Page 88 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘Perhaps when you do, she will understand.’
‘Perhaps. But I don’t want her to feel pressured into anything. Fate brought this child to us. It wasn’t something we planned and I don’t expect Nora to sacrifice her independence when that means so much to her. It has to be her decision.’
‘So what do you propose? You want me to move out into the cottage?’
The cottage had long been rented out on the assumption that it would never be needed as it grew increasingly unlikely that Archie would get married. He had no intention of asking Constance to leave Croftwood Court. But otherwise, he had no plan until he and Nora could settle things more definitely.
‘Your home is here. There is no question about that. I don’t know yet what our arrangements will be, but you must realise that it’s a possibility that we may live here. Married or not.’
Constance looked at him as if she may say something about that but thought better of it. He certainly hoped she was in no doubt that her feelings on the situation were not to be aired in front of Nora.
‘It’s your house to do with as you wish,’ she said. ‘I will respect your decision, whatever that may be.’
‘Thank you. Right, I must go. I have a meeting with the planning officer.’
He took a deep breath as he left the room and headed straight out of the front door, striding towards the estate office, trying not to worry about how much he might have upset his mother. He was in no doubt that he’d done the right thing. He had to put the needs of his family first. And his family was Nora and the baby now.
Seb and Ben were waiting in the courtyard outside the estate office.
‘Morning,’ he said to both of them.
‘Morning,’ said Ben. ‘I was just explaining to Seb that because your planning application is still in progress, we can change the classification of this building without delaying the outcome. Having said that, I know you have an opening date at the beginning of June pencilled in for the lake. I’m afraid I think that may need reviewing.’
‘Why’s that?’ Seb asked.
‘It was always at the quick end of the timescale,’ Ben said. ‘The concerns around the parking held things up. That’s ironed out now, since you submitted the additional information on how you’ll provide parking in the grounds, but it’s added a couple of weeks to the process.’
‘It can’t be helped,’ said Archie. ‘But this change of use for the stables is extremely important. Even if it delays the application, I want to do it.’
‘No problem. Talk me through what you’re thinking.’
Archie had a very clear plan in his mind. He would renovate the old stables into a house for him and Nora. It was a stone’s throw from the main house so he was still on hand for Constance. It would give them the flexibility to keep her company but to have their own space. A space he hoped Nora would feel as hers as much as his. Somewhere she could put her own stamp on and turn into a home.
‘And the estate office, I’d like to turn that into a workshop,’ he said to Seb’s surprise. ‘I don’t need an office. I can use one of the rooms in the house.’
‘There’s plenty of room in the roof space over the other side. You can have an office next to me,’ said Seb.
‘What kind of workshop?’ Ben asked.
‘A pottery. I’d want to glaze both ends of the walkway and knock that through to where the office is now. I think the drying room and the kiln could go in there. Nora would have to finalise what she wants, if she even agrees, but from what I’ve seen of where she works now, I think it would work.’
‘I can’t see any problem with that. A renovation like this is more to do with the materials you’re going to have to use to comply with the building regulations for a building of this age, but I expect you’re used to that.’
‘I am.’
‘It sounds like an expensive business, this renovation. How are you going to pay for this?’ Seb asked after Ben had gone and they were having a cup of tea in the office.
Archie didn’t mind in the least that Seb had asked. He was the only person aside from Nora who knew the full extent of the Court’s finances. Or lack of them.
‘I’m going to sell the fish from the lake and I’ve asked the auctioneer who sold the vase to come round and value what we have. We ought to be doing it regularly for the insurance, so as far as my mother knows, that’s all it is. I’ll have the discussion with her once I know what I might sell.’
‘Blimey, Arch. I’ve never seen you so driven.’
Archie shrugged. ‘I have no choice. I have to provide for my family and that means solving the biggest problem, which is where we’re going to live. I only hope Nora thinks this is an appropriate compromise.’
That evening was the highly anticipated anniversary showing of The Breakfast Club at Croftwood Cinema. Nora’s enthusiasm for it had waned in the face of the pregnancy, which she was finding exhausting. But Archie knew she’d been looking forward to it, and all they had to do was turn up and watch the film. She could sleep through it if she wanted to.
He’d found an old coat of his father’s which was too big for him but which when paired with an old check flannel shirt gave him the Judd Nelson vibes he was after. He drove round to Nora’s in the Jag and let himself in.
