‘Yes, that’s what I thought. If I hadn’t had the commute, I would have got a dog and looked after it myself.’
Bridie had not known that. ‘I’m afraid Barney is going to be all over you. He loves meeting new people and getting fusses.’
‘I’m ready,’ Kate said enthusiastically.
Bridie smiled. ‘And there’s someone else upstairs. I think you’re going to be very interested to meet him.’
‘Reggie.’ Kate remembered who was pup-sitting.
As if on cue, she could hear Reggie’s slow footsteps walking down the stairs and the sound of four paws following. As soon as Reggie opened the door to the stairs, Barney came scurrying towards her, his paws slipping on the smooth, wood-effect laminate flooring. Bridie knelt down as he ran into her arms. ‘I hope you’ve been a good boy.’
‘He has,’ Reggie said, carrying his coat in his hands. ‘Well, I’ll be off then.’
Bridie stood. ‘Don’t go, Reggie. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’
Barney quickly moved his attention-seeking to Kate, who was now kneeling down herself, giving him a big fuss.
‘This is my sister, Kate.’
Kate stood too, with Barney jumping up at her legs.
‘Barney – down!’ Bridie commanded. Barney did as he was told, sitting on his behind, looking up at Kate and Reggie shaking hands. ‘You’re the spitting image of your dad,’ commented Reggie.
‘Oh, am I? I always thought I took after Mum.’
Reggie shook his head. ‘You have his eyes.’
Bridie and Kate exchanged a glance.
Bridie said, ‘Reggie, will you stay for dinner?’
Reggie didn’t have to be asked twice. ‘Yes, I’d like that very much.’
‘Great, let’s head upstairs. You and Kate can chat while I prepare something.’ They all headed up the stairs, Bridie carrying the shoebox.
‘Have you taken Kate to the theatre? Is that where you were?’ Reggie asked as Bridie showed Kate into the little lounge in the eaves. ‘Yes. I told her about Dad’s past.’
‘Did you, now? I expect you’ll be wanting me to tell you all about our time working together, treading the boards.’
Bridie and Kate exchanged another glance. ‘Oh, yes,’ they said in unison.
Chapter 42
‘Are you sure you don’t want some company when you meet Jack at the theatre?’
Bridie wouldn’t have minded Kate tagging along at all. In fact, she would have preferred it. She knew her sister, along with the others in Cobblers Yard, was keen to return to the theatre and help her out. It was just the thought that Jack might bring up the contract she’d signed that made her hesitate.
She wasn’t sure why he wanted to meet up. She’d stopped by the theatre now and then over the course of the past week, checking on the tradespeople who had been sent in to start on Monday, fixing the leaky roof and sorting out the dodgy electrics, hopefully putting a stop to the flickering lights.
Apparently, Jack had stopped by too, keeping an eye on things, but they had been ships passing in the night, both busy with their day jobs.
Hopefully by the weekend there would be no more flickering lights reminding her of the rumour of the ghostly presence in the theatre. Reggie had told her he’d overheard excited chatter in the local Co-op; the work being carried out in the theatre had not gone unnoticed in the local community, and the rumour-mill was grinding about the possibility it might reopen. Bridiefelt a little guilty for not mentioning that it was Jack who had organised the tradesmen.
It was early the following Saturday morning, and the shops in Cobblers Yard weren’t yet open. It wasn’t her working day, so Hannah would arrive soon to open the shop.
Bridie had already introduced Kate to all the other shopkeepers in Cobblers Yard. Bridie’s worry was that after the initial euphoria of getting the job wore off, Kate would start having second thoughts about her very changed work circumstances. It had been bothering Bridie how Kate would really cope with the change from a high-flying, high-income career with lots of kudos to working in a local shop. She imagined she might get bored very quickly.
To her relief, Kate had enjoyed her first week immensely. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d still had the energy and time for other things outside of her working week. She no longer had the commute, or the stress of her old job, or the grind of looking for a new one. And Andy had been on board totally with the change and was looking forward to being employed by Hannah once her bridal shop opened.
