14 February
‘Well, Liberty love us!’ Tamsyn said, putting her portfolio on the table, fresh from a trip down to London to see the buyers. ‘There are “i”s to be dotted etc., but, Sue, I think Tamsyn Edwards will go into their bridal range!’
‘Fabulous!’ Sue said, hugging Tamsyn, and then, because it was impossible to embrace without including a canine, hugging Duchess too.
‘I know,’ Tamsyn said. ‘I’m telling you, this is the beginning of a renaissance in the Cornish fashion industry, and Castle House is going to become the jewel in the crown. It’s going to be wonderful!’
Sue was thrilled and, more than that, happy. It had been a whirlwind few weeks since Tamsyn had started to move her business into the building, weeks in which she had had a crash course in running a business, interviews with half the sewing circle, many of whom were now coming out of retirement to start making couture wedding gowns for Tamsyn and applying for various grants to help get the old place back on its feet, not that she needed it because about a month ago a specialist heritage restoration company arrived, and presented her with a fully paid purchase order to take on the long and expensive job of fixing her roof.
‘This is crazy,’ Sue had told the workman. ‘I can’t afford this!’
‘You don’t have to,’ the workman told her. ‘It’s all paid for.’
‘But I … I don’t understand,’ Sue said. ‘Who paid for it?’
‘Oh that’s right, there’s this that came with it,’ the roofer remembered and he produced a plain white envelope from his back pocket, with her name scrawled on the front in black ink.
Sue ripped it open and took out a handwritten note.
Sue, don’t be angry. When we met at Christmas you gave me a really great gift, a gift I didn’t know that I wanted – a glimpse of what life could be like, with a woman as wonderful as you. Well, I was raised to be polite and, as you won’t let me take you to Monaco, I got you something I know you do want. A roof. Please don’t turn it down, or send the guy away, he was really delighted to get the business, and he’s a good guy. I’m on location in Tunisia at the moment, but I think about you often. It makes me happy to know that you won’t get wet when it rains.
All the best, Blake.
Sue had smiled as she read the note again, hugging it to her chest. The gift had been exceptionally generous, but it was more than that. The idea that he still thought of her at all made her ridiculously happy.
‘Thank you,’ she’d said to her new contractor. ‘When can you get started?’
Work was still in progress on the roof, and Sue had to admit that the scaffolding and kerfuffle could have been annoying, but whenever she tripped over a wheelbarrow, or woke up at the crack of dawn to the sound of hammering, she thought of Blake and his sweetness, and she smiled. Who could believe that something that wonderful could have happened to boring old Sue Montaigne. Except that she didn’t feel nearly as boring or as old any more.
‘Well,’ Tamsyn said. ‘I’d better go. Jed and I have a hot date, him, me, a bottle of fizz and a WI meeting on crochet and its cultural significance in Cornwall, which I am actually looking forward to. I hear Cordelia is performing her usual Valentine’s ritual of dressing for a funeral and reciting depressing poetry.’
‘So, just another day, then.’ Sue smiled. ‘The children are with Rory tonight, helping him paint his new place, so I am planning to go to bed at eight, read a book and eat chocolate. It will be bliss!’
Just as Sue was about to go, there was a knock at the door.
‘Builders most likely.’ Sue rolled her eyes, noticing that for some reason Tamsyn was following her to answer the door, and did she imagine it, but did Tamsyn just skip?’
Sue opened the door and then closed it again, very quickly.
‘Was that …?’ She turned around to look at Tamsyn, who was now hopping.
‘Open the bloody door!’ Tamsyn ordered Sue.
‘But what is he doing here?’ Sue hissed, smoothing her hair down and pinching her cheeks the way her grandmother had always used to do to get a bit of colour in them.
‘Open the door, and you might find out!’
Taking a deep breath, Sue opened the door again. ‘Hello, Blake,’ she said, going for regal indifference.
‘Sue,’ he said. ‘I wondered if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight. I’ve booked a table.’
‘That is awfully presumptuous of you,’ Sue said, trying really hard not to smile. ‘I might be busy.’
‘Well, it would be if I hadn’t already contacted all of your friends and made absolutely sure that you don’t have any plans between now and tomorrow afternoon.’
Sue gasped, turning round to look at Tamsyn, who was grinning like a child.
‘I can’t just go out. For starters I’ve got nothing to wear.’
‘Ah, well you have,’ Tamsyn said. ‘I’ve packed you a capsule wardrobe, it’s in that overnight bag.’
‘Overnight bag?’ Sue looked appalled. ‘Where are we going? Monaco?’
‘Venice, actually, dinner for two at the Cipriani, separate rooms of course. My helicopter is waiting for us in the field up by the hotel.’
‘But, Blake,’ Sue said. ‘What is this about? Why are you doing this?’
‘Well,’ Blake said, taking Sue’s hand in his, ‘because once a very wise man told me that if you want your wishes to come true, you have to let them. And now I am going to kiss you.’
‘Wait a moment.’ Sue stopped him, and she turned back to her friend who was still hopping and applauding.
‘Tamsyn, haven’t you got a WI meeting to go to?’
‘Oh yes, bye then,’ Tamsyn said, as Sue stepped outside with Blake and closed the door on her friend.
‘Now.’ She smiled into Blake’s eyes. ‘Where were we?’