Could I say it? Should I? I had never said those words to a man I wasn’t related to before. Let alone one I’d been dating for less than three weeks.
Before I could make up my mind, Daniel pulled back, tugging me over to the nearest bench. ‘Come on, Charlie wouldn’t want us moping about on your birthday. Let’s eat.’
* * *
Lunch was delicious in every sense of the word. An entrancing view, picnic food from an upmarket farm shop that even Nora would approve of, including a rich, gooey birthday cake, and the best possible company.
Once we’d finished eating, and Daniel had waited politely for me to finish waffling on about the garden plans, we snuggled closer and lost ourselves in long, indulgent kisses.
I couldn’t say the words out loud, but with every touch my body declared the undeniable truth:
I love you.
No offence to my new friends, but I wasn’t sorry that they’d bailed on my birthday lunch.
It was late in the afternoon by the time we packed everything up and ambled back through the trees, arms entwined, hair mussed, wearing matching stupid smiles as we floated along in a romantic haze.
Luke met us in the farmyard, having just finished up for the day. ‘You missed a parcel delivery.’ He nodded back towards the house. ‘It’s on the kitchen table.’
He swung up into his van with a nod and the barest hint of a knowing smile, and left us to it.
‘It’s for you,’ Daniel said, handing me a box about eight inches square.
‘Oh?’
‘Did you order something for the house?’
‘No.’ I shook my head, puzzled. ‘Maybe Becky did.’
I carefully ripped off the parcel tape and opened the top of the box. Peering in to catch a glimpse of the contents, I instinctively jumped back, gasping in alarm. I dropped the box onto the table, my adrenaline revving into overdrive.
The box fell on its side, causing some of the contents to spill out onto the table.
It was jam-packed full of bees.
Dozens and dozens of dead bees.
My stomach contracted in horror and revulsion.
‘Do you think they were supposed to still be alive?’ I stammered, trying to cling on to any possibility that this was not what I thought it was.
‘It’s a sealed box. I can’t imagine anyone being stupid enough to think bees could survive being sent through the post in these conditions.’ Daniel picked up the box and gently tipped a few more out onto the table. ‘And if you’d opened a box of live bees, wouldn’t that be worse?’
I allowed a moment to imagine quite how much worse that scenario would be, before shutting it down as best as I could. Releasing a swarm of bees into the kitchen while Hope was here didn’t bear thinking about.
‘There’s a note,’ Daniel said, taking a card out from the bottom of the box.
‘I’ll read it,’ I blurted, reaching to take it off him, but he’d already scanned the message.
‘Happy birthday. Hope you get everything you deserve.’ Daniel scrunched up his face in disgust. ‘What? Do you know what this means? Who’s this from?’
I sank into a chair, feeling as though all the blood in my body had pooled around my feet. My head collapsed into quaking hands. ‘They won’t be from Ziva’s hives, will they?’ I managed to rasp the words through my seized-up throat.
Daniel pulled a chair up close to mine and took hold of my hand. ‘I hope not. But I’ll ask her to check.’
We stared at the pile of desiccated insects.
‘I can’t believe you’ve annoyed someone enough to go to this much trouble. If it was to do with Ferrington, surely they’d have done something weeks ago? Though it might be worth asking Alice if she’s had any unexpected packages.’
