Finding Home by Kate Field (read book .txt) 📗

you again. We’ll be there en masse this year, as Olly is coming back for the weekend and all the cousins will be attending. It will be like a huge family party. What could be nicer?’

‘Being hung, drawn, and quartered?’ Corin suggested.

Bea laughed and slapped the back of his hand.

‘You are silly. You’ll have a wonderful time. It will be such a treat to show off the son and heir again.’

Corin smiled but, glancing down the table at him, Mim noticed a shadow pass over his face at Bea’s words. She didn’t have time to work it out as Bea turned her attention to Mim.

‘That reminds me, Mim dear,’ Bea said. ‘Are you busy on the Saturday after Valentine’s Day?’

‘I’ll be working at the shop and at the Boat.’ Mim helped herself to a spoonful of roast potatoes. There didn’t look to be many on her plate, so she took a second helping.

‘But no date? That’s good. Paula asked if you’d be free to work at the Valentine dinner as you were so helpful at the wedding.’

‘I’d have loved to but I can’t if it’s on a Saturday.’ It was a shame. She’d earned more at the wedding than from a couple of nights at the Boat.

‘Don’t worry about the Boat,’ Bea said. ‘Paula is married to Howie. She’ll persuade him to let you have the night off. Good. I’m glad we could sort that out.’

Was it sorted? Mim didn’t think she’d agreed to anything.

‘Perhaps Mim would prefer to make up her own mind,’ Mim heard Corin say in a low voice.

‘Nonsense! The Valentine dinner will be much more fun than that gloomy pub. You don’t mind, do you Mim?’ Bea called.

‘No.’ She smiled. ‘If it pays, I’ll do it.’

It wasn’t until after dinner that the conversation turned to the caravans. Mim had barely spoken during the meal as she was too busy savouring the delicious roast, and equally savouring the atmosphere in the room. There was never a quiet moment. At least one member of the family was always talking, and quite often several were speaking at the same time, bickering or teasing or encouraging each other. Mim had never felt so much love and laughter in a room. This was what she had always imagined having a family would be like. She was happy to eat and watch and she wished that the night could go on and on.

Everyone moved to the sitting room after the meal, another new room to Mim. Enormous, squashy sofas were scattered around the room, all facing towards each other to encourage conversation. Mim sank down next to Lia – literally sank, as Lia would have said, as the sofa was so soft that her bottom sank lower than her knees and she wondered how she was ever going to get up again.

‘Here you are, Mim dear,’ Bea said, passing her a notebook and pen.

‘What do you want me to do with these?’ Mim asked.

‘Make notes of our plans,’ Bea replied. ‘You’ve managed a hotel so I can’t think of anyone more qualified to manage this project. You don’t mind, do you? Besides, apart from Ros, I suspect you’re the most sober person in the room.’

Mim could easily believe that. She’d been amazed at how many bottles of wine had passed around the table that evening. She’d tried some but the red wine they were drinking had clearly been too expensive to appeal to her common palate and she hadn’t managed much of it. Now Bill was pouring out balloons of brandy from a drinks cabinet in the corner of the room.

‘Actually, Dad, do you have any beer?’ Corin asked, declining a glass of brandy. Mim wished she could ask for some too but a couple of minutes later, Corin came up to her, holding a pint of beer in one hand and a half in the other. He moved the half pint glass towards her.

‘Fancy a proper drink?’ he asked. She smiled.

‘Thanks. I’m gasping.’ She reached out and took the pint glass from him, and he laughed and sat down on the neighbouring sofa.

Any concerns Mim still harboured that Bill and Bea might not like the plans for the caravans were swept away within minutes. They both spoke about As You Like It holidays with enthusiasm and excitement, and Mim could hardly keep up with scribbling down their ideas. Bill was on top of all the practical arrangements, such as making sure the gas, electrics, and plumbing were all safe and in working order. He also wanted to repair the veranda outside each caravan and paint them all a more cheerful colour than the current black. Bea was bursting with ideas for improving the inside of the caravans, and mentioned that she was going to ask the designer who had worked on the house to come down from London and have a look.

Mim’s pen paused in her hand. The house was gorgeous, there was no question of that. It was elegant and tasteful, and looked like it had cost a huge amount of money. Mim was worried about damaging something every time she came in. How would an ordinary family have a relaxing holiday if the caravans were fitted out like this?

‘Did you make a note of that, Mim?’ Bea said. ‘I’ll ring Althea this week to see when she can come and look at the caravans. She’s in huge demand but I know she’ll squeeze in a job for me.’

‘Do we need her?’ Mim asked. Everyone stared at her. ‘I mean, she’s done a great job with this house, don’t get me wrong. It’s beautiful. It suits you all. But I’m not sure it would suit a single mum with young children who just wants to have a rest and not worry about getting grass stains on the pale upholstery or sticky finger marks on the glass tables.’

Had she gone too far? No one spoke, which was a rare occurrence in this company. At last Mim received some support.

‘Mim’s right,’ Ros