It Started at Sunset Cottage Read online

  “It’s okay, I know you stock about 30 different teas but this awkward whatsit only likes Lady Grey. So if you speak to Alistair, he keeps a pot of the stuff just for Tim and he’ll sort it out.”

  “I see,” said the waitress, who still looked confused, but went off to fulfil the order all the same.

  Tim was casually dressed in jeans, white t-shirt and light-grey jacket. As he leant forward, his dark hair fell onto his forehead; it was a little long at the moment and she made a mental note to book him a hair appointment. Tim’s eyes fixed on the pages of the brochure and she watched him absent-mindedly lick his index finger and turn the page. Pippa wasn’t sure how long it was that she’d been watching Tim, but Alistair appeared with a silver tray and set down the ornate silver tea pot in front of Tim with a wink, followed by two trays of three miniature madeleines and a cappuccino for Pippa. Pippa eyed the madeleines enviously before pulling herself together.

  “Right, who’s first? Your brother and his family?”

  “Yep, okay. Bernie would like a large Christmas Hamper from Fortnum’s and the boys would like those new remote-control helicopter things that shoot at each other,” said Tim, opening up the Hamley’s booklet to show Pippa. She moved in closer to look and took in a huge waft of his recently applied aftershave. Some days this was the best job in the world.

  “Right. Good start. Who’s next?”

  “I need a couple of these necklaces, usual gift wrapping,” said Tim, pointing out the diamond-encrusted necklaces.

  “Is that two, then?” said Pippa harshly.

  “Yes, two of those, please, and then two of those not so…”

  “Expensive, gaudy, brash?” suggested Pippa with a forced smile, staring at the necklace Tim was pointing to.

  “Sparkly,” explained Tim with a tilt of his head.

  “Okay,” said Pippa, wondering who would be opening those on Christmas morning.

  “Auntie Pam would love this bangle,” said Tim, pausing to point at a heavily enamelled piece in Tiffany’s brochure, “and also the wine hamper from Fortnum’s.”

  “I bet she would,” muttered Pippa as she jotted it all down. She couldn’t help but enjoy herself, spending vast amounts of someone else’s money was fun and quite therapeutic.

  “Pips, you’re a complete star. Right, job done.” Tim said, twenty minutes later.

  Pippa looked at her watch. They were still on schedule.

  “Right, Terry should be bringing the car round any minute now. Okay?”

  Tim’s phone beeped into life. He checked the screen and jumped up.

  “Got to take this. I’ll meet you out the front.” He strode out of earshot as he answered it. Pippa sat back and took in the beauty of her surroundings: the sumptuous furnishings, the indoor gazebo with piano to accompany afternoon tea, the stunningly crafted domed cupola above her, letting the light flood in. There was something special about the Thames Foyer. It was luxurious and yet comfortable and she loved that her job enabled her to spend time there and call it work.

  Kate could barely feel her fingers. This sensation was partly due to the chill in the air, but mainly because of the many bags she was now carrying. Sarah was a woman on a mission and they had visited the market and countless shops and must have walked the equivalent of at least three marathons, Kate decided.

  “Woman in need of a break here,” said Kate, in desperation.

  “Come on. Don’t give up now, we’ve done really well. I just need to find something small and cheap that looks tasteful for Amy’s teacher,” said Sarah.

  “No. I’ll stage a sit-in here,” said Kate, as she stopped walking. Sarah was aware that Kate was no longer next to her and spun around, her shopping making her nearly overbalance with the generated momentum.

  “Really?”

  “Really!”

  “Come on then, lightweight, let’s dump this load in the car first.”

  After depositing their hoards of treasure, they went to a coffee shop, where everyone looked slightly stressed and had multi-coloured bags at their feet.

  “I saw you looking at that shirt earlier,” said Sarah.

  “The pin-stripe one was lovely,” replied Kate, blowing onto her hot tea.

  “Who were you thinking of getting it for, then?”

  There was a pause before Kate said slowly, “James.” Sarah smiled and reached across the table to take Kate’s hand.

