Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (a court of thorns and roses ebook free txt) 📗

Tina gave Thea a hug, asking gently, ‘Where is Shaun?’

‘I left him on a bench in the garden. I hoped he’d follow me in, but I haven’t seen him so…’ Her throat closed in on itself as she mumbled, ‘perhaps we aren’t a couple anymore either.’

‘But that’s ridiculous!’ Tina suddenly saw her entire wedding party dissolving before her eyes. ‘What happened?’

‘I’ll tell you later. First,’ Thea brushed her hands together, ‘we find Tom and make sure he’s alright. Then we check that Dylan isn’t exhausting Mabel, and, well, the house still needs cleaning.’

*

Sam took a packet of chocolate biscuits out to the table where Dylan and Mabel were enjoying a mid-morning snack.

The boy’s eyes lit up. ‘Mum says chocolate biscuits are only for when I’ve been very good.’

‘And you have been very good. You’ve worked hard in the garden this morning. I think you’ve earned a biscuit.’ Sam made eye contact with Mabel, knowing there was no way she wouldn’t have picked up on something being wrong from all the running around. ‘Would you be a good boy again, Dylan, and stay here while I have a quick chat with Mabel?’

‘Okay.’ The boy was chomping his way through his biscuit before Mabel had risen to her feet.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Mabel was as no-nonsense as ever. ‘Something has happened. In fact, two things have happened.’

‘Two things?’ Sam frowned.

 ‘Yes.’ Mabel nodded. ‘Tom first. What’s happened there?’

‘Helen’s gone back to Bath. She left a note, but it didn’t explain why she’d gone. Just that it was for the best.’

‘And naturally Tom wants to go after her.’

‘He hasn’t said so, although I’m sure he does, but—’

‘He can’t leave Dylan.’ Mabel looked over her shoulder to the lad munching a second biscuit. ‘Tell him to go. Dylan can stay with Bert and me tonight. Or here if you guys think it’s best he has his own room.’

‘Thanks, Mabel. I hoped you’d say that. I’ll go and tell Tom.’

Sam was a few steps away when he turned back. ‘You said two things had happened. What’s the other thing?’

‘Sometimes I think men are born with atmosphere blindness.’

‘Sorry?’

‘Thea and Shaun. They’ve been sat over on the bench. Well, they were until Thea headed indoors, probably to have a good cry. The air out here has been heavy with their quiet rowing.’

‘Shaun and Thea?’

‘Yes.’ Mabel looked troubled. ‘I think they might have broken up.’

Forty

Wednesday April 8th

Tom pulled his old Fiesta onto the inside lane of the motorway. His ears strained to hear the instructions from his sat nav, which, at some point over the past ten miles, he’d managed to knock so that the volume was barely audible.

Thea’s hastily jotted “how to find Helen’s house” instructions sat on the passenger seat next to him, just in case his mobile battery died or the signal gave out.

Easing off the accelerator, Tom saw the junction to Bath ahead. What if she slams the door in my face?

The closer he got to Bath, the more Tom wondered if Tina and Thea were right. They were convinced Helen had gone because she didn’t think she was good enough to be a step-parent to Dylan.

But she must know that Dylan adores her?

Squashing down the guilt at abandoning his son, Tom tried to read the sudden barrage of signposts which had come at him after exiting the motorway, while straining to hear the sat nav at the same time.

Turning with the traffic onto London Road, Tom caught sight of a brown tourist sign for the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey out of the corner of his eye. His heart lurched. He might not know where he was, but he knew he was close to where he needed to be.

*

‘I must be the most selfish person in the world.’

Gertrude and Mavis looked up from where they’d been happily pecking at their grain, tilting their necks in Tina’s direction.

‘Thea and Shaun might have split up and Helen’s done a bunk, and I’m stood here worrying about my wedding.’

Gertrude took a half-hearted stab at a slice of pepper with her beak.

‘What if Sam and I have to get married with the best man and bridesmaid not talking to each other, and the usher heartbroken because the other bridesmaid is missing?’

A well-timed squawk from Tony Stark, Mill Grange’s resident rooster, told Tina to go and talk to her chief bridesmaid.

‘But I don’t know what to say.’ Tina sighed. ‘This time yesterday I thought everyone was okay. How can I not have noticed my friends were unhappy?’

*

Thea had not expected to hear laughter, especially not coming from Shaun. She could hear him and Sam, alongside Dylan’s giggling, just beyond the manor’s backdoor.

Pausing, her heart thudding, she listened to the sound of happiness that was just out of reach. Thea was about to go and see what they were up to, when something stopped her. What if my arriving ruins their fun? The idea that Shaun might stop what he was doing and walk off at the sight of her made her feel sick.

Consumed by misery, Thea didn’t hear Tina’s footsteps as she emerged from the kitchen.

‘I was about to ask if you were okay,’ Tina paused, taking in her friend’s tired eyes, ‘but that would be a stupid question.’

‘I should have listened to Helen.’ Thea flexed and unflexed her hands, trying to stop them shaking. ‘I was trying to do the right thing.’

Not knowing what Thea was talking about, Tina asked, ‘But that right thing went wrong?’

‘Yes.’

A fresh burst of laughter came from outside. Tina stepped forward to see what was happening. But Thea put her arm out to stop her.

Backing away from the door, Thea muttered, ‘If I go out there the fun will be ruined. You go, I’ll see you later.’

Tina took a gentle hold of her friend’s arm. ‘No, we’ll go together.’

‘But—’

‘But nothing. Shaun is a grown up, he won’t ruin whatever fun Dylan is having just because you two have had a row.’

Before Thea