him,” I said, standing up and shoving books into my rucksack.
“What? But why? He’s gorgeous...”
“I don’t want to mess up. We’re in the middle of our exams.”
“What’s that got to do with anything? It’s only a bit of fun.”
“And what if I get caught? It’s different for you. I won’t have another chance. I was so lucky to get this scholarship. I can’t mess everything up when I’m so close to finishing,” I said.
Caroline opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and linked her arm with mine. “All right. I still think you’re crazy though.”
“Maybe.”
“So have you thought about what you are doing this summer? A whole six-weeks away from studying before we go off to uni,” Caroline said.
I sighed. “I need to get a job. I thought I’d stay at Freddie’s and work at The Anchor for the summer.”
“At the pub? All summer? But you said you’d come to Staverton this summer.”
“I want to, but...” I shrugged.
“At least come for a little while. I’m supposed to be doing that stupid piano tour at the end of August that my mother’s organised. Say you’ll come before the tour, just for a little while?”
I closed my eyes and imagined spending a week in Devon, with Caroline and her family. A proper family. “I’ll speak to Uncle Freddie, perhaps I could come down for the first week of the holidays.”
Caroline grinned. “Fantastic. We’ll have such a brilliant time I promise, and you’ll see Staverton, finally.”
A week in Devon would be perfect, and I would still have five-weeks left of the holiday to work at The Anchor and spend time with Freddie. I wanted to see Staverton, the house Caroline spoke about in reverential tones, but most of all, I wanted to be part of a proper family, even if it were only for one week.
Chapter 8
Freddie replaced the telephone handset. He’d just finished his weekly chat with Lucy. She telephoned, regular as clockwork, every Wednesday night, and every time he hung up smiling, knowing he had done the right thing by encouraging her to return to St. Catherine’s. But tonight he didn’t smile when he hung up.
He pulled out a bottle of ale from the cupboard and rattled around in a drawer, until he found the bottle opener. The view from the kitchen window was stunning tonight. He leaned against the worktop and gazed out. The sky, the colour of purple heather, melted into the navy sea, and the scattered clouds reflected various shades of lavender.
Freddie felt Bert nuzzle against his leg, and he reached down to pet him. Bert had an uncanny way of picking up emotions, of knowing when you needed a bit of company. The dog followed Freddie through to the living room, where Freddie settled in an armchair, his legs stretched out in front of him, and Bert curled at his feet.
He took a sip of ale. Lucy hadn’t done anything wrong. She planned to visit friends for a week, and after a year of working so hard, she deserved to relax and enjoy herself. But the truth was, he would miss her.
Lucy said she would still spend most of the summer here, but he wasn’t convinced. If her friend’s family invited her to stay on, then she’d be mad to refuse. They could probably arrange a job that paid better and was more appealing, than working for Bess in The Anchor.
Freddie glanced over at the pretty, green cushion on the sofa. Lucy embroidered it during the Easter holidays and had given it to Freddie for his birthday. Freddie didn’t know much about that type of thing, but he reckoned she had a talent for it.
He sighed. He expected too much. There wasn’t much for a girl of her age to do up here. Lucy had her own life, and that was the way it was meant to be. The last thing he wanted to be was a clingy relative. He had chosen not to settle down, not to have a family of his own, so there was no point getting maudlin about it now.
Freddie reached down and patted Bert. “Come on, Bert. Let’s go and see Bess.”
Chapter 9
I was
“What? But why? He’s gorgeous...”
“I don’t want to mess up. We’re in the middle of our exams.”
“What’s that got to do with anything? It’s only a bit of fun.”
“And what if I get caught? It’s different for you. I won’t have another chance. I was so lucky to get this scholarship. I can’t mess everything up when I’m so close to finishing,” I said.
Caroline opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and linked her arm with mine. “All right. I still think you’re crazy though.”
“Maybe.”
“So have you thought about what you are doing this summer? A whole six-weeks away from studying before we go off to uni,” Caroline said.
I sighed. “I need to get a job. I thought I’d stay at Freddie’s and work at The Anchor for the summer.”
“At the pub? All summer? But you said you’d come to Staverton this summer.”
“I want to, but...” I shrugged.
“At least come for a little while. I’m supposed to be doing that stupid piano tour at the end of August that my mother’s organised. Say you’ll come before the tour, just for a little while?”
I closed my eyes and imagined spending a week in Devon, with Caroline and her family. A proper family. “I’ll speak to Uncle Freddie, perhaps I could come down for the first week of the holidays.”
Caroline grinned. “Fantastic. We’ll have such a brilliant time I promise, and you’ll see Staverton, finally.”
A week in Devon would be perfect, and I would still have five-weeks left of the holiday to work at The Anchor and spend time with Freddie. I wanted to see Staverton, the house Caroline spoke about in reverential tones, but most of all, I wanted to be part of a proper family, even if it were only for one week.
Chapter 8
Freddie replaced the telephone handset. He’d just finished his weekly chat with Lucy. She telephoned, regular as clockwork, every Wednesday night, and every time he hung up smiling, knowing he had done the right thing by encouraging her to return to St. Catherine’s. But tonight he didn’t smile when he hung up.
He pulled out a bottle of ale from the cupboard and rattled around in a drawer, until he found the bottle opener. The view from the kitchen window was stunning tonight. He leaned against the worktop and gazed out. The sky, the colour of purple heather, melted into the navy sea, and the scattered clouds reflected various shades of lavender.
Freddie felt Bert nuzzle against his leg, and he reached down to pet him. Bert had an uncanny way of picking up emotions, of knowing when you needed a bit of company. The dog followed Freddie through to the living room, where Freddie settled in an armchair, his legs stretched out in front of him, and Bert curled at his feet.
He took a sip of ale. Lucy hadn’t done anything wrong. She planned to visit friends for a week, and after a year of working so hard, she deserved to relax and enjoy herself. But the truth was, he would miss her.
Lucy said she would still spend most of the summer here, but he wasn’t convinced. If her friend’s family invited her to stay on, then she’d be mad to refuse. They could probably arrange a job that paid better and was more appealing, than working for Bess in The Anchor.
Freddie glanced over at the pretty, green cushion on the sofa. Lucy embroidered it during the Easter holidays and had given it to Freddie for his birthday. Freddie didn’t know much about that type of thing, but he reckoned she had a talent for it.
He sighed. He expected too much. There wasn’t much for a girl of her age to do up here. Lucy had her own life, and that was the way it was meant to be. The last thing he wanted to be was a clingy relative. He had chosen not to settle down, not to have a family of his own, so there was no point getting maudlin about it now.
Freddie reached down and patted Bert. “Come on, Bert. Let’s go and see Bess.”
Chapter 9
I was
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