  “I’m okay. Really I am,” said Kate returning the squeeze. “What is odd is that last year I had a reference point ‘how crap did I feel this time last year?’ Nearly two years on, I can’t remember exactly how I felt or what I was doing. People have stopped asking me how I’m coping, too.”

  “Because they can see for themselves,” replied Sarah, nodding wisely.

  “So, how am I coping, Sarah?”

  “Oh, you’re doing just fine.”

  Sarah gave her a big hug. James had often hugged Kate, of course, and so many times he had made her jump and laugh by sneaking up behind her and enveloping her in a hug. She was sad that she would never feel that again and she added hugs to her mental list of things she missed.

  “It will keep getting better. Amy is completely over Sebastian,” said Sarah helpfully.

  “That’s because she’s got another hamster.”

  “Perhaps that’s the answer?” shrugged Sarah, with a wry smile.

  “I don’t think furry rodents are for me…or men. Not right now, anyway.”

  “Okay, not right now, but you know you shouldn’t rule it out. One day maybe?” ventured Sarah.

  “One day. Maybe. Anyway, talking of furry rodents, how is Shaun?”

  “Oh, don’t put poor Sebastian in the same category as that turd! He makes my blood boil just thinking about him.” Sarah raked her hands through her short hair as she felt the familiar feelings surge inside her.

  “He goes to a lot of trouble to wind you up,” said Kate.

  “I wish he wouldn’t. I feel like I can never be rid of him because of Amy. He’s a mistake I made years ago, but I’m always going to be paying for it and that seems so unfair.”

  “It is unfair. You need to find a way of minimising the impact he has on you because I don’t think he’ll ever change.”

  “Hit man?” suggested Sarah, with a hopeful look in her eyes.

  “Too expensive.”

  “Kill him myself with the tin opener?”

  “Too messy.”

  “Run away and live in a cave?” offered Sarah.

  “Bit short on caves around here. Come on, chin up. You’re made of sterner stuff. Anyway, don’t let him spoil our shopping day. Where to next?” said Kate, in a poor attempt to jolly her out of the hole she was in.

  “Back to the market, I think, to get one of those key ring and pen sets for Amy’s teacher, and the cheap bookshop for my little bookworm.”

  “Then we’ll finish at the posh chocolate shop and treat ourselves. My treat,” reassured Kate before Sarah could protest about the cost.

  Sarah almost fell through the door as it swung open with a huge bang. She struggled up the hall, looking like a kangaroo with six bowling balls in its pouch, as she clung on to all her bags. Just past the stairs, she stopped as something caught her eye. She shuffled backwards and looked up the stairs. On the landing was a step-ladder reaching up into her loft.

  “Thanks for bringing the ladder back, Shaun.” There was a long pause and then Shaun, who was a wiry man with closely cropped gingery-brown hair and matching chin stubble, appeared at the loft hatch, tucked something into his inside jacket pocket and reversed down the ladder. He took down the ladder and carried it downstairs. Sarah and her bundle of bags shuffled backwards to the front door to block his way.

  “Did someone leave your cage open again?”

  “Been spending my money, have ya,” he said, nodding at the bags. “Got yourself some more luxuries?”

  Sarah did her best to ignore him, but it was really hard not to take the bait.

  “
It’s presents for our daughter.”

  “Yeah, she’ll love Radox,” he snarled, peering into one of the bags.

  “Why are you in my loft?”

  “I was in our loft! Because I was hiding Amy’s Christmas present.”

  “Why?” said Sarah, suspiciously.

  “Because of all the break-ins around here. Dodgy area this is. People stealing little kids’ Christmas presents; awful business. So, because I’m a good dad, I’ve put our Amy’s present safe in the loft.”

  “What did you get her?”

  “Surprise.”

  “So, not what she asked for, then. You can leave the ladder. Thanks.”

  “No can do. No ladder means nobody can nick Amy’s present,” he said, tapping the ladder.

  “Don’t be an arse, Shaun. Just leave it out the back.”

  “That’s not safe. Like asking for someone to come in the night and kidnap her.”

  Sarah took a deep breath to control her temper.

