‘Mammaw called her “Pip’s New Girl”,’ Jack said. ‘You could try that.’
‘That’s not really a solution when it comes to other guests,’ Lily said, frowning at the whiteboard.
‘Yeah, we can’t assume he’s going to dateeverywoman who stays here now he’s ditched Celine,’ Flora said, lolling on the sofa with a different book.
‘Um, he’s not dating me,’ I pointed out in a tiny voice.
‘Yet.’ She smirked.
‘Ever,’ I said, gaining courage, because these rumours were torture. ‘I’ll be back on the mainland soon. It’s not practical for us to date when we live so far away from each other. Especially when neither of us get much time off.’
Flora shook her head, eyes gleaming behind the book. ‘Was it practical for Elizabeth Bennet to fall in love with Mr Darcy? Bella to insist she married Edward? Romeo to romance Juliet?’
‘Romeo and Juliet both ended up dead, so…’
Lily grinned. ‘Well, putting aside whether Pip and Emmie are going to admit they’re in love and start dating for the moment; there’s eggs to collect, and breakfast to eat. So,Emmie who is not Pip’s girl?—’
‘Yet,’ Flora, Jack and Beanie whispered all at the same time.
‘Would you like to have breakfast outside or in the dining room? Oh, and how would you like your eggs?’
I ate my scrambled eggs on home-made sourdough toast outside, hoping the tranquil view would enable me to regain composure before setting off to meet my never-would-be-boyfriend for a picnic lunch that wasn’t in the slightest bit a date.
15
Rosemary opened the farmhouse door, looking very different from the night before in denim dungarees patched with random swatches of fabric, a Breton T-shirt and frayed bandana keeping her bob out of the way.
‘Oh, Pip’s friend.’ She gave a broad smile. ‘We weren’t sure how long you’d be staying. Not many self-employed folk can shut up shop and take a little jaunt without very good reason. Unless you have someone managing the restaurant while you’re gone?’
‘It’s a kiosk, not a restaurant, so I work by myself these days.’
‘Right, well, how very lovely to be able to come and go as you please, without anyone else moaning about it.’ She gave me a nudge with a knowing chuckle. ‘The last holiday Gabe and I had was our honeymoon, and he spent the whole four days fretting about the animals. I think he missed them more than the children when they were away at school. Still, such is a farmer’s lot. Wed to the land, wife a mere mistress.’
‘Maybe you can take a break now Pip is home?’
‘I wouldn’t hold my breath. Violet and Iris have been godsends, but Iris will be helping Hugh’s parents with their horses once she’s married, and Violet was always more of a sailorthan a farmer. Gabe would be the last to admit it, but he’s slower than he used to be. Even with Pip, there’s a lot of catching up to do. To be honest with you, Emmie, I’m not sure how much longer we’d have been able to carry on without him. It’s hard enough scraping a living these days. Not having our son to help shoulder the burden doesn’t bear thinking about. Anyways.’ She rested a hand on my arm. ‘Here’s me waffling on. Were you here to pick up the bike?’
‘Yes. Although I was hoping to say hello to Gabe, if that’s okay?’
Rosemary squinted one eye. ‘Oh?’
‘I’m looking for a new egg supplier and he offered to give me some advice.’
It was the best lie I could come up with on the spur of the moment.
‘Right. Well. Violet’s sorting the eggs today. Gabe is picking strawberries. Across the yard, past the cowshed on the right and you’ll see him.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I’ll leave the bike by the far gate for when you’re done. And don’t let Gabe drone on too long about those chickens. He forgets that not many people are obsessed with farming like him and Pip. Not when there’s the bonniest island in the British Isles to explore. Take the bike, have some fun. You should make the most of your time here.’
‘Thank you. Pip promised to show me a nice picnic spot, so I’ll pick the bike up after that.’
‘Did he now? How lovely. I suppose the north fence will wait until another day.’
She said goodbye and I left, trying to ignore the twinge of guilt about stealing Pip away from his responsibilities so soon after he’d arrived.
I took the short walk to the farmyard, grateful for Lily’s insistence that I brought wellington boots as I skirted the worst of the mud while passing the pungent cowsheds – empty in the summertime – out the other side to where a short path led across a scrubby stretch of grass to what must be the strawberry patch.
