There is always a ‘but’ in this imperfect world
Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anna arrived at Harbourwatch not long after her visitors had left, her encounters with Alex over the weekend playing like a film in her head. She laughed softly as she let herself into the house. It was a good job Oliver was out at a meeting in Plymouth this morning and wouldn’t see the inane grin on her face.
Popping her head round the kitchen door, Anna was surprised not to see Mrs Clegg. There was no sign of anything being prepared for Oliver’s lunch either, or even of the coffee pot being warmed.
A noise came from the utility room, and she pushed open the door only to find Oliver in there.
‘Oh! What on earth are you doing?’
There was silence for a moment before Oliver straightened, a packet of dog food in his hand.
‘You really can’t tell what I’m doing?’ Dougal tucked into his bowl, and Anna released a huff of breath.
‘Of course I can. I meant, being here. What about your meeting?’
Oliver dropped the packet onto the countertop and strode past her back into the kitchen, and Anna patted Dougal on the head before following.
‘I’m not in it.’ He picked up the pot from the stove, then lowered it again.
‘But where’s Mrs Clegg?’
‘In bed, feeling unwell. She had a fall last night. Nothing broken, but she’s a bit dazed and confused. The doctor’s coming as soon as surgery’s over.’
‘But what about your meeting?’ No response. ‘Oliver?’
‘I postponed it.’
‘But—’
Oliver held up a hand. ‘That’s three sentences beginning with “but”, which is three too many.’
Tempted to say ‘but’ again, Anna drew in a short breath. ‘Fine. Here.’ She held out her hand for the pot. ‘I’ll make the coffee.’
He handed it over and left the room. ‘Thank you,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘Much appreciated.’
Oliver’s head appeared around the door. ‘Did you say something?’
‘Just talking to myself.’
She set the pot to warm, flicked the switch on the kettle and hurried down the hallway to the door at the end, which led, so Mrs Clegg had said on her first day, to the annexe where she lived. There was no answer when she tapped at the door, so she went in.
There were three doors leading off the inner hallway. The first one was a small kitchen, the second a sitting room crammed with some worn-looking furniture, all sorts of knick-knacks, and in a cage by the window, two budgies.
Anna tapped on the last door and opened it slowly to peer into the room. ‘Mrs Clegg?’ she whispered. ‘Are you awake?’
‘Come in, dearie.’ The voice sounded weak, but Mrs Clegg, when Anna walked over to the bed where she lay on top of the counterpane, smiled faintly, and Anna took her hand.
‘Is there anything I can get for you? Oliver says the doctor is coming soon.’
Mrs Clegg’s eyes closed for a minute. ‘So good to me, is Master Oliver. He’s ’ad no breakfast. Been looking after me since last night when I took ill.’
‘I’m sure he can look after himself. But what about you?’
Mrs Clegg didn’t seem to have heard Anna. ‘Who’s going to feed ’im? What about his lunch?’ She grabbed Anna’s hand. ‘If I don’t make ’im stop, he’ll work on and on and on.’
‘Don’t you worry about that. You must focus on getting better. I’ll pop along now and see what I can rustle up for lunch. I’ll be back to check on you soon.’
Anna hurried back to the kitchen, racking her brains for a simple meal to prepare that wouldn’t eat too much into her precious typing time.
She took the coffee tray up to the office and the next hour flew by, as Anna made her way methodically through the latest edits, stopping now and again to refresh the mug on Oliver’s desk and let Dougal out for a run around the walled garden.
Then, she popped along to Mrs Clegg with a cup of tea, but the lady was fast asleep. Anna looked at her watch just as the doorbell rang. She quickly ushered the doctor into Mrs Clegg’s room and waited in her sitting room for his verdict. There were so many things spread around the room: old photos in china frames, a collection of small brass animals, a silver trinket box and a pile of People’s Friend magazines. A bag of knitting rested by one of the armchairs and a book lay on the side table, topped by a pair of glasses.
The doctor was swift in his assessment, getting straight on the phone.
‘She needs to go into the hospital, hopefully for no more than twenty-four hours.’
‘Is it serious?’
‘It could become so if we don’t act. Looks like a nasty UTI. We need to assess her kidneys.’
Anna fetched Oliver, and he helped Mrs Clegg to her feet when the ambulance came and into a chair to wheel her outside. Anna carried out the bag she had packed under the lady’s instruction.
