The Cornish Guest House (46 page)

‘She’s up here,’ she panted, pointing to the entrance of her flat and grinning from ear to ear. ‘There was no answer from yours and she kept ringing and ringing, so I came down and there she was! She looked awfully tired and hungry so I gave her some sustenance and we’ve been jabbering ever since. Oh, do come up, she’s been waiting ages!’

There was no escape. Tabitha’s heart was in her mouth as she ascended the steps behind Oscar, who insisted on counting: ‘One… two… three…’ She had an idea who it might be and wasn’t at all sure that if she was right, she wouldn’t melt into a puddle on the floor and seep through the floorboards.

‘Four… five… What next, Mamma?’

‘Six,’ said Tabitha absent-mindedly, watching the hem of Esme’s purple, ankle-length skirt swish round the corner.

‘Six… nine… ten.’

‘Molly, oh!’

Tabitha’s friend jumped up from the armchair and flung her arms around Tabitha’s neck, at which point Tabitha burst into tears, as Molly knew she would.

‘What are you…?’ she blubbed into Molly’s hair, vaguely registering that it was now an unusual shade of fuchsia pink. ‘I told you not…’

Molly, who was much shorter than Tabitha with big green eyes and a pale face, backed away and took both her friend’s hands.

‘He’s dead, Tabs,’ she said, eyes shining. ‘Carl. He got in a fight with some drug dealer. He was smashed in the head. They took him to hospital but he never came round. He’ll never trouble you again.’

Tabitha’s legs gave way beneath her and she sank to the floor, her body shaking like a flame.

‘Are you sure?’ she whispered, searching Molly’s face for confirmation and watching as her lips mouthed the words that she longed to hear.

‘It’s true. I swear. It was on the regional news. They had a different name for him but I recognised him immediately. It was definitely him. One hundred per cent. You’re free, Tabby. You’re finally free!’

Tabitha glanced around Esme’s living room, seeing everything as if it was for the first time: the rich, jewel-like colours of the cushions on her wide sofa; the shimmering gold Buddha on the shelf above the TV; the strutting peacocks on the rug in front of the fireplace, their vivid blue and green feathers outrageously bright in the late-afternoon sunshine. All her senses seemed to be heightened, so that even the tinkling wind chime by the door sounded louder and sweeter. It was as if the entire planet had switched in an instant from analogue to high-definition and the intensity made her blink.

‘Are you all right?’ Esme asked, touching her shoulder, because she must have looked quite dazed, and Oscar eyed his mother uncertainly.

‘I’m fine, honestly.’ But it didn’t sound like her, it seemed to come from some other woman on the floor while the real Tabitha was gazing in wonder, like Miranda, at this brave new world. ‘I just can’t believe it. It feels like a dream.’

Esme, ever one to prescribe a ‘stiff drink’ in times of stress, went off to fetch glasses, ice, tonic and the gin bottle, while Molly helped Tabitha to her feet.

‘I know you said not to come but I had to tell you in person,’ Molly explained, settling her friend on the sofa. ‘I wanted to see your expression.’ She had an improbably big mouth for a slight person, strong rectangular teeth with a space in the middle, and her wide, impish grin seemed to fill her entire face, turning her eyes into glittery slits and making you want to smile back.

Tabitha felt a surge of love and gratitude that almost took her breath away.

‘You’ve always been there for me, Molly, always,’ she choked. ‘I owe you so much. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.’

Molly waved a small hand in the air. ‘Ach, don’t be silly.’ She bent down to pick Oscar up and smother his cheeks in kisses.

‘How long is it since I’ve seen you, little man? I’ve missed you.’

Oscar wasn’t at all sure about this strange woman whom he hadn’t met for nine months and struggled to free himself.

‘He’s forgotten me!’ Molly wailed when she could no longer keep him still and had to set him down.

‘Such a lot’s happened to him recently, he’s just confused,’ Tabitha apologised as he scrambled on her knee. ‘You know, it still hasn’t sunk in, this news, it’s going to take a while. I keep thinking you’re an illusion and any minute now I’m going to wake up!’

Molly laughed. ‘I’m real all right. Here, let’s get this down you.’

She passed Tabitha the large gin and tonic that Esme had poured, before taking one for herself.

‘Chin-chin!’ Esme cried, raising her own glass high in the air. ‘I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry, to be frank.’ She took a sip of her drink then dabbed the corner of an eye with a finger. ‘You’ve been through so much. Let’s toast the start of a whole new chapter.’

