The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part One_New beginnings Read online

'Oh, deary me. It's wood. There's a Range in the kitchen that provides hot water and heating. Do you know how to cook on a Range, deary?' She smiled at Mia. 'I'll show you if you don't.' Without waiting for a response, she returned her attention to Garrick. 'You'll find a woodshed in the garden. Let me show you, deary.'

  'Thanks, but I'm sure I'll find it,' Garrick said, smiling at Hettie. 'And we can manage the Range. You don't want to make Prince Gustav wait for his tea. We know where you are if we need any help.'

  'Garrick's right,' Mia added. 'Please don't make Prince Gustav wait on our behalf. A prince should never be kept waiting and we'd feel terrible.'

  'Yes,' Ella said. 'We'll walk out with you and start unloading the van. Now we know we have heating and a wood supply, we really should get started.'

  'If you're sure, my dears.' Hettie allowed herself to be ushered outside, somewhat reluctantly but she turned on the walkway and poked a finger directly at Garrick's chest. 'And you needn't worry, you gorgeous boy. There're one or two single girls around here too. Unless of course you're also interested in the men, which is fine, but I don't think anyone in the village is gay. Although many of us think the vicar may be in the closet. He's definitely hiding something under that cassock and I'm certain his holier than thou demeanour is purely an act.'

  Ella choked on a laugh. 'Well, that puts a whole new light on my vicar and tart jokes, doesn't it?'

  Mia nudged her with an elbow and smiled at Hettie. 'Thank you for your help, Hettie. And for all the information. It was lovely to meet you. Say hello to Prince Gustav for us. He's a cat, I assume.'

  'Oh no, my dear. What made you think that? Prince Gustav isn't a cat. He's a rat. A darling white rat. I was going to bring him with me but I wasn't sure you'd be pleased. Some folks are funny about rats, you know, deary. You must pop round and meet him once you've settled in.'

  'Thanks. I'll do that,' Mia lied.

  She had just been dumped by one rat. She was in no hurry to meet another.

  Chapter Four

  Knowing that she had inherited – or would inherit – not just Sunbeam Cottage but also its contents meant Mia didn't have to bring much of her own furniture, which was just as well, because she didn't own very much. What little she wanted to take with her had fit snugly into Garrick's van and her boxes and boxes of books, into the back of her 'new' 4x4, purchased with two of the ten thousand pounds she had inherited. It was Ella who suggested buying a car might be a good idea.

  'You won't be able to hop on a tube, you know. And Mum said that lots of country villages depend on a limited bus service. They won't come along every ten minutes like they do in London, or three at a time. You'll be lucky if you see one bus a day. A car, or a bike, is a necessity if you ask me.'

  'I haven't ridden a bike since I was twelve.' Transport problems hadn't even crossed Mia's mind until Ella mentioned it but her friend's comment had worried her. She was a keen walker but having to carry bags of shopping, especially bottles of wine, possibly for miles, was not a pleasant prospect. 'I can't afford a car. There must be taxis, surely?'

  Ella had shrugged. 'Don't know. But you can afford a car. You've just had ten thousand pounds deposited in your bank account, remember? On second thoughts, you'll need one of those off-road thingies. A 4x4 or something. Garrick's home tomorrow. He can help you get what you'll need.'

  Garrick had helped. He had also managed to get the car salesman to knock five hundred pounds off the asking price so Mia got her 'pre-loved' as the dealership called it, 4x4 for a few pounds under two thousand. It was old but it had a full-service history and Garrick said it was good for its age. It wasn't as if Mia would be travelling miles in it. Just to the shops and back. And how far could they be?

  It was a stroke of luck that Garrick had decided to move back to his roots after several years living and working in Scotland. Mia knew his move had more to do with the fact that he had ended his long-term relationship with Fiona, the girl he'd moved to Scotland to be with, rather than a longing for home, but the timing couldn't have been better as far as Mia was concerned. When Ella offered Garrick's services without even asking him, Mia felt that everything was falling into place rather nicely and that perhaps this move was the start of a whole new life for her.

  Once Hettie had finally left for home, Ella grinned. 'Can you believe that? The woman is mad. Do you think all those things she said were true? And did that remark of hers about the grandmas mean that the grandmas all spent the same night with one man, d'you think? Or that they each took a turn in his bed on separate nights? And why the grandmas? Surely if the guys all look alike it'd be more likely that it was their mums who did the cheating, wouldn't it? Not the grandmas.'

