Page 101 of The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop
She greeted people and poured them wine, and it slowly became apparent that most of Port Karadow had come to A New Chapter, to be here for the local mystery writer’s grand unveiling. There was Stu and Molly from Sea Brew, Adrian and his wife, Tillie, and Lizzy had turned up with her husband and teenage sons in tow. There were two tall, striking women who both asked for white wine, and who Ollie thought must be Finn’s actor aunt and her partner: she had looked up the cast ofEstelleafter Thea had mentioned it, and was sure one of the women was Laurie Becker.
Sylvia turned up with a woman who looked like a younger version of her, and squeezed Ollie’s arm before she’d even said anything.
‘Looks like it’s gone as you’d hoped,’ she said.
Ollie couldn’t help laughing. ‘Glad it seems that way, because I can assure you it very much has not. But I am happy with the outcome.’
‘That’s all that matters: you got here in the end.’
Ollie puffed out a breath. ‘We really did.’
Sylvia raised her glass, then let the woman Ollie presumed was her daughter lead her to a seat near the front.
Maisie, all blonde curls and sunny smile, asked for a generous pouring of red.
‘Is there anyone left at the pageant?’ Ollie asked.
‘Only the food vendors, I think,’ Maisie said. ‘Anisha’s wangled it so there’s a break in the entertainment, and then, when this is over, the choir are going to perform.’
‘Where? At the town hall?’
‘Down by the harbour,’ Maisie said. ‘It’s so pretty down there, with all the boats lit up and the stalls selling snacks.’
Ollie nodded. She’d seen it from the window.
‘It looks great in here,’ said a voice behind Maisie, and Ollie looked up to see Finn, his arm around Meredith’s shoulders, and Ben, who was wearing a beanie hat over his short hair.
‘How are you, Ollie?’ Meredith asked. ‘Everything OK?’
‘We’ve been so busy all day,’ Ollie said, pouring them all wine. ‘And I can’t believe the turnout tonight. It’s amazing!’
‘Is Port Karadow’s most famous resurrected author ready to take to the stage?’ Finn raised an eyebrow.
‘Of course,’ Ollie said.
‘And, as your friends,’ he continued, ‘do we get any sort of a clue?’
‘Absolutely not.’ Ollie gave him a serene smile, and Meredith laughed.
‘He’s just annoyed because Ben knows.’
‘And I’ve been sworn to secrecy,’ Ben said. ‘My life wouldn’t be worth living if I told you, not even now, minutes from the big reveal.’
‘Fair enough,’ Finn grumbled. ‘I won’t hold it against you. Or you, Ollie.’
‘Very generous of you.’ She grinned, then handed them glasses of wine and told them to get good seats in front of the stage.
She served Anisha and her family – her husband, her two young children and her parents – elderflower cordial, and there were a couple of fishermen she recognised from the harbour, the petite wine glasses looking dainty in their weather-worn hands.
‘Got a good crowd for it,’ Marion said, approaching the table. ‘You look wonderful, by the way.’
‘Thank you,’ Ollie replied. ‘You look gorgeous yourself.’ The older woman was wearing a shimmering silver top and black, wide-legged trousers. She looked classy and beautiful. ‘Go and get a seat at the front.’
‘I’d rather be near the back, but thank you. Everything set?’ She glanced around her furtively, and Ollie stifled a laugh.
‘As we’ll ever be.’
‘You’ll be grand. And so will Mr Bryan Mailer.’ She waggled her eyebrows, took her glass of wine and went to get a seat at the back of the room.