With Oliver gone to the hospital with Mrs Clegg, Anna tried to focus on her work, but soon after he returned, she slipped from the room to get lunch ready. Engrossed as she was in preparing a salad to accompany the three-egg omelette simmering in the pan, she wasn’t aware of Oliver’s presence until he spoke.
‘I’m going to have to increase your pay.’
Anna glanced over her shoulder. ‘Please tell me you like eggs?’
‘Yes.’ He frowned as he inspected the pan on the stove and threw her a puzzled glance. ‘What about you? Are you not eating?’
‘Oh! No. I mean, I thought I’d take Dougal for a proper walk. I’ll grab a sandwich from Karma.’
‘We’ll share this, then we’ll walk Dougal together. I need to sound something off you.’ He glanced out of the window. ‘I’ll treat you to an ice cream.’
Their lunch had been consumed in silence, and when the dishwasher had been stacked, Anna fetched Dougal and attached his lead and followed Oliver out of the door.
She felt a little awkward. Other than bumping into him at the antiques fair, she’d never had anything to do with him outside of the cocoon of the office, and while she was pretty comfortable with their working pattern, she knew very little about him.
Oliver didn’t seem to feel the need for small talk, though. He walked with a confident stride, and although Anna had long legs, she had to make an effort to keep up. It was only as they fetched up outside the ice cream shop that he turned around, handing Dougal’s lead to her.
‘Any preference?’
‘Chocolate, please.’
He smirked. ‘Predictable.’
‘What do you mean?’
He looked back over his shoulder as he entered the shop. ‘I had you down as a traditionalist.’
Anna turned her back on the ice cream shop and looked out over the harbour. What did that mean? Did she bore him?
‘I’m not good at pretending I’m someone I’m not, Dougal.’ She bent down to pat him on his head, and he peered adoringly back at her.
‘You wouldn’t be working for me if you were.’
She spun around. Oliver had come back to the door. ‘Cone or tub?’
‘Cone, please.’
He took on a pained expression. ‘Sprinkles or—’ he looked back over his shoulder ‘—smarties or caramel chunks?’
‘Oh, er, nothing, thanks. Just the ice cream.’
‘Traditionalist.’ He headed back into the shop, and Anna smiled.
He returned within minutes with three unadorned cones: a chocolate one, which he handed to Anna, and two vanilla, the smaller of which he offered to Dougal, who wolfed it down in one. ‘Special dog ice cream. Shall we walk?’ He gestured across the road and they walked towards the harbour wall.
It was such a mild day after the unpleasant weekend, with a hint of the summer to come, and Anna felt awash with memories of her childhood as they sat on a bench to look out over the water.
‘I used to sit on those steps for hours.’ She gestured over to where some holidaymakers were gathered.
‘Crabbing?’
‘Yes. Did you ever…?’ She hesitated. Oliver was always so immaculately turned out in his shirt and tie and his waistcoat, she couldn’t picture him as a little boy, getting stuck into the bait bucket.
‘There are so many possible endings to that sentence.’
Anna couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Sorry. I was wondering if you ever did that sort of thing: went on holiday to the seaside, sat on the harbour wall for hours, crabbing or fishing.’ She glanced at him, and he raised a quizzical brow.
‘Is there any reason why I wouldn’t have?’
‘No, of course not. I was…’ Anna turned away to look across the harbour again. He was impossible. ‘I know some people aren’t so lucky.’
‘I wasn’t.’
Anna turned back. ‘Oh. I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. I’m not.’ She bore his scrutiny for a moment. ‘I grew up abroad.’ Oliver fished in his pocket and pulled out a neatly pressed white handkerchief. ‘Here.’
‘Oh, thanks.’ Anna eyed it warily. It was immaculate. Was she really supposed to wipe her fingers on it? Reluctantly, she did so before handing it back.
‘You missed some.’
Her eyes widened as he reached over and dabbed the handkerchief near her bottom lip. ‘See?’ He held it up to show a small patch of brown.
Mortified to think she’d had ice cream around her mouth, like a child, Anna felt warmth fill her cheeks. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Oliver appeared unfazed, tucking the handkerchief back into his pocket and stretching his long legs out in front of him. A family gathered on the little beach below them, which only became exposed as the tide receded, and they watched them in a comfortable silence for a moment.
Anna smiled as the little girl of the family, paddling in the shallows in her bright pink wellies, held up a large shell, crowing with delight.
