Page 36 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘Could you sell those?’ It felt cold-hearted to suggest it, but better that than him losing the Court. ‘Surely that would pay for the roof and the development of the lake and more.’
‘They’re the last of our assets. The one flat gives Mama an income and the other we keep for the family to use. My sister, Betsy, lives there at the moment.’
It seemed to Nora that Archie was fighting to keep everything as it was for his mother and sister and they, probably unwittingly, were taking advantage of him.
‘Could your sister pay rent? Then that would be an income for your mother and you could then sell at least one flat.’
Archie shook his head. ‘I can’t ask her to do that when I live here rent free. It wouldn’t be fair.’
‘Archie, it’s hardly free. You’re paying your way by being the one who’s holding all of this together. For them. And that might be okay in the good times but these are tough times for you. You need to be honest with your family and ask them to help you. I’m sure they would if they knew what the alternative was.’
‘That’s just it. The alternative is unthinkable. That we might lose the estate on my watch is unthinkable. It’s my solution to find. I just haven’t thought of it yet.’
When he looked at Nora, the desperation and sadness on his face made her heart ache for him. ‘I’ll help you. At the very least, let me help you get the swimming lake up and running. Let’s have a meeting with Seb and we’ll make a plan. We should aim to be open by the first week in June.’
Archie frowned. ‘I don’t think we can. If the planners are involved it’ll take some time.’
‘Best that we get started now then.’
15
‘SEB’S FREE FOR a meeting today, if you’re available,’ Archie said the next morning as he strolled around the lake, keeping Nora company as she swam. It had very quickly become a habit. One that he looked forward to immensely. Every day he watched for signs that Nora might be tiring of him, and even though he wasn’t terribly confident about what form a sign like that might take, he didn’t think there had been one.
Tatty’s morning swim was over, and she was asleep on the island while she waited for Archie. The dog still hadn’t cottoned on that perhaps it’d be better to sleep on the shore and avoid the need to get wet again.
‘Brilliant,’ Nora said, looking up at him and smiling. ‘I can’t wait to make a proper plan. It’s so exciting.’
Archie wished Nora’s enthusiasm would rub off on him a little. He was struggling to imagine his fortunes turning that quickly. And the investment he knew would be required; he had no idea where that was going to come from, because while he knew Nora was simply biding her time until she broached the subject of a bank loan again, it wasn’t something he could bring himself to undertake. It would be another bill to pay. Another debt weighing him down. He had to find another way.
‘Mama asked me whether you’ve chosen a book for the book club yet?’ It had come as a shock that Nora had been the woman his mother had tried to set him up with. He discovered it from Nora, rather than his mother, who hadn’t remembered the name of her delightful book date, but was thrilled that she and Archie agreed Nora was the perfect match. Archie tried not to think about that. He liked Nora too much to be put off because his mother had recommended her to him and vice versa, and it wasn’t ideal for Constance to think she had played any part in it.
‘I’m going to the library after this,’ Nora said. ‘Well, after I’ve showered and warmed up. What time shall I come back for the meeting?’
‘Would eleven be alright? In the estate office?’
‘Yes. That’s through the main gates?’
‘And follow the road around until you get to a courtyard on your right. It’s the old stables. You can’t miss it.’
Once Nora was out and dry, they shared her flask of tea; they’d started taking it in turns. And even though the chairs were underneath the dock now, they preferred to sit in their usual place, feet dangling over the water, side by side.
‘It’s starting to feel warmer in there now,’ Nora said, nodding towards the lake. ‘And look, everything’s starting to grow again around the edges. I think we’ll have to do some clearing up around the perimeter. Get the dead leaves and grasses cleared so that it looks smarter.’
‘I could ask the gardeners to spend a day down here,’ Archie said. ‘They’d have it shipshape in no time.’
‘We’ll need to build some steps into the water as well. It’s better if people can get in slowly rather than having to launch off the dock.’
‘I think they could probably help with that, too. They can turn their hand to just about anything.’ If he could use the gardeners, who he was paying anyway, it would save money.
‘Do you think they’d be able to clear that hedge if we needed to?’ Nora asked.
‘They could. And we have an old wood chipper in the sheds. We could make paths with the chippings.’
‘Good idea. See? It’s all coming together and we haven’t even had the meeting yet.’
‘Are you sure you have time for this?’ Nora was busy. She’d been in Stoke every day this week and he thought it odd that by fortunate coincidence she had today free.
‘It’s one of the perks of having my own business. I’m between commissions, all the decisions about the Christmas lines have been made and we’re in production. There’s nothing that can’t wait.’