  “I’m not having a battle of wits with you, Shaun. I’ll not fight with an unarmed man,” she said, dropping all the bags at her feet and blocking the way. The relief in her fingers was immense as the blood began to flow back into them.

  “Dear Sarah,” smiled Shaun, as he reached across as if to stroke her face. For a moment they just looked at each other. Sarah thought he was going to kiss her. He paused, put his arms around her and lifted her out of the way, then yanked open the door, walked across the bags and left, taking the ladder with him.

  “I really don’t know what makes you such an arsehole, but it works!” shouted Sarah.

  Chapter 7

  “Come on, Lumina, don’t be a bore. You have to come out and play,” said Tim.

  “I can’t, what about Horse?”

  “What horse?”

  “My chihuahua. He’s called Horse. I can’t leave him.”

  “Could a neighbour look after him?” suggested Tim, who was now a little bored and beginning to thumb through names on his mobile phone.

  “I guess so, but I’m still not sure about going out with you.”

  “It’s traditional,” said Tim, trying to sound convincing.

  “Traditional?”

  “Every good leading man takes his leading lady out for a meal before rehearsals start.”

  “But they don’t start for weeks.”

  “I’m a forward planner and, besides, it’s good luck for the film.”

  “In that case, okay. What time?”

  “Seven o’clock.”

  “Okay, see you then,” squeaked Lumina excitedly. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to resist Timothy Calder much longer, but what girl could? One dinner with him and she’d be on the cover of every magazine and filling lots of pages inside them, too. At precisely seven o’clock, a black stretch limousine pulled up outside Lumina’s apartment building and the driver opened a rear door to reveal Tim holding a bottle of champagne. Lumina knew she looked fabulous as she walked towards the car in a short, tight, black designer dress and slid into the seat next to Tim.

  “Wow, you look out of this world!” Tim said, handing her a glass.

  “Thank you,” she said, trying to keep her excitement under wraps. “Where are we going?”

  “Do you like French food?” asked Tim, with a tilt of his head.

  “My favourite,” lied Lumina.

  “Excellent. London City Airport, please, Terry,” said Tim to the driver as he reached into his inside pocket and produced two passports. “Aren’t PAs wonderful?” he laughed, and Lumina joined in.

  In less than two hours, they were in the heart of Paris. As they sat on the private boat, with candles flickering around them, Lumina felt she’d probably had enough champagne to ask a few more searching questions.

  “Does your bad reputation bother you?” she asked.

  “What bad reputation?”

  “You know, for all the over-the-top gestures you perform to lure women into bed.”

  “That’s completely untrue. I don’t know where they drum up this nonsense,” he said, as he leaned back on his chair to get the waiter’s attention, “Garçon, another bottle of Dom Perignon, s’il vous plait.”

  Lumina smiled and tried a different questioning route. “Do you believe in true love?” she asked, twirling her bright-blonde hair around her finger.

  “Yes, of course,” said Tim, keeping his gaze on Lumina. “To us,” he said, raising his glass and clinking it gently against hers, “and to Paris,” he added, raising his glass to the Eiffel Tower that, perfectly on cue, burst into a mass of sparkling white lights.

  “Hi,” said Andy, very unoriginally, as Sarah, with a finger over her lips in a ‘shush’ sign, opened the front door.

  “She’s asleep on the sofa,” whispered Sarah, as she reached for her coat. “You’re a life-saver, Andy.”

  “Not a problem, I’m happy to help out. How’s the mumps?”

  “Not too bad. She’s all dosed-up. Just let her sleep.”

  “Okay. Now go. She’ll be fine.”

  “Did you bring a ladder?”

  “Yes, it’s on the van. I’ll sort it out,” he whispered as he shooed her out of the door.

  Andy walked into the cosy room with its gas fire on full. There was a tiny Christmas tree, most of which was barely visible under all the homemade decorations. Amy was fast asleep on the sofa, so he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her and her duvet up to bed. He stood and watched her for a while, just to check she was okay, but he wasn’t really sure what he was looking for. He then popped to the van to get his ladder. In no time at all, the presents that Shaun had insisted must stay in the loft until Christmas Eve were arranged neatly under the tree. He stood the beautifully wrapped, ladder-shaped parcel behind the small tree, chuckled to himself and went to get a coffee.

