As Megan worked part-time cleaning at Willow Tree Hall on Monday and Friday, Eleanor was able to hitch a lift to the house with her the following morning.
After her accident the previous day, the bicycle was now completely unusable, which she was secretly quite grateful for. However, she was still a bit battered and bruised from her pole vault over the handlebars.
‘I never heard from Annie yesterday,’ she told Megan as she got into the car. ‘What with stray dogs and mangled bicycles. Any idea how much the walk raised?’
‘No idea yet,’ said Megan. ‘It’s probably good that Tom took the dog off your hands anyway. Especially with Mrs Briggs nosing over the back fence.’
Eleanor was confused. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Didn’t your mum tell you?’ Megan sighed. ‘You know what old Mrs Briggs next door to The Forge is like. Such a nosy parker. Anyway, apparently she’s complained to Arthur about the number of animals your mum’s keeping these days.’
Eleanor felt a flush of embarrassment. ‘Oh God. I’ll have to have a word with Mum. It’s getting out of hand. But you know how much she loves having them all.’
‘But it is a lot of work for her,’ said Megan. ‘Especially since she hurt her ankle.’
‘Well, I’ve been helping out for the past fortnight.’
‘Yes but you’ll be gone again soon and then she’ll be trying to deal with it on her own, as usual.’
As usual. Eleanor tried but she couldn’t ignore those last two words, even though there had been no malice behind them. There was so much she had left behind trying to pursue her career. So much that her mum had had to carry for herself, she knew.
They pulled up outside the house. Megan knocked on the huge red front door and then let herself in.
‘You have a key?’ asked Eleanor.
‘No, but it’s always open during the day,’ said Megan. ‘Everyone just lets themselves in. Anyway, this time next week it’ll be full of builders once again.’
They went into the huge entrance hall and Megan hollered out a ‘hello!’. There came a replied shout from Annie that she was on the patio at the back of the house. They found her sitting at a dilapidated table and chairs, with a large pot of coffee and some cups.
‘Come and have some caffeine,’ said Annie, in between yawns and gesturing lazily for them to sit down.
‘I hope that’s Sam keeping you awake all night,’ said Megan, giving her a nudge.
‘Another male, unfortunately,’ said Annie, blushing. ‘Dylan howled for most of the night until Tom smuggled him up to his bedroom.’
‘Oh no, those lovely new carpets,’ said Megan, shaking her head. ‘Oh well. So where is this famous, filthy pooch?’
‘Yeah, where’s Dylan? And Tom?’ asked Eleanor, looking around.
‘Keen, aren’t you?’ said Megan.
‘To give a dog a bath? Not particularly,’ said Eleanor quickly. ‘I was just asking.’
‘Yeah, yeah.’
Actually, she was a little disappointed that Tom wasn’t there, a thought which wasn’t making her feel any less awkward. Mainly because she suspected that her disappointment was nothing to do with the story she was supposed to be writing on him.
‘Sam’s taken Tom to his doctor’s appointment,’ said Annie. ‘Dylan went along for the ride as well. Not that anyone had much choice about that. I think he and Tom are going to be inseparable.’
‘You don’t mind him staying here until the owner comes forward?’ asked Eleanor. ‘Or rather if someone comes forward.’
‘No,’ said Annie, before taking a sip of coffee. ‘He’s such a cutie. He’s won us all over already, despite his desperate need for a bath. And at least it takes my mind off the walk.’
Eleanor was confused. ‘I thought it was a huge success?’ she asked.
Annie shrugged her shoulders. ‘No idea, unfortunately. But Mrs Havers, our old headmistress, is popping in to tell me the grand total later on.’ She gulped. ‘What if not much money has been raised?’
‘Have a biscuit,’ said Megan, pushing the plate towards her anxious looking friend.
But thankfully there was no need for them to panic. The WI chairwoman and her committee were beaming from ear to ear when they arrived later that morning. The walk was declared to have raised the biggest total ever in their history of fundraising.
‘Well, I must confess that we were all a little nervous when we first heard about our future countess,’ Mrs Havers began, as they stood in the entrance hall. ‘Especially as more and more of the big houses in the area are being bought up by people who aren’t interested in the village at all. But I think we can all agree that our new WI members are a breath of fresh country air.’