  Garrick frowned. 'She didn't actually say the three men looked alike, merely that they all have the same colour hair, and anyway, you shouldn't listen to gossip. Just because three men in the village have black hair, it doesn't mean they have the same paternal ancestry.'

  'But it's a small village,' Ella protested.

  Mia lifted a box of books from the rear seat of her 4X4 and handed it to Ella. 'What I find odd is why there seems to be so many single young men in such a tiny place. Don't you think that's weird?'

  Ella gasped. 'Have you got bricks in here? Garrick, take this would you? It's heavy.'

  Garrick took the box. 'Leave the heavy stuff for me. You two can unload the bags of clothes and the suitcases. I'll do the rest.'

  Mia tutted. 'I can manage a few boxes, Garrick, even if Ella's a weakling.' She grinned at her best friend as Garrick strode towards the cottage.

  'I'm not a weakling, I'm delicate. And I don't believe in heavy lifting if there's a man about to do it for me. As for all the single guys, I suppose it is a bit strange. But I'd rather that than no young guys at all, wouldn't you? And if there's only a couple of other single girls around, that makes it even better. I know this place is miles from civilisation but I think I like Little Pondale already. I may even stay for longer than the week or two I'd planned. That's the beauty of working for ourselves. Garrick and I can move anywhere and still earn a living. You should stay too, Garrick. Just in case we need any more heavy lifting in the future.'

  Ella gave a smug smile and walked to the van to grab something light to carry. Garrick turned at the door and gave Mia an odd look. It was as if he wanted to say something but then thought better of it.

  'You're both welcome to stay for as long as you want,' Mia said. 'You can help me dig up everything I can about Matilda. I really want to know who she was and why no one in my family seems to know anything about her.'

  'As long as we don't have to actually dig up Matilda herself, I'm in,' Ella said. 'And so is Garrick, so there's no need to ask him.'

  'Thanks for organising my life, sis,' Garrick said before stepping into the hall.

  'Any time,' Ella said, and as Mia joined her at the back of the van she lowered her voice and added: 'Let's face it. He needs someone to organise it, doesn't he? He's made a complete cock-up of it so far. I told him that Fiona woman wasn't the one, but would he listen?'

  Mia tugged a suitcase on to the ground. 'At least he's back now. That's the important thing. Are you serious about staying on?'

  Ella winked. 'I need to check out the guys first. If they make the list, you'll have to kick me out to get me to leave.'

  'I'd love you to stay. Moving to the country may not be as bad as I think it's going to be but it's always good to have a friend by your side.'

  'I'll always be by your side, Mia. And so will Garrick, if you want him to be.'

  For some absurd reason, an image of her and Garrick popped into Mia's head. They were old and wrinkled, sitting side by side, holding hands on a sofa. It disappeared as quickly as it came but it threw Mia off balance for a moment.

  Did she still have those sort of feelings for Garrick? She was certain she had got over her crush on him years ago. Shortly after he met Fiona and declared his love for the woman, Mia realised Garrick and herself had no future together. At
least, not a romantic future. They'd been life-long friends and had known one another since Mia had gone to the same playgroup as Ella and Garrick, but Garrick had never shown any romantic inclinations towards Mia. Although he had once kissed her on the lips on her sixth birthday. Ella had teased him relentlessly about it for years after. But when he moved to Scotland to be with Fiona, the whole dynamic of their relationship changed. Mia had only seen him a couple of times in the last five years, mainly at Christmas and birthdays, and she hadn't felt the slightest twinge. Not after the first few times anyway. But perhaps she hadn't buried her feelings, after all.

  Mia dismissed such idiotic thoughts. What she was feeling was due to the fact that she had left behind everything she had known, and come to live in a strange place, formally owned by a woman she hadn't known existed until seven weeks ago. Her life had completely altered and she was feeling vulnerable, that was all. It was only natural that she would cling to the people and things she had known and cared for all her life.

  But when Garrick brushed past her on his way back to get more boxes, she couldn't deny the tingle that shot up her arm, nor the way the smile he gave her made her smile in return.

