Page 72 of The House of Hopes and Dreams
Carey called the dog whisperer when we got back and then, losing patience with the dodgy and slow internet connection, took himself off to the pub, where he could use the free wi-fi to fire off a load of emails to contacts he was sure would love to help him renovate Mossby. And, such was his charm, charisma and popularity, I expected they would.
While he was there, he also chased up the internet provider he’d chosen, who had promised connection within a fortnight, so he hoped they’d put their money where their mouth was.
As I continued to work on my cartoon of the Lady Anne window, I slowly began to suspect that it was not the random design it seemed after all, but contained some kind of message.
It had taken me many hours to copy every detail – and a servant with a stepladder to help me get high enough to ensure I had it all accurately.
Coming down from this one day, after making a detailed drawing of the final top section, with its spiked sun, I suddenly felt strangely dizzy.
I had been so busy both in my workshop and in my copying of the window that it only now dawned on me that there were changes happening that heralded the arrival of a new addition to the family.
For some reason, this came as a complete shock to me. I had not said so to Ralph, for it seemed unnatural, but I had never yearned for children. But of course he must want an heir to carry on Mossby … though this could not have been his only reason for marrying me, since being so tall and handsome he could have married a far prettier girl!
25
On the Ball
Just after breakfast next morning, Rufus rang to ask if it would be all right to come over with his van and take both sets of gates back with him. He had a couple of friends roped in ready to help.
Carey went out to meet them at the top of the drive and I saw the big van go slowly up past the kitchen window a few minutes later, but by then I was talking on the phone to Molly. I’d suddenly realized that I hadn’t arranged to have my mail redirected and it didn’t look as if Nat and Willow were going to forward any on.
‘So if Grant wouldn’t mind asking Nat tomorrow if I’ve had any mail, that would be great,’ I explained. ‘Some of it might have gone straight to the workshop, rather than the cottage.’
‘I’m sure he will, and if he and Ivan could come up and see the workshop on Saturday, they could bring it with them?’
‘Of course they can, I was just about to suggest it. It’s taken me longer than I thought to help Carey finish his inventory of the house, but I’ll be down at the workshop first thing on Saturday, starting to clean it up, though it needs the plumbing and electricity updating first, really. I’m off to get gallons of white paint, rollers, brushes and cleaning materials later today, so I’m ready for action!’
‘I’ll follow them up in the car, because I’ve some apple pies and a batch of pasta sauces to put in Carey’s freezer, but then I’ll have to dash off to do the rest of my deliveries.’
‘OK – you’ve got your key to the back door now, so if no one is aboutyou can just let yourself in and we’ll have a catch-up when you’ve got a bit more time.’
I finished my coffee and went out with Fang to see how they were getting on with the back gates. I was just in time to see them loading the second one into the van. Carey was holding one corner, but the other three were also big men, so I hoped he wasn’t hefting that much of the weight.
He spotted me and looked slightly guilty, but actually, apart from the slight setback of my falling on his bad leg earlier that week, he did seem to be gaining strength in it and only really used his stick when he was tiring.
Rufus’s friends, Andy and Ben, were so alike that they must be either siblings or identical twins. They closed up the tailgate and got into the cab with Rufus and we followed the van down in the buggy to the much bigger – and even rustier – front gates.
I’d thought of showing Carey the marks on the ground near the post, but when I looked, the leaves had been disturbed … Perhaps I had imagined them? There were lots of new small, round puncture marks, though, that hadn’t been there before and I had a good idea what had caused those.
The round stone ball from the top of the column still lay at the side of the drive and it was at least handy to sit on while I watched them struggling to detach the first gate from its corroded hinges.
They were just about to lift it off when I heard a rattle and clunk behind me and turned to see the improbable vision of Vicky teetering down from the Lodge, carrying a tray of mugs and a packet of custard creams. She was a very unlikely tea lady.
She ignored me, and addressed herself to the unresponsive backs of the men. ‘I saw you were all busy and thought you’d be dying for a cuppa!’ she cried gaily, which I translated as her being so consumed with curiosity that she’d had to think up an excuse to come out.
The only reply she got was a Neanderthal grunt or two, because at that crucial point they were too involved in what they were doing to register anything else.
‘Lower your end carefully, Andy!’ Rufus said. ‘Now, let’s swing it down a bit so we can lean it against the gatepost for a minute.’
Vicky pouted disconsolately, so I got up and took one of the mugs, which was filled with such watery-looking tea that I immediately regretted it.
‘Is that the stone ball that fell off the gatepost?’ she asked as I re-seated myself. ‘Dad told me and I was horrified, because it could have hit anyone!’
‘It nearly hit Carey, that’s for sure,’ I said. ‘I’m surprised the thud it made hitting the ground didn’t spark off a small earthquake. Didn’t you hear anything?’
‘I wasn’t here. I’d gone into Ormskirk for some shopping and to get my nails done.’
She twiddled them: they were a sparkly greenish blue.
