Page 44

“There was a story about a big tree you could climb and there was a land at the top,” she says.

“The Enchanted Wood?”

“Yes!”

“I used to read Enid Blyton stories when I was a boy.”

Millie looks delighted. “It was a bit hard for me, but Mummy said you could read it to me in bed.”

“I’d love to.”

She gives a happy skip, and I smile at Vix.

“I’m starving,” Vix admits, looking away. “Talk about a busy day.”

“I know. We did really well. It means next week I can get started on the flat, if you want to concentrate on the books. We’ll close the shop for the week to sort out the stock, and have a grand sale next weekend.”

She beams at the thought of sorting books all week. “I can’t wait to get started.”

I want to talk to her about what happened earlier, but we turn into Anchorage Lane, and there’s no more time to talk, because we all pile into The Captain’s Table. Jake has reserved the long group table for us, and as we seat ourselves, he comes out to greet us.

“This is on me,” I announce. “It’s the least I can do.” Everyone cheers and starts ordering drinks, and Jake grins and says he’ll get one of his waiters to deliver the platters.

Soon the table is full of beers and wine, and several platters with tapas-style food like battered fish bites, prawns, potato wedges, tiny sausages, cold meats and cheeses, crackers, and dips. Everyone digs in, helping themselves and passing dishes around. Most people have bought two or three books, and they show each other and chat about how exciting it was to find a first edition of The Hobbit.

Millie sits between me and Vix. I help Millie source more fish bites, which she loves, and make sure their drinks are kept filled.

I feel inordinately happy. It’s tough to make friends as an adult, especially when you work in a female-oriented profession. I have made a few in Wellington through the rugby club, but we don’t share a history like I do with these guys, and I’ve missed them.

When we’ve finished eating and drinking, I go up to the till and pay, and then we head out into the balmy evening. Everyone waves goodbye and goes off in opposite directions, and me, Vix, Rudolph, and Millie head down Cutter Street, then turn into Harpoon Lane.

Millie’s getting tired, so I lift her onto my shoulders. I carry her past the bookshop, then turn right onto Founders Terrace, and we head up the hill, singing songs as we walk.

When we reach the cottage, Vix takes her up for a bath, then I read her the first couple of chapters of The Enchanted Wood to her in bed. She’s asleep before I turn the last page, and I smile and creep out, pulling the door to before heading downstairs.

Rudolph is pouring us both a whisky, and he takes his and heads off to his study. I take mine and go out onto the deck, walking along to the end, where it overlooks the park. After a moment, Vix appears beside me, holding a glass of wine, and she leans on the fence beside me.

“Beautiful evening,” she says.

“Yeah, summer’s coming.”

“And Christmas, of course. What are you doing for it?”

“I’m not sure,” I admit.

“I guess you spent the last few Christmases with Frieda?”

“Yeah.”

She nods, looking down. “It’ll be our first Christmas without Mum.”

“Ahhh… that’ll be hard. I’m sorry.”

“I’m worried about Dad,” she says. “He seems all right on the surface, but he really misses her.”

“Of course he does.”

“He says he could never love anyone else, but he’s still relatively young. I want to tell him that I don’t mind if he meets someone, because I can’t bear to think of him being alone for the next twenty years, but I can’t bring myself to say the words.”