Page 80 of Best Summer Ever

‘He never did!’ Mum exclaimed, suddenly looking all aglow herself.

Her tone was full of surprise rather than shock and I was grateful for that. Shock might have implied that she didn’t think I was up to it, but thankfully there was no hint of that.

‘He did,’ I beamed. ‘And, he’s offered me the summerhouse to move into, so I can get out from under your feet here. And Dad’s, of course.’

‘Well, I never!’ Mum gasped. ‘And what on earth did you say to all of that?’

‘I said yes, of course,’ I almost shouted. ‘To both offers!’

‘Oh, how wonderful!’ Mum clapped. ‘So, you’re finally going to be working in the garden properly! The very thing you always loved and you’re going to be practically living in the garden as well. Not that you’ve really been under our feet because you’ve hardly been here since you met…’ She didn’t pursue that train of thought. ‘But I know things here have felt… strained,’ she continued. ‘You’ll enjoy having your own space.’

‘I certainly will,’ I agreed.

I also hoped I would be able to entice Josh to visit the estate now I had my own private place on it and I couldn’t deny I was looking forward to sleeping in a double bed on home turf again, too.

‘But is the summerhouse even habitable?’ Mum asked. ‘It’s been closed up for such a long time.’

‘It does need a bit of a sort out,’ I acknowledged. ‘But nothing I can’t manage.’

‘I can wash the curtains in the big machine at the manor,’ Mum said pensively as her thoughts instinctively turned to the domestic practicalities. ‘We’ll never get them in our machine here.’

She sounded keen to help so I had every intention of letting her as I felt certain that if we worked together, Dad would feel less inclined to object to Algy’s idea. At least, I hoped he would.

‘Would it be all right if I carried on doing the rest of my laundry here?’ I asked, my attention also turning to the domestic arrangements. ‘There’s no machine in the summerhouse.’

‘Of course, you can,’ Mum said. ‘And you can keep your car here too.’

‘I thought I might move that up to the manor,’ I told her. ‘That will be closer for me than here.’

And also my comings and goings wouldn’t be so easily noticed.

‘Yes,’ Mum said, biting her lip as she mentally paced the route out, ‘you’re right, that will be closer. That would make more sense then. So, when’s all this happening?’

‘When’s all what happening?’

Neither of us had heard Dad arrive home and I felt my face flush when I looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. He already looked harassed and I hoped my news would be a soothing salve as opposed to an irritating inconvenience.

‘Oh, Robin,’ said Mum, as she stood up. ‘Daisy has the most wonderful news. You’re going to be so pleased when you hear what it is.’

He looked suspicious rather than inclined to be happy.

‘Oh?’ he said, coming in properly.

‘Go on,’ said Mum, as she looked encouragingly at me. ‘Tell him.’

Her enthusiasm for my new venture seemed to have convinced her that Dad was going to be keen too.

‘Well,’ I began and then the words got stuck. ‘I’m moving into the summerhouse,’ I finally blurted out. ‘Algy has said I can stay there, which will stop us getting under each other’s feet here.’

‘Oh, right,’ said Dad, his brow etched with an even deeper frown. ‘It’s been shut up for a while. I think it’ll take a bit of bringing around.’

‘I’ve already been inside,’ I told him. ‘And it’s not that bad. Nothing I can’t manage.’

‘Fair enough,’ he said with a nod.

‘And?’ Mum urged. ‘Tell him the rest, Daisy. Tell your dad what else Algy has said.’

Dad looked enquiringly at me.

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