Daisy took both their bags and put one over each shoulder. ‘Margot darling, I need you to breathe between sentences and slow down.’
Evie slipped her hand into Daisy’s. ‘I told her she could be the owl. I just said I thought she’d be good as a tree.’
‘You’re both excellent owls and excellent trees. Now, shall we make our way slowly home down the ivy path and maybe pop in to see Holly at the bakery?’
That suggestion, as Daisy had known it would, triggered instant squeals of approval and the twins bounced down the pavement heading for the path they liked to take home. As they strolled and took their time, Daisy let the sea air and the post-school chat decompress just about everything. Pretty Beach had a faded post-summer glow about it; the summer bunting still hung from here, there and everywhere, the last of various flowers spilt from the hanging baskets outside The Orangery, and the florist had propped a few autumnal bits and bobs on the trestle table outside.
As they got to the bakery, the girls darted in ahead of her and the unmistakable Pretty Beach bakery scent of fresh dough, sugar, and icing hit Daisy’s nose. There was a small queue of people near the counter and Holly, the owner, was standing at one of the display units not far from the door.
‘Hello, you three!’
Daisy smiled and lowered her voice. ‘We’re on the hunt for Locals Only. Emergency levels of school-day tiredness will hit these two shortly, if I am not mistaken.’
‘Coming right up. Busy day?’
‘Always.’ Daisy watched as the twins pressed their noses to the glass display case.
‘How are you, Daise?’
Daisy frowned at an odd tone in Holly’s question, brushed it off and thought nothing of it. ‘Good, thanks, really good, actually.’ Daisy touched the side of a display table. ‘Touch wood.’
‘That’s good.’
‘You okay?’
Holly bristled a little bit and then beamed as if she was trying to look happy. ‘Yes, all good! You’ve got a bit of a glow about you today.’ Holly walked around the counter, bagged a few buns from a hidden basket and passed them over. ‘That sort of “I just got a delivery of something lovely" glow, if I’m not mistaken.’
Daisy laughed. ‘Oh, I don’t know about that.’
‘Funny, I heard you might have received something very nice yesterday.’ Holly winked.
Daisy chuckled and shook her head. ‘How in the name of goodness do you know about that?’
As Holly tapped the side of her nose, a gigantic diamond on her hand caught the light. ‘Ahh, I can’t divulge my sources. Actually, Mum played in a bridge tournament with Dimitri and Matthew's dad. He said there was a very nice delivery waiting to go out at the warehouse which was headed in the direction of the bookshop.’
Daisy shook her head. ‘I should have known the bridge club would be quicker than the internet. Honestly, it’s like a Pretty Beach telegraph service.’
Holly laughed. ‘You’re not wrong. My mother gets wind of everything before it even happens. I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew what I was having for lunch before I made it.’
Daisy tucked the bag of buns in her bag and glanced at the twins, who were still staring in the glass case. ‘Well, yes, okay, I did get a delivery from a very posh London shop, no less.’
‘Oh! Fancy. I’m not jealous…’
‘It was nice. There was shortbread in a tin so heavy I could use it as a doorstop. The girls are still squealing about the truffles, though I’ve hidden those at the back of the cupboard for when they’re asleep and I can partake in them in peace.’
‘Let me guess, it was from a certain person and there might have been a little note in there too?’
Daisy smiled. ‘There might have been. Let’s just say it was well received and even more appreciated.’
Holly grinned. ‘Someone who knows how to do things properly. Good for you, Daise. You deserve a bit of that sort of thing especially if, I mean, umm, after things...’
Daisy frowned. ‘What?’
‘Nothing. That must have been such a nice thing to receive.’
‘It was! I opened it and had to stop myself from bursting into tears. Then I found myself trying to find shelf space in the fridge for a wedge of cheese that had its own gold label. I mean, it came in a wooden box. I have clearly moved up in the world.’ Daisy joked. ‘I literally made a cheese board in that very same place with own brand cheese and stolen rosemary.’
‘That is how you should be treated and I support it fully.’ Holly deadpanned.
