The Cornish Guest House (47 page)

Tabitha must have felt strange walking past The Stables and turned her head in the other direction.

‘Don’t think about it,’ Molly whispered, giving her a hug, ‘it’s all over now.’

The door of the pub, once a haven for smugglers, was so low that anyone over about five feet six inches tall had to stoop to get in. Loveday almost tripped over the raised step but, fortunately, Tabitha managed to catch her.

‘That could have been a dramatic entrance. You’d better be careful in those shoes.’

It was dark inside, hot and crowded already, and at first glance there was nowhere to sit, but Molly spotted a tanned young woman in a lurid, tie-dye T-shirt dragging a chair over to where her friends were standing.

‘I’m sorry, I need that,’ Molly said, grabbing the chair. She might be small but she was ferocious when she wanted to be and Liz, embarrassed, pretended not to notice.

‘Hey!’ The woman scowled, trying to yank the chair back, but Molly was too quick.

‘There’s a pregnant woman. Don’t you have any manners?’

Duly chastised, the woman slunk away wordlessly.

Liz insisted on going up to the bar with Tabitha and Molly, while Loveday guarded the precious chair. Annie and another young woman were serving drinks.

‘I’m paying!’ Liz declared, refusing to take no for an answer. ‘This might be the last round I buy for a while!’

‘I thought you were a fitness trainer?’ Tabitha asked Annie, while she poured Liz’s orange juice. ‘Don’t you do classes at the Methodist church?’

Annie, who was wearing the same red T-shirt as the other bartender, fetched a bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge and unscrewed the lid. ‘I am, but I need the extra money. I’m saving up for a holiday. Nathan and I want to go to India. Danny said I could just do a couple of nights a week here, which is ideal.’

Liz was about to ask who Danny was when a tall man arrived, with long fair hair tied back in a ponytail and a neatly trimmed beard, carrying a bottle of Plymouth Gin that he proceeded to attach to the optic rack behind him.

Molly took one of the glasses of wine back to Loveday, while Liz and Tabitha waited for the other drinks, watching a gaggle of noisy young people arrive with guitars and a fiddle. The man with the beard turned and waved.

‘Hi!’ he called loudly, as they made for the room at the back. ‘Be with you in a minute!’

He was lean, lightly tanned and muscular, with an intelligent, slightly weather-beaten face, as if he were often outdoors. He was wearing a red T-shirt like the girls, and low-slung jeans held up with a wide, brown leather belt. Liz couldn’t help thinking that he was rather dreamy.

When he noticed the women standing there, he held out a hand. ‘I’m Danny. I’ve just taken over this place. Are you local or just visiting?’

Liz told him that she lived round the corner and waited for Tabitha to explain her own situation.

‘I’m local, um, well sort of…’

She was blushing! Liz was certain of it, and she stifled a smile.

Molly returned and put an arm round Tabitha’s shoulders, grinning. ‘This is my partner in crime. We used to be in a band together.’

‘Did you?’ Danny crossed his arms, tilting his head to one side. ‘What sort of music?’

‘Folk rock,’ said Tabitha, shuffling uncomfortably, ‘but it was a long time ago. We were just kids, really.’

Danny gave her a quizzical look. ‘You should think about re-forming. Let me know if you do. I’m on the lookout for good bands. I want to be a showcase for local talent.’

Molly ran a hand through her pink hair, making the silver bangles on her slim arm tinkle. ‘The group’s still going actually – just. I’m determined to persuade her to join us again, she’s got a great voice. There’ll be no excuse when she’s back in Manchester.’

‘Manchester?’ He raised his eyebrows and fixed on Tabitha. ‘You’re moving?’

Tabitha pretended to fiddle with the clasp of her silver necklace, as if it had come loose, and Molly answered for her.

‘In a week,’ she said cheerfully. ‘I’ve been helping her pack.’

‘That’s a shame.’

They were interrupted by a loud voice coming over the microphone next door, signalling that the music was about to start.

‘They’re from Tavistock,’ Danny shouted, as someone struck up on the acoustic guitar. ‘I think they sound great.’

The women fought their way back through the crowds to Loveday, who’d been joined by Tony, Felipe, Rick, and Esme, in a rather fetching purple turban with a sparkly brooch pinned to the front, wisps of grey hair snaking artfully out from underneath.

