Page 27 of Match Point in Crumbleton
‘Sorry, no ice cream,’ said Cath, sinking into a chair Caroline was waving a hand at. ‘I can get you some, though? It’s roasting up here!’
‘Don’t worry,’ chuckled Caroline, dropping her feet to the ground and sitting up to face her. ‘I was just kidding. I’ve got to head out in a bit anyway – but I’m loving the impromptu visit. FYI, I’m always happy for a distraction.’
‘Good to know,’ said Cath, as her nerves melted away.
‘So,’ said Caroline. ‘What can I do you for?’
‘I’ve had an idea… about how to solve the funding issue for the museum,’ said Cath.
‘You have?’ said Caroline, looking intrigued. ‘Erm… how long have you been here?’
‘Three days,’ said Cath.
‘And you’re not even meant to have started your job yet, am I right?’ said Caroline.
‘Erm, well… no, but…’ Cath’s nerves re-emerged in a burst of butterflies. Had she somehow broken an unwritten rule by making a start before she was meant to?
‘Don’t look so worried!’ said Caroline. ‘I’m just impressed, that’s all.’
‘You haven’t heard the idea yet,’ said Cath with a relieved grin.
‘Out with it then!’
‘I want to reinstate the Sir Anthony Cheswell tennis tournament as a fundraiser for the museum,’ said Cath in a rush.
‘Wait,’ said Caroline. ‘You want to do what?’
Cath took a deep breath and then started to lay the beginnings of her plan out in as much detail as she could.
‘So that’s it, really,’ said Cath, after talking at speed for a full ten minutes without stopping to take a breath. ‘I’ve already unearthed some of the items we’ll need, we can do a corresponding display at the museum when we reopen and… well… it’s a historic event and the cup’s still miraculously in town.’
She paused and looked at Caroline, who didn’t say anything.
‘I mean, it’ll need the dead flies emptying out of it,’ she added. ‘And a good polish.’
Cath paused again. She knew she needed to stop talking to let Caroline get a word in edgeways… but she was just so desperate for her to get it and not dismiss it out of hand. After all, if she had Caroline on her side…
‘I love it!’ said Caroline with a broad smile.
‘You do?’ said Cath.
‘Of course,’ said Caroline. ‘It’s a brilliant idea. There’s plenty of time. We can easily get everything organised in time for next summer and—’
‘Next year will be too late!’ said Cath, cutting across her. ‘From what you said, the museum will probably be boarded up by then. It has to be this year… well… now, really. Before the summer’s over.’
‘Blimey!’ said Caroline, sucking air through her teeth. ‘You don’t mess around, do you?’
Cath shrugged. She wouldn’t normally be this forthright, but if it meant the museum had a chance to survive—and she got the chance to stay—well, then a bit of forthrightness would be worth it!
‘You know,’ said Caroline, after thinking for a moment, ‘you might find that Fergus at the hotel would be keen to host the event. Even though it’s last minute, we’re almost at the end of the summer season, and he’s had a bit of a run of bad publicity recently.’
‘Uh oh, that doesn’t sound so good!’ said Cath, as her little bubble of hope deflated slightly. The last thing she needed was to get the museum caught up in any second-hand bad press.
‘Nothing major,’ said Caroline, waving her hand dismissively. ‘Just a matter of someone ending up in hospital after a wedding. It’s a bit of a long story, but nothing to do with the food or anything like that—he just got clonked on the head by the bouquet.’
Cath let out a snort of amusement and then clapped her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry,’ she muttered. ‘Not funny!’
‘Oh no, it really was!’ said Caroline. ‘Anyway, that’s how your flat ended up being available… like I said – a very long story, and I’ll fill you in over a drink sometime!’