Eleanor glanced at Annie who was smiling, flattered by the praise. Even Megan was standing up a little bit straighter.
‘Perhaps we can even make the village Moonwalk an annual event?’ asked one lady.
‘Absolutely,’ said Annie loudly, giving Eleanor a small nudge with her elbow.
Eleanor was just pleased that Annie was looking so relieved.
Mrs. Havers smiled broadly. ‘And I, for one, can’t wait to see Annie’s ideas for the summer fete, which I’m guessing she can’t wait to resurrect. It’ll be quite a show in the hands of our capable future countess!’
The excited babble of conversation carried on around them as Annie stared at her friends in horror. She managed to hide her shock though, merely continuing to carry her rictus smile until everyone else had left and it was just Rose and her friends standing in the entrance hall.
‘Darling, I’m so sorry,’ said Rose, looking aghast. ‘I completely forgot about the summer fete.’
‘It’s fine,’ said Annie, looking as if it really wasn’t. ‘So do Sam and I have to attend in our Lord and Lady mode?’
Rose smiled gently. ‘Of course you do, sweetie. Especially as it’s held here.’
Annie’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Here? Inside our home?’
Rose shook her head. ‘No, in the front grounds. On August bank holiday weekend.’
‘I remember now!’ said Eleanor, having a flashback to her childhood of the summer fete. ‘It was huge!’
‘We haven’t had one for a good few years though,’ said Megan, frowning.
‘Oh my god,’ said Annie. ‘I remember too. How many people are we talking about?’
Megan bit her lip as Rose answered, ‘Well, a lot of people come in from the other villages too so maybe two or three thousand.’
Annie was shocked. ‘Three thousand people!’
‘I seem to remember there were a few stalls and things,’ said Megan, frowning in thought.
‘Of course, it hasn’t taken place since we lost dear Beatrice,’ Rose added. ‘She organised it all. Perhaps Arthur couldn’t face it. But I think the village would love to come out to our little home again and congregate for the afternoon.’
Annie looked hopeful. ‘Maybe we can keep it small and simple?’
Rose laughed. ‘Darling, they’ll expect a big show. So that’s what we’ll give them, naturally.’
As she headed off upstairs, Annie sank down onto the bottom step. ‘Everyone’s going to expect the fete to be amazing,’ she whispered, clutching her head.
‘It’ll be fine,’ said Megan, rushing forward. ‘We’ll help you, won’t we?’
‘Of course,’ said Eleanor, trying to convince herself more than her friends. ‘You can do this. You really can, you know.’
Annie shook her head. ‘I really can’t.’
‘I used to come here for the summer fetes,’ said Eleanor. ‘My dad used to play in the cricket match they held on the front lawn.’
Megan raised her eyebrows. ‘That must have been a long time ago.’
Eleanor blew out a sigh. ‘Yeah.’
They’d been happy then. A little family unit. Idyllic summers. Laughter at Christmas. It all felt like ancient history.
‘Anyway,’ she carried on, brushing the painful memories out of reach once more. ‘From what I remember, the fete was actually pretty small. A couple of cake stalls which, thanks to the Great British Bake Off, we’ll be able to fill. A few drinks. Some lame tombola. That’s it.’
Annie shook her head. ‘I don’t want it to be lame!’ she wailed. ‘I want it to be the best one ever, because it’s our first one. I don’t want people thinking Sam and I can’t do this.’
Megan exchanged frantic looks with Eleanor. ‘Okay, calm down,’ she said, putting her arm around Annie’s shoulder. ‘We’ll put some thought into it, okay?’
‘Not lame?’ asked Annie, sounding more hopeful.
‘Definitely the most un-lame fete ever to be held,’ said Eleanor. ‘We promise.’
‘I can’t do this on my own. There’s too much going on. The kitchen’s about to be done up. There’s so much to do for the wedding. And now I’ve got some fete to organise?’ She grabbed their hands. ‘We’ve got to stick together, okay? I jump, you jump, remember. You girls are my squad, okay?’
‘Yeah,’ said Megan. ‘Just like Taylor Swift’s but quite a bit shorter and maybe rounder too, in my case.’
They all burst out laughing.
‘Well, that’s a welcome sound,’ said Arthur, stepping out of the west wing and heading across the entrance hall. ‘Good morning, ladies.’
