Page 6 of The Village Midwife
‘How old are you then?’ the woman asked.
Ottilie stepped between them and gestured for her to take a seat, then offered introductions, even though it was clear nobodyneeded them. ‘Flo, this is Zoe, an old friend of mine from nurse training. And Zoe, this is Flo – my soon to be grandma-in-law.’
‘I’ve heard all about you,’ Zoe said. ‘It’s lovely to meet you.’
‘I’ve heard about you too,’ Flo said, eyeing her with what felt like suspicion. ‘You’re moving to Thimblebury? At this rate, half of Manchester will be here.’
‘I don’t know about any of that,’ Zoe said, catching Ottilie’s wry grin. ‘But as far as I’m concerned, I’m only visiting to see what I think.’
‘What’s wrong with it?’ Flo asked, shuffling to get comfortable while Ottilie put the kettle on to boil.
‘Nothing,’ Zoe said. ‘I mean it looks very nice. I just haven’t seen much of it yet to make up my mind whether I’d like to live here.’
‘Better than Manchester,’ Flo sniffed, leaving Zoe unable to decide whether Heath’s cantankerous grandma approved of people wanting to relocate to her village or not. ‘I’ll never understand why everyone’s falling over themselves to live there.’
‘Zoeisn’t,’ Ottilie said. ‘That’s why she’s come to look around here.’
‘Before you know it, there’ll be housebuilding all over the place and I won’t recognise a soul,’ Flo continued.
‘Of course you will,’ Ottilie said patiently. ‘Zoe’s only one more person from outside.’
‘Yes, but just you wait until the sale goes through on Hilltop Farm. Then we’ll see.’
Ottilie spun round from the cupboard where she’d been looking for mugs. ‘Hilltop? Ann’s place? She’s selling? She never said!’
‘And you go up there all the time. I did wonder why you hadn’t said anything,’ Flo replied with the merest hint of triumph that suggested she was pleased to have information that hadn’t yet reached Ottilie.
‘I go up there all the time in my professional capacity,’ Ottilie said in a tone that took Zoe a little by surprise. It was sharper than she’d heard her friend use before, but then, knowing the history between her and Flo, perhaps she oughtn’t to have been shocked. There was a strange sort of grudging friendship between the women, cemented into place by Ottilie being engaged to Flo’s grandson. Ottilie liked Flo well enough but didn’t always agree with her opinions or her attitude.
‘I thought Darryl was the patient?’ Zoe said.
‘He is,’ Ottilie replied, ‘but I do try to keep an eye on Ann too, under the radar. She’s…fragile. If you know what I mean. She has a lot to deal with, and her resilience has been tested over the last few years. So I call in every morning on a workday before I head to the surgery and see how they are.’ She turned to Flo. ‘Who told you she was selling up?’
‘Magnus.’
‘Of course…’ Ottilie poured water into the teapot and brought it to the table. ‘That’s so sad! Why is she selling?’
‘Money I expect,’ Flo said in a practical tone. ‘Isn’t it always about money?’
‘I suppose she’s been struggling for a while,’ Ottilie said thoughtfully. ‘But I didn’t think it would come to this. I’ll have to go and see her as soon as I can. I’ll miss her and Darryl so much.’
‘I’d have thought you’d be glad,’ Flo said. ‘One less job for you to do every morning.’
Ottilie frowned slightly at the suggestion and looked as if she was searching for the correct response when Zoe cut in.
‘Magnus – remind me…that’s the shop owner?’
‘Someone’s been schooled well,’ Flo said, giving her another one of those silent appraisals that Zoe was already beginning to recognise.
‘Ottilie gave me a quick rundown as we drove here.’
‘Forewarned is forearmed, right?’ Ottilie said, throwing Flo a significant look. Flo didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she turned back to Zoe.
‘Married?’
‘Who?’ Zoe asked.
‘You.’
