Page 88 of The Little Teashop of Lost and Found
The magic words ‘Made in Sheffield’ flashed in the sun and soon her enemies were in retreat.
Bits of dryad and pools of blood lay on the smooth turf, though since the blood was grass green, it blended in quite nicely … and even as Kev and Shaz stood there gazing at the scene in deep shock, moonflowers began to unfurl wherever a drop had spattered.
Edie called next day to warn me she’d given Robbie my phone number and new address and was amazed to be told he’d already called.
‘You didn’t mind, did you?’ she asked. ‘Only he said he hoped to see you when he came over and he’d only just heard about Dan and was very sorry.’
‘He’s emailed me from time to time, but I hadn’t mentioned Dan. And I don’t really mind if he wants to see me – he’s harmless. Self-absorbed, but harmless.’
‘I suppose you’ve been too busy to get any further with trying to trace your birth mother?’ she asked.
‘Yes, what with the teashop and trying to finish my new novel, but I really should get on with talking to the two people who found me on the moors, though I’m sure it will be a dead end. The only way I’m going to find her is if I put something in the local paper and she comes forward.’
‘I expect you’re right, but you’ll be the better for talking to them and hearing first-hand about it.’
‘Actually, I know now where one of them lives – the farmer, Joe Godet – so I thought I might go over there on Thursday morning and see if he’ll talk to me. I’m going to be too busy tomorrow.’
‘I don’t see why he shouldn’t talk to you. Let me know how you get on.’
‘OK, I’ll email you all the details. And Sheila Giddings thinks the other witness, Emily Rhymer, might still live in Upvale, so I’ve no excuse for not getting on with it, really.’
‘No, you might as well tie up the loose ends,’ Edie agreed.
I’d been relying on Edie’s experiences in the hotel trade to help me set up the teashop, so now I told her I’d followed her latest advice and bought simple, plain, inexpensive but classic cutlery, since she’d assured me it had a tendency to vanish into pockets and handbags.
‘I’ve never understood why customers think it isn’t theft to take the cutlery home with them,’ I said.
‘I’ve no idea either, but in my experience, people staying in hotels often leave with the soap, towels and toilet rolls, too,’ she said.
I told her about the cartons of linen-look tablecloths and napkins that had arrived that morning all the way from China. ‘They seemed to arrive faster than things I’ve ordered from this country! And I’ve found a local laundry already, so I can tick that off my list.’
‘I can see it’s all starting to take shape,’ she said approvingly.
‘Yes, and I’m starting on the fine details now – the fun bit.’
In fact, the only thing Ihadn’tmanaged to source were willow-pattern tiered cake stands, as I said to Nile later when he turned up and positively marched me to the pub, where he insisted I eat a square meal and think about something other than my novel for five minutes.
‘Though I suppose the tearoomisanother topic,’ he said. ‘But I can’t say that the struggle to find the right cake stand is one that moves me deeply.’
‘You’re right, it’s not that important, because I could always have plain white ones instead,’ I agreed, and then fully absorbed what he’d just said and looked at him with a wry smile. ‘Have I become a writing and tearoom bore?’
‘Not entirely, now I’ve read your book and started to get the hang of what’s going on in that twisty little mind of yours,’ he said. ‘You’re a bitlike a graceful swan swimming serenely along, while underneath the water, the legs are frantically paddling.’
I looked at him doubtfully. I liked the swan bit, but I wasn’t too sure about the rest.
‘Well, you’re a complete enigma to me,’ I told him frankly. ‘I know you love antiques and enjoy hunting them down for clients.’
‘Yes, the thrill of the chase.’
‘But what do you do for fun, Nile?’
‘Coerce stunning redheads to go to the pub with me, then go home alone and read gory, warped fairy stories,’ he said.
When we got back I declined his offer of coffee and worked even later that night to make up for going out, and also because I wanted to take a couple of hours off the following morning to finalize my teashop menu.
Most of the recipes I intended to use were old favourites, but there were one or two new ones I needed to try out first.
So next day, while Jack and Ross were laying the vinyl flooring in the kitchen, their last big job, I was baking up a miniature storm in my flat kitchen.
