Page 120 of The Garden of Forgotten Wishes
She stared at me for a moment, kettle in hand, then said, ‘Not surprised. Who would want to admit they were related to that shower?’
But then she added that she remembered Martha as a sweet girl, and she wouldn’t hold my bad blood against me.
Then she said that it was a good day when I arrived in the valley, because I’d certainly cheered Ned up no end, and I could feel myself blushing so made my escape.
I’d left her to pass the news on to the others – and anyone else sheliked. Saul might never mention it again, but I’d be surprised if Wayne could keep anything secret for more than five minutes.
When Ned returned from his mission to Lavender Cottage, he said Myfy had been there with Elf, so he’d told both of them and, although shocked about what happened to poor Lizzie, they’d taken the news of my identity in their stride.
And later, after another wonderful Sunday dinner, Elf said she’d had a slight suspicion about me at the back of her mind, ever since she’d told us about Martha Vane the other day. She’d realized I had the same unusual shade of light blue-grey eyes, the irises ringed with black, that Martha had had.
‘And your face is heart-shaped just like hers was,’ she finished.
I confessed the lengths I’d gone to, to conceal it from everyone, which now seemed slightly ludicrous … except my trip to Cross Ways Farm.
‘Saul thought Marnie had realized she was entitled to some of his parents’ estate and had come here under another name to check out what there was,’ said Ned. ‘But Marnie doesn’t want anything to do with them, or their farm. I’ll have to go and have a talk with the old fool.’
No one seemed to find Ned taking on this task for me at all surprising, even when he said, ‘I’ll get a solicitor to draw up some kind of legal document for Marnie to sign, giving up her rights to any inheritance.’
‘I wish I could get rid of my relationship to them as easily,’ I said ruefully. ‘It came as a bit of a shock to Ned.’
‘But finding that missing page of the letter and realizing I was descended from someone a whole lot worse than any of the Vanes put things in perspective,’ Ned said wryly.
‘Yes, and you and Marnie must be distantly related through Lizzie,’ Gerald said thoughtfully.
‘We know – it’s weird, but it is very distant,’ agreed Ned, and smiled at me, making me feel warm all the way through to my toes.
When finally I tore my eyes away from his, I found all the others looking at us with interest.
‘We don’t care whether you’re a Vane or not, dear,’ said Elf. ‘We’re just pleased that Ned is so much happier since you arrived.’
I blushed and Ned said cheerfully, ‘Who wouldn’t be happy, with a professional gardener working for them for a pittance?’
‘Andperks,’ I said, before I could stop myself.
37
Blast from the Past
For some reason, Elf broke out two bottles of elderflower champagne after dinner, though none of the revelations seemed the kind of thing to celebrate.
But it was lovely, even if the alcohol did finish me off – too little sleep, too much excitement and quite a bit of digging in the garden.
Though Ned came up to my flat for coffee … and a snuggle on the sofa – or maybe that should be astruggleon the sofa, since a large, hairy and disgruntled cat kept trying to insert itself between us – he could see I was practically asleep on my feet and didn’t stay late.
‘Tomorrow, we’ll get the ground round the long beds ready for the new turf,’ he promised, as if offering me a treat.
‘I can hardly wait,’ I said. ‘But if any of those old roses turn up, you’ve had it till I’ve put them in.’
‘It’s a deal,’ he said, and, kissing me again, went off home.
Caspar seemed delighted to have me all to himself once more, but he was going to have to learn to share.
A good night’s sleep worked wonders and the next day I was so full of euphoria born of relief and happiness that after a morning’s digging and raking, I practically floated across the courtyard towards the Potting Shed in search of lunch, wondering what Gertie would have put in the sandwiches.
The inner woman was unromantically ravenous: preparing the groundaround the new long plots had been hard work, especially since Ned had had to go back to the office an hour or so earlier.
I’d sort of half noticed a knot of people at the ticket office window, but it was only when a hand grabbed my arm and swung me round that I realized I knew one of them. Enclosed in my bubble of joy, it took me a moment to register who it was.
