An idea suddenly sprang to Adira’s mind.
‘Gran, can I have it?’ she asked excitedly.
‘What? My wedding dress?’
‘Yes. Do you think it will fit me?’
‘Err… I think so. We could have it altered though, if need be. I’ll get it cleaned first.’
‘Oh, would you?’
‘Of course, then you’ll have to come and try it for size.’
‘Great! Thanks, Gran.’
‘My pleasure.’ Edie smiled, pleased her beloved dress was getting another outing after all these years, and who better to wear it than her granddaughter?
*
At The Cobbled Courtyard, Jasper was finding it fascinating to see each tenant tailor their craft, from the robust carvings of Crafty Carpentry to the delicate ceramics of The Bolthole. Jessie, the potter, chatted to Jasper, explaining how it was time for her to retire.
‘I’ve loved living and working here, but the arthritis plays up now. I can’t use the potter’s wheel like I used to. It’s time to go.’ She gave a sad smile to Jasper, creasing the wrinkles in her face and looked wistfully round the room. Jessie had lived in the flat above the studio, as did Max above the forge.
‘Well, you’ve certainly earned your retirement, Jessie,’ replied Jasper. The old folk of Lilacwell undoubtedly had some staying power, he thought, considering how Fletcher had plodded on to the bitter end, before finally handing the baton over to him. They were made of strong stuff, that’s for sure. He only hoped he’d be the same.
Max was in the forge, bashing away at a piece of iron when Jasper walked in. The temperature of the furnace hit him instantly. A great hissing sound came from the tank of water as Max dipped in the hot metal causing a cloud of steam around them.
‘Jasper,’ he nodded, wiping his wet face, smeared with black soot.
‘Hi, Max.’ Jasper looked at what he was holding. ‘What are you making?’
‘Cast-iron curtain poles.’
‘Ah, right.’ Jasper admired the ornate twirls on the end of the pole that only a master craftsman could produce. He understood why Max didn’t want to have any hassle running the Courtyard, being happy to spend all his time in the forge where his talent lay. He took a look around, taking in all the sturdy equipment that had years of use in them: anvils, chisels, tongs, hammers, plus lots of other tools. ‘What does that do?’ he asked, pointing to what looked like a steel pyramid on a rail.
‘It’s a flatter,’ explained Max. ‘Flattens the surface of metal.’ He smiled to himself. He’d clocked Jasper’s appraisal and couldn’t imagine him getting his hands quite as dirty as himself.
‘Fancy a coffee? I’m popping into the cafe next,’ asked Jasper.
‘Better finish these, thanks,’ replied Max, picking up his hammer to start bashing again.
Leaving Max to his work, Jasper headed to the cafe and ordered a coffee. Tom served him and brought it over to the table by the window where Jasper sat looking out. He was observing the wooden statue of the Green Man standing outside the carpentry workshop. It was intricately carved with his long, wild hair and beard, face covered with foliage. What was the Green Man supposed to symbolise? pondered Jasper. Ah yes, it was the circle of life, death and rebirth. He narrowed his eyes in contemplation, wondering if this had any significance to Fitz, the owner of the workshop. He was reminded of how he had to get to know all the occupants of The Cobbled Courtyard as their landlord.
Jasper’s gaze then followed the customers milling through the studios. It was quite an eclectic crowd, from young to old, couples, families to single people taking in the wares of the craft shops. It was good to see such custom, proving The Cobbled Courtyard was a thriving business.
Before leaving, Jasper called at The Fresh Bouquet to buy Adira a bunch of flowers. James, the florist, was a very well-spoken, pleasant chap, who insisted on calling him Mr Hendricks.
‘What do you recommend?’ he asked James.
‘Might I ask if the flowers are for a special occasion, Mr Hendricks?’ replied James.
‘Not particularly, just want to surprise her,’ smiled Jasper.
‘Then I suggest a pale cabbage rose bouquet, with deep green euphorbia foliage?’ said James with gusto, pointing to the said flowers in the shop.
‘Sounds good,’ replied Jasper, trying to keep a straight face.
All in all, Jasper had enjoyed his visit getting to know the merry band at the Courtyard. They seemed a decent, genuine bunch of people he could do business with. Everyone seemed to gel together well and he was looking forward to being part of the team. Jasper was keen to fit in and wanted to be thought of as a good landlord, not someone to be wary of or avoided. He knew the family name was important to uphold here in Lilacwell. The Hendricks had always employed local people.