  The evening dragged. There was only so much C.S.I. with subtitles you could watch and Andy daren’t put the sound on for fear of waking Amy. So, when there was the click of the key in the lock it made him jump. He got to his feet and walked into the hall. He was very surprised to see Shaun, with a ladder under his arm, halfway up the stairs.

  “Mate, Amy’s asleep up there,” he called to him. Shaun stopped abruptly and peered through the slats of the banister. Clearly, Andy was one of the last people he had expected to see.

  “Andy, what you doing here? Sarah putting on you again?”

  “No, her usual babysitter’s pregnant and, as Amy has mumps, she can’t look after her, so, what with you being busy tonight…”

  “I’ve just come to help Sarah by getting the presents out of the loft. They had to be put up there because of all the burglaries.”

  “There’s no need, mate, I’ve got them down already,” said Andy gesturing towards the living room.

  “Bloody hell, Andy!” said Shaun raising his voice and going a bit pink, “You had no right to go in my loft and snoop about. What the hell d’you think you were doing?”

  “Can you keep your voice down or you’ll wake Amy up? And it’s Christmas Eve, mate. Come on.”

  “I know it’s pissing Christmas Eve. That’s why I’m here, getting the presents out of my loft.”

  “Right. Well that job’s been done, so shall I make you a coffee?” offered Andy, in an attempt to calm things down. Shaun began awkwardly reversing down the stairs with the ladder, which he propped up in the hall. He stalked past Andy into the living room, bumping him slightly. Shaun rooted through a couple of Christmas bags and then picked up a silver one and marched back to get the ladder. Andy put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Sorry, mate, why are you taking one of Amy’s presents?”

  “Look, it says ‘love from the Best Daddy in the World’. See it’s from me.” He jabbed his finger at the label.

  “But won’t she want to open that tomorrow?” Andy’s hand was still resting on Shaun’s shoulder.

  “I’m embarrassed, mate. It’s not much. I’ll be back with something better. Okay?” He beamed his b
est smile at Andy, showing off his crooked teeth.

  “Okay,” said Andy, although it didn’t feel okay at all. Shaun slapped him on the back and, still beaming, he left with his ladder and the small, silver Christmas bag.

  Christmas had been good. Kate had spent Christmas day with Andy and his parents, and it had been a much jollier affair than the previous year, although James’s mum did have a little weep after lunch. Kate and Andy had then gone to Sarah’s for the evening. Kate had even had a couple of well-timed phone calls from her parents, who were now established in the Australian traditional Christmas, spending most of the day on the beach with friends and tucking into a seafood platter and barbecue. Kate realised how much she missed them when Christmas came around.

  Kate had had a quiet New Year’s Eve, going out and being surrounded by hoards of revellers was way outside her comfort zone, and the lack of a late night had enabled her to drive down to Marcus’s cottage first thing on New Year’s Day. She was keen to kick off the year with a new sense of purpose and a resolution to rebuild her confidence brick by brick.

  But here she was on New Year’s Day pulling up outside Sunset Cottage and starting a whole new chapter in her life. Niamh had flown out to America to have an extended holiday with family and friends whilst Marcus was writing, so he had already got himself settled in at the cottage. The front door opened and he was already waving at her to get inside.

  “It’s for you,” called Marcus from the hall, as he held up the old-style telephone. Kate left the car and hurried inside.

  “Hello?” said Kate tentatively taking the phone.

  “Happy New Year!” shouted Sarah and Amy together.

  “Happy New Year to you, too! Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, we’re all fine. Still recovering from last night. It was packed at the pub.”

  “Did Shaun have Amy?”

  “Yes, but not without a ruck. Apparently I’ve imagined the mumps. When I got in, Amy was still up and he was asleep on the sofa.”

  “He is useless.”

  “Oh, and he bought her Christmas present round at last, it’s a giant stuffed clown, which I will be having nightmares about.”