  Next she'd be carving little hearts on the trees, with the linked initials of M.W. and G.S. inside, just like she did as a girl.

  God forbid.

  Garrick was wonderful, handsome, kind and caring and she definitely had feelings for him. Deep feelings. But some crushes have an expiration date – and rightly so. Her rat of an ex-boyfriend might have thought Mia didn't know the meaning of spontaneity but Garrick couldn't even spell it. He never did anything until he'd weighed up the pros and cons and whys and wherefores. It had taken him more than two months to ask Fiona on a date, and several years of a long-distance relationship before he finally decided to 'take a chance' and move up North. Fiona couldn't move down South and leave her sick mother, and besides, she had an exceedingly well-paid job with one of the big oil companies and she didn't want to give that up, so for the relationship to continue he really had no choice. God alone knew at what stage Garrick had realised it was a mistake, and how long it had then taken him to decide that he should move home. He was only here now because Ella had volunteered his services without his knowledge and no matter what, he would never let his beloved sister down, or a very dear friend such as Mia. Not that any of that made him less attractive. It just somehow stopped the spark from truly igniting and consuming Mia's heart.

  But no one had ever done that. Mia had fallen in and out of love several times throughout her life so far, but there had never been that all-consuming passion, that undying love she knew her Mum and Dad had felt. And Mia wanted that. Mia truly believed in 'The One'.

  Garrick Swann simply wasn't it. She was pretty certain of that.

  No matter how much she may still fancy him.

  Chapter Five

  It took about three hours to unload Mia's belongings and Garrick did most of the work, although not all of that time was actually spent unloading.

  Mia and Ella realised that Hettie's sudden arrival had meant they hadn't checked out the rest of the cottage, so after carrying the first lot of suitcases into the hall, they went off to explore, leaving Garrick to his own devices.

  'He won't mind,' Ella said, without asking whether or not he did. 'He's happy to feel useful again. Fiona was one of those women who insisted on doing everything herself. You know the sort. They make things very awkward for girls like me who are bone idle and would rather not lift a finger unless my life depended on it.'

  Ella was joking, of course. Ella was always the first to offer to help out whenever friends or family needed anything, and she was far from bone idle. Quite the opposite, in fact. Mia glanced guiltily in Garrick's direction, then followed her friend along the hall. If Garrick needed help, he'd shout for it.

  'How come Fiona's a woman and you're a girl?' Mia asked as Ella pushed open a door leading to what was clearly the dining room. 'Isn't she two years younger than you?'

  Ella raised her eyebrows in mock shock before grinning. 'Yeah, but somehow she seems much older than us. Garrick says it's because Fiona behaves like an adult and I still think I'm a teenager. Which I am at heart, so he's right about that. And of course as she's some hot shot in the oil industry, she's really smart. I always think smart people act older, don't you?'

  Mia didn't, but she chose not to say so.

  'Why did they break up? Did Garrick tell you? You only said it was his decision but you never said why.'

  Ella shrugged. 'He's being decidedly weird about the whole thing. Every time I ask he tells me to leave it, or simply changes the subject. I need to get him drunk and then he'll spill the beans. Anyway. This is the dining room.'

  Mia laughed. 'So I see. As Garrick would say, I think the clue is in the dining table and chairs and that rather elegant, glass-fronted cupboard filled with expensive-looking crockery.'

  Ella pulled a face. 'Moving swiftly on.' She put her hands on Mia's elbows and ushered her back into the hall, towards another closed door. 'Open it.'

  Mia did, and they discovered it led into a large, cream-coloured kitchen with another door at the end which clearly led into the garden. They walked towards the door and Ella opened it on to an expanse of pale-blue-painted wooden decking. A wrought iron table and matching chairs, all painted a soft white, sat to one side of the door. To the other sat an ornate, wrought iron shelf unit, also white, and packed with pots of blooms. Beside that was a wooden bench on which multi-coloured cushions were liberally scattered. The furniture sheltered beneath a glass canopy that ran the full width of the back of the cottage. Vibrant plants tumbled from pots of various shapes and sizes sitting haphazardly around the edges of the decking. Three pale-blue wooden steps led down to a long lawn which stretched for hundreds of feet and was bounded on one side by differing species of trees and shrubs. The other side had what even Mia recognised were holly bushes, and a couple of trees bearing blossom. Maybe apple, cherry or pear. Mia had no idea about that. The lawn ended at a pale-blue fence about three feet high. Beyond that were a couple of low, sand dunes, like camel's humps, and the sea, sparkling in the final rays of the setting sun.

