‘Oh!Reallynice, eh?’ Mam’s eyes twinkled with mischief.
‘As a neighbour and perhaps a friend,’ I said, shaking my head at her. ‘So put your Cupid’s bow down.’
‘Who said anything about matchmaking?’ she asked with feigned innocence. ‘I was just repeating what you said.’
‘Yeah, sure you were. I’ll see you later.’
As I made my way up to Peartree Cottage, I smiled to myself. What was Mam like? As if I could even think about being with somebody new when the ending with Laurie was still so raw. Perhaps if I knew why it had ended, there’d be some chance of me moving on but, as long as I remained in the dark, I couldn’t imagine wanting to get close to anyone again in case I was the problem and lightning struck twice. Besides, Caleb was far too young for me – maybe a decade younger – and, with those good looks and the caring nature I’d seen tonight, he probably already had a girlfriend. I hadn’t noticed any visitors to Peartree Cottage but I hadn’t exactly been watching for them either.
Caleb looked surprised to see me.
‘I realised I’d left my hoodie and I need to soak it to get the blood out,’ I said, ‘so I thought I’d collect it and take you up on that offer of a brew after all, if that’s still okay.’
‘Sure, come in, but your hoodie’s soaking already. I realised you’d left it and I didn’t want to disturb you so I thought I’d get the blood out.’
The thoughtfulness rendered me speechless.
‘Did I do the wrong thing?’ he asked, his expression uncertain.
‘No! It’s just that… I’m stunned. It’s so kind of you.’
He ushered me inside and told me to join Scampi in the lounge while he made the drinks. The lounge, like the kitchen, ran front to back. It was a beautifully decorated room with modern furniture which managed to work well with the open fire and the ceiling beams. While I hated myself for being stereotypical, the colour scheme and soft furnishings didn’t strike me as the sort a man would choose. Anna Garstang had told me Caleb lived alone but I wondered if a woman might have lived with him previously.
‘How come you have Scampi?’ I asked, as he handed me a mug and sat down in the chair opposite the two-seater sofa I’d chosen.
‘The Garstangs didn’t want to take him with them.’ Scampi jumped up onto his lap and Caleb stroked his back.
‘So they asked you to have him?’
‘Not exactly.’
Picking up on the sharp edge to his tone, I sensed there was a story. What was that comment he’d made about the tumbledown shed where we’d found Clemmie?It’s a hazard but that’s typical of the neglectful approach of the Garstangs.
‘I get the impression you don’t think much of them.’
There was a moment’s hesitation before he answered. ‘We weren’t close.’
Willow had asked if I was friends with them before she opened up and, at the time, I’d thought it was an odd thing to ask but Caleb was giving off those same guarded vibes. Anna had lied to me about so many things so it wasn’t a stretch to think she might have lied to Willow and Caleb about the relationship she had with me, perhaps making out we’d become close during the sales process.
‘I’m not friends with them so you can say what you like. I only met Doug briefly during our viewing. I thought Anna was really nice but I think devious is the term I’d use now. I understand why you saidgood luck with thatthe day we met.’
He winced at the sarcastic tone I used when quoting his words.
‘Sorry about that. It wasn’t about you. It was about them. You’re definitely not friends with them?’
When I nodded, he continued. ‘In that case, no, I don’t think much of them at all. Do you know who Shelley is?’
‘Their daughter. Willow told me she’s the one who introduced the heavy horses here.’
‘That’s right. Shelley’s great – thankfully nothing like her parents. She’s getting married to my best mate, Adam, in August. Are you aware that her parents bought the farm with a lottery win?’
‘Yes, Willow told me that too. She told me a load of other things I didn’t know like Shelley leaving and the café closing. I’d appreciate your take on it if you’re happy to share.’
Caleb nodded. ‘Anna and Doug never gave Shelley a penny from their win – something I’ve never been able to get my head around – but Shelley isn’t materialistic so it didn’t bother her. As far as she was concerned, they made her dreams come true by letting her bring the heavy horses here and investing in the stables. She built up a successful business from nothing but she needed help to keep it running and they wouldn’t give her it.
‘Doug used to be a farmer but the lottery win changed him. Suddenly he didn’t want to do the hard work himself so he got a manager in and spent all his time on the golf course or fishing. He hadn’t travelled much before but one of his golfing buddies had played on some of the best courses around the world and Doug decided he was going to do that too.
‘Anna’s dream had been to run her own café and, to be fair to her, she was a fantastic cook and really good with the customers. But she was envious of Doug’s holidays and decided she wanted to travel too. She refused to pay anyone else to run her precious café so, every time they went away, she closed it – not exactly ideal when the café was part of the attraction.’
