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

of love and Sue not fitting neatly together in his mind, Tom found himself thinking of Helen. He hadn’t intended to fall for her either, and yet he had. He’d been powerless to stop it.

‘Perhaps you’d better tell me about Nathan.’

*

Helen had started apologising as soon as Tina got out of the car, and had repeated herself twice as they moved through Glastonbury Abbey’s pay station, and again as they passed onto the lime green grass which led towards the abbey’s stunning skeletal remains.

‘It’s alright.’ Tina tried to reassure her friend. ‘We all do things we regret, but what I don’t understand is why. It’s not like you not to face things head on.’

‘No, it isn’t, is it?’ Pointing to a picnic bench near the café, Helen stared up at the architectural splendour. ‘Coffee before we explore?’

‘Always.’ Thea and Tina spoke in unison, making Helen realise how much she was going to miss working with them.

Helen fiddled with her car keys as she apologised to Thea for not letting on about her relationship with Tom. ‘I should have said. It’s not as if our attempts to keep it secret worked!’

Tina grinned. ‘You both looked so loved up, it was blatant.’

Helen sighed as she went on to explain about Dylan’s painting, how he’d mentioned Sue wanting him to be part of a real family, and her assumption that – combined with what she’d overheard Sue say – that had meant Sue wanting to try again with Tom.

‘And you didn’t want to be the one who stopped Dylan being with his parents.’ Tina nodded. ‘That I get.’

‘I panicked. The thought of Tom being around and not being with him.’ Helen laid the keys on the table, and looked across at the abbey where King Arthur and Guinevere were reputed to have been laid to rest after a life time of love. ‘As I had a home and job in Bath to return to… well, it was a bolthole and I bolted.’

As she picked up a menu, Thea asked, ‘But now you’ve spoken to Tom? Is that what’s happening? Is he getting back with Sue?’

‘No. I got it wrong, so I can add feeling a total idiot to my list of achievements this week.’

Thea patted her friend’s shoulder. ‘Coffee all round? And cake?’

‘Please,’ Tina patted her waist, ‘although only a little slice. Now I’ve got the wedding dress, I don’t want to have to go on a last-minute crash diet.’

‘There’s nothing of you!’ Thea winked as she headed to the café counter, the chocolate and orange cake she’d seen mentioned on the menu firmly in her sights.

As Thea disappeared, Tina asked, ‘Are you staying in Bath then, Helen? You can still come back you know.’

‘But I messed you and Sam about big time and—’

‘And nothing. If you want to come back, you can. But once we’re married and the guests start to come back, we’ll have to know for sure, because if you aren’t coming back, we’ll need to employ someone else.’

‘Of course you will.’ Helen thought of the fortlet and how much work she’d put into it already. The idea of someone else taking over made her sad. ‘I’d love to come back, but I can’t. Do you think my successor should write the book on the site?’ She sighed rather more loudly than she intended. ‘I’ll get the notes to you.’

‘Why wouldn’t you be able to come back?’ Tina was puzzled. ‘I thought you and Tom had sorted yourselves out.’

‘We have, but in the few hours between my arrival in Bath and him following me, I went back to the Baths, and found myself straight back into the fray. There’s an exhibition they need organising, and no one’s free to do it.’

Thea arrived back at the table, her tray laden with cups and cake. ‘An exhibition? Makes sense they’d want you to sort that out. You were always the best at that.’

Helen gave a half smile. ‘I gave my word you see, that I’d get it sorted.’

‘So you won’t be returning to Mill Grange?’ Tina looked disappointed as she forgot about her no cake eating policy and stuck a fork into the gooey chocolate orange filling.

Thea sat down, pulling her plate towards her. ‘You want to though, don’t you? Return to Mill Grange I mean.’

‘Yes, but I’ve let so many people down lately. I can’t do it again.’

‘And Tom? How did he take it when you told him you weren’t returning to Upwich with him?’

‘Stoically.’

‘Is that good or bad?’ Tina pushed a bowl of sugar cubes in Helen’s direction.

‘I haven’t a clue. Sue called and he dashed off before we could talk.’

‘What did Sue want?’ A cloud crossed Thea’s face. ‘She called the house last night.’

‘I know. That’s why Tom’s gone to see her. She was not impressed at him leaving Dylan alone.’

‘Hell, I didn’t think. I should have pretended Tom was too busy to come to the phone.’

Helen shook her head. ‘Tom wouldn’t want you to lie for him.’

Thea stabbed her fork at her cake. ‘But you’re still together as a couple?’

‘Yes.’ Helen was thoughtful. ‘Ironic, really, as my eventual return to Bath was one of the reasons we took so long to get together in the first place. Tom doesn’t like long distance relationships.’

Thea found herself thinking of all the months Shaun had been away on excavation since they got together. Over half their relationship had been spent over the phone. ‘I can understand that. But it’s only Bath, and you could meet here. Dylan would love it!’

Helen grinned, already picturing the boy in one of the suits of armour dressing up kits hanging up in the café’s shop window. ‘He’d be battling dragons for King Arthur in no time.’

Tina hardly dare ask the next question, but the need to know was burning a hole in her tongue. ‘You will be coming to the wedding now, won’t you?’

Thea pounced on the opening. ‘Oh yes, please, Helen. Apart from the fact that Tom has to see you in that