original monstrous birth. Alice must be made to understand my position and tell anyone she has confided in that she was mistaken.
Father, despite all my efforts, is fast deteriorating, both mentally and physically. I think once he acknowledged to himself that he was losing his faculties, he metaphorically turned his face to the wall.
Though continuing to ensure he has the best care money can buy, I now long for the day I inherit and can leave this place and the memory of what happened for ever. I will leave Hugo here for ever too – after my father, the person he is most attached to is the housekeeper, Kim, so I will make her a leaving present of him.
I have informed the letting agency that they must now take my villa in Portugal off their books, for I wish to have it entirely refurbished with a view to moving there permanently at some not-too-distant date.
46
On the Rocks
The message was terse, but it at least confirmed we’d been right, for she wouldn’t have suggested a meeting if she wasn’t my natural mother. And tomorrow she would reveal how she came to abandon me at that godforsaken spot.
I shivered. I was sure this would be a one-off meeting, because I’d reluctantly forced her hand by my persistence, and I was certain she wasn’t going to fall on my neck like a character in a Victorian novel, crying, ‘At last, dear child, I can hold you in my arms!’
I set the alarm for a ridiculous hour of the morning and intended going to bed early, though I wasn’t sure just how much sleep I would get that night.
But what I didn’t bargain for was Nile texting me to say we needed to talk and he’d collect me on the way to the pub in ten minutes. It never seemed to enter his head that I might be doing something else.
I replied that there was nothing left to say and reminded him I had to be up early to bake fresh scones and cakes, but he just said we needn’t stay long, and stopped answering my messages.
It was easier to go than argue the toss on the doorstep, but I might have known he’d guess I had something on my mind other than the events of last night, not to mention the sudden revelation that I had a family of my own …
I avoided the dangerous ground of the first and focused on the latter. ‘Sheila’s taken to ringing and asking me how her new daughter is today!’ I told him brightly. ‘She’s so kind – I mean, lots of womenwouldn’t be very happy to discover their husband had an illegitimate child.’
‘You’ve already said that twice tonight, by which I deduce you’ve got something else on your mind,’ he said shrewdly. ‘Let me take a stab in the dark: has Dr Collins got in touch with you?’
He knew me too well …
I didn’t reply, but my face must have given me away, because he said, ‘I see she has – so you’d better tell me about it!’
‘Oh, all right, but it’s a secret because she warned me not to tell anyone else.’
I got out my phone and showed him the message.
‘Whythereand at such a godforsaken time of the morning?’ he demanded.
‘I suppose because it’s where it all began for me – and at dawn it will be totally deserted. I’m sure this will be the only time she ever talks to me about it and she doesn’t want anyone to witness the meeting.’
‘I don’t like the idea of you going alone. I’d better come with you.’
‘You can’t! She won’t talk to me if you do, she says so.’
