The day before the preview Holly held the first two classes. She’d been missing her visits to the old folks’ home, something she was no longer able to do on a regular basis. Fortunately one of the staff had been really interested in what she’d done and was able to follow through. Although Holly went in occasionally for a couple of hours it wasn’t the same. She was delighted therefore to be able to get back to some form of teaching and it was a success from the word go.
Kate and Phoebe, who both had arrangements that first Wednesday, wanted to join the afternoon group the following week and the evening class of four had grown to five. Holly began each class with a round the table introductory discussion. Not everyone knew each other so she asked them to say a few words about who they were and what their interests were.
She quickly found out that there were some who were quite serious about their art. Others knew nothing at all and were looking for a method of self-expression or just a new hobby, ‘and to get out of the house for a few hours,’ one of them declared. Almost everyone wanted to do something different, from painting to modelling to collages.
‘I’d just like to be able to make my own greeting cards,’ somebody had said. Another wanted to make jewellery but sadly Holly wasn’t qualified to teach her. To her huge delight the woman said she’d had such a lovely time she’d keep on coming anyway and pick something else to do.
‘What a mixed bunch you are. There will of course be some things we’ll have to do together as a group but there are few enough of you for me to work with you individually as well.’
By the end of the evening Holly had compiled a short list of the skills required to cover their different ambitions. They also came to a joint decision, one that involved both classes so Holly had the same conversation with each group.
‘How do you feel about doing something that is a representation of one aspect of Cuffingham? Not immediately but certainly as something to aim for. It might be a painting of the high street, a model of the church, a collage, or whatever. The choice is entirely yours.’
The suggestion was welcomed with enthusiasm and because there would be no end of term they decided to begin the project in September. In the meantime learning and practice would be the order of the day.
‘For those of you who’ve never done anything like this before I can’t even begin to describe the excitement when you can actually hold something in your hands and say I did this.’
No one knew better than Holly what a wonderful feeling that was. She also promised that two weeks before Christmas she would display everything in the gallery, a kind of mini exhibition. If they wanted to sell when the time came, she’d help them work out a fair asking price and her ‘commission’ on the whole project would be the pleasure she would get out of helping them to complete their first assignment.
‘Except I’m sure if I do finish something I couldn’t bear to part with it,’ was Ginny’s response.
This would be the only exception Holly would make to displaying and selling other people’s work, and it turned out to be surprisingly inspirational. Though it had only occurred to her the day she made the suggestion, it was popular with everyone and some just couldn’t wait to get started. On Thursday morning Holly opened her books. Even simple bookkeeping was anathema to her and she knew she was going to need help, but at least she’d begun. Nine people had paid her for something she loved doing and from next week it would be eleven. And consent came through from the council on the same morning. It was one big day!
***
Holly had thought the place was big, but at Thursday’s open evening you couldn’t move for bodies. Everyone she’d spoken to had been asked to bring whoever they wanted. The more people, the more the word would spread – she hoped! She had no way of knowing if it was the free cheese and wine, or natural nosiness – which she perfectly understood, not being above it herself – but the place was heaving. She even got a couple of reserves, which wasn’t the intention, but there was no way she was going to turn away good custom.
Adam was one of the first to congratulate her. ‘It’s a great turnout. I wish you every success,’ he’d said but he was looking somewhere over her shoulder, as if he couldn’t make eye contact.
‘Thank you, Adam. I’m glad you could make it. And I’d love to take you up on that coffee sometime.’ This time he did look at her and there was an intensity in his expression that she couldn’t quite read. There was no way she could know if she’d made him happy. It was a start. A small one but a start nonetheless.
Steve asked if he could join the Wednesday evening class, as he’d always wanted to dabble in something artistic.
‘You don’t get too many opportunities to express yourself in my job, other than verbally. I might have to miss a class occasionally, if anyone makes an appointment to view a property, but I’d love to come if you’ll have me on that basis.’
So, now Holly knew what he did for a living and she also had the optimum number in both groups.
Gordon stayed to help her clear up at the end of the evening but as he wasn’t the only one she didn’t think anything of it. Emma, however, said he’d been a bit proprietorial and she should play it cool.
‘It’s just that he’s usually so, well, very open and friendly but sort of out of reach. Try not to hurt him and don’t go getting hurt yourself.’
‘Well, other than avoiding him I don’t know what else I can do. We seem to have reached some kind of tacit agreement to be just friends and to tell you the truth, Emma, I’d really miss his company if I didn’t see him at all. Giving each other the cold shoulder seems to be a much more unnatural thing to do. I don’t want to hurt him, though, that’s for sure and I don’t want to get involved either. Maybe we should just see how it goes.’
