I had only just got back from the bank when I saw Luke put the phone down, a bright smile plastered across his face.
‘That was Phil,’ he said, ‘you know from the café.’
‘Oh, yes?’ I asked expectantly as I hung my coat on the rack under the stairs.
‘He said he’s got someone for the room!’
‘So soon?’ I gasped. ‘I only dropped the card in a couple of days ago.’
Luke clapped his hands together in excitement. ‘I know! Isn’t it great? He’s sending her up now and she can move in straightaway.’
I walked into the sitting room and tried to steady my nerves. This was all happening far too quickly. When I had left the advert with Phil, he had assured me that he wouldn’t let just anyone enquire about the room. Instead he would guard it with his life, ensuring that only the right person was sent my way.
I believed him. When Harry keeled over in Phil’s coffee shop, I had been too shocked to help, so it had been Phil that had sprung into action, calling the ambulance and keeping customers well away.
After the unthinkable happened, Phil had been so kind, popping up to the house with flowers and a card. Then he insisted on making all the food for the funeral and giving me a very welcome discount which at the time I had no idea I needed.
Harry and I had come to know Phil very well. He had set up shop forty years ago, just as we were starting our own antiques business two doors along. Phil wasn’t just an excellent barista, but a good friend and I trusted his advice. If he thought he had the right person for me, then no matter how quickly I thought this was all moving, I had to believe him.
‘Is the room even ready?’ I asked suddenly. ‘We were going to clear it out and give it all a quick vacuum before showing anyone round.’
‘I gave it a going over last night when you went to bed.’ Luke smiled, sitting down beside me. ‘Mum, please relax. I’m here to help you vet whomever it is Phil’s sending up. If we don’t like her then she doesn’t move in. It really is that simple, I promise. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.’
I said nothing and patted Luke’s knee affectionately. How could I tell him that over the last few weeks my life had been filled with things I didn’t want to do? From burying the love of my life to selling my husband’s things and now living with a complete stranger. None of these were things I had particularly wanted to do.
But I said nothing and instead when the doorbell rang, I got to my feet sharply and hurried towards the front door. I briefly checked my appearance in the hallway mirror, patting my greying blonde locks into place and then, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, opened the door.
Although I hadn’t really given much thought to my ideal tenant, the girl on my doorstep was definitely not it. She was only in her mid-twenties and I had envisaged someone a lot older. Not only that but she looked desperately pale and thin. I felt my maternal instinct kick in as I wondered if she was ill.
‘Mrs Harper?’ she said in a gentle tone, as I stood there gawping.
‘Yes, but it’s just Lydia. Please do come in,’ I said, holding the door open as I remembered my manners. ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t speak to Phil and so I don’t know your name.’
‘Erin Matthews,’ she replied politely.
‘Can I take your coat?’ I asked, echoing her well-mannered tone.
Erin smiled her thanks and handed it to me as I led her downstairs and through to the kitchen.
‘Shall we have a cup of tea? Then I can show you the house.’
She followed me inside where Luke had already boiled the kettle and was pouring fresh water into the pot. Pleased to see he was using leaves rather than bags, I gestured for Erin to take a seat and tried not gasp in horror as she made a beeline for Harry’s chair.
‘So, Erin,’ Luke began, laying a hand on me warningly as he set the pot down. ‘Tell us a bit about yourself.’
‘Yes, go on dear.’ I smiled, knowing it was important to be friendly. ‘Are you from the area?’
The girl nodded as Luke poured the tea. ‘I’m originally from Bristol, but I went to uni here in Bath. After that I never left. What about you? Have you always lived here?’
‘More or less – like you I was born in Bristol, but have lived in Bath all my married life. My son Luke’ – I nodded at him – ‘was born and bred here though.’
‘Although I live in America now. I’m just back visiting Mum,’ Luke put in.
Erin nodded again, taking in this new bit of information. ‘I wondered. I was sure the advert said you lived on your own.’
‘Yes, I might as well tell you: Harry, my husband, died very suddenly three weeks ago. He was seventy-nine and still full of life’ I said, baldly. ‘It’s taken us by surprise somewhat. Luke, number one son that he is, flew back at the drop of a hat to be with me, but of course he can’t stay forever. He has a wife that needs him and he thinks it would be good for me to find someone to help around the house, keep me company, drive me around, that sort of thing.’
‘And what do you think?’ Erin asked.
I found myself chuckling at the girl’s directness. Full marks for saying what she meant.