‘Hello Arthur,’ said Megan, obviously used to conversing with an earl of the realm.
Eleanor, surprisingly, felt a little more shy. After all, Arthur was her mother’s landlord. A lord. A real-life Earl of Cranley. He had always been a forbidding figure when she had been growing up. But on reflection, he had kind eyes and a gentle smile as he nodded his greeting at her. Of course, he was far more frail than he had been when she was growing up, but there was still that air of aristocracy about him. Albeit slightly shabby.
‘It’s Eleanor McCartney, isn’t it?’ asked Arthur, holding out a hand. ‘I don’t think I was able to introduce myself to you the other evening.’
‘Yes,’ she replied, briefly taking the hand gently in hers. ‘Hello.’
‘How is your mother’s foot? I hope she’s not in too much pain.’
‘It’s easing a bit, thanks,’ Eleanor told him.
‘And, how are you? I understand you were in a bicycle accident yesterday?’ asked Arthur.
‘I’m fine, thank you,’ said Eleanor.
‘I’m glad to hear it. Tom was quite concerned about you when he was telling me.’
Eleanor found herself blushing at the thought of Tom talking about her. ‘Unfortunately, the bike is a right-off,’ she said, trying to move the subject on.
‘Well, you can always borrow mine,’ said Arthur. ‘I think my Tour de France days are over.’
‘Oh, that’s a good idea,’ said Annie, coming to stand next to them. ‘And now I don’t need to worry about you getting any crazy ideas about cycling around the village.’
His eyes twinkled as he smiled down at Annie. ‘You worry too much about me,’ he said. ‘Now, where do you think we left it?’
‘I think it was outside near the patio,’ said Annie.
They had just stepped through the French doors at the back of the entrance hall when the front door opened. There was a sudden scrabbling of paws as Dylan charged across the floor towards them, followed by Tom and Sam.
‘Don’t jump up!’ said Annie, stepping in front of Arthur to protect him.
Dylan merely ran around and around them in a mad dash before veering off across the lawn.
‘He’s a bit mental,’ said Megan, staring after the dog as it jumped around the long grass.
‘He’s certainly got a lot of energy,’ said Arthur, nodding in agreement.
‘Morning,’ said Tom, as he and Sam joined them on the patio.
Eleanor felt inordinately pleased to see him, for some reason. ‘How’s the foot?’ she asked. ‘What did the doctor say?’
‘Sore but definitely on the mend,’ said Tom, smiling in his obvious relief. ‘The crutches are finally gone. Gentle exercise has been prescribed, so I’m going to take this fella for a stroll around the grounds after his bath.’
‘Well, we’ve plenty of grounds for you to use here,’ said Arthur, looking across to where Dylan was digging a large hole in the lawn. ‘I must say, it’s nice to have a dog around the place again. Regardless of what our gardener will say about it. Has the chap got a name?’
‘He’s called Dylan,’ said Eleanor.
‘After Bob Dylan,’ added Megan. ‘He’s an American singer.’
‘The answer is blowing in the wind,’ quoted Arthur. ‘Thank you, my dear, but I was young too once, you know. Although it may be hard for you to believe it.’ He gave Eleanor a wink and then walked slowly away, saying, ‘I’m sure we must have some old tennis balls somewhere in my study for the young pup to play with.’
As Sam took a call on his mobile, Tom excused himself to get changed.
Left alone once more with her friends, Eleanor drew her face up to the sun, enjoying the warmth that it now held in its rays.
‘Isn’t it lovely?’ said Annie, also relishing the sun. ‘I thought it’d be a nice lazy summer this time round, but I can’t see me having any time to sunbathe out here.’
Eleanor tried to remember the last time she had been able to enjoy a day like that. She couldn’t recall any at all. Most of her time had been spent indoors and mainly at night. On the plus side, that did mean no freckles. But it also meant no tan either, except what St Tropez would give her occasionally.
She tried to throw a couple of the balls for Dylan that Arthur managed to find. But the grass was still wet from the previous day’s rain. Her white Converse were soon sopping wet and dyed green. And Dylan looked more shaggy and in need of a bath than before. She felt pleased when she saw Tom join them on the patio a while later. Perhaps Dylan would help her get the story she so badly needed. Who would have thought a stray animal of all things would finally bring her some good luck?