Page 80 of New Beginnings At Pencarrow Bay
The case was rectangular, made of faux black leather, with a canvas carrying strap and two latches– old-fashioned compared with today’s lightweight, more streamlined versions. Peggy reached in and flicked the latches, opening the lid to reveal the moulded red velour interior in which nestled the sections of her clarinet. She inhaled sharply, reached out and lightly stroked the smooth wood, ran her finger across the intricate lacing of metal keys.
Then she began lifting out the pieces, fitting them together from the bell at the bottom up to the mouthpiece. She could do this in her sleep– like riding a bike, as Paul had insisted. As she did so, she felt her mouth pucker, her bottom lip draw in across her teeth, as she anticipated the smooth touch of the clarinet in her mouth. There was still one reed left in the separate plastic box beside the case and Peggy sucked the cane as she slowly puttogether the instrument, relishing the familiar woody taste on her tongue. Finally, she slid the reed inside the ligature, lined it up exactly with the mouthpiece and tightened the screw.
She settled cross-legged on the boards, put the clarinet between her lips, then took a breath and blew. Gently at first, then with more confidence. The mellow, melancholy sound ran through her body, vibrated in her cells, filling the small attic space with the sound, her fingers quickly finding the keys as if she’d played only yesterday. It felt both intensely normal and almost surreal. To Peggy, it was bliss.
She had no idea how long she sat there– she lost time, as always, while playing. When she finally dismantled the instrument and laid it carefully back in the case, bringing it– and a chosen selection of the sheet music stored in the trunk– down from the loft, she felt a little drunk with her achievement.Why on earth did I leave it so long?she asked herself.
Nervous as she was of exposing her abilities to Paul and Cian, she knew now that she was capable. She hadn’t forgotten how to play. Shewouldplay for them, with them. Not yet– she needed practice– but soon, very soon. The thought made her smile stupidly with anticipation.
‘Wear something celebratory,’ Ted advised now, with a mischievous grin.
Peggy chose a summer maxi-dress in patterned kingfisher blue and white, which she’d bought at Kyma. Made from a floaty, lightweight georgette, it had three-quarter-length sleeves, an obi belt, and swished satisfactorily when Peggy moved. She hadn’t had occasion to wear the dressyet, but she’d fallen in love with it when she dropped in one morning to chat to Gen– unintentionally ending up trying on half the shop’s summer stock– and had been dying to test it out.
‘Wow!’ Ted breathed, when she shimmied downstairs later. ‘You look sensational.’
She blushed and twirled. ‘You like?’
‘Ilove.’
‘Okay. So now you have to tell me,’ she said, going over and smiling flirtatiously as she kissed his cheek. He grabbed her and returned her kiss, hugging her close. He smelt delicious, Peggy picking up the familiar notes of bergamot and lavender in his aftershave.
‘Uh-uh,’ Ted said, releasing her. He was looking very handsome in a white shirt with deep blue trim, which showed off his tan and his silver crew cut, and tailored navy trousers, Nike Air on his feet.
Peggy assumed they’d get into the car, or turn left out of the gate, down to the village. But Ted guided her past the car and to the right. She frowned. There were no cafés or eateries this way. Her suede sandals wouldn’t brook too much walking– the leather always rubbed her toes after a while– but she said nothing, smiling at Ted’s obvious excitement: he could hardly contain himself.
As the farm shop came into view, it was clear something was going on. There was even a car-jockey hovering, and Peggy watched as he guided a vehicle into the field adjacent to the barn.
‘Whoa, Messingers must be having a bash,’ she commented, as they drew level with the huge barn door– whence the distant sound of music and laughter emanated.
Ted, who’d said almost nothing as they strolled along the lane, now came to a halt. Grinning and still not saying a word, he turned her, then pushed her gently towards the maw of the barn.
‘Wait, Ted,wait,’ Peggy objected, slowing their progress by leaning back against his body. Suspicion was dawning, rendering her instantly terrified. ‘What’s going on?’
‘You’ll see,’ he said. ‘Come on.’
Peggy stubbornly refused to move. But she knew it was a lost cause. So, taking a deep breath, she stopped resisting. Inside, all was gloomy and dark, strangely empty. She glanced around, catching the deliciously tempting waft of barbecued meat from somewhere, making her stomach rumble– she was starving, she realized.Where are all the people?she wondered.
As she turned to Ted with another question, the back doors of the barn– as big as the front ones– were suddenly dragged open, revealing the lawn space behind.
Peggy, startled, heard the strains of Stevie Wonder, booming at full volume and echoing around the cavernous space, singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in his inimitable fashion. Before she could take in what was happening or get her breath, a crowd of people sprang into view, clapping and cheering and shouting her name. It was almost overwhelming.
Clutching Ted’s hand, she felt her cheeks burn, her face break into a grin as, slightly dazed, she began to laugh. Then Paul was by her side, waltzing her outside into the evening sunshine, singing along tunefully with Stevie.
‘Oh, my God, oh, my God,’ Peggy whispered, under her breath, as a brimming champagne flute was thrust into herhand. Then to Paul– who was grinning from ear to ear in another of his bright Hawaiian shirts– she said, ‘Honestly, Paul, what have you done? This is amazing.’
‘Ted’s idea. We thought you could do with a bit of a treat,’ he said modestly.
Sienna came up and gave her a brief hug– quite a privilege from someone so resistant to social niceties. ‘Welcome,’ she said, eyeing Peggy up and down appraisingly. ‘Good dress,’ she conceded, with an approving smile.
It seemed as if everyone was there. She spotted Gen and her dad, Jake and Bunny Pascoe talking to Tina, but she couldn’t see Emerald. She noticed Gary from the post office and his two strapping teenage sons– did he have a wife? She wasn’t sure. Gina was there with a man who must have been the boyfriend Liam had mentioned, talking to Tommy Hicks from the bakery, who had his arm round his pretty, diminutive wife, Kerry.
There must have been upwards of thirty-five people laughing and chatting on the lawn. Some were now her friends; others she knew well from daily life in the village. As Peggy greeted Quentin and Rory with hugs, she glanced around to see if she could catch Felix’s tall figure in the crowd. She was relieved to find she couldn’t. Not that Felix had done anything wrong– he was as much a victim of Lindy’s illness as she and Ted were– but, still, tonight she wanted to put all that behind her and not be reminded of the previous tormenting weeks. It felt too raw.
‘Was it a proper surprise?’ Quentin was asking, bringing her back to the present. She could see her friend was taking a childlike glee in the proceedings, his hands clasped together as he smiled up at her. ‘Or did Ted blather?’
Peggy laughed. ‘Not a word. He looked as if he was about to burst. But I had no idea what about.’
Quentin clapped. ‘Perfect! I chose the jerk chicken, by the way,’ he added proudly, waving his hand towards the industrial sized barbecue smoking away in the centre of the space, laden with sizzling, mouth-wateringly golden-brown chicken pieces. A trestle table stood alongside it, covered with a white cloth. Peggy glimpsed a tempting array of side dishes: rice and beans, grilled pineapple, mango salsa, potato salad, kale and orange salad.
