A range of emotions ran across her face and she sighed, her mouth curving into a secretive smile which grew as if with dawning awareness. ‘Actually, they’re coming a lot easier.’ An unexpected glow of satisfaction lit her face. Everything softened like a filter over a camera. Her cheeks filled out, a dimple appeared and her mouth . . . he shelved that thought quickly.
‘This last few weeks I’ve really enjoyed working on them. It’s like someone’s . . . ’ she shot him a sudden, unexpected mischievous look, ‘to be artisty about it, unlocked a treasure chest of new ideas.’
She lapsed into thought, her teeth worrying at her lip. ‘When I first started drawing them, it was so easy. I didn’t even have to think about it. Then after a while, it got hard.’ With a slight start, she tilted her head. ‘Now it’s easy again.’ Her smile held a touch of the eureka moment, as if it hadn’t occurred to her before.
‘Your books bring happiness to lots of people.’
‘I don’t know about lots.’
‘Well, I don’t know about your book sales but the mice themselves are certainly very popular. They’re everywhere.’
She frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘The merchandise.’ At the posh stationers that Marina liked to drag him to, the shelves had been full of pencil cases, glasses cases, bags, rulers, pens and pencils featuring the cheeky antics of Cuthbert and his brothers. ‘Both Bets’ sister’s kids have Cuthbert pencil cases, rulers and I’m sure I saw a pair of wellies with them on.’
‘Are you sure? I know I signed a merchandise thingy but Patrick said it wasn’t worth very much.’
‘Well, someone’s making some money.’
‘I’m not sure who.’ Her face sank back into a gloomy expression and he found himself wanting to touch her face, lift the corners of her downturned mouth and take away the residual sadness etched there. Did his face look like that, lined with the weight of misery?
‘I know that feeling.’ He gave her a half-hearted smile, forcing the muscles to work a bit harder. Maybe if he smiled a bit more, it might encourage her to.
‘I thought vets earned a fortune.’ Her eyebrow quirked in question. ‘Everyone complains about vets’ bills.’
‘Yeah, they don’t know how much it costs to run a veterinary practice. We’re running a tiny hospital with all the same sort of medical overheads. Drugs, oxygen, anaesthetics, plus the staff to manage all that.’
‘Ouch, no wonder you have to do so much locum work. Have you resolved anything with . . . with Marina?’
He snorted, ‘Let’s just say hell hath no fury like a woman denied her exchange of contract.’ He tried to avoid bad-mouthing Marina to other people but frustration got the better of him today. ‘I understand why she’s desperate, but I can’t conjure up money I don’t have.’ He pushed a hand through his already wind-blown hair. ‘The TV production company is getting rather twitchy.’
‘What’s it got to do with them?’ He couldn’t help but smile as Ella’s voice peaked with indignation on his behalf.
‘The TV series is filmed in her consulting rooms, which are in the basement of our house. We knocked through to accommodate the production crew and equipment. Marina says they need to know that they’ve got a secure location for filming for the next series. Apparently if I don’t sell my half to her, her career could be hanging in the balance. But if I sell, the negative equity situation means I’ll owe her nearly twenty grand. I’ve an appointment with my bank in a couple of weeks. I’m praying that with the additional work I’ve been doing, they’ll give me a loan.’
‘What about your job here?’
‘I got conned into it. Dad had a health scare. I said I’d stay to cover for him for a few weeks and suddenly he’s talking about needing more time to recuperate. Which is bollocks. I know what he’s doing.’
His vehemence drew a startled frown from Ella.
‘I’m a thirty-two-year-old man. I don’t need my parents rescuing me.’
‘I . . . ’ She lifted her hands in mute surrender but it was like a cork had been popped and it all came spilling out.
‘I don’t want anyone rescuing me. I’m quite capable of sorting myself out. It drives me crazy that everyone wants some kind of input. Bets trying to rehabilitate me, like I’m some drug dependent crackhead who needs to be weaned off his addiction, because she thinks I’m hung up on my ex and that I’ll find redemption by becoming the vet with a heart of gold. Dad’s protracted recuperation. He’s training for a marathon; how does that make him too ill to work? And Mum trying to save me from boredom by finding me things to do all the time. I don’t need any of them. I just want to draw a line and get on with my life.’
‘Me too.’ Her quiet words silenced his rant.
The anger and resentment simmering inside him whistled out like a slow puncture as he paused and looked around him, sneaking extra glances at her profile as they marched in tandem up the steep gradient. His irate words seemed a bit silly now in comparison to her quiet, calm acceptance, but he didn’t need or want any help.
Any further conversation died as they focused on reaching the triangulation point topping the Beacon. They had the hilltop to themselves and both of them naturally gravitated to the stone-built platform with its map of the ancient Ridgeway on top. Leaning against it they contemplated the view spread out before them, stretching away to the distant horizon.
‘On a clear day, you can see the spires of Oxford from here.’ Despite this fact, he’d never actually seen them himself. Perhaps you also needed binoculars.
She didn’t say anything but conversation seemed superfluous. It was quiet, apart from the buzz of two gliders circling and vying for the wind in the sky above them.
His eyes scanned the view, picking out local landmarks: the Pitstone Windmill, Grim’s Dyke, the Whipsnade Lion. Despite being away for so long, it all seemed so familiar, as if he’d never been away. Taking a deep breath, he sighed. Maybe he had missed this. Maybe it was good to be home. He glanced over to Ella and spotted a single tear running down her face. Her throat convulsed but she remained ram-rod straight, as if refusing to acknowledge it. Not wanting to intrude, he diplomatically turned away to study the contours of the Dunstable Downs where more gliders swung and dipped with the thermals.
