‘You think it would be useful for her?’
‘It would get her out and meeting lots of people in her situation. I mean, not exactly her situation, but people with young babies who might be able to offer all sorts of support. Being a new mum can be a lonely business and much harder if you’re isolated. I know she’s got us, but it’s not the same.’
‘And Hilltop can feel isolated at times; even I know that, and I love living up there.’
‘Exactly.’
He sprayed some cleaning fluid onto a cloth and began to rub at the window. ‘I’ll see if I can work on her, persuade her to go. You’re right – it would be good for her. And if we’re going to be staying here, she needs to settle into the village properly, and she can’t do that if she’s always up here, away from it. So Maisie is taking Ezra? Won’t that be difficult once she moves into the council house with Fern? It’s a bit out of the way, and neither of them drive.’
‘I’ve been thinking about that. It would do Fern good to go too, especially when her baby comes, and perhaps even before that. She’s got nobody locally and not much of a support networknow she’s left the commune, so the group might give her that. I’ve been talking to Stacey, and she’s going to see if she can get funding for some kind of transport. We’re not sure what it will be yet. Perhaps a paid-for taxi service or something for those who have no other way of getting there.’
He paused, his cloth resting on the pane of glass. ‘And the council will give that sort of money out?’
‘That’s what Stacey is going to ask. If anyone can persuade them, it’s her. I’m sure she’ll get Simon to fight their corner too; his input, as our GP, will be worth a lot.’ Zoe shook out the second curtain, searching for the eyelets. ‘If not the council, then there must be some kind of charity who will help. Ottilie is going to do what she can, when she gets the time. She had a lot to do with the group in the beginning, before I arrived, so she has a vested interest.’
‘And she takes Anthony there, so that’s even more reason for her to be involved.’
‘Yes, but Ottilie would get involved anyway because that’s just who she is.’
‘You’ve got everything covered, haven’t you?’
Zoe looked up to see a wry smile on his lips as he regarded her fondly.
‘I don’t know about that,’ she said. ‘I’m hardly doing it all on my own; we all want to see things in place for those who need them.’
‘That’s it!’ He tossed his cloth to the floor and in two steps had her in his arms.
She giggled as she tried to push him off. ‘We’ll never get done if you keep stopping to fool around!’
‘I don’t care. It’s your fault for being so damn adorable!’ He lowered his voice. ‘We’re all alone…’
‘Yes,’ she said, trying to look prim and disapproving but utterly failing. ‘We’re all alone but very busy.’
‘We could spare ten minutes…twenty…actually, make that an hour…’
‘Behave!’ She pulled his arms from around her waist and picked up the curtain she’d been working on. ‘You’re terrible!’
‘I know,’ he said, making another grab for her, ‘but just think, we need the practice.’
‘For what?’
‘You know, baby-making practice because one day…’
‘Alex…we’re too busy for that.’
‘There was a time,’ he said, going back to retrieve the cloth, ‘you’d have said yes to anything anywhere. Are you that bored of me already?’
Zoe narrowed her eyes. ‘Are you sulking because I said no?’
‘Of course I’m not.’
‘I’m surprised you even asked. We’re trying to get these pods ready for people to come and stay, not get them all messed up.’
‘People are going to have sex in them.’
‘I’m sure they will, and it might even be us at some point, but not today.’
He went back to his cleaning, and Zoe couldn’t tell as she watched from the corner of her eye whether he was annoyed at being refused or not. Was she being oversensitive, reading too much into nothing? It wouldn’t be the first time.
