She looked anything but apologetic. Nell looked pointedly at the blond woman whose arm was wrapped around Rosie’s waist.
“Oh, this is Lulu.” She gestured at the woman next to her. “Anyway, we’ll leave you to your gardening. Oh,” Rosie said and turned back, “I meant to ask if you’ve thought any more about the book club? There’s a social tonight. I’d been thinking of going, but Lulu and I have other plans.”
Nell chose to ignore Rosie’s smutty smirk. And what was it with the Sutton women and the damn book club? “Your motherwould want me to remind you to make sure you lock up properly before you leave.”
Rosie’s lips twitched. “Yes, ma’am!”
Nell returned to the spade, still standing resolutely in the ground. When she looked up again, she was just in time to see Rosie and Lulu snogging by the open kitchen door. She gripped the handle of the spade as a surge of ridiculous and stupid jealousy coursed through her. She growled. This had to stop. What was she jealous of anyway? She knew the answer, but she wasn’t about to admit it to herself. Instead, she surveyed her garden with an analytical eye. The ivy had outgrown its space and needed a ruthless chopping before birds nested in it. That would be her next job.
Her whole body ached by the time she finished, and even a bath with lavender oil did little to soothe her tired muscles. Maybe she’d been digging with more effort than she’d realised, and certainly for longer than she’d intended. Dusk was falling, and she drew the living room curtains. Another hour and the chicken she’d put in the oven would be ready. It was time to prep some vegetables.
Free to chat?
There was a joyful thump in Nell’s chest as she read Mattie’s text.Sure.She propped her phone up on the kitchen counter so she could peel potatoes.
“Hey, sweetheart. You look cosy,” Mattie said, looking at the leggings and soft hoodie Nell had slipped into after her bath. “What’re you cooking?”
She held up a handful of carrots. “Roast chicken and veggies.”
“Yum. All of that’s for you?”
“I’m doing a plate for Ronnie too.” It was a good way of checking in on her elderly neighbour.
“See, told you you’re a sweetheart.” Mattie gave her a sly look. “Do you go the whole hog at Christmas? Turkey and all the trimmings?”
Hope flared in Nell’s chest. “Does that mean I’ll be having a guest?”
Mattie beamed. “It does. I squared it with Simon. I’ll stay with him and his family on the twenty-ninth. That gives us five days together.”
Nell jiggled on the spot. Her muscles didn’t ache so much after that news. “I’ll be counting down the days.”
“Me too.” Mattie craned her neck. “Are those parsnips?”
“They are. I’m making mash with them, because Ronnie’s teeth aren’t all that good. At Christmas, I’ll glaze them with honey and roast them.”
Mattie groaned in obvious anticipation. “I can’t wait. I had some kind of fish for dinner, and a weird cheese that tasted a bit like fudge. It’s a Norwegian speciality. I’ll bring you back some, if you like.”
“Do.” Nell’s knife tap-tap-tapped on the board as she chopped a thick parsnip. “How much longer do you think you’ll be in Norway?”
“A couple more days. Then it’ll be on to Berlin before returning to London a few days before Christmas.” Mattie ruffled her hair. “It’s full-on.”
Nell paused the parsnip chopping and studied Mattie’s face. Admittedly, the hotel room’s harsh lighting wasn’t doing her any favours, but her face had a pallor to it. Illness or exhaustion? Angie’s comment about Mattie taking old baggage on her new adventure came back to mind. Maybe Nell was reading too much into it. After all, Mattie seemed jolly enough. Whatever it was, Nell needed to tread carefully. “So is the new role working out the way you want it to?”
Mattie cricked her neck to the left. “Sort of, but it’s early days. I’m happy doing the more in-depth stuff, which is why I’m at the environmental conference here in Oslo. But the dynamic isn’t what I expected. I was hoping it’d be similar to being part of a team reporting from a conflict zone. War reporting isn’t glamorous, but there’s an urgency and camaraderie that I miss.”
Nell tried to put herself in Mattie’s shoes. There were some parallels with her own job, being part of a team that pulled together in adversity. “Is it addictive?”
“At times,” said Mattie. “The intensity isn’t for everyone, but it gives me a sense of belonging.”
“Are you homesick?” The question slipped out before Nell had a chance to censor it, and she tensed as surprise and irritation flickered across Mattie’s face.
“No. Not at all. Just...tired. I’m fine. I miss you. But I’m fine, really,” Mattie said, each word spoken staccato.
Who’s she trying to convince? Me or herself?
“Did I tell you about my mentoring session with Rosie?” asked Mattie. “It was interesting. She has clear ideas but needs to develop her judgement.”
Nell narrowed her eyes. Another change in subject. Had Mattie done it on purpose? Or was Nell looking for signs of floundering that weren’t there?
