Page 67 of An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street
‘Yes, I received further communication from the complainant,’ Mr Rowbotham says. ‘This time saying they’d been mistaken and there was no Japanese knotweed on site, no neglect, no plants of any concern and to disregard their original complaint.’
‘But therewasJapanese knotweed. My friend excavated it. He’s a professional gardener and removal expert.’ I throw my hand out towards the stage. Maybe if he realises that I’m trying to listen to Darcy, he’ll shut up.
‘The person was quite adamant they’d been mistaken. They actually wrote at great length about what you bring to Ever After Street and were very keen to suggest I’d be making a huge mistake if I didn’t offer you a lease renewal.’
I’m so confused. There’s Darcy in one ear and him in the other and I feel like screaming for everyone to shut up and form an orderly queue for life-changing moments. One epiphany at a time, please.
‘Does that mean you’re going to renew my lease?’ I ask, distractedly because I’m trying to listen to Darcy and Ali.
‘Mr… Known.’ Ali can’t decide on which form of address is better and seems to be testing them all out in turn. ‘Surely one of the questions you get asked most often is… why all the secrecy?Most authors use their real name or a pen name, they have websites and social media profiles where readers can connect with them, and yet, your identity has always been a closely guarded secret, and my granddaughters tell me there are entire forums on the internet dedicated to finding out who you are. Was it always intended to cause this much furore? A gimmick to get people talking about your book? Or is there something more behind it?’
‘I don’t know, Miss Platt,’ Mr Rowbotham says, but I’m already losing track ofbothconversations.
‘Something happened to me,’ Darcy says. ‘A few months before the book was published. At first I tried to get the publisher to pull the book, but they’d already invested in it and were certain it would be the start of great things. I never intended to be anonymous, but after the accident, I withdrew. I shut myself away from life and the last thing I wanted was anyone knowing my name. I didn’t want people googling me. I didn’t want anyone digging up any info about what had happened. My agent reached a compromise with the publisher – the book would still be published, but under a pen name. I didn’t want to pluck a false name from thin air and pretend to be someone I wasn’t, and my editor thought the mystery of the author would add to the ethereal other-worldly feeling of the book.’
Mr Rowbotham is still droning on. ‘I’m thinking of selling the building actually, Miss Platt. It’s getting a bit much for me. I was relieved to get shot of one when your neighbour bought his property, and now I’d like to spend more time with my wife and son, buy a motorhome and travel together…’
Please shut up. I want to hear about your wife and son and your life problems, just notnow.
‘I’d be happy to give you first right of refusal, if you wanted to put an offer in…’
On the stage, Ali is shuffling through his index cards again. ‘We’re going to take questions from the audience shortly, Mr Known, but first, I’m sure we’re all on tenterhooks to know… You’ve been exceptionally quiet in the publishing industry in recent years, but when can we expect another book from your good self?’
Darcy hesitates before he responds. ‘I’ve always thought the answer to that question would be “never”, but in the past few weeks, I’ve been feeling inspired.’ He looks directly at me. ‘Spending time around books and booklovers has reminded me of how much I used to love writing, and that’s something I never thought I’d get back again. I let down people in the industry. I owe an apology to a lot of people. I may well be in legal trouble over the contract I didn’t fulfil, but for now, the answer to that question is… maybenotnever.’
The thought of him writing again – letting himself love something he once loved again – makes my eyes well up with pride and my heart feel like it might burst with joy.
I suddenly realise what Mr Rowbotham is saying. ‘Wait, you’re asking me if I want to buy my shop?’ These are two conversations that shouldnotrun concurrently.
‘If you’re interested, Miss Platt. If you can come up with a deposit and then sort yourself out with a business plan and a mortgage, I’d be happy to sell it to you, first and foremost. You only have to look around to see how popular A Tale As Old As Time is – the council agree that it would be a welcome choice to remain in the property.’
‘I do!’ I say without a second thought. Finally, a chance to be independent, to not have to answer to someone else, but then, as it usually does, reality creeps back in. ‘But I can’t. I’ve puteverythingI have into this festival. I’ve spent everything. The shop’s budget for the next year and, if I’m honest, I’ve gone into my overdraft and my own credit card too. I’ve got absolutelynothing left to squeeze a deposit from, and I bet you won’t wait until I can?’
‘Well, now the decision has been made… I really would like to buy that motorhome sooner rather than later, I’m sure you understand. It was actually your boyfriend who persuaded me.’
‘Darcy?’ Maybe it says something that my mind goes instantly to him. We might’ve kissed earlier, but ‘boyfriend’ might be pushing it.
There’s a noise from the stage and Mr Rowbotham nods towards it. ‘No, that one.’
Instead of a civilised chat between Ali and Darcy, Rick has invaded the stage and is now standing front and centre. His beady eyes search the crowd until they fall on me. ‘Marnie, my favourite girl, come up to the front. It’s not polite to keep a gentleman waiting.’
Ali looks alarmed and Darcy has sat up straight, his arms protectively around Mrs Potts, who has gone from being calm to looking like she wants to jump off Darcy’s lap and make a run for it.
‘This isn’t a very gentlemanly thing to do,’ Ali says to Rick. ‘Please step aside, sir, we’re in the middle of something.’
I excuse myself to Mr Rowbotham and everyone else I have to squeeze past in my giant dress to make it to the front of the crowd.
‘What are you doing?’ I seethe at Rick in embarrassment. Not only is he ensuring that every single one of the two hundred pairs of eyes in this room are trained exclusively on me, but he’s come clomping right into the middle of Darcy’s cathartic moment too. ‘These people are here to listen to U.N.Known, not your theatrics. Get down!’
‘Oh, please. You’re always going on about romance books andno oneminds bearing witness to a romantic moment.’ Hedrops to one knee and produces the ring box again. ‘Do me the honour of marrying me?’
An ‘aww’ sweeps through the crowd, because they don’t know the history between us or that he’s certainly not going to get the answer they’re expecting.
I sigh. ‘I’ve said no many times. Why do you think you have the right to not accept the answer you’ve been given?’
‘Because thatBeasthas you under his spell.’ He practically spits the word and jabs a finger towards Darcy. ‘He’s pulled at your heartstrings and forced you to care about him. You’re not thinking clearly.’
‘The clearest thing I’ve ever thought is how much I despise you. Stop making a show of yourself, get down, and get out!’
