Page 1 of Coming Home to Crumbleton

PROLOGUE

CRUMBLETON TIMES AND ECHO - 12TH APRIL

What’s On This Week

Darts at the Dolphin & Anchor, Wednesday 7.30pm

Crumbleton darts team is on the lookout for new members! Brian says being the only member is getting boring. If darts is your thing - or if you just fancy taking out your frustrations over a pint - contact Brian Singer.

Final call for entries into the Odd Object Competition

The museum might still be closed while we continue our search for a new curator, but Crumbleton WI have stepped in to run this year’s Odd Object Competition! Up to three items per entrant - bring your entries up to Crumbleton Castle Museum no later than 7pm on Wednesday night. Please refrain from entering the same items from previous years - that’s just boring, folks! Homemade items are against the rules. No nails, glue, screws or body parts please. The winner will be announced next week.

Ruby Hutchinson Signing at Crumbleton Bookshop, Thursday 10am - 12.30pm

Crumbleton Bookshop is the ONLY place to be on Thursday. Our very own Ruby Hutchinson will be signing copies of Every Little Dream and reading extracts from her runaway bestseller. Crumbleton is thrilled to be the final stop on her international book tour. She’s been away for a long time - so make sure you’re there to help welcome Ruby home. Coffee and pastries to be supplied by the Crumbleton Café.

Caroline Cook, Editor.

CHAPTER 1

RUBY

The view from the back seat of the taxi was becoming painfully familiar. Ruby Hutchinson ran her hands up and down her thighs - doing her best to wipe the nervy clamminess from her palms while simultaneously seeking comfort from the rough grain of her jeans.

It wasn’t working.

Ruby’s fight or flight mechanism was well and truly stuck in “flight” mode… but that simply wasn’t an option today.

Letting out a long, slow breath, Ruby leaned her forehead against the cool glass window, willing the knot of anxiety in her stomach to loosen up a bit. She knew it was just wishful thinking, though. This particular knot had been her constant companion for more than a month now. In fact, she could pinpoint the exact moment her guts had decided to twist themselves into a tangle - that fateful Wednesday morning in her editor’s swanky London office.

It should have been a wonderful meeting with Harriet - after all, her editor had nothing but good news to share. About two minutes into proceedings, Ruby’s entire publishing team had descended bearing balloons, champagne and a professional photographer to commemorate the moment. Her debut novel had hot-footed it right to the top of every single chart going - it was officially an international bestseller - and had already sold more than a million copies.

As the office erupted in a volley of cheers and champagne corks, Ruby had just felt hollow. She knew she should be beside herself with joy. According to everyone else, she was living the dream and her book was hitting milestones most authors could only dream of. All those long hours at her tiny desk had paid off - the late nights getting “just one more chapter” written, followed by the bleary-eyed early morning editing sessions had been worth it.

The truth was - that had been the bit she’d actually enjoyed. Writing had always given her a sanctuary from real life, and there was nothing quite like the buzz of adrenaline when the story was flowing from her fingertips. She loved it. The whole publicity side of things, however? Not so much.

Still, it was a necessary evil and she’d quickly discovered that it wasn’t something she could opt out of. That was the only reason she’d agreed to embark on an international tour when all she really wanted to do was hide. It was a desire that got about a million times stronger when Harriet gleefully announced that they’d firmed up the final stop on her tour at last. They were sending Ruby back home to Crumbleton for the first time in six years – and she had absolutely no say in the matter.

Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, doing her best to block out the gleaming waterways and golden reeds of the salt marshes flying past the window. She was exhausted. A month of globe-trotting - signing thousands of books in dozens of countries and meeting scores of fans - had been overwhelming, to say the least. But none of it had made her feel as anxious as this last stop.

‘Why did it have to be Crumbleton?’ she whispered.

‘What’s that love?’

The driver’s voice made Ruby jump, and she sat up quickly, feeling like an idiot.

‘Nothing Brian!’ she said, forcing a bright smile onto her face as she met his concerned gaze in the rear-view mirror. ‘Just… nearly home. That’s all!’

‘We’ll be there soon, right enough!’ he said cheerfully, the fine lines around his eyes crinkling in a smile she couldn’t quite see. ‘Look - there she is - just peeping through the mist!’

Ruby leaned forward to peer through the windscreen. Yep - there she was indeed. Crumbleton was sticking up like a sore thumb out of the misty marshes.

The little town on a hill that had once been her home.

The little town she’d left behind six years ago.

The little town she’d prefer to keep avoiding for another six years… or preferably, six decades. In fact, if Ruby had her way, she’d be more than happy never to set foot on its cobbled streets again.

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