Selena parked the car at the entrance to Jubilee Woods at the top of Wychanger Lane and scrambled out, followed by Laura, a huge straw hat over her lilac hair. It was a hot Wednesday morning, June the eighth, and Laura was desperate to show Selena around the woodlands, convinced that she would want to paint the trees and flowers and the views down into Ashcombe.
Laura pointed at a tree covered in creamy blossom. ‘Look – the elderflower is in bloom. Can you smell it? It’s divine.’
‘The smell of summer…’ Selena inhaled deeply, then took some photos on her camera.
‘The damp ones smell of cat’s pee,’ Laura said. ‘I bet Joely is picking some this week to make wine. Her sparkling elderflower is absolutely nectar – I drank half a bottle of it at your barbecue.’
‘I think we’d been through several bottles between us by the end of the evening.’ Selena smiled, then she pointed to a thick carpet of nodding blue flowers. ‘Bluebells – how lovely – so many of them.’
‘They are quite late this year.’ Laura grinned. ‘Hark at me – I’m a proper country woman now, aren’t I? And to think that not that long ago I was a Bristolian who practically lived in the local wine bar, who didn’t know my sneezewort from my mother-in-law’s tongue.’
‘What’s that tree?’ Selena snapped away at a tall, bare skeletal tree with no foliage. ‘It’s quite dramatic.’
‘It’s dead, sadly,’ Laura said. ‘I always imagine that it was hit by lightning during a raging storm, but it probably just died of natural causes – I’m just a hopeless romantic.’
‘And look,’ Selena pointed. ‘A blackthorn tree, just like the one at Sloe Cottage. The blossoms have all gone now, but it’s still beautiful. The thorns are like sharp claws. I want to paint the one at the cottage through the window, the view to the outside from the living room, framed behind glass. It bangs on the window constantly.’
‘I’ve heard it – I find it quite scary.’
‘Oh, just look.’ Selena gasped. ‘This is what I want to paint too.’ She pointed at the treetops, sunlight filtering through the leaves casting mottled blotches on the grass. ‘I just love those muted shades and the bright shaft of light, the dappled effect.’ She adjusted position and snapped more photos.
‘I’m so glad we came here, Selena – I knew you’d love it.’ Laura clapped her hands. ‘And I so wanted to share my good news. I have a job. I’m really excited about it. It’s just what I need, starting in September.’
‘A job?’
‘In Ashcombe Primary; Cheryl Clark, the year five teacher, is leaving and I applied for the post and got it. I’m so thrilled.’
Selena hugged her. ‘That’s wonderful – well done.’
‘We must celebrate. Of course, my dad’s delighted I’m working full-time again. He says he needs a break from my constant fussing, although he really appreciates having me around.’
‘You’re both so sweet.’ Selena suddenly wanted to confide in Laura; she was touched by her frankness and she had the urge to reciprocate. ‘I wanted to tell you – David came down to visit me from Manchester – he turned up out of the blue on Sunday.’
‘David? The ex?’ Laura shuddered. ‘What happened? Did you send him packing?’
‘I did…’ Selena said. ‘He got my address from Claire’s flat-sitter. I mentioned it to Claire on Monday and she was horrified. So, I told David to leave – he thought I’d fall into his arms, but I’m over him now. In a way, it was good to see him. I realised I feel nothing at all now.’
‘And his wife?’
‘I think they’ve split up.’
‘That’s a shame,’ Laura said sadly. ‘Good for you, though. Now you can find someone decent and put dastardly David behind you.’
‘I might have found someone already…’ Selena was amazed to hear herself sharing her secrets with such self-assurance.
‘Oh, who? Someone I know? Do tell.’ Laura gripped her arm.
‘I’ve been seeing Nick Russell, Lesley and Ian’s son – we’ve just had a few dates, well, not even dates, just friends really. We’ve been out around the area – Exmoor, Culmstock Beacon. He’s very nice…’
‘Oh, yes – I met him once, just after I arrived in the village. He was in The Royal Oak on New Year’s Eve with Ian and Lesley – his sister was there too, and her husband. Nick’s quite gorgeous, Selena.’
‘He is.’
‘So – what’s holding you back? Surely not David?’
‘No…’ Selena felt a pang of sadness. ‘He was there when David called, and he did the polite thing and left us to talk. But before Nick left, David mentioned that I’d had a miscarriage – Nick knew nothing about that – I hadn’t told him.’
Laura’s face was suddenly stern. ‘And why should you? It’s your life. And David had no right to mention the baby. Ooh, if he was here, I’d give him a piece of my mind – he clearly wanted to ruin anything you had with Nick…’
‘But what if he has spoiled things? Nick might not be keen on me any more – if he ever was.’
‘Have you talked it over?’
‘No…’
‘Then you must.’ Laura’s glasses flashed. ‘It’s time for you to put your cards on the table.’
Selena nodded. ‘I think you’re right. Yes, I’ll call him.’
‘If you haven’t contacted him since Sunday, he’ll think you’re back with David, or that you don’t care.’
Selena pressed her lips together, anxious. ‘To be honest, I’ve been a bit nervous about phoning him – should I message now?’
‘There will be no reception up here,’ Laura’s mouth turned down at the corners, ‘we’re in the back of beyond. But you must get hold of him and soon.’
‘I will.’ She paused. ‘We were working on the history of the cottage – you know, what Jonathan Shears said about the ghost of old Mother Cotter haunting the place.’
‘Oh, goody – did anything interesting come to light?’
