Willow Cottage – Part Two: Christmas Cheer

‘Come on, let’s leave Sleeping Beauty and get a coffee,’ said Jack, leaving the room.

Beth sent a quick text to Fergus to let him know where Carly was and that she was okay, which was stretching the truth slightly. He replied immediately.

Thanks B. You’re a

. Was worried.

Jack was busying himself with his coffee maker when Beth came into the kitchen. ‘I only have decaff. Is that okay?’ he asked, holding up a pod.

‘Yeah, fine. I’m sorry if I was a bit overprotective before but I meant what I said about Carly and her boyfriend,’ said Beth.

‘About them being almost engaged? What is that exactly?’ asked Jack.

Beth was finding Jack particularly irritating today. ‘Her long-term boyfriend is about to propose.’

‘Right. Is this the same guy who she’s been waiting to ask her for three years?’

‘She told you?’

Jack turned round and rested against the worktop, a hint of a smile on his lips. ‘She told me a lot of things.’

Beth tilted her head in interest but she was not going to ask, even if the curiosity proved fatal. She hoped Carly hadn’t revealed anything about her. For some reason it mattered to her what Jack thought.

‘Then you’ll know that she loves him and she’s not looking for a one-night stand with … with someone like you.’

Jack chuckled. ‘Hell, who made you her mother?’

‘So, that was your plan then. Get her drunk and …’

‘Hey, not so fast. She was at the bottom of wine bottle number two when I found her. She asked me if I knew you and we started chatting. I was only being friendly.’

They shared looks of mutual contempt.

‘Where’s Leo?’ asked Jack.

Beth was instantly irritated by his combative tone and she glanced at her watch. ‘He’s with Denis but I’d better go. Don’t touch Carly while I’m gone!’ Beth strode out of the door and sprinted across the road and the village green towards the pub. Engrossed in the kerfuffle with Carly, she had lost track of time. She knew Leo was safe with Denis, but she still felt awful for being so distracted.

Beth escorted a moaning Leo out of the pub. On the green the same gang of people were taking down the stalls as the last few revellers milled about. Shirley was sitting on a bench conducting an imaginary orchestra while two couples waltzed around in circles. Beth couldn’t be sure if it was the usual level of bonkers for Dumbleford or if Shirley’s 1960s cake had something to do with it.

Beth spotted Jack. As soon as she approached him he held up his hand as if to stop her. Leo got distracted by a butterfly and started to follow it from buttercup to buttercup nearby.

‘I’m done with the accusations, Beth. Your friend is at my house. The door is unlocked so you can get her whenever you want. I’ll be a couple of hours and I’d like to think she’d be gone by the time I get back.’

‘The door’s unlocked?’

‘Yes, Dumbleford is a quiet little village. Not London. Get used to it!’

Beth was taken aback by how vehement Jack was but now, having calmed down a bit, she wasn’t sure herself why she’d made such a thing about him and Carly. She guessed it was because she was being protective of her friend. Yes, that must be why she reacted like that.

‘Right, thanks. Will do. Sorry if I was a bit …’

Jack paused mid-walk, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

She shrugged. ‘Sorry,’ she repeated and walked away, collecting Leo as she went.

Three fully leaded takeaway coffees later, Carly and a sick bag were on their way back to the train station. Leo was zoned out playing a game on Beth’s phone, so Carly and Beth were able to have a hushed conversation in the front of the hire car.

‘I can’t believe you were going to kiss Jack,’ said Beth.

‘I wasn’t!’ protested Carly, although she was scowling as she spoke. ‘Well, it was only going to be a little kiss on the cheek not a full-on snog fest!’

‘You were not heading for his cheek!’

‘That was probably the wine doing the steering,’ said Carly glumly rearranging her sick bag.

‘Why were you going to kiss him at all? You don’t know him, he’s a stranger and you have Fergus.’

‘He said something lovely … but I can’t remember what,’ said Carly pulling the same face she pulled when she accidentally switched on University Challenge and tried to join in. She sighed. ‘I’m sorry I was drunk.’

‘And what did you talk about anyway?’

‘I’m so sorry, but I can’t remember,’ said Carly, hugging the sick bag as Beth went a little too fast over another village speed bump.

‘Nothing at all?’

‘Nope.’ Carly shook her head. ‘Ouch. Wishing I hadn’t done that,’ she said, putting a hand to her forehead.

‘Me too,’ muttered Beth.

‘Are you and he … you know?’ asked Carly.

‘No! Seriously, do you think I would get involved with someone else so quickly after Nick? Or even get involved with anyone at all after Nick?’ Beth’s voice was rising.

‘I don’t know.’ Carly’s expression was pained. ‘No. Of course not. Again, very sorry.’

‘Good,’ said Beth, relaxing her tight grip on the steering wheel.

They bumped along the hedgerow-lined lane in silence for a while before Carly spoke. ‘You can’t pledge not to have any more relationships because of Nick.’

‘I can,’ said Beth with a snort.

‘You shouldn’t,’ said Carly, as Beth opened her mouth to contest. ‘I don’t want to argue. I’m your friend and I’m just saying, you never know. And while I’m at it from what I can remember Jack was really nice to me, so don’t judge him the same as Nick. If he wants to help you, give him a chance.’

‘I’m thinking he might not want to do that after today,’ said Beth and she started to grind her teeth.

Beth was pleased to be waving Carly off on the train back to London but she was a little sad too. Carly was her best friend and despite the chaos she had managed to cause it had still been good to spend some time with her. Sometimes, all you needed was a friend you could be yourself with. They had both been cheered up by the revelation that there were direct trains from Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington so they could be together in approximately an hour and forty minutes, assuming there were no delays.

Now that Beth had taken back her phone, Leo was chatty in the car on the way back to Dumbleford. He was reliving all the fun he’d had with Denis at the fete.