Page 27 of The Village of Lost and Found

Lucy nodded, struggling to speak. ‘I found boarding school pretty awful when I was growing up. It was pretty lonely, to be honest. So I escaped by coming down here every weekend and in the school holidays. Cranbridge was the only place that felt like home. Until we lost Aunt Jane.’ She stopped, somewhat embarrassed. She never spoke about that kind of stuff. What on earth was wrong with her?

Grandma Tilly slipped down from her chair and came to put an arm around Lucy and gave her a squeeze. ‘Well, you’re always welcome here,’ she said.

She smelt of soft perfume and icing sugar. It took every fibre of Lucy’s being not to lean in and let herself be enveloped in a hug. Instead she sat up straight and managed to say, ‘Thank you.’

‘But maybe not to do any baking,’ said Molly, with a soft smile. ‘Seriously, that’s the worst piece of icing I’ve ever seen.’

‘Hey!’ said Lucy.

But Molly’s gentle teasing had drawn her out of her heartache and she was grateful.

‘So how’s things at work?’ asked Amber, with an obvious change of subject.

‘I’m only tidying up some of the paperwork,’ said Lucy. ‘It’s the only thing I’m qualified to do.’

‘Good thing as it’s in such a mess,’ said Molly.

‘Poor Tom. We’ve all been worried about him for a while,’ said Amber. ‘He’s always helping out everyone else but hasn’t taken care of himself.’ She leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘Josh said that his ex-wife still texts him. Almost taunting him. Horrible, isn’t it?’

Lucy nodded in agreement, quite shocked. ‘Horrible. And I thought my ex was toxic.’

Belle turned to look at her. ‘And was he?’

‘Chernobyl toxic,’ said Lucy with a shudder.

Belle nodded thoughtfully before saying, ‘Then it sounds as if you’re well rid of him.’

‘I am,’ said Lucy. ‘He was a liar and a cheat. Both of which I didn’t find out until it was too late.’

‘Men,’ said Belle with a grunt. ‘Can’t live with ’em. Can’t kill ’em legally.’

Lucy burst out laughing and, to her surprise, Belle suddenly joined her, which lit up her face.

‘Good on you,’ said Belle, looking pleased. ‘OK. You’re allowed into my pub any time if that’s your attitude towards men in general.’

‘Thanks,’ said Lucy, somewhat relieved to have passed some kind of test.

Later on, as they were leaving, Grandma Tilly gave Lucy a box holding a couple of cupcakes. ‘I’ve baked far too many, as per usual.’ Suddenly Grandma Tilly enveloped her in a hug. ‘Remember, I’m here any time,’ she told her, holding her close.

‘Thank you,’ said Lucy. ‘It’s been lovely to see you.’

And it was true. All of the women had given Lucy a huge boost in her spirit. Perhaps there was something to be said for having friends after all, she thought.

15

Wednesday was always Tom’s deadline day for getting the newspaper ready for printing the following day. So he was up even earlier than normal and working at his desk before Lucy and Molly arrived.

He looked at his computer screen. He was all fired up regarding the possibility of the new quarry in the village and wanted to write an editorial to inspire his readers to close ranks and battle the big money men who were almost definitely behind the idea.

But, as was becoming the norm over the past few months, the words just wouldn’t come. Instead, the cursor just flashed on and off at him. It felt as if it were taunting him.

So, once more, he looked through his old files to see what he could use from his past. One particular article seemed to be the most appropriate. It spoke of common goals and how human kindness could help overcome any adversity.

He could remember Andrea mocking him after she had read it. ‘Kindness doesn’t help anyone,’ she had said. ‘Money does all the talking these days.’

It was a common theme to their marriage. She belittled his writing whilst he had to bolster her confidence whenever she had received a scathing review on her TV programme. Sometimes it felt as if he had used up so much energy helping Andrea over her own insecurities that he had nothing left to help himself.

‘Good morning,’ said Lucy, popping her head around the door to Tom’s office.