‘Where’s his girlfriend?’ Liz whispered to Esme, thinking that she hadn’t seen Sylvia for a while, and Esme shook her head.

‘Ditched him for an estate agent with a BMW soon after Luke Mallon’s arrest, but Rick had already decided that she wasn’t his type. Too vulgar by half.’ She patted her turban in a self-satisfied sort of way.

It occurred to Liz that the pair were standing very close and she couldn’t help noticing that Rick’s hand was resting lightly on Esme’s bottom. To Liz’s knowledge, she’d never had a boyfriend; she’d never seemed much interested. She didn’t seem to mind the attention now, though.

Loveday sidled off when Liz sat down, having spotted Nathan, Ryan and various other friends. Audrey poked her head in, stuck her fingers in her ears and vanished immediately, appalled by the din. It was so loud that there was no point trying to talk, so the rest sipped their drinks and listened to the words of the deep-voiced vocalist doing an Ed Sheeran number.

‘You all right?’ Tabitha mouthed, and Liz gave a thumbs-up.

In truth, though, she was feeling uneasy. A strange niggling had started up in her abdomen, a tightness like a little ball. It wasn’t exactly painful but it put her on edge, she couldn’t relax, and the baby was pressing down heavily, making her want to go to the loo yet again. She shifted slightly to see if it made a difference and wondered if she should leave, but there were so many people and the effort seemed too great. Better to wait, she decided, until the others were ready to go and could walk her home.

The band played for fifteen or twenty minutes before taking a break, at which point Molly went back to the bar with Felipe. She was clearly enjoying herself immensely and Tabitha, too, seemed in no hurry to leave, despite having insisted earlier that she’d only stay for one drink. Danny had joined her, they were deep in conversation and Liz didn’t want to disturb them. It was good to see her friend laughing and smiling and she found herself wondering if this was what she’d once been like, before she’d met Luke or Carl. She looked wise and beautiful, with so much to give the world.

‘How’re you doing, Liz?’

The voice was familiar and she turned, surprised, to find Jesse crouching beside her; as far as she knew, he rarely went to village events these days and, besides, she’d imagined that he’d be working.

‘Day off,’ he explained, before she could ask. ‘One Saturday in four.’

He looked terribly handsome, with a golden brown tan, his hair bleached almost white from the summer sun. He was wearing a white T-shirt with black lettering on the front, and he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

‘It’s great to see you here,’ she said, meaning it, and she was pleased when Jean and Tom made a point of coming to speak to him.

‘Bit noisy,’ Jean complained. She was wearing a bright red top that almost matched the colour of her cheeks. Tom poked her in the ribs. ‘What do you expect, woman? It’s live music night.’

Liz felt another twinge, stronger this time, like a tugging in the gut. She was about to ask Jesse if he’d mind escorting her home when the music started up again and it was impossible to hear a thing, so she closed her eyes and lost herself in the lyrics of Bruno Mars’s ‘When I Was Your Man’.

When she opened them again, she noticed Loveday cross the throng, heading towards the entrance of the room next door, presumably to get a better view of the band. She was taller than usual and strikingly attractive in her tight top and high heels, walking tentatively, as if scared of falling over, clutching her drink in one hand while she used the other to nudge people aside.

Liz rose herself to have a stretch and at that moment Jesse stood up too, and Liz felt his body stiffen when he clocked his former girlfriend just a few metres away. Loveday spotted him also and stopped dead, as if unable to work out the quickest escape route, before raising a hand and pointing with the other at her chest.

‘I’ll go,’ she mouthed, clearly meaning for Jesse to stay and enjoy the evening, but he shook his head and stepped towards her, elbowing people aside as he went.

Liz held her breath, praying that he wouldn’t make a scene, because it was no one’s fault. Loveday had deliberately arrived early in order not to bump into him after the restaurant closed; she hadn’t known that it was his day off. Her face seemed to crumple, until he put a hand on her arm and guided her towards the bar, and Liz looked away quickly, fearing that she might jinx them.

She sat down again, only to feel a stabbing in her lower back that made her gasp. She wished that she could summon Tabitha, but she was at the bar, too, with Danny, who’d resumed his post, and Molly and Felipe were nowhere to be seen. Tony, meanwhile, was in a huddle with Rick and Esme, and Jean and Tom had taken up with a couple whom she didn’t recognise. Tom was laughing a little too loudly, unaware, it seemed, of the fierce looks that his wife was shooting periodically in his direction.

