Bristol was larger than Stevie expected and had loads more shops. There were the usual high street chains and department stores, but there were also smaller, independent shops, and it made for a nice mix.
Stevie was like an excited puppy on its first walk in the great outdoors – if she had a tail, she’d be wagging it. Boy had she missed this: the noise, the smells, the sights, the sheer busyness of a city, and she couldn’t wait to get started on the shops.
Leanne dragged them into the nearest department store and headed for the lift and the second floor where the posh frocks (as Great Aunt Peggy used to call her nicest dresses) were located.
‘What do you think of this one?’ Leanne asked, holding up a fuchsia pink number.
It had so many frills and tassels Stevie grimaced and when she caught Tia’s horrified expression she had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. ‘Um, maybe a little too fussy?’ she replied trying to be tactful.
Leanne held it at arm’s length and stared at it, critically. ‘Yeah, you’re right. I love the colour though.’
It certainly was dramatic, Stevie conceded. She knew she wouldn’t have the courage to wear something so bright, and anyway the colour would clash horribly with her hair, so she gazed around for a more sedate, subdued colour.
‘How about this one,’ Tia suggested, pointing to a gown cut so far down the front that the person who wore it would have to make sure their boobs didn’t fall out. There was an equally revealing slit from floor to thigh, and Stevie pulled a face.
‘Er…’ she began, when Leanne and Tia burst out laughing.
‘You should see your face!’ Leanne cried, holding onto Tia’s wheelchair for support. ‘Although if you did buy it, Saul’s eyes would be out on stalks. Saying that, so would every other man’s. I dare you.’
‘No thanks. If you want that kind of attention, you buy it,’ Stevie retorted with a shudder.
‘Talking about male attention, did my brother behave himself?’ Leanne asked. ‘He took Stevie on a date on Friday night,’ she added to Tia.
‘I heard they were dating,’ Tia said.
‘Can’t a girl have any privacy?’ Stevie asked and laughed when the other two chorused, ‘No!’
‘Well? You haven’t answered my question,’ Leanne persisted. ‘Tell me about your date with Saul.’
Stevie rifled through a rack of evening gowns. ‘It was OK. Ooh, look, this one is lovely.’ She held up a silver, off-the-shoulder number.
‘Why don’t you try it on?’ Leanne suggested. ‘Tia, have you seen anything you like?’
‘One or two.’ She pointed to the ones she fancied and Leanne unhooked the hangers off the rails and draped the dresses over her arm, then she turned her attention back to Stevie. ‘Just OK?’
Bugger, Stevie had hoped Leanne had dropped the subject. She shrugged. ‘I guess…’
‘No fireworks?’
‘Nope.’
‘That’s a shame; I would have liked to have you as a sister-in-law.’
‘Hang on, it was only one date,’ Stevie protested. ‘And even if I did feel like that about him, there would be quite a way to go before there could be any talk of wedding bells.’
An assistant showed them into the changing room and Stevie and Leanne crowded in behind Tia who frowned. Leanne said, ‘You’re gonna need some help getting in and out of that.’ She jerked her head at the column of ivory silk with diamantes and beads sewn on the bodice.
‘You’ve not got your eye on anyone else, then?’ Tia asked as she wriggled her loose-fitting cotton dress over her head.
Stevie was very glad indeed the other two were concentrating on the task in hand and not looking at her face, because she felt a sudden blush heat her cheeks.
‘No,’ she said, but her response mustn’t have been as convincing as she thought, as Tia’s head popped out from underneath the hem of her discarded dress and she gave Stevie a hard look.
By the way she raised her eyebrows, Leanne wasn’t fooled either, so Stevie decided to change the subject.
‘I’ve got more important things to worry about,’ she declared.
‘I take it you’re talking about the horrid reviews Allegra Johnson and her friends left?’ Leanne asked.
Stevie nodded.
‘The cow!’ Tia exclaimed.
‘Ooh, you look lovely. Doesn’t she look fab?!’ Leanne cried, straightening the hem of Tia’s dress so it fell in a shimmering sheath around her lower legs. ‘Now, imagine yourself with your hair up…’ She gathered Tia’s dark hair up with her hands and twisted it behind her head. ‘Talk about sophisticated.’
‘You look gorgeous,’ Stevie said, meaning it. The other girl was very attractive, a delicate feminine version of her handsome brother.
‘I need a hand taking this off and then it’s your turn,’ Tia said, nodding at the dresses Stevie had chosen. ‘Can you unzip me?’ she asked Leanne.
‘Will it make much of a difference having a few bad reviews?’ Leanne wanted to know, easing Tia’s dress down her back as Tia hoisted herself up with her arms to raise her bottom off the seat of the wheelchair.
‘I hope not.’ Stevie crossed her fingers. ‘But I’ve got a really bad feeling about it.’
‘If there’s anything we can do…?’ Tia offered, and Stevie’s heart melted.
The pair of them had such earnest expressions and so much love and sympathy radiated from both of them, Stevie felt like crying. She was grateful these two wonderful girls were her friends and she gave them each a heartfelt hug.
‘Right, I’ve found mine,’ Tia announced. ‘It’s your turn. And make it snappy, because I’m starving.’
‘Tia…’ Leanne sounded a bit odd and Stevie shot her a concerned look.
‘What?’
‘I’m going to miss you,’ Leanne said. ‘Do you have to leave Tanglewood?’
Tia froze and there was silence for a few moments, apart from the rustling of satin as Stevie struggled to free her curves from a slightly-too-clingy turquoise gown.
‘Yes,’ she said finally.
‘But I don’t understand, I thought you were happy here – you’ve got the stables, and your friends.’
‘I’m going and I don’t want to talk about it,’ Tia said, her expression grim.
‘I’ll miss you, too,’ Stevie added. She’d only just got to know the girl and she liked her immensely.
‘And I’ll miss you guys, but this is something I have to do. For—’ Tia hesitated, then finished with, ‘—me.’ But Stevie was almost sure she had been about to say something else entirely.
Tia added, ‘It’ll be good to live in a city again.’
Suddenly Stevie wanted nothing more than to go back to Tanglewood. To the peace, the serenity, the slower pace of life. She realised she actually didn’t miss London at all.
She thought back to when she used to live there and how the crowds used to annoy her and how rude and disinterested people could be, and contrasted that with Tanglewood, where everyone knew her name, and where the villagers said hello to each other on the street (Try doing that in London and see how many people crossed the road to avoid you, Stevie thought). And the shops she used regularly often set aside the best cuts of meat or had her usual order ready for her. Suddenly life in the big city seemed so very impersonal and cold.
Tia would hate it.
Stevie had an inkling there was something bothering her friend. If only she could ask Nick what it was, so she could try to help. But Nick had made it perfectly clear he wanted nothing to do with her…