‘Up to you of course, but be careful. You’re doing so well and I just don’t want to see your life turned upside down again.’
‘No, I’m definitely not going that route. I’m a free agent and surprisingly I’m enjoying my independence. In any case I haven’t got time for romantic involvement. I have a business to run!’
Satisfied, Emma gave her a final hug and went to find Tom and take him home. Holly went into the kitchen to help Gordon finish the last of the washing up.
‘Went well, I think.’
‘Yes, you must be absolutely delighted. See, it’s not all that difficult to part with things if someone really wants them. You sort of feel they’re going to a good home.’
She hadn’t thought about it that way but he was right. However, talk about down to earth with a bang! Holly spent the next few weeks passing her days in splendid isolation. Very few people came in to browse and the number of sales could literally be counted on the fingers of two hands. The weather didn’t help. The wonderful promise of spring she’d seen in February had all but disappeared and March had certainly lived up to its unfriendly reputation.
It didn’t get any better by the beginning of April. The clouds chased each other across the skies and even the weather forecasters had commented on how much it had rained. Holly had to remind herself that she had spent relatively little in getting the business going, and she was comforted by the knowledge that it wasn’t just her. She had the advantage of being able to use the studio while she waited for customers so even when they didn’t come she was still working productively. Reportedly, everyone else in the village was having a pretty poor month as well. It didn’t stop her worrying though.
She was grateful for the other string to her bow, the classes, which not only provided her with an income but also gave her the opportunity to get to know several of her neighbours on a much more than superficial level. Not one of them was put off by the still very unsettled weather. Even Steve only turned up late once.
One or two who were perhaps a bit more confident than the evidence warranted asked if they could begin their Christmas project, but Holly stuck to her guns. September they had agreed and September it would be. The rest were happy to accept that they needed a little more practice and tuition before embarking on anything ambitious.
Each session finished with tea or coffee and biscuits. Holly felt they deserved it after they’d been concentrating so hard. One young mother in the afternoon class couldn’t stay because she had to pick children up from school, but Holly was pretty sure that she’d get herself on a rota fairly soon so that she could join in too.
She got a huge amount out of the classes herself. It was hard to believe how much she enjoyed teaching and there was the added bonus of getting paid for it. She knew that with Emma it was a vocation as well as a job but she’d never really understood until now. Holly suspected Emma thought she might be missing her London friends, and there were one or two with whom she exchanged frequent emails, but she’d never really had anyone close other than Emma herself.
Kate and Phoebe quite often stayed after class when the others had left and it seemed Holly had been welcomed unreservedly into their circle of friends. It was one of these times that she found out that Kate and Charlie desperately wanted children but had had no luck so far.
Apparently, while they were still young students, Kate had become pregnant by her then boyfriend. Too frightened to tell her mother, she had confided in Phoebe, asking for her help in getting an abortion. Phoebe, then as now, knew everyone and she’d organised for Kate to be taken into a day clinic. She’d spent the night at Phoebe’s, but as this was nothing unusual Kate’s mother never knew. Neither did Charlie! Kate had kept her guilty secret, but she was now convinced that she was being punished for aborting her baby.
‘Phoebe keeps telling me I’m being ridiculous, and the only reason we’re having trouble is because I’m so screwed up about it that it’s just not happening.’
‘Well I think Phoebe’s probably right. Did you really say screw? If you and Charlie have both been checked out …’
‘We have.’
‘… then that’s almost certainly the reason. I think it’s fairly common. Unless he’s sticking it in your ear.’
She giggled. ‘Only sometimes, and only when it’s foreplay.’
At which point Phoebe said, ‘Come on, Kate. I’ll drop you home. But only if I can watch the foreplay.’
***
Holly put her splendid isolation to good use. While she waited for customers to come through the door, she kept herself busy increasing her stock. She’d never found it difficult to apply herself and, as her college training enabled her to work in several different media, she had two or three things on the go at the same time.
This was good on more than one count. Firstly she was producing work to fill in the gaps that would appear as soon as business began to take off – she was ever the optimist. Secondly, Holly knew that whenever she walked into a shop and it looked like they were just waiting around for customers she felt uncomfortable. Instead of having a nice browse and maybe buying something, it seemed as if she was being watched and she couldn’t wait to get out of there. Not good for the buyer or the seller.
***
After April’s unpromising start the weather slowly began to get better. The clouds were still racing across the heavens but there were more blue patches between them. Things seemed suddenly to have burst into life. Daffodils and narcissi waved and trumpeted in glorious yellow and cream, and even the tulips were standing proud, heads still tightly folded on pencil-like stems, but full of promise. Trees were waiting to show off their beautiful new coats and the almond was already a vision in pink. In the fields around the village lambs gambolled about without a care in the world. When opportunity came for her to go out Holly didn’t go anywhere without a sketch pad.
