Page 22 of Coming Home to Hope Street

Ellen stared at her pointedly before putting her shopping through the till. ‘Are you staying with Hannah?’

‘For the moment.’ Livvy wasn’t going to elaborate, no matter how intimidated she felt by Ellen’s stare.

‘What brings you back?’ Ellen popped the goods into the bag that Livvy was holding out.

‘Pip, would you mind helping me?’ Livvy avoided answering the question. ‘We don’t want to hold up the queue any longer than necessary.’

But Ellen wasn’t perturbed. ‘Is this your daughter?’ She smiled. ‘I must say, she’s a cracker. Hello, what’s your name?’

‘Petronella.’

‘That’s unusual.’ Ellen rang up the last item and popped it into the bag.

Neither Pip nor Livvy said anything. Both smiled politely. Ellen seemed a bit put out as they left the store.

‘Why did you tell her your name was that?’ Livvy asked Pip once they were back on the high street.

‘I saw the way she looked at you, and I didn’t like it. She doesn’t know anything about us, Mum, and she’s judging us. So I thought I’d test her.’

‘How?’

‘You said gossip goes round here like wildfire. Let’s see how many people call me that before they realise that it’s not my name.’

Livvy couldn’t help but laugh. She wrapped her free arm around Pip’s shoulders and pulled her close. At least they were on speaking terms right now.

‘So… whenareyou going to tell me?’

‘Hmm?’ Livvy said.

‘Why you left Somerley all those years ago and never came back until now. It doesn’t seem that bad.’

‘I’ll save that for another day,’ Livvy replied. ‘It’s something I can’t quite explain myself at the moment.’

Chapter Fifteen

Hannah had mentioned Livvy’s offer to help in the book shop to Doug. It was good to have someone to talk these things through with, and Hannah liked her business chats with him. Before Livvy’s arrival, they’d spent many an evening pouring over materials to use in the homes in Hope Street that Doug was renovating that year.

Having never run a business before, Hannah had been lapping up his knowledge and wisdom. So she’d wanted to make sure she was doing the right thing for the book shop too. She’d been learning business planning and cash flow, simple bookkeeping and had designed a basic website to sell the books from. She was also starting a blog which she intended adding book reviews to.

After talking through everything long into the night when she’d initially blurted out the idea over dinner with Kate and Will, she knew she’d need to apply for a loan. Despite Doug’s wealth, she didn’t want to take advantage of him. But he’d wanted to help, regardless. He’d drawn the layout for the shop and told her what to include in a business plan. She had clapped her hands like a five-year-old, unable to contain her excitement that her dream might actually become a reality.

She hadn’t then been surprised when Doug had offered her the money instead of going to the bank. At first, she’d refused and only accepted it as a loan, but it did mean that more money could go back into the business then. And it was something she’d thought of but not wanted to ask for fear of offending him. He’d been really generous since they’d met, and she didn’t want him to think she was taking advantage of him.

Doug had thought nothing of the sort.

‘I’m here to assist,’ he’d said. ‘It’s the least I can do after you’ve been working with me for no pay, helping me to establish the property development firm.’

Hannah dished out the cottage pie she’d bought from the butcher’s stall in the market and popped two plates of food on the table. She sat down across from Doug but, before she could begin eating, her thoughts tumbled out.

‘Doug, do you think I’d be mad to employ Livvy to work in the book shop?’

‘That surprised me.’ Doug was about to eat his first forkful, but he stopped.

‘Why?’

‘You haven’t said much about her being back. I know it’s only been a few days and you seem happy when you’ve been around her but it’s a little false, to the point it seems put on. And you’ve been a bit quiet when we’ve been together. I thought perhaps it was still too painful for you.’

‘It’s not that. We’re still getting used to each other, I suppose, but I feel sorry for her too. It must have taken courage for her to come back here, yet equally, I can’t help resenting the fact that she didn’t stay in touch and then arrives with no notice, thinking there’s a home here for her.’

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