‘I feel like I’m about to crumble.’
‘Shall we have a short walk around the gardens?’ suggested Irene. ‘I’ve got something to show you.’
They took the path around the bandstand and headed towards the lake at the back of the woods. ‘Neville used to love fishing here. I’m going to transport you back to my youth.’ Irene pointed to a path that Elle wasn’t familiar with.
‘What’s down here?’
‘This leads to an old cottage, right on the outskirts of the village. Back in the day it used to belong to the park ranger – Mr Preston, if I remember rightly. He was employed to maintain the gardens in the park. It’s been empty for a fair few years, but I believe it’s about to be auctioned off.’
As they followed the path Elle gazed at the old stone cottage. ‘Look at that, it’s still full of character – and how beautiful are those duck-egg blue shutters and the gorgeous oak porch?’
‘It is indeed,’ Irene replied, standing still for a moment.
The garden behind the cottage was vast and overgrown.
‘The forgotten cottage. Look at this place – it’s like something out of a novel,’ exclaimed Elle, taking a look all around her.
Irene gave her a warm smile. ‘It’s a very special place.’
She began to walk across the grass and Elle followed. Up ahead there was a gate. Irene twisted the wrought-iron knob and led Elle into an overgrown vegetable patch with a small potting shed just beyond it. Irene headed towards the old oak tree. ‘Come and look at this.’ She pointed at the trunk of the tree, her eyes glistening with tears. ‘Good times,’ she murmured.
There, carved in the tree, was a heart with the words ‘Neville loves Irene’ etched inside it.
‘I lived and breathed the bones of that man. He’s still in here.’ She placed her hands on her heart. ‘He was taken too soon, but I still feel him. Every day.’
They stood in silence and Irene traced the heart with her fingertip before gently brushing away a tear.
‘I truly wish you could have met him.’
‘Me too.’
‘We tried for children, you know. It was agonisingly painful when all our friends were falling pregnant and we didn’t. We were constantly being asked when we were going to start a family. Some marriages wouldn’t have survived the heartache, month in, month out, but the love we shared was one in a million.Nevillewas one in a million.’
Irene turned towards her and held her gaze. ‘You were the daughter we never had. He would have been so proud of you, Elle.’
Elle swallowed a lump in her throat.
‘And whatever happens today, just remember it will never change my love for you. I want you to have the best life and a happy one.’
Elle’s heart soared for Irene. She was the best thing that could have happened to her.
After a few seconds, Irene kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the heart on the tree, then turned towards Elle.
‘Are you ready?’
Elle nodded.
It was time for Elle to meet her mother.
ChapterThirty-Four
They walked slowly towards a bench close to the spot where Elle was meeting Cora Hansley.
‘Shall I wait here?’
‘Yes, this will be perfect. Thank you, Irene.’ It wasn’t too near the tiny café, which was an extension of Bonnie’s Teashop and situated at the back of the park, but it wasn’t too far away either.
Irene placed her bag down on the bench then held Elle’s elbows with her hands. ‘You’re shaking. It’s a big moment, isn’t it?’