‘There’s been a turnaround at the Manor,’ Phoebe told her. She’d been right about it being the old manor house. ‘Winter visitors are leaving and there are several new people coming in for the Easter break.’
Easter, though not as busy as summer, certainly brought its fair share of visitors to the neighbourhood. The atmosphere in the village was almost tangible. The whole place seemed to be waking from semi-hibernation and there was an undercurrent of excitement wherever you went. Another week should see a complete change when school holidays would bring an influx of families wanting to get away from it all and explore the reawakening countryside.
‘It doesn’t stop there, Holly,’ Phoebe said. ‘Come May there’ll be a different type of tourist.’
Spanning an age range covering several decades, these were the people who didn’t have children of school age and were able, and indeed chose, to take their break at a time when most popular areas were without the school holiday crush.
‘Some will hire cottages, stay in guest houses, or use hotel accommodation. Some camp, others have their own mobile homes. Once the season begins, it carries right on through to the autumn. That’s when it slows down a bit, changes in nature as well. We get a lot of serious and semi-serious walkers at the tail end of summer. They prefer to take their exercise when the weather isn’t quite so hot. Some of them book in at the Manor.’
‘That sounds like a bit of a contradiction.’
‘Yes, I know what you mean. But if you’re having a strenuous day out you need a good breakfast to send you on your way and you can afford to indulge yourself in the evening without the burden of guilt.’
By the end of summer the local population would be complaining and wanting their little bit of England to themselves again, but realistically everyone knew that the area would not survive without the support of tourists. Holly likened it to an all-day shopping trip – wonderful while it lasts, but exhausting – and fabulous when you get home and put your feet up.
Oh, and she was wrong about the twins’ teacher. Two weeks before the end of term, the teacher invited Holly to come in and show the whole class how to make a Humpty Dumpty for Easter. She couldn’t turn down an invitation like that so she pressed Kate and Phoebe into duty and they held the fort while she was away. She had a wonderful time with the children, and Kate and Phoebe sold one of the most expensive pieces in the gallery. Holly promised to cook lunch for them by way of payment but they’d obviously had a lovely time and positively insisted on standing in again when the need arose.
***
Holly was astonished one afternoon when Adam came into the gallery just before closing time.
‘I’m looking for something special for my mother’s birthday. Is it okay if I have a browse?’
‘Of course it is.’
Holly was intrigued. Adam spent several minutes absorbed in his search before finally making his choice.
‘Would you like me to gift-wrap it for you?’
She was rather proud of this skill. It wasn’t difficult to do fairly quickly, once you knew how, and it made such a difference. She’d bought a stock of blue and yellow diagonally striped wrapping paper to match the gallery’s colour scheme, hoping that in time it would become her trademark and recognisable as coming from ‘Art-e-Mis’. While she was working she looked up to find Adam tugging at the neck of his jumper, obviously acutely uncomfortable.
‘Look, Holly, I know things didn’t begin well between us, but I’m not such a bad guy. I really was hoping we could put it behind us and be friends.’
Well, what do you know? An apology. I think. Holly would have hated it to be said that she wasn’t generous-hearted, and in any case he was right. The silly argument had gone on long enough.
‘I’d like that too, Adam. And you’re right; we didn’t get off to a good start, but that’s no reason for us to let it go on like that for ever.’
‘Thank you. I know I’m not as good with people as I am with animals but I don’t usually go so far as to fall out with them,’ he said with what struck her as a rather attractive if somewhat rueful grin. ‘And, talking of animals, when I leave here I’ll be on my way to give Meg the once-over and a new prescription for her arthritis. Would you like to come with me, as you have a sort of vested interest in her? I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you again? Particularly as after the last time you saw her I just grabbed her and ran without giving you the chance to say goodbye.’ Adam was clearly glad of the opportunity at last to apologise in person.
‘That would be really nice.’
Holly was delighted. She truly would like to see the old lady who, unknown to anyone except maybe Adam who had seen her tears, held a very special place in Holly’s heart. He waited while she locked up, looking pleased with himself, and off they went. Talk about a turnaround. As he drove out to Donald’s place Holly learned a lot more about Adam.
‘I first realised how much I wanted to be involved with animals when I found and rescued a kitten that had fallen into a drain. When I released Old Meg’s paw from between the boulders, I could see in your face exactly the same sort of relief I’d felt that day.’
