She took his clasped hands and cupped them within hers.
‘I know you are, and I’m really flattered, but I’m not going to let you do that.’
She reached up and held her hand against his cheek.
‘One day you will meet someone who is worthy of your love and who won’t let you down.’ She stood up before dipping down to kiss him on the cheek. ‘One day you’ll look back and think you had a lucky escape with me.’
And she turned her back on him and walked out as quickly as she could so he wouldn’t see the tears beginning to stream down her face.
Beulah’s bags were packed and by the front door when she returned to the cottage.
‘Oh, my darling girl. What has happened?’
Jules couldn’t explain so she let Carrie do the talking and just listened. She felt desperate, even more desperate than when Carrie had first brought her here such a short time ago. But she was doing the right thing. She was definitely doing the right thing.
‘I got a call while you were out,’ Beulah explained. ‘My audition has been brought forward, but I’ll call and tell them I can’t make it.’
‘No, don’t do that,’ Jules said. ‘You must go, Mum. This is important to you.’
‘But you are more important.’
‘I’ll be fine. I’m leaving tomorrow myself.’
‘Why don’t you come with me now?’ Beulah said. ‘You can get a train to Manchester from London.’
It was tempting, but Jules shook her head. She looked around. She needed a little more time here on her own.
‘I want to visit Rita this afternoon and check how she is.’
Beulah looked unconvinced.
‘I’ll stay with her tonight,’ Carrie reassured.
‘And you’ll call me tomorrow?’ she asked Jules. ‘When you get back to Manchester? I really don’t like to think of you going back there on your own.’
‘I don’t either,’ Carrie said, ‘so I’m going to go with her and stay for a couple of days.’
‘Oh no, you’re not,’ Jules said.
‘Oh, yes, I am,’ Carrie replied, ‘and I’m not going to take no for an answer.’
‘It feels so quiet,’ Jules said, when Beulah had finally gone, after several false starts because she’d forgotten shoes and hats and to give Jules an extra kiss for protection.
‘She certainly brings a certain amount of chaos with her, your mum,’ Carrie said, as she prepared some sandwiches for a light lunch.
‘It sounds almost wrong to say it, because of what’s happened, but it has been good to have her here.’
‘I’m pleased.’
Carrie stopped spreading a little French mustard on the sourdough bread and looked around the kitchen.
‘I think the house is pleased that she’s gone.’
‘How strange you should say that. I think so, too. After we found the baby there was so much turbulence in the atmosphere, all of that peacefulness which makes this a special place disappeared, but after Mum and Jo made the shrine, it’s started to come back. There is forgiveness in the air.’
‘And we all need a little more of that,’ Carrie replied.
HELP