‘Hear, hear!’ Molly took a slurp and shivered slightly. ‘Ooh that’s strong!’

‘It seems awful to be celebrating someone’s death,’ Tabitha commented, poking down a slice of lemon.

‘Normally I’d agree, but not in his case. Carl was a monster. The world’s a better place now he’s gone.’

Oscar went to examine one of Esme’s picture books on the shelf beneath her window. She had a large collection of colourful children’s stories and fairy-tales and often drew inspiration from them for her ceramic designs.

‘How long are you staying?’ Tabitha asked Molly, who had taken off her sandals, reached for one of Esme’s cushions and was sitting cross-legged on the floor. She seemed very much at home.

‘I’ve got the whole week off work.’ She looked very pleased with herself. ‘I’m going to help you pack.’

‘Pack?’ Tabitha’s eyes opened wide. ‘What do you mean?’ She was still busy processing the information about Carl.

‘Home with me, of course. You and Oscar can take my bed and Dom and I will sleep in the sitting room.’ Dom was Molly’s on-off boyfriend. ‘Don’t worry, he’s cool about it. In fact, it was his suggestion. I’d have given you the airbed.’ She winked.

‘But what about—?’

Molly read her mind. ‘I already spoke to the liaison officer here – you told me the name, remember? Luke’s in Norwich and they can extend his no-go zone to include the whole of Manchester. We’ll get a panic alarm fitted in my flat, but I honestly don’t think you’ll be in any danger, not now you’ve given your statement. The guys that haven’t been caught yet are petrified it’s their turn next. The last thing they want is trouble. They’ll be lying low, they’ve probably even left the country.’

Tabitha was silent for a moment, wondering what to say.

‘You can come back, Tabs,’ Molly went on, ‘to Manchester where you belong. You hate this place…’ She glanced at Esme and shrugged. ‘I’m sorry but it’s true. We’ll find you a little flat somewhere eventually, and Oscar can make local friends before he starts school.’

She clapped her hands, so taken was she with her own plan. ‘And you and I can go clubbing together and to restaurants without constantly having to look over our shoulders. You could even re-join the band if you want to. We need a kick up the arse, we’re going nowhere fast at the moment.

‘It’ll be a whole new life, Tabby. No more wind-swept beaches and…’ she gazed around for inspiration and her eyes alighted on Esme’s collection of vintage teapots on a shelf by the fireplace ‘…cream teas.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘And Oscar will speak proper Mancunian, not all this ooh-arr lark.’

‘I like the accents here,’ Tabitha said, without thinking.

‘Nothing wrong with a Cornish burr,’ Esme agreed. ‘They still use some of the old words, you know. It’s a most ancient and fascinating language.’

Oscar pointed at a picture he was examining and made a snorting noise. ‘Pig,’ he said proudly.

Tabitha scarcely registered. ‘When do we leave?’ She was gazing into her glass, which was still half-full.

‘As soon as possible. You don’t need to worry about money. I can tide you over until you get everything sorted. I guess you won’t be able to reclaim the rent on the flat here, but it doesn’t matter because staying with me won’t cost you anything.’

‘I’ll pay you back when I get a job,’ Tabitha replied in a small voice.

She placed her drink on the floor beside her and stared into space. She was thinking about Loveday, Liz and Robert, Esme, Pat, Shelley and all the others who’d taken her to their hearts since Luke had been arrested. She was remembering how only this morning she and Loveday had sat on one of the benches by the beach, Oscar between them, eating ice creams and watching the children race in and out of the ocean.

When they’d finished, Oscar had insisted on venturing onto the beach himself. They’d had their bathing suits on under their clothes but it hadn’t been as warm by the water’s edge. Even so, they’d stripped off and waded in, hand in hand, squealing as the icy waves had risen up their knees, their thighs, their waists, until at last the torture had become unbearable and they’d plunged in, laughing as Oscar’s expression had turned from shock to dismay and, finally, delight. She was going to miss all that.

‘I guess I never really fitted in here,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m a city girl through and through. I like the hustle and bustle, the smoke and traffic, the crowds, the cinemas, busyness. I’d hardly even seen a field of cows before I came to Tremarnock, and I certainly never popped in and out of people’s houses, or knew what my neighbours were up to. It’s just not what happens in a town, you’re more anonymous.’

She was aware of Esme, peering at her down her long nose. ‘You don’t have to go,’ she said softly.