‘Oh Adam, I …’
‘It was then that I felt really sorry that there was such bad feeling between us.’ Adam seemed sheepish, and Holly wondered if maybe he’d felt it even before that. ‘I can’t bear a grudge against anyone who has such an obvious empathy with animals.’
Holly was flattered and put her previous irritation about the Meg incident to the back of her mind. This wasn’t the time to be bringing up old grievances. They were trying to build bridges here.
Adam fell silent as in twilight he turned off the windy country lane onto a farm track, and she could see why a rural vet would need a Land Rover. If she’d been wearing false teeth she was sure they’d have flown out of her mouth as they made their way along the track’s pitted surface, but the farmhouse was warm and welcoming when they arrived and Betty was already putting the kettle on before they were through the door.
Old Meg came bounding over and waved her happiness indicator at Adam, whom she obviously regarded as an old friend. Holly was glad when she was included in the reception and another Border Collie joined them. He was younger than Meg and, Holly was told, a real gentleman. She spent a few happy minutes stroking and talking to him while Adam examined Meg, who apparently passed the test with flying colours and a flying tail.
‘Now don’t you go running off like that again any time soon. You’re much too old to be having these adventures,’ Adam scolded her, but as he was scratching behind her ear in a spot that reduced her to slavery she didn’t take too much exception to the telling-off. They thanked Betty for the steaming mugs of tea, which had been most welcome, waved their goodbyes to her and Donald and set off back towards Cuffingham.
‘Fancy a drink before I drop you back home? There’s a nice pub off the lane a little way up the road, which you may not have discovered yet. They’ve always got a log fire going in the evenings at this time of the year and the smell of the wood smoke is as intoxicating as the beer.’
It seemed that Adam had managed to shed his inhibitions. Holly turned towards him, genuinely delighted, if somewhat surprised, that he had asked. She was also pleased to discover she wasn’t the only one who loved the smell of wood smoke.
‘I’d really like that, thank you.’
Even in the gloom of the Land Rover she could see him smile, glad to be burying the hatchet after so many weeks, and not in each other’s necks either! A couple of minutes later Adam turned left off the lane up another windy bit of road that led to the Dog and Bone, and nowhere else. Not a pub to stumble on by accident.
She wondered how it had ever got going in the first place and learned later that the no through road ended in a small hamlet of six or so cottages, the pub, and a tiny community centre rendered redundant as the pub served the same purpose. It was dark though by the time they got there that evening, and no streetlights illuminated the minute rural settlement that she discovered on her next, daytime visit to be absolutely enchanting.
It doesn’t do to make snap judgements, does it? Holly thought. They had a lovely time. The pub didn’t have a restaurant, but it did have a decent selection of bar meals that were prepared on the premises. After one drink they decided it was silly to rush home so they ordered something to eat and settled down for a nice, relaxed evening. Adam knew several of the regulars and there was more than one sideways glance in the couple’s direction – people obviously jumping to conclusions as people do.
‘What made you choose a country practice, Adam? It must be quite different from the cats, dogs, and rabbits I imagine you’d find if you worked in a large town or city.’
‘I did work in conventional surgeries after I qualified, and I gained a lot of useful experience, but I was raised in the country and it’s where I’d much rather be. My father died when I was a teenager and I’m an only child, so when the chance came to join a practice close to my mother I jumped at it. The senior partner retired three years ago.’
Adam told her he now employed two other vets to help him with the workload.
‘It’s a great profession for young mothers too. It lends itself well to part-time working so I’ve got as much help as I need.’
Those beautiful blue eyes flashed excitedly as he talked about his practice and, far from being shy and uncommunicative, Holly found it difficult to get a word in once he’d got going. It was a pleasure to see this side of him and she honestly hoped that he felt he’d misjudged her as much as she had him. After one beer Adam changed over to soft drinks and although she wasn’t driving she did the same.
They put their names on the list for a game of darts and there was quite a wait before they got their turn. Holly hadn’t played for years and she’d like to have said she was really good but the truth was there was little chance she’d be invited to join the local team. Great fun though.
The flush on her cheeks at the end of the evening was not due to a large alcohol intake but to the heat from the fire and a feeling of well-being. She was sorry when the landlord called time. Besides Gordon, with whom she had settled into an easy-going but uncommitted friendship, it had been a very long time since she’d spent an evening out with a man and she’d thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
She was seeing Adam in a completely new light, unimaginable earlier that day when he dropped her at her door. They parted as friends and Holly resolved there and then to get out a bit more.
***
She didn’t invite him in, nor did he ask, but he did plant a kiss on her cheek before he stepped away – wishing it was more, hoping that one day it would be. He’d recovered a lot of ground though. Even he could see that.