‘Oh goodness, Hannah, you are so clever.’ She gave her daughter’s shoulders a squeeze. ‘Thank you, darling. After all the hard work of getting the lodge into shape, it actually feels as though the business is coming to fruition now. All I need is a few guests to book in.’
‘They’ll come. Especially when you get your name out there. And we’ll set up an Instagram account as well, which can showcase the local area. If you post regularly, then people will get to know about the place.’
‘Honestly, it looks so lovely. I’d be tempted to book myself in,’ joked Tess.
She was still staring at the pictures, in awe. The shiplap lodge nestled into the lush greenery of Hollyhocks garden looked inviting, magical even, but she couldn’t take all the credit. It had been a team effort. Tess had applied her creative design skills to create a cosy and peaceful escape, with her attention to detail lending a note of luxury to the accommodation. Rob, with his professional camera, had taken lots of stylised shots of the retreat, both inside and out, that showed off the lodge to its absolute best, and Hannah had come up with a slick website and designed the business cards too.
Tess would start actively marketing The Garden Retreat soon with the intention of taking bookings from February of next year.
‘Just let me know any changes that you need to make and when you feel ready to go, we can launch it upon the world.’
‘Eek, it’s so exciting!’
Tess so appreciated Hannah’s support as while she was confident, if apprehensive, about welcoming guests to the annexe, the social-media side wasn’t her forte and filled her with dread.
‘Do you fancy a coffee, darling?’
‘Go on then,’ said Hannah with a grin, before crumpling her brow. ‘Anyway, why are you still here? I thought you were seeing Rob this weekend?’
‘I was, but we’ve put it off until next weekend. We’ve got your gran coming round for dinner tomorrow, and there’s plenty of other stuff I should be getting on with too.’ She said it airily so that it sounded convincing enough to her own ears, before adding. ‘Besides, I thought it would be nice to spend some quality time with my daughter.’
‘Is everything okay between you and Rob?’ Hannah asked, casting her mum a doubtful look.
‘Yes, all good,’ said Tess brightly, ignoring the sense of unease in her chest. After all, nothing had actually changed between them, nothing that she could put her finger on, at least, only her own sense of discomfort that something may have shifted in their relationship. Besides, she didn’t want to offload any worries and insecurities she might have about Rob onto Hannah. Her daughter was still hurting from her parents’ break-up, when Tess had done everything in her power to shield Hannah from her own heartache, grateful that she was out of the country when Charles announced he was leaving. The last thing Tess wanted to do was to put too much emphasis on her new relationship in front of her daughter, until she was more confident that it would turn into something long-lasting, rather than transitory. ‘He’s lovely and we’re enjoying spending time with each other.’ Eager to change the subject, she turned her focus on Hannah. ‘What about you? Are you speaking to Billy again?’
It had been almost two weeks since Billy had turned up and while Hannah had mentioned his name casually, a couple of times in passing, usually when talking about her time in Australia, Tess hadn’t wanted to pry any more than was absolutely necessary, working on the assumption that if Hannah wanted to talk about Billy, then she would. Today though, while on the subject of relationships, it seemed like the perfect time to ask.
Hannah pulled down the lid on her laptop, pushing it to one side, before gratefully accepting the mug of coffee proffered from Tess. She lifted her head to look at her mum, a smile spreading across his face.
‘Yes, we’ve been messaging. He’s trying really hard to make amends. He feels bad about the way he behaved in Australia, and wants to make it up to me, but…’ Hannah shrugged her shoulders. ‘I’ve told him, it’s fine, he’s explained how it made him feel at the time and I understand completely. Anyway, he’s moved into his new place in London so he’s not too far away. I think we will probably meet up again soon.’
‘Okay…’ It took Tess by surprise. ‘Well, that’s… good.’
‘Do you mean that? You’re not disappointed in me, are you?’
‘Don’t say that!’ Tess reached a hand across the table and placed it over Hannah’s. ‘Why would I be disappointed in you?’
‘Well, for giving Billy a second chance.’ She lifted her chin, her freckles from her time spent in the sun still visible on the bridge of her nose. ‘After everything that happened.’
‘That’s entirely up to you, my darling.’ She had her reservations but voicing them aloud to Hannah would only serve to have the opposite effect, pushing her closer to Billy. ‘You know Billy better than I do and it sounds as though you want him in your life.’
‘I think I do, Mum.’ She nodded. ‘The time apart from each other has made us both realise that what we had together in Australia was special. Now, we want to stay in touch. I don’t know where that will take us, but I’m interested to find out,’ she said with a curious smile on her lips.
It wasn’t lost on Tess that she and Hannah were both taking tentative steps into new relationships and learning to trust again, after being let down. She felt a wave of trepidation for them both, but surely it had to be a risk worth taking. Finding happiness and contentment with someone special meant opening up your heart to love, even if that meant making yourself vulnerable in the process. She only hoped that they could both navigate this new pathway without risking a broken heart.
8
‘Honestly, sometimes, I think I’m the only sane one in that home,’ said Marjorie, finishing off her glass of wine and looking at the bottle in the centre of the table expectantly. Tess duly obliged and topped up her mother’s glass. ‘They’re all mad as hatters!’
‘Grandma!’ said Hannah, suitably outraged. ‘You can’t say that.’
‘Well, it’s true. I know I might have my share of ailments, but I like to think I still have my faculties about me.’
‘Oh definitely, Grandma! You’re one of the smartest people I know.’
They were gathered around the oak table at Hollyhocks Cottage, enjoying a Sunday lunch which was a highlight for all three generations of women. They didn’t manage it every Sunday, but at least once or twice a month, they came together for a luscious roast, which today consisted of melt-in-the-mouth tender lamb with all their favourite trimmings: crunchy roast potatoes, red cabbage, carrots, peas, cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire puddings, with lashings of gravy. It was a feast that would serve double their number, but it didn’t matter because any leftovers would be made into a shepherd’s pie and even some rissoles if the lamb would stretch that far.
‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ said Marjorie, pushing her plate to one side with a satisfied look. ‘All I do know is that getting old is not for sissies, as Bette Davis once said. You won’t know her, Hannah, but she was a great and formidable actress in her day who spoke a lot of sense.’
