Page 53 of The Garden of Forgotten Wishes
‘I must read that chapter in Elf’s book,’ I said, thinking that it was even more important that I keep my much closer relationship to the Vanes a secret.
I wondered how many generations ago this elopement had taken place and, suddenly, Ireallywanted to go home and read that story!
‘I suppose I should be heading back,’ I told Ned.
‘Stay and have one last drink with me first,’ he urged. ‘The great thing about going out in Jericho’s End is that no one cares if I was on the telly or not, or thinks I did any of the stuff in the papers … possibly excepting Wayne.’
I sincerely hoped he didn’t spot the couple at the corner table, who were still covertly watching him, as if they expected him to stand up and perform magic tricks any second.
‘I’m just Ned Mars from the Hall, who they’ve known for ever – even before my parents were killed, because I spent most of the school holidays here.’
‘When the garden opens, there’s bound to be some publicity and your name will be linked with it,’ I felt compelled to warn him. ‘I expect it’s already on the website?’
He grimaced. ‘Yes, and I expect there will be some curiosity seekers who come to goggle at me, not the garden, but there were lots of lovely people who supported me and didn’t believe any of that muck the tabloids raked together, and they’ll probably be interested in what I’m doing now.’
‘I should useanypublicity to increase visitor numbers, since it’s bound to happen anyway,’ I suggested. ‘Eventually it’ll all be forgottenand only genuine people, interested in gardens, and holidaymakers doing the rounds of the local attractions, will visit.’
‘It wasn’t possible to hide totally anyway, because my name was still on my Little Edens website. But I’m going to stay out of camera shot as much as I can.’
‘Me, too. You might recall I never wanted to be on camera in the old days at Honeywood and Icertainlydon’t now.’
He grinned. ‘You were the most reluctant extra ever in that documentary! But are you still camera shy, or are you afraid your ex will spot you? Didn’t you tell me he’d married again?’
‘Yes, and I’m sure he’s long since lost any interest in knowing where I am. It’s just that, however illogical it might be, I’d prefer that he didn’t know.’
‘I can understand that,’ he said, and somehow, over another drink, we found ourselves opening up to each other about our past experiences with unreasonably jealous and controlling partners.
I told him how ashamed I’d felt that I, an independent – not to say spiky and determined – character, came to be sucked into a coercive relationship because I’d only gradually realized what was happening.
‘At first – well, I thought we were in love and it took time to build a relationship. And it did, but not the sort of relationship I’d had in mind,’ I said. ‘He managed to alienate me from my friends and even from my family for a time – except Treena. And she discovered his first wife had killed herself and left a note blaming him.’
‘I can understand why it took a while to wake up to what was happening,’ he said, ‘because my relationship with Lois started out fine, but she slowly got more and more jealous, so that I couldn’t even speak to another woman without Lois making a scene. If I even showed the slightest sign I was enjoying myself at a party or something like that, she’d say she felt ill and insist we go home.’
He looked sombrely down at his glass, remembering. ‘And when I was off on location for the series with the team, she was constantly ringing and trying to check up on me. She kept threatening if I broke up with her she’d kill herself.’
‘Mike didn’t do that, though he was perpetually ringing me at work, too, or just turning up and getting in the way. He threatened to blacken Treena’s professional reputation if I left him, too. But those threats your partner made to harm herself must have made it really difficult. And then she set that private eye on you.’
‘Not to mention the press, as a grand finale,’ he said drily. ‘In retrospect,Ifeel stupid for letting it go on so long, too.’
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing,’ I agreed, ‘but at least we’ve learned our lesson. We both realized we needed to go back to our roots and start again.’
‘True, and since we’re both gardeners, quite literally back to our roots!’ he said. ‘Here’s to us!’
We clinked glasses and his amber eyes were warm and friendly again, so that I was sure any last lingering doubt about me had long since vanished.
But deep inside, a little worm of guilt squirmed because there was something about me that, if he knew, might well bring back that look of mistrust …
I squashed it down: why should he ever find out? Why shouldanyoneknow?
We walked back over the bridge to the now familiar sound of the water rushing through its narrow channel and then cascading down into the pool.
Other than the occasional slam of a car door and an engine being started, or the distant plaintive bleat of a sheep, all was quiet. The sudden, silent, ghostly white swoop of a huge owl nearly sent me over the parapet, though, and Ned grabbed my arm.
‘Is that a lucky sign?’ I asked, slightly shakily.
‘I expect so. It’s lucky for you you didn’t go over.’
We parted in front of the café – asking him back for coffee might have sent him all the wrong messages, and undermined our newly forged relationship – and besides, I really wanted to read that chapter on the Lordly-Grace family scandal!
