Page 96 of The Secret House of Honey and Hope

Instead, I change the subject again. “By the way, we have a surprise for you.”

She glances up at me. “What?”

I’m dying to tell her about the secret cottage down the hill, but I want Hal to be there too. “You’ll have to wait. Next week I’ll take a one-day holiday from the shop, Hal and I need to show you something in the garden. Bring Gabriel with you.”

“Okay….” She says slowly, her eyes narrowing. “How is Hal?”

He had dropped by this morning to deliver his usual coffee and croissant and told me the bank manager agreed to his additional business loan. It seems being a man, and one already approved for a mortgage, gives him more credibility than me. It’s taken three days to get his loan agreed. To celebrate, he was planning to cook me dinner tonight. But there’s more to celebrate with Pierre’s engagement.

“Actually. Why don’t you and Gabriel come round here for dinner tonight. I’ll ask Hal to come too. He’s cooking chicken.” And that would be a good way to introduce Hal to Grandad in a more relaxed setting.

“You and Hal?” She arches her eyebrows, and her dimples deepen.

She’s no fool and she must read something in my face, in my instant blush. But all she says is, “Okay, what do you want us to bring?”

“Nothing. Come at seven.”

I plan to ask Hal to get drinks and I will attempt a honey cake from a YouTube recipe.

Chapter Forty

Elodie

Just before closing, someone else drops in. Myles, dressed in a charcoal suit and silver-grey tie.

Hal should be here any time, now, and I don’t want them to meet. The last time we talked about him was me complaining about the dispute over access to the land. Add that to Myles’ historic mistrust from school days and as far as he is concerned, Hal is the enemy.

The way Hal described the theft at school, it’s clear that he didn’t realise it was Myles’ brother. If it was a theft, Hal didn’t do it, I believe him. It would have been someone else, if it was a theft at all and not just a boy losing his watch. The entire incident seems to be just one of those unresolved wrong-end-of-the-stick things that are really difficult to put right without a major rehash of the past. I am starting to agree with Hal, best to leave the past alone because rehashing it might only uncover even more trouble. If I am going to help him, then it will need to be about changing the present. And the present could do without further tension with Myles.

“Are you buying these to help me? You can’t eat that much honey all by yourself,” I say, taking the four jars from him.

“Nothing wrong with supporting a new business.” His eyes travel round the shelves. “Bee pollen? What do you use that for?”

“You can sprinkle it on salads, or desserts.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “I had no idea.”

“It’s a relatively new thing, I’m going to offer cooking demonstrations,” I say bravely. Well, okay, salad demos, I’m brilliant at salads.

“Why don’t you ask the Blue Sage Café to help?”

I’ve heard Hal mention this, he got a gift hamper from them, primarily full of herbal tea.

He sees my blank expression and explains, “It’s run by the seigneur’s wife, she’s very good. I’m sure she’ll help with all kinds of recipes, even glazed nuts and biscuits. She can make them for you in her kitchen.”

Either Myles is clairvoyant, or he’s installed spyware in my shop and has been listening in on my conversations.

“Pierre also mentioned you might be considering mead.”

Ah yes, of course. Pierre is definitely a member of the targeted-gossip network. The help-focussed information network. I wonder who else she’s called.

“No, it was just a customer, a visitor who mentioned it. But I was thinking more about marinades, glazes, and salad dressings.”

“Then Blue-Sage Café is definitely your best bet. I can talk to them, they are a huge tourist destination so if they also stock some of your products, it will drive traffic to your shop. And you can organise joint events like your tasting sessions over at the café which again will give you more exposure.”

Shame fills me. All I’ve been thinking is how to make him leave while he’s been offering me a fantastic strategy for expanding my business. I need to sell more honey; visitors and tourists would be an endless stream of new customers.

With this kind of business growth, I can pay off all the debts to Morris and Sweeny this year.

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