As Nell’s legs pounded up the wharf, the tears blurred her eyes and the pain gripped her stomach. She felt as if she was riding an emotional rollercoaster, a feeling she’d never wanted to experience again as long as she lived. How could he do this to her?
Turning the corner by the side of the boatyard, Nell bumped slap-bang into Lloyd, who was ambling along, stretching his legs.
‘Whoa! Slow down, where’s the fire?’ he asked, straightening his cravat, then waggling his cane in the air.
It took Nell a moment to steady herself, ‘I’m so sorry, I should have been looking where I was going,’ she said, forcing a smile and wiping away the tears with the back of her hand.
Lloyd ushered her towards the railing, suddenly noticing the distressed look on her face.
‘Lean against this for a moment, catch your breath,’ he didn’t take his eyes off her. ‘That’s your boat, isn’t it?’
Nell nodded, ‘Yes,’ she could feel her lips beginning to tremble again and the tears cascaded down her cheeks again.
‘Let me walk you home.’ He touched her lightly on her arm and she didn’t object when he linked his arm through hers. He pointed his cane towards the colourful narrowboat. ‘Nearly there,’
Nell snagged a look towards the sky. What a fool she’d been, trusting Guy. Ollie had never hurt her or lied to her like this. How could Guy do this to her? What was he playing at? She’d let him into her life and he’d made her world come crashing down around her once again.
Arriving at the edge of the jetty, Nell dabbed her nose with a tissue, ‘Thank you, I’ll be okay.’
‘If you don’t mind me saying, you don’t look okay. Is there anyone you’d like me to call?’
Nell shook her head and the tears began to run down Nell’s cheeks once more, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to cry on you,’
‘Come on, at least let me see you through the door,’
His voice was soft and his eyes were kind. ‘I don’t like to see anyone upset.’
‘Thank you, I can stretch to a cuppa and a slice of Victoria sponge?’
‘That, m’dear, sounds like an excellent invitation,’ he smiled kindly. ‘Are you sure?’
Nell nodded.
Once inside, Nell passed Lloyd a drink and a slice of cake. She settled down at the table opposite him.
‘Sometimes, you know, things are never as bad as they seem,’ he said wisely.
‘I wish I could believe that,’ Nell swallowed down a lump in her throat and wished with all her heart that she didn’t have any feelings for Guy, but the pain hammering against her chest was telling her otherwise.
‘In my experience, cake as delicious as this always makes things a little better,’ Lloyd wiped the sugar from around his mouth, ‘This is actually damn good.’
‘Thanks, it’s baked by my friend, Bea, from the deli.’
‘A jolly fine baker.
‘The best,’ agreed Nell.
‘Do you want to tell me what’s upset you?’
Nell really didn’t feel like spilling her worldly worries to Lloyd and as much as she was hurting she didn’t want to tell tales on Guy either. The only thing she needed to do was stay out of Guy’s way and concentrate on winning that auction and moving on with her life. A completely fresh start. But both were easier said than done.
‘It’s safe to say someone I trusted has let me down,’ Nell said, not giving any more away.
‘I’m sorry to hear that. Do they know they’ve let you down?’
‘I think the answer to that would definitely be a yes.’
‘Then let them come to you and apologise. Anything is solvable if both parties are willing to forgive and forget.’
‘I’m not sure I can do either at this moment in time,’ said Nell, pushing her plate away. She’d completely lost her appetite.
‘Give it time.’
‘Maybe.’ She felt herself sigh and her shoulders sag.
They exchanged looks. Nell folded her arms and leant on the table. ‘I was looking forward to life again, then it’s all changed in a blink of an eye, but now I’m going to concentrate on what’s important.’
‘Which is?’
‘Winning that auction tomorrow.’
Lloyd turned his head towards the porthole and stared out towards the Old Picture House.
‘I have a good feeling about that place,’ he gave Nell a nod.
‘Do you want to see my plans?’
‘That would be grand! Now that’s dedication – plans before you’ve won.’
Nell smiled at his old-fashioned way of talking as she retrieved the plans from the cupboard and rolled them out on the table in front of him.
Lloyd took a sip of his tea, ‘This, young lady, looks fantastic. Talk me through it.’
Nell slid next to him and was grateful of the chance to be distracted. She talked Lloyd through her plans, her vision of bringing all the generations in the community back together. ‘I’ve kept all the original features inside the Old Picture House too,’ she said proudly, ‘And I can’t wait to get started and co-ordinate it all. This is just what I need, something for my future.’
‘This is just what this place needs. It will be the icing on the cake, so to speak,’ he chuckled, finishing off his slice of cake.
For a split second Nell beamed, forgetting all of her troubles.
‘I think so. As well as something for the community, it will be a memorial to Ollie. I’m doing it in his honour.’
‘Very commendable and these plans look perfect. It’s a jolly good idea. You are an amazing young lady.’
‘It’s a shame my mum doesn’t think so, she seems quite opposed to the idea.’
‘Your mum?’
‘Yes, I think it’s because I’ve never undertaken anything like this before. Have you been into the deli? She works in there too – Gilly.’
Suddenly there seemed a strange tension in the air and Lloyd took a breath.
‘I think she thinks I’ll end up in some sort of financial mess. I suppose she just worries about me,’ Nell quickly added, not wanting to appear disloyal to her mum.
The pair of them looked up towards the window as they both heard footsteps drumming along the jetty. Nell spotted Bea jumping on to the deck of the ‘Nollie’ and the door flung open.
Lloyd stood up and grabbed his cane, ‘My cue to disappear and leave you youngsters to it,’ he raised his eyebrows towards the plans lain on the table, ‘Mark my words, go for it. Do you and your Ollie proud.’
‘I will and thanks for bringing me home.’
He nodded towards Bea and was soon on his way, walking up the wharf.
‘Was that the man who collapsed?’
‘Yes, he’s rather an eccentric old thing but adorable.’
‘Looks like an old movie star the way he dresses, and anyway, what’s going on? I’ve just read your text but it was rambled,’ Bea’s eyes were wide as she unbuttoned her coat and sat down next to Nell, ‘I didn’t quite understand it.’
‘I don’t quite understand it either,’ Nell took a deep breath, ‘Guy has a wife …’ She watched Bea’s face change as the words registered.
‘He’s got a what?’
‘And not only has he got a wife, she’s pregnant.’