Page 80 of Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop
‘Just to The Merry Mermaid. It’s nothing fancy – a quick bite to eat, that’s all.’
‘Sure, I’ll do it, but you owe me one, Mum!’
‘When don’t I? How about I start making that list I keep talking about – the one where I write down every favour we’ve done each other, and we’ll see if we’ve equalled out yet?’
Molly rolls her eyes again. ‘All right, you win. What time?’
‘Eight.’
‘Okay, I’ll be ready for eight o’clock.’
‘Thank you!’
Later that afternoon I’m alone in the shop when Julian pops his head around the door.
‘Busy?’ he asks.
‘Not particularly. The warm weather may be filling St Felix with holiday-makers but they’re spending their time on the beaches not in the shops.’
‘Ah,’ Julian says, not knowing how to react to this. ‘How do you fancy dinner tonight – my treat! I have something to celebrate!’
When wasn’t it Julian’s treat? He never let me pay when we went out. As chivalrous as that was, it was also very frustrating.
‘Oh, I’m sorry I can’t … I already have other plans.’
Julian looks disappointed. ‘Ah, too late as usual. I should have known a beautiful lady such as yourself would be a popular dinner companion. I will form an orderly queue.’
‘No need for that. I’m only going to the pub with my daughter, my friend Jack and his son.’
Julian looks relieved.
‘So, what’s your big news?’ I ask. ‘Can you tell me now?’
‘I have found a property at last!’ Julian says excitedly. ‘Here in St Felix,’ he adds, in case I don’t know.
‘You have? Where?’
‘Up on the hill as you go out of town. There’s a huge house up there, bit derelict, needs a fair amount of modernising, but I can get some people in. It’ll be as good as new in no time.’
‘Do you mean the house with the blue door?’ I ask, feeling a little dismayed by this news.
‘Er … I think it has a blue door, yes. But it won’t be there long – that will have to go too. The door to your home says a lot about you, and that peeling old wreck does not say what I want it to about me at all!’
I just nod.
‘Aren’t you pleased for me, Kate?’ he asks, looking a little aggrieved. ‘I thought you would be?’
‘Of course I am. If you really do want to put down some roots here then why not buy that house? It’s one of the biggest in St Felix after Tregarlan Castle.’
‘Yes, I looked into the castle, but it seems it’s part of National Heritage now so it’s very definitely not for sale.’
I smile at him. Julian really was from a different world.
‘So when do you exchange contracts?’ I ask. ‘I assume you’ve put in an offer on the house?’
‘Hmm, that’s a slight bone of contention right now. I wanted to but the estate agent says it’s possible it might be going up for auction. He said he’ll consult with the vendors though and see what they say.’
‘Auction – really? When I was there they seemed pretty desperate for an offer …’ My voice fades out. Now I was going to have to explain why I’d been to the house.
