Page 35 of The Village Midwife
‘Depends how many pods he’s building. A dozen or so, I daresay we could cope and there wouldn’t be too much bother, but if it’s more than that…’ Corrine poured hot water into the teapot. ‘I expect we’ll find out soon enough. If he wants to put pods on his land, it’s a free country, and nobody here can stop him. Doesn’t mean they have to like it, though.’
‘Doesn’t he have to get planning permission?’ Ottilie asked.
‘I would have expected him to have done that before he started announcing his plans to everyone,’ Corrine said. ‘It’s a bit daft if he didn’t.’
‘He doesn’t strike me as someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing,’ Zoe said. ‘He ran a holiday villa in Spain until a few months ago.’
Stacey sat to attention. ‘Did he? How do you know that?’
‘He told me.’
‘So he knows a thing or two about tourism. That’s interesting.’
‘Is it?’ Ottilie asked.
Stacey turned to her. ‘Don’t you think so?’
‘I don’t know what it means. Does it mean he knows how to do this without annoying everyone in the village, or does it mean he knows how to do it sustainably, or does it mean he’s out to make a fast buck and will fill Thimblebury full of holidaymakers every summer? We don’t know any more than we did a minute ago, other than he’s done this sort of thing before.’
Stacey folded her arms. ‘You really know how to kill a vibe, don’t you?’
‘Oh,’ Zoe cut in, grinning, ‘she’s always been like that. Want to indulge a wild theory? Don’t worry, Ottilie will shoot it down for you.’
‘I don’t do that!’ Ottilie huffed. ‘You make me sound so boring!’
‘You’re the sensible one – that’s all I meant. Even you have to admit you’re the first person to inject some sanity into the daftest speculation – always have been. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.’
‘So,’ Ottilie said, choosing not to address Zoe’s dubious compliment, ‘he’s moved here from Spain? And it’s just him and his daughter?’
‘As far as I know,’ Zoe said. ‘Billie’s mum died…’ As soon as she’d said it, Zoe wished she hadn’t. It wasn’t exactly confidential information, but it had been shared with her during a clinic appointment. ‘Please don’t spread that around the village,’ she added. ‘I’m not sure it’s common knowledge.’
‘I won’t say a word,’ Corrine said, though it was clear from the expressions on their faces that all three women wanted Zoe to share more. She wasn’t worried about trusting them, but things often slipped out when people didn’t mean them to. If information she’d been given at clinic became gossip in the village, Billie might think she was the culprit and never share anything with her again. Zoe couldn’t allow that to happen, and so she decided that was all she was going to give out for now. If Billie or Alex wanted people to know their circumstances, then they would let them know, and it wouldn’t come from Zoe.
‘I have to say’ – Corrine lowered her voice – ‘that Alex. He’s easy on the eye…’
Ottilie’s mouth fell open, and Stacey burst out laughing.
‘Corrine! You little madam! Better not let Victor hear you say that!’
‘Well…’ Corrine blushed. ‘I’m only human – how could I not notice?’
‘I’m surprised at you for looking,’ Stacey said.
Ottilie let out a giggle. ‘Ignore her, Corrine. I noticed too. Of course, I’m madly in love with Heath so there’s no contest, but even I’ve had alittlelook.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers,’ Stacey said.
‘You’re spoken for too!’ Corrine replied with a half gasp, half laugh.
‘I know, but like Ottilie says, no harm in looking, is there?’ She turned to Zoe. ‘Looks like it’s on you, as the only singleton here. You’ll have to take him on.’
‘God no!’ Zoe said, reaching for her cup. ‘Another man is the last thing I need right now. I can’t get rid of the one I’m divorcing without taking on anyone else.’
‘He’s still hassling you?’ Ottilie asked, her expression now one of sympathy.
‘Not hassling, exactly,’ Zoe replied, though she certainly felt hassled. ‘But he’s around…makes his presence felt…’
‘Turns up when he’s not wanted,’ Ottilie finished for her.