‘I think I would rather live by myself and try to get over Harry’s death in private,’ I replied honestly. ‘But I agree with Luke that it’s not the best option financially and if I can find someone who will tolerate me then I can make the best of a bad situation.’
My son smacked his hand against his forehead and groaned. ‘Why did you have to say that, Mum? You’ll put Erin off if she hasn’t been put off already.’
‘It’s fine.’ Erin’s eyes crinkled with mirth. ‘After the few days I’ve had, I appreciate a bit of honesty.’
I raised my eyebrows. There was a story here. ‘Oh?’
The girl bit her lip, clearly wondering if she had said too much. But if I was going to share my home with someone, then I wanted to know everything about them, warts and all.
‘The truth is that up until a few days ago I was living a very happy life in a swish flat on the other side of town. I had a best friend, a fiancé and a brilliant job as an architect,’ she said.
‘So what happened?’ I asked, keen to get to the nub of the matter.
Erin lifted her chin in defiance. ‘And then I caught my fiancé sleeping with my best friend in our bed. As I also worked for him and lived in his flat, I’m now homeless and jobless.’
Luke reached over and squeezed the girl’s arm. ‘I’m so sorry, that’s a horrible thing to discover.’
‘Thanks,’ Erin said, squaring her shoulders. ‘But you don’t need to be sorry, you didn’t do it. The only ones that should be sorry are my fiancé and best friend, but they won’t be, they’re “in love”,’ she said sarcastically.
I took another sip of my tea and offered Erin a genuine smile. I admired her for putting a brave face on for the world, even if she did fall apart in private. She was, of course, young enough to find someone else, but also to not know that men like this fiancé of hers, not to mention the best friend, were fickle. I wanted to tell Erin she would be far better off without the pair of them. But I said none of that. I might have been old and a bit forgetful, but I wasn’t stupid. It was too early for Erin to hear that, in the same way as it was too early for me to hear from strangers at my husband’s wake that there was still time to remarry.
‘What are you going to do with that ring?’ I asked catching sight of the sizeable diamond on her finger.
Erin looked at it in surprise as if she had forgotten it was there at all. ‘Give it back, I imagine. I want nothing from him.’
I couldn’t hold back any longer. ‘Don’t be a fool. There’s a deposit for a flat or car on your finger. You always keep the jewellery, dear. Especially if they can’t keep it in their trousers.’
Erin and Luke looked at me in shock. I took another sip of tea and tried to think of a less controversial topic. The young were so easily upset.
‘And how do you know Phil?’ As I mentioned his name, Erin smiled, her whole face lighting up as she did so.
‘I used to revise in his café when I was at uni and he would bring me incredibly strong lattes to help me concentrate, often for free. He’s always been so kind to me.’
‘Phil is a wonderful man,’ I agreed.
‘He is,’ Erin gushed. ‘But I don’t want you to think I took advantage. When Ginger was ill in hospital last year, I took some holiday from my job and helped him out without payment. He always does so much for other people, I wanted to do something for him.’
I had to confess that was a kind and thoughtful gesture. Perhaps Phil had known a little of what he was doing after all.
‘Shall we have a look upstairs at the room?’ I suggested, draining my cup. ‘Then you can see if you think you might like it.’
‘I’d like that,’ Erin replied, following Luke and me upstairs to the second floor.
As I pushed open the door, I was delighted to find Luke had done a bit more than cleaned and vacuumed. He had cleared the room out, put fresh sheets on the bed and even set up a little television. The result was quite homely and I shot my son a grateful smile.
‘So what do you think?’ he asked Erin, who was peering out of the window at the grass beyond. I had always thought it a lovely room overlooking the Circus itself and this morning the room was bathed in a warm glow, now the clouds had given way to bright sunshine. From nowhere, I found myself hoping that Erin loved it up here as much as I did.
‘I really like it,’ she said shyly. ‘It’s far nicer than I could have hoped for.’
‘I’m so pleased,’ I beamed.
‘So does that mean you want to move in then?’ Luke asked excitedly.
I rolled my eyes at my boy. It was a good job he never played poker.
‘There’s no hurry to decide,’ I offered.
Erin took a step towards me, her lovely smile lighting up her whole face. ‘If you’re happy to have me, I’d love to move in.’
‘Then let’s give it a try,’ I suggested, holding out my hand for her to shake. As she gripped it firmly, I felt a fleeting glimpse of happiness. It seemed no accident Erin had found her way to me. Perhaps together, she and I would help each other find ourselves again.