  'Bloody Nora!' Ella dragged her gaze from the view, to Mia, who couldn't find the words to speak. 'I'm never leaving. Sorry.'

  'Nor am I,' Mia said, eventually. 'Although I could do with something bigger and stronger than that fence between me and the water.'

  'You'll be fine. The sea's a long way off and it's got to get over those sand dunes before it smashes through your fence.'

  'Thanks.' Mia threw Ella a sarcastic look. 'That's so reassuring. But at least I know one thing about my great-aunt Matilda. The woman had impeccable taste.'

  'And bundles of dosh. This place must be worth a fortune. I've got to get Garrick to see this. Garrick!' Ella yelled at the top of her lungs and dashed out of the kitchen and along the hall, leaving Mia to gaze in awe at the sunset as it threw ribbons of differing shades of red, pink and violet across an expanse of baby blue sky.

  Moments later Garrick stood beside her. 'Holy shit,' he said, stepping outside and dropping down onto one of the chairs. 'I could sit and look at this view all day.'

  'I'll make some tea,' Ella offered. 'We can take a break and watch the sunset before we resume unloading.'

  'We?' Garrick raised his eyebrows. 'I think you mean me, don't you?' He shook his head and smiled. 'I brought a couple of bottles of champagne to celebrate Mia's new home. They're in the box I just brought in.' He went to stand but Ella put a hand on his shoulder.

  'I'll get them. You stay there.' Ella winked at him. 'You need to save your strength to do the rest.'

  'So considerate, as always.' He nodded and turned his attention to Mia. 'Well Mia, it looks like you were right. This place is a complete dump, isn't it?'

  Mia playfully slapped his arm. He was repeating what she'd said when they had started out this morning. 'Even though it looks nice on the aerial shots on Google maps, I bet
the place is a complete dump,' were her exact words. She grinned at him. 'Yep. I knew it was too good to be true.'

  'Absolutely. I don't know how you're going to be able to bear looking at this view every morning when you come downstairs for coffee. You'll so miss your old view of that bus stop and the busy streets filled with cars and buses spewing out fumes. It's clearly going to be very hard for you to adapt to country life. Not that this is really country life, is it? I mean look at it. There isn't a cow, sheep or duck in sight.'

  Their eyes met and they both laughed until a seagull swooped down and a long line of bird poo splattered the glass canopy above them.

  Ella, who was returning with the champagne and three glasses, gave a little shriek followed by a giggle.

  'That was so you don't completely lose touch with reality,' she said. 'Thank heavens there's a canopy or we'd all be wearing seagull poo right now.' She put the champagne and glasses on the table but held one up in her hand and it glinted in the fading light. 'Look at these glasses. I've seen diamonds with less sparkle.'

  Garrick popped the champagne cork and filled the glasses, raising his in the air. 'Here's to your good fortune and your new home, Mia.'

  The glasses rang out when Mia, Ella and Garrick clinked them together.

  'To you, Mia,' Ella said.

  Mia smiled. 'I still can't believe this all belongs to me.'

  'Technically it doesn't,' Garrick reminded her. 'Not until you've lived here for an entire year.'

  Ella snorted. 'That's not going to be a hardship, is it? I know we all had doubts about it and about Mia coping with life in the country, but now that we've seen the place, I think we can all agree that it'll be one long holiday. I mean, what's not to like? The cottage is everyone's dream home. The view is to die for. There's a pub just a stumble away. The village has more single men per square inch than the whole of London. And there's even a cleaner if Mia wants one. It's paradise.'

  Garrick laughed. 'Today perhaps. And possibly for a few days to come. But you're forgetting something aren't you? Unless you love the sea – which Mia doesn't, or going for long rambles, there may not be much to do around here. Personally I'd love it but you two won't last more than a week without pining for shops, theatres and restaurants. And I don't know where you'll find a Chinese or Indian takeaway, not to mention a supermarket. I didn't spot any nearby on the way here and the last town we passed through was at least fifteen miles away.'