Molly jumped up. ‘Come on!’ She was wearing a short strappy sundress in ice-cream colours that went rather well with her pink hair. ‘Let’s do a tour of the village, the packing can wait till tomorrow. Then you can show me where I’m spending the night. The sofa will do, I’m not fussy. After that I’m in your hands. How about fish and chips for tea?’ She frowned. ‘That is, if you have a fish and chip shop. It doesn’t look like there’s much around.’

‘We have a very good one as a matter of fact,’ Esme said rather sharply, ‘and an excellent restaurant, too.’

But Molly was preoccupied with putting on her sandals and didn’t seem to hear.

Robert had taken Rosie to Tim’s house at around four, leaving Liz plenty of time to shower and get dressed. It was Tim’s mother’s birthday and she was having a bit of a party, to which Rosie had been invited.

She’d just received welcome news about her most recent scan, which showed that the sliver of brain tumour that doctors had been unable to remove was still dormant. Furthermore, the website that she and Tim set up had received some publicity in the local press, meaning that they’d acquired a certain celebrity status in school, to which they were still adjusting.

Of course, Loveday teased Rosie about the relationship, while Liz made delicate enquiries, but Rosie insisted that she and Tim were classmates, nothing more, and Liz was inclined to believe her. They were only thirteen and had originally been brought together more through mutual suffering than anything else, although the fact that they got on so well and their bond had persisted would seem to suggest that their feelings, subconscious or otherwise, might go somewhat deeper than mere friendship. Liz just hoped that neither would be hurt; in her book, they were far too young to be dating.

She stood in front of her open wardrobe and eyed the garments inside suspiciously. She had only two pairs of maternity trousers and a few loose tops that she was heartily sick of. She felt well in herself, blooming, everyone said, but the baby was now so low in her abdomen that she needed constant trips to the loo and sometimes felt as if she might burst like an overripe tomato. All in all, it was about time for this child to make its appearance but, then, they came when they were ready and not when you wanted them to.

She pulled out the black trousers and a turquoise, V-neck tunic that she hadn’t worn for, ooh, three days. Better than the pink one that she virtually lived in. Once she’d added one of her own, diamanté hair clips and put on some sparkly earrings and a matching necklace, she felt more glamorous and padded downstairs in bare feet to wait for the others.

Tabitha arrived with Molly while Loveday was still dressing. Both women looked young and stylish, though they could hardly have been more different. Tabitha was wearing dark trousers, trainers and a sparkly gold top, her black curly hair fanning out round her face like a dusky aura, while the petite, pink-haired Molly was in a denim mini-skirt, white camisole and sandals, with rather startling, bright blue mascara on her lashes. They certainly were an eye-catching pair.

Liz had met Molly the day before, when Tabitha had popped in to introduce her, and had taken to her immediately. She’d been dismayed, however, to hear about the Manchester move.

‘Are you sure it’s what you want?’ she’d asked Tabitha, scanning her face for reassurance. ‘I mean, you must do what’s right for you and Oscar, of course, but, ooh! We’ll miss you!’

‘It’s where she belongs,’ Molly had said quickly, linking arms with her friend who had been beside her on the sofa. ‘She never wanted to leave Manchester in the first place, remember, it was all Luke’s idea. He never gave her a choice.’

‘Of course,’ Liz had agreed, but had that been a twitch in the corner of Tabitha’s mouth, and why had her eyes been moist? Liz had decided that she must have been imagining it. After all, Tabitha and Molly had known each other for ever and there was no doubt that Molly had her friend’s best interests at heart.

Liz pulled a face and shifted in the armchair, trying to find a comfortable position. It wasn’t easy with a bump that size.

‘Are you OK?’ asked Tabitha.

‘Yes, but I feel like such an elephant. I can’t believe I’ll ever be normal again.’

Loveday appeared and embraced the visitors, and Liz was pleased to note that she looked more cheerful than of late. She’d made a real effort and was wearing black skinny jeans, a low-cut purple vest top and purple platform shoes. With her heavily kohl-rimmed eyes, her hair, now dyed black again, growing fast and scooped up in a stubby side ponytail, and her giant, silver-hooped earrings, it was almost the old Loveday, not the sad, washed-out girl that she’d been recently.

‘Let’s go!’ she declared, fiddling with the waistband of her trousers, which were awfully tight. She grinned. ‘It’ll take Liz half an hour to waddle there. Hope the baby doesn’t come on the way ’cos I’m dead squeamish.’