‘B for history, B for English lit. I’m stunned.’
‘But you’re pleased?’ I asked.
‘Really pleased. Gobsmacked but pleased. I’ve got a lot to think about so I’m still going for that walk.’
‘Are you going to let your dad know?’
Maddie pondered on that. ‘Not yet. I’ll let him know later, after I’ve cleared my head. He’s bound to ask what I’m going to do and I’d rather have made that decision.’
‘What do you think she’ll decide?’ Mam asked after Maddie left, taking Nova and Skye with her.
‘I predict she’ll turn down Warwick and take a year out. She’s thriving here. She’s not ready to leave.’
‘And you’re not ready for her to leave either,’ Mam said, gently.
‘No, I’m not, but my opinion’s not what’s important here. This has to be Maddie’s decision and I’ll support her whatever she decides, just like you and Dad always supported me and Hope to find our own way.’
‘I think you’re right about her taking a year out,’ Jude said. ‘So much has changed in the past twelve months for her and I think going away next month is one change too many. She needs a steadier year. She needs her mum and her nanna.’
‘And her godmother,’ I said, smiling at her. ‘And two dogs, a cat, eight heavy horses, two horses, a pony, two Shetland ponies, seven pygmy goats, twenty-four guinea pigs, twelve Highland cows, thirteen cuddle cows?—’
‘And a partridge in a pear tree,’ Mam said, laughing.
I sat back in my chair, sipping on my tea. An A-star and two Bs. That was incredible, especially considering everything that had been weighing on her mind at the time.
‘Ned’s eager to know her results,’ Jude said, ‘but I’d better wait until she’s thought things through.’
‘Caleb’s also keen to know, but I’ll wait too.’
‘How’s Ned feeling about his final day?’ Mam asked.
‘A bit mixed. He’s been there a long time and made some good friends so I think he’ll be sad to walk out the door tonight, but he’ll be fine once it’s done.’
After his weekend visit, Ned had returned to work and thrown his name into the pot for voluntary redundancy. It had taken a few weeks of negotiations but he’d finally been told on Monday that he could leave. He’d been asked to work this weekand had agreed to four extra-long days instead of the usual five-day week.
Jude, Mam and I had decided that, while it might generate a decent income, we had no desire to operate a holiday cottage. The time we’d need to devote to advertising, dealing with queries, cleaning it between stays and being around to welcome guests could be so much better spent on the parts of our business that interested us – the animals and the café. It made sense for Jude and Ned to make The Dovecote their home. Moving in together might seem pretty speedy but considering how long they’d known each other and how long they’d secretly been in love with each other, it was about time! Ned was going to redecorate around his consultancy work and, between them, they had more than enough furniture to replace what was there.
* * *
Maddie returned from her walk, looking happier and lighter.
‘I’ve spent some time with the horses and the cows,’ she said. ‘They’re good listeners. I’m still reeling about those grades, but I’ve made a decision. It’s been a turbulent couple of years and I’ve been down for most of them. I finally feel happy and settled and I’m not ready to start over somewhere new so I’m not going to accept the offer from Warwick, but I’m not going through Clearing either.’
My heart leapt. My little girl was sticking around! But I had to be sure she was making the right decision.
‘You don’t have to reject the offer immediately,’ I said. ‘You can think about it for a bit.’
She shook her head. ‘Warwick’s not the right university for me now. It’s too far away. I liked Warwick but I preferred York although, even if I’d got into York, I still think my decision would be to decline. I’m not ready.’
‘I think that’s a great decision,’ I said, drawing her into a hug and kissing the top of her head. ‘But we’re all here for you if you change your mind about Warwick or decide you do want to go through Clearing. I know it’s a lot to take in.’
* * *
A few days later, Maddie surprised us all with an alternative plan.
‘I’ve decided not to go away to university at all but to study my degree through the Open University,’ she said over tea on Sunday. ‘That way I can keep my job here – or at least I assume I can.’ She held my gaze.
‘Of course!’ I said, which Mam and Jude echoed.
