‘You haven’t thought this through, have you? It’s all over social media and you’re public enemy number one in Hartfell right now.’ His anger had abated to a weary disbelief and somehow that felt even worse as he huffed out a long, harassed breath. ‘You just don’t give a toss.’
‘I’m so sorry. I had no idea,’ she whispered, wondering how – if – she could even put her colossal mistake to rights.
Gil straightened up and at the door he turned, Lola at his heels. ‘And that’s just it, isn’t it? Because you can’t wait to swan off back to your London life and leave all this behind. People live here, Pippa. They love living here. And you’re a part of this place, even if you don’t realise quite how much.’
After he’d left, she pulled out a chair and flopped onto it, head in her hands. She had been guilty of assuming the show didn’t much matter, and that the few locals who bothered with it would find another venue easily enough – there was a whole village green, after all. She went outside and walked through the garden to the field, staring at the chaos left behind when she’d halted proceedings. There was only one thing she could do, so she used the key Elaine had given her and let herself into the vets.
Logging into the Wi-Fi, she brought up Facebook, the colour draining from her face when she found the show’s page. Alongside the previously jolly posts about all there was to look forward to on Saturday, a new one had gone up this afternoon, suggesting the day was in doubt due to an issue with the landowner, and some of the comments made Pippa cringe. She took a deep breath and messaged Cassie, hoping her friend would put her considerable PR skills to use and post Pippa’s apology for her.
Cassie came straight back with a promise to help, and after fifteen long minutes of mindful breathing, Pippa picked up her phone again and returned to the show’s page. Comments were pouring in on the new post and amongst the relief, there were still a few angry for the confusion, which she supposed was only to be expected. She really needed something to make up for her mistake, an apology and offering to help in some way wasn’t going to be enough. She called a familiar name in her phone, holding in tears when her brother finally picked up.
Afterwards, she placed a call to the haulage company, promising compensation if they could return first thing and deliver the seating they were meant to drop off earlier. They agreed, bemused by the about-turn, and in the morning, she was there to greet them. The team who’d been setting up yesterday had also returned, and she nipped down to the village shop to bring everyone freshly made bacon butties. It seemed she would be playing goodwill catch-up for some time yet, and they were decent enough to accept her apology and get on with their work.
‘I see you didn’t bring one back for me.’
Pippa looked up to see Gil returning from a walk with Lola, who was snuffling in a patch of long grass beneath a hedge. He glanced at the huddle enjoying their impromptu breakfast and she checked her phone for the latest from Raf. Signal sometimes popped into range out here and she was hoping to hear from him.
‘I didn’t bring one for me either,’ she told him as he halted nearby, Lola’s unattached lead in one hand now that the sheep had been temporarily removed.
‘That’s different. You’re a vegetarian. Or a vegan. We never did establish which.’
‘Does it matter?’ She read the new message from Raf, and it produced a dazzling smile she inadvertently turned on Gil. He blinked, and she wondered if the sun was in his eyes. Sunglasses were pushed into his blond hair, and he pulled them down. ‘It’s not as though you and I are ever likely to share a meal.’
‘I guess not.’ Lola ambled over and he bent to make a fuss of her. She wagged her tail and transferred her attention to Pippa, who enjoyed the quiet pleasure she found in making Lola happy.
‘Look, Pippa, I was pretty angry about the show yesterday and I’m sorry I came down so hard on you.’ He lifted a hand to their surroundings, the resumed activity and people working to get the show back on track. ‘What you’re doing, this, it’s very decent of you.’
‘Not really, you made that clear last night. But I hope everyone will still have a good day and I haven’t ruined things completely.’ She bit her lip. Maybe this would be the very last Hartfell village show held here. Next year, Home Farm would be in the hands of new owners, and she wondered if Gil was thinking of that too, as his eyes narrowed on hers.
‘Are you coming to the show?’
‘Why? Are you planning to ban me?’ She’d prefer to be miles away given the chaos she’d caused, but she couldn’t avoid it, not now with Raf on board as well.
‘Don’t think there’s any point, I reckon you’d turn up anyway.’
She stared at him, unable to read his expression behind the polarised glasses, and she’d had enough of fighting. It was exhausting and she wasn’t used to it, much preferring diplomacy and treading carefully to keep the peace in her world. Instead, she laughed, and Gil’s lips twitched before widening into a grin.
‘I was going to ask if you’d be helping on our stall, seeing as Elaine can’t make it.’
‘Your stall?’ Pippa squinted at him, wondering if the sun had gone to his head. ‘Doing what?’
‘Greeting clients, maybe charming a few new ones as I’ll likely be busy with the farmers. Somehow I think you’d be much better at that than me.’
‘You’d trust me to do that?’ She was searching his face for signs of sarcasm or an imminent put-down. ‘Aren’t you worried I’d try and sabotage your reputation or your business?’ She hadn’t yet called either of the two land agents she’d found yesterday; she was planning to do that later on.
‘I think my reputation as a vet is secure and the business is doing okay. So is that a yes or no?’
‘It’s an “I’ll think about it.”’ She wasn’t about to commit to anything else involving Gil. It was quite enough, seeing him at the practice or around the yard every day, with both of them trying to avoid catching one another’s eye. ‘I have other things to do.’
‘Yeah? Like what?’
Like getting Raf settled and sorted for one, but Pippa wasn’t going to reveal that. She wasn’t used to Gil smiling in her direction, never mind prepared to share her plans with him. Someone was beckoning her over his shoulder. ‘You’ll have to excuse me, I think I’m needed elsewhere.’
‘Mum? MUM?’
‘What?’ Pippa was in her bedroom, debating whether to unpack her clothes and hang them in the ancient and musty wardrobe or carry on living out of her case until they went home again. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Can you come downstairs?’ A tap on her door was followed by it bursting open and Harriet charging in. ‘Gil wants a word with you.’