The music was getting louder and Liz felt quite sick. Deciding that she could wait no longer, she rose carefully and started to stumble towards the door, aware only that the tightening in her lower tummy was becoming stronger and less able to bear.

‘I have to get out,’ she gasped, shoving through the crowds who seemed not to notice her distress, and she gripped the doorframe for support as she staggered into the cool night air.

Unable to think properly and conscious only of the need to get home, she started to zig-zag up the street, stopping every now and then to lean against the wall and catch her breath and cursing herself for having forgotten her mobile. Her progress was painfully slow and she only managed a few paces before she felt another strong contraction, and knew for certain that she was in labour. She wasn’t due for nearly three weeks but, still, the doctor had warned that she might have got her dates wrong and shouldn’t be surprised if it came early.

She tried to breathe deeply, her body bent double, head bowed, and told herself not to panic. As soon as the contraction subsided, she’d crawl up South Street on all fours, if necessary, and call Robert.

There was a hollow groan, like that of a wounded animal, and she realised that it was coming from her.

‘Liz? Oh, bloody hell, I think she’s having the baby.’

Tabitha’s voice cut through the pain and Liz felt a wave of relief. Thank God she was no longer alone.

‘Someone, help! There’s a woman in labour!’ It was Molly this time.

Liz felt strong shoulders beneath her arms, propping her up, and allowed herself to be carried up the road. Meanwhile, Jesse was now beside them too.

‘I’ll fetch Robert,’ he barked. ‘Loveday, ring the ambulance – now!’

‘You’ve got to come quick,’ the girl screamed down the phone, sounding excited and terrified in equal measure. Liz could only half see her out of the corner of an eye, still wearing the purple platform shoes.

Now that she had some assistance, she could concentrate better on her breathing. Keep calm, she was telling herself, your body will do the rest. They were almost at Bag End, not far to go…

Another violent contraction made her howl. So soon? She was sure they hadn’t come that quickly last time. She wanted Robert desperately and cried his name.

‘He’ll be here any second,’ Tabitha whispered, struggling up the front path with her. ‘The ambulance is on its way.’

‘How long will it take?’ It was Felipe speaking. Where had he come from? Liz didn’t hear the reply, because her body was in the grip of a force beyond her control and nothing could stop it now.

‘Oh, my God! My God, put me down, I have to push!’

‘Where are the keys?’ Tony this time.

Loveday must have found hers because the door burst open and they all helped Liz into the front room, where she crouched on hands and knees, panting. She was aware of a lot of activity – sheets and towels being fetched and laid down, a plastic bowl from the kitchen, gentle but firm hands helping her off with her clothes.

‘Liz, darling!’ The sound of Robert’s voice made the tears rush to her eyes and he crouched down and took her damp face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

‘I think it’s coming,’ she gasped. ‘Where’s the ambulance?’

Someone passed him the phone and he started talking to the operator, moving round to her other end to get a proper look.

‘Yes, I can see it… black hair…’ he muttered, before shouting up to her, ‘Pant, one, two, three, blow… Keep going, my love, you’ve got to try and slow it down.’

‘I can’t! Where’s the ambulance?’ she cried again.

‘I don’t think they’ll be here in time. We’re going to have to deliver it ourselves.’

Liz, frightened, started to protest, ‘No!’ But the desire to push was overwhelming.

She could hear him taking instructions while Tony wiped her brow with a damp flannel, whispering gently, ‘You’re doing great, you’re going to be fine…’

Jesse, who must have followed Robert in, moved quietly around the room, switching on table lamps and turning off the garish overhead light, so that they were in comforting shadows.

‘I can see the head!’ Robert shouted suddenly. Then, to the operator, ‘No, the cord’s out of the way. It looks OK.’

‘Easy now,’ said Felipe, who was down at Robert’s end. ‘Let the nature take its course. Eez good.’

‘Sweetie, I don’t think—’ Tony started to say, but Felipe interrupted.

‘I have delivered many baby cows in my native country. I know what I am doing but with them the feet come first, then the nose.’

Tony, for once lost for words, clamped his mouth shut.

Tabitha was now kneeling on one side, Loveday and Molly on the other.