‘I think so.’ Selena took several more photos of a glade of trees, the stippled sunlight filtering through boughs. ‘Yes, the farm was originally owned by someone called Harper back in the 1600s, and I think the Cotters must have been labourers who lived in the cottage – William Cotter and his wife, Anne. So, I assume Anne must be our Old Mother Cotter, although I think she died before her husband. It was probably in 1672.’
‘And did they have children?’
‘Grace Cotter. But I haven’t found out about her yet, how old she was or what happened to her.’
Laura gave a soft laugh. ‘I expect she married one of the locals and had ten children. That’s what they all did in those days, poor women.’
‘I wonder if Anne really was a witch?’ Selena was thoughtful. ‘Do you know, when David was in the cottage, he thought he saw a young woman on the landing, wearing a cap and a long dress. Do you think that was Anne Cotter?’
‘Or Grace?’ Laura said. ‘If the woman was young…’
‘Could be,’ Selena agreed. ‘Nick and I are making inroads into the research and I really want to find out what happened to all of the Cotter family.’
‘I can help,’ Laura piped up, all enthusiasm. ‘I’ll ask my dad what he knows about the parish records. They go way back, don’t they, and I think you can access them online. He’ll know how to research the Cotter family’s births and deaths – it’s all written down, I’m sure. 1672, you said?’
‘Yes, oh, that would be wonderful.’ Selena was thoughtful. ‘Would they be buried in the graveyard of St Bartholomew’s?’
‘They probably were.’
They had arrived at an open patch of grassland surrounded by holly bushes and Laura pointed.
‘There’s a beautiful beech tree. It’s quite special – it has purple foliage.’
‘I could paint that.’ Selena rushed over, moving her phone at different angles. ‘I have so much material now, I could paint for months.’
‘I have an idea.’ Laura’s eyes twinkled. ‘It’s such a beautiful day. Come back with me and I’ll make us a sandwich – we can eat in the garden. I’ll ask my dad later if he can find out anything from the records. He’s in Taunton at the moment: there’s a meeting of the archaeology society, so I’d be on my own for lunch anyway.’ She offered a hopeful look. ‘In fact, while I’m slaving over the sandwich, you could give Nick a call. Then everything will be resolved and we’ll all be happy.’
‘You’re right.’ Selena exhaled slowly. ‘I’ll ring him. I ought to at least let him know David’s out of the frame…’
‘So that he can step into it?’ Laura replied mischievously. ‘Oh, I do love a good romance.’
Selena was in the garden arranging plates on a small wooden table, listening to Laura in the kitchen. The window had been flung open wide and Selena heard the whirring of a food mixer, then Laura swore and shouted, ‘It wasn’t a good idea to make my own mayo – the whole thing has just hurled itself out of the food processor up the kitchen wall.’
‘Do you need any help?’ Selena asked hopefully.
‘No,’ the muffled reply came from the kitchen. ‘I need you to ring lovely Nick and sort everything out.’
‘Right,’ Selena said. She had been nervous, putting it off.
She walked away from the window, out of Laura’s earshot, and held the phone to her ear. It rang for a few moments and Selena thought about ending the call; Nick was probably in a meeting or with students; he might be in a lecture hall talking to a fascinated audience about the poetry of Coleridge, and she didn’t want to interrupt. More to the point, she didn’t want to discover that his interest in her had dwindled, thanks to David’s arrival. Then his voice was in the earpiece, light and cheerful. ‘Selena?’
‘Is it okay to talk?’
‘It’s fine. I’m in Exeter. I’ve just nipped outside for a breath of fresh air.’
‘Okay.’ Selena’s voice shook and she wondered what to say. She decided to take the plunge. ‘I’m really sorry about Sunday.’
There was a pause, then Nick said ‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m fine, thanks. David has gone.’
‘Back to Manchester?’ Nick’s voice was quiet.
‘I asked him to leave. We’ve been over for a long time.’
‘As long as you’re okay…’
‘I am.’ Selena’s words came out in a rush. ‘I don’t want to see him again and I told him so. I feel stronger now, more in charge, and that’s because I came down to Sloe Cottage for a break and to recover and… and I think I’m slowly starting to get my old self back.’
She could hear Nick’s easy laugh, then he said, ‘I’m so pleased.’ There was a moment’s quiet, then he added, ‘Can I come and see you?’
‘I’d like that.’ Selena knew she’d answered too quickly, but honesty was the way forward: she was sure of her feelings now.
‘How about Saturday afternoon? We could do a bit more research on the house then – afterwards, we could go out to dinner.’
‘Oh, that would be lovely.’ Selena was relieved; Nick sounded as keen to see her as she was to spend time with him.
‘That’s good – it was fun researching the history of the cottage and we can discuss where we can go next to discover more about the Cotters.’
‘Laura’s going to see if her dad can check the parish register.’
‘That’s a great idea. So, I’ll find somewhere for us to eat on Saturday evening. What sort of food do you like?’
Selena was about to say ‘anything’, but she stopped herself. She wasn’t going to be acquiescent any longer: she had a mind of her own. ‘I love Greek food – and Indian. You choose between the two – pick somewhere nice.’
‘I know exactly the place,’ Nick replied and Selena could tell that he was smiling. ‘I’ll see you around two on Saturday then?’
‘It’s a date,’ Selena said eagerly.
‘I look forward to it.’
Selena’s face was flushed and happy as she pushed her phone into her pocket. She turned round to see Laura standing behind her holding out a tray with two salad sandwiches and glasses of sparkling water. She raised her eyebrows, a grin on her face.
‘I’m not the greatest cook in the world, but here’s your lunch – make the most of it.’ Laura winked mischievously. ‘At least you and Nick will be able to get a decent meal on Saturday night.’