‘Girls,’ interrupted their mother, ‘let’s not raise our voices and have an argument.’
‘Why not?’ Bridie said, turning to her mother. ‘She started it.’
‘I did not, Bridie. You’re the one whose life is a mess. I’m merely doing damage limitation.’
‘You’re talking about Layla.’
‘Oh, yes.’
And with that, Kate got out her phone and played the whole sorry, excruciatingly embarrassing fight on stage, which was now all over social media for everyone to see, including her niece and the rest of her family. She was sure her sister would enjoy immensely showing her brother and sister-in-law, and her grandad – not that she ever visited him – and her dad, who was the one person who had always believed in her, up until now.
Bridie slunk out of the room and heard whining coming from the conservatory. She opened the door. Barney must have heard the raised voices in the kitchen and been frightened.
‘Oh, sweetheart.’ She knelt down and the pup dived into her arms licking her face and wagging his tail furiously as though she’d been gone an age – which to a little pup she reckoned it must have been. As she got up, he ran out of the door. ‘Barney!’
She heard the sound of paws thudding up the open-tread wooden stairs. ‘Oh, no.’ He’d remembered his adventure upstairs just that morning.
Bridie slipped past the kitchen. She winced when she heard the unmistakable sound of the show she’d been starring in, and the band coming to a halt, the audience and stage in hushed silence, and the sound of her own voice ringing out, ‘You cow!’ reverberating around a packed theatre audience as she launched herself at the young woman who had stolen her fiancé.
Of course, the young woman hadn’t stolen anything. Julian had willingly had an affair, prepared to swap Bridie for a younger model. Bridie could feel the tears in her eyes again as she rushed upstairs after the puppy. When she walked into the bedroom, there he was on her bed, wagging his tail, waiting for her.
‘Oh, Barney. You shouldn’t be here.’ She looked at the pup. ‘You know what? Neither should I.’ She got her suitcase out of the wardrobe. Stupidly, she’d already unpacked. She packed her case, threw in her teenage diaries, and felt like taking Barney too. But he wasn’t her dog, and besides, Barney couldn’t live in a flat. And Hannah had only invited her to stay – not a puppy too.
‘I’m afraid you can’t come with me,’ said Bridie. She knew Barney was listening. He sat up and cocked his head to one side. She zipped up her case, and stood it by the door, returning to the bed to give Barney a fuss. ‘This is your home, Barney, but it isn’t mine.’
As if she needed reminding of that fact, she heard her mum call upstairs, ‘Bridie, have you got the puppy up there with you? Dogs aren’t allowed upstairs. It’s a house rule. I hope he’s not on your bed!’
Bridie rolled her eyes and gently picked him up off the bed. Barney whined. He was just getting comfortable.
‘Come on, you heard her. You’re not allowed upstairs.’ She carried him downstairs. Her mum was standing at the bottom of the stairs, hands on hips, waiting.
Bridie heaved a sigh and handed him over. ‘Sorry.’ She walked back upstairs and looked at her suitcase. If she left now, she’d catch Hannah before she locked up the shop. Bridie didn’t have any shop keys yet.She’ll be surprised to see me back so soon,thought Bridie. Then again, perhaps she wouldn’t be.
Bridie reappeared with her suitcase and started down the stairs. Her mum had just returned the puppy to his crate. Shewas just walking back in the kitchen when she must have spotted Bridie on her way down. ‘Where are you going? I don’t think there will be many trains on a Sunday back to London.’
‘I’m going to stay with a friend in Aldeburgh.’
‘Oliver?’
Bridie rolled her eyes at her mum.
Unfortunately, Kate overheard. ‘Do you mean Oliver from the school?’ She turned to look at her sister. ‘Wow – you don’t waste any time.’
Bridie glared at her sister. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What do you think I mean?’
‘It would be wonderful if Bridie settled down with someone nice who lived locally.’
Bridie turned her glare on her mum. ‘You are not helping.’
‘Did you go to The Two Magpies Café?’
‘Yes, I did, Mum. And before you ask – yes, I met Oliver. You knew he’d be there. But I am not staying with him. In fact, I’ve got my own flat as well as a job.’
Her mum looked at her, impressed. Her sister looked at her as though she didn’t believe her. ‘Where?’
‘It’s in Cobblers Yard. A flat above a shop where I will be working. The owner runs a wedding business and is setting up a bridal shop next door, so I’ll be working in her wedding business too very soon.’ Bridie pursed her lips. She didn’t know why she’d said that. It could turn out to be the case, but even if it did, she had no intention of staying in Suffolk that long – this was just a temporary stopgap while things blew over in London. Hopefully soon she could go back to working on the London stage.
