I was roughly halfway home when I realised with a sinking heart that I’d left Scarlett Skye behind. I chewed on my lip, toying with turning round, but I could imagine Marianne’s annoyance if I turned up on the doorstep for a second time and couldn’t face it. It hurt too much.
9
Shortly after lunch on New Year’s Eve, I finished Paulette’s patchwork quilt. I draped it over the top of the sofa cushions and spread it out before standing back to get the full effect, pride flowing through me. Definitely not a disaster. The scene was from an early spring morning with the sun rising over Derwent Water in a blue and peach sky, and ducks floating beside the wooden jetty. I opened my mouth to call for Cliff and closed it, my stomach sinking as my brain reminded me he wasn’t around anymore.
‘What do you think, Trevor?’ I asked, but Trevor was busy working on a piece of celery and not paying me the slightest bit of attention.
I folded up the quilt and went upstairs to my craft room to get a clear plastic pouch in which to store it. I hadn’t anticipated finishing it quite so soon but the strange visit to Marianne on Christmas Day had stirred up all sorts of difficult memories and confused questions. Desperate to quieten my mind, I’d thrown myself into my crafting and it had soon become a personal challenge to see if I could finish Paulette’s quilt by the end of the year. Mission accomplished. The problem I had now was what to do with the rest of my day. After each completed quilt, I always took some time off to think about my next project rather than diving straight into something new.
I could kill a bit of time by dropping the quilt off at Paulette’s house in Willowdale and perhaps pick up a sweet treat from The White Willow if they were still open. They carried a great range of cakes and tray bakes which I’d discovered could be purchased to take out as well as eat in, which was perfect for me when I couldn’t face sitting at a table on my own.
* * *
The White Willow was busier than I’d expected with at least half the tables occupied. The log burner at one end and the large Christmas tree at the opposite end of the room created a warm, cosy and festive atmosphere. Cliff was a huge fan of a Sunday morning walk followed by a full English breakfast and he’d have loved it in here but The White Willow only opened the year after he died. In some ways it was nice to visit somewhere with no connection to my husband but in other ways it made me sad because he should have still been here. Sixty-three was no age to go.
Unable to decide between the tempting selection, I purchased a slice of lemon drizzle cake, a chocolate brownie and a flapjack, figuring I could stretch out the enjoyment over a few days.
Next stop was Paulette’s house. I’d planned to park outside the village hall but there were cars everywhere so presumably there was a party on – probably a children’s one given the afternoon timing. Although there was only a single garage at Paulette’s, there was a double drive so I pulled in beside her car. As I opened my back door to retrieve the quilt, doubts set in. Was it rude to turn up at someone’s house unannounced on New Year’s Eve? I couldn’t imagine Veronica ever doing this. Although I couldn’t imagine Veronica having six days in a row during which the only conversation she had with a human was the supermarket cashier asking if she wanted a bag. To be fair, the woman who’d served me in The White Willow had been lovely but a two-minute conversation about cake had done little to stave off the intense feeling of loneliness which had cloaked me since seeing Marianne.
Deciding that being armed with a gift would make my intrusion forgiven, I grabbed the quilt and made my way to Paulette’s front door. It wasn’t like I was expecting an invitation inside – I’d just drop and go.
It took a while for anyone to answer but when the door finally opened, it wasn’t Paulette standing there. A young woman, probably in her late teens, was smiling at me. Naturally pretty with long tousled light brown hair, a wide smile and sparkly dark eyes, she looked familiar from photographs Paulette had shown me of her family so presumably she was a granddaughter, although I couldn’t say which one.
‘Hi,’ I said. ‘I’m guessing you’re one of Paulette’s granddaughters.’
‘Yes. I’m Saffy.’
‘Hi, Saffy. I’m one of your grandma’s crafting friends. Can you give her this and say it’s from Yvonne?’
I raised the bag towards Saffy but she didn’t take it, opening the door wider instead. ‘You can come in and give it to her yourself.’
‘I couldn’t impose when she has family here.’
‘It’s only me and it’s no problem. Grandma would have words if I sent you away.’
I wasn’t convinced but I stepped inside anyway and followed Saffy into the lounge. With Paulette’s vibrant dress sense and larger-than-life personality, I’d expected her home to be full of statement furniture and bright colours but it was surprisingly modern, neutral and calming in a white, grey and blue palette.
‘Grandma’s upstairs on the phone but she should be down in a minute. I was just making us a tea. Would you like one?’
‘I wasn’t planning on staying.’
She smiled at me. ‘Big plans for tonight?’
‘Gosh, no. Just me and the TV.’
‘So you must have time for a cuppa.’
‘Go on, then,’ I said, feeling quite thirsty.
I wasn’t sure what to do with myself while I waited. Saffy hadn’t said I should sit down but I could hardly wander around the room when I was here uninvited, so I stood awkwardly just inside the lounge door. The house had still been a building site when we’d viewed it and the lounge seemed bigger than I remembered.
When Saffy returned with a tray of mugs a few minutes later, she laughed. ‘You are allowed to sit down, you know.’
I took my drink and had just sat down when I heard footsteps on the stairs. ‘Sorry about that, Saffy,’ Paulette called. ‘Who was at the door?’
Paulette entered the room at that point, smiling widely when she saw me. ‘Yvonne! What a lovely surprise!’
‘I’m sorry for dropping in unannounced but I wanted to bring you a gift.’ There was a table beside me with a coaster on it so I placed my drink down and picked up the package. ‘I got it finished sooner than expected.’