‘So cute.’
Oliver grunted. ‘I don’t do children.’
‘Oliver!’ Anna spluttered. ‘Children aren’t something to be done!’
‘Come on.’ Getting to his feet, Oliver unwrapped Dougal’s lead. ‘Let’s take this hound for a run.’ He waved a hand towards a side street, which led to an open patch of ground where dogs could be exercised, and Anna fell into step beside him again.
‘You haven’t asked what it is I wanted to talk to you about.’
It wasn’t a question, and if she’d said it, he would have seen no need to answer, but Anna wasn’t Oliver. ‘I assumed you’d mention it when you were ready.’
‘You assumed correctly.’
They emerged from the lane and passed through a gate into the grassy area before he let Dougal off the lead. Watching the dog tear across the field in search of who knew what, Anna smiled.
‘He’s lovely. Where did you get him?’
‘I didn’t. He was outside the gates when I got home one night. When I went out the next morning, he was still there, so I asked Mrs Clegg to feed him. Fatal mistake. He’s been a fixture ever since.’
‘Did you never try to find his owner?’
‘No.’
‘Why did you call him Dougal?’
Oliver turned his head, and she fidgeted under his piercing look. ‘It’s a dog’s name.’
‘Yes. Of course.’ Anna was confused. ‘But then, what about Thumper?’
‘I didn’t name her.’
‘But it’s a rabbit’s name!’
Oliver’s brow rose. ‘Really? Is that official? There’s a list of rabbit-only names?’
Anna’s lips twitched. ‘Yes, probably. Online somewhere.’
‘People need to get out more.’
With a laugh, Anna surveyed the open field. ‘It’s from Bambi. I loved that film, even though it made me cry.’
Oliver blew out a breath. ‘Disney crap.’
‘Oliver!’ Anna looked at him in disbelief. ‘Every child grows up on a dose of Disney.’
‘Not me. Never saw a single one.’
‘Never?’ Anna sobered. What sort of childhood had this man had?
Oliver eyed her in silence for a moment. Then, a glimmer of mirth shone in his eyes. ‘Got you again.’
Torn between exasperation and amusement, Anna shook her head. ‘Why do you do that?’
‘Easy target? Bit hard to resist, I’m afraid.’
‘So you did know Thumper was a rabbit…?’
His gaze roamed over the expanse of long grass. Dougal was having a good run around. ‘You shouldn’t believe everything you’re told.’
So she had begun to learn where Oliver was concerned! Anna glanced at her watch. Time moved on, and she pulled her thoughts together. ‘So, are you ready now?’
‘For what?’
Anna rolled her eyes. ‘What did you want to talk about?’
‘Work.’
Obviously. ‘What about it?’
‘I’m leaving Harbourwatch in September.’
‘Oh!’ Disappointment flooded Anna. ‘I— That’s a shame. Are you buying something here in Polkerran?’
‘No.’
‘So why are you leaving?’
‘Why not? I only took the lease on the house for three years. It’s convenient timing. The owner is coming back. The book’s as good as written. There’ll be some structural edits, and once it’s done, I’m due to go on a two-week lecture tour. Then, I’ll start packing up.’
‘Won’t all the schools and colleges be over for the summer?’
‘Precisely. I go to conferences, seminars and summer schools aimed at mature students, scholars and researchers. They like to use empty university campuses.’
Feeling a little stupid, Anna said nothing.
‘I need you to help me with it.’
‘I can’t come with you! I have Heathcliff to look after, and I’m trying to set up a business.’
Oliver turned to look at her. His face was inscrutable. ‘I’m not asking you to accompany me.’
Anna felt even more stupid. ‘Sorry, of course not. So what—’
‘Are you prepared to take on more work? I need someone to organise the itinerary, sort out travel, accommodation, and so on. There will be talks to type up and slides to prepare.’
He spoke in an offhand manner, as though he didn’t care either way whether she took him up on it, but Anna leapt at the chance.
‘I’d love to. I used to be a PA, so I’m more than capable.’
‘I know that.’ Oliver put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, and Dougal came running and patiently submitted to having his lead attached.
They walked back to the house in silence, but it felt far more comfortable to Anna than when they had left. She didn’t like to think about Oliver leaving Polkerran at the end of the summer, though – poor Mrs Clegg, Daisy and Old Patrick!