‘I think that’s it,’ Zoe said. ‘I reckon that’s enough biscuits to feed the entire village for a year!’
‘Ah.’ Magnus grinned. ‘Lavender does like her coconut creams, doesn’t she?’
‘We’re all a bit guilty,’ Zoe said. ‘I can’t put all this on poor Lavender.’
Magnus held out the card machine. ‘Did I hear correctly that your dad has moved into Kestrel Cottage?’
‘He has,’ Zoe replied, bracing herself for the inquisition.
‘Haven’t seen him down here yet.’
‘Haven’t you? I expect he hasn’t had a chance – he’s only just moved in, and he’s still getting settled.’
‘They had the wedding at St Cuthbert’s, right?’
Zoe nodded. Magnus knew her dad had married Chantal at St Cuthbert’s. Everyone knew, and if Zoe knew anything about Magnus, there was no way he hadn’t watched the event from some secret vantage point, just to see what everyone waswearing. And he probably still hadn’t forgiven Geoff for talking Chantal out of issuing them with an invite.
‘Hmm.’ Magnus put the machine on the counter and bagged up Zoe’s goods. ‘Thimblebury must have made quite an impression on him.’
‘I think it did. On them both.’
‘Ah yes. What’s his wife called?’
‘Chantal.’
‘That’s right. So the man who’s staying with them…?’
‘Lennon. Chantal’s brother.’
‘Right…’
Zoe’s head flicked up at Magnus’s tone. ‘Has Lennon been in here?’
‘He came yesterday to buy vapes. We don’t sell them.’ Magnus shrugged. ‘He wasn’t very polite about it.’
‘I hate to say it, but he’s not polite about much.’ Magnus lit up and immediately she wished she hadn’t been quite so open about her thoughts. ‘Not that I know him well. He’s Chantal’s brother, not really anything to do with me. He’s just not easy to warm to, you know.’
‘I get that impression. He wasn’t happy when I asked him to take his dog outside either.’ Magnus screwed up his nose. ‘I didn’t like the look of the dog. It was sniffing at everything. Not in a good way.’
Zoe didn’t much like the dog either, but she tried not to laugh at the notion that the sniffing around was what had caused Magnus to take offence. Dogs sniffed – that was one of their defining features. ‘Did he take the dog outside when you asked him?’
‘Yes. Well, he went too because we didn’t have the vapes. He said the shop was sad.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about it too much; I don’t think he’s going to be here for long.’
‘That’s not what I heard,’ Magnus said. ‘I heard he moved in with them.’
‘Who told you that?’ Zoe asked sharply.
‘Flo.’
‘And who told Flo?’
Magnus shrugged.
Zoe decided she’d have to pay Flo a visit. Or maybe Ottilie – she was due to see her anyway, and it would be a far more enjoyable interaction. If Flo knew something, she was bound to have told Ottilie. Zoe only wondered why Ottilie hadn’t said anything to her. But she hadn’t heard from her old friend since the announcement of Louisa’s birth. She’d assumed Ottilie was staying out of her way because she’d thought Zoe would be too busy to chat, but perhaps there was something else going on.
The bell over the door tinkled, and Stacey walked in. She stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed Zoe and, if Zoe didn’t know better, seemed to look instantly guilty about something. Though perhaps it wasn’t guilt…it was, awkwardness? Like she knew something she wasn’t sure Zoe knew.
