Page 119 of Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood
‘I can’t believe you found something that size here in this field,’ I say, strangely captivated by the bird.
‘Neither can I. I still can’t quite believe how we discovered it this morning. Those birds obviously wanted us to find it for some reason.’
Yes,I think,I bet they did.
‘I’m not one for believing in things I can’t see or prove, Ava. That’s why I became interested in this particular area of historical research. We see and find some strange things on these digs, but we find them through careful and meticulous investigation of the ground, there’s a pattern and a logic to what we do. But even I can’t deny what those birds were doing this morning. You obviously have some very clever birds here in Bluebell Wood. If you think they might be trying to tell you something when they leave things for you on your bird table, then I for one think you should definitely listen to them.’
Thirty-nine
‘I’m sorry,’ Lonan says, as several of us sit around a table at The Daft Duck later that evening. ‘I just can’t find anything to link the cottage to any more land in Bluebell Wood.’
‘Don’t worry,’ I tell him, even though I’m disappointed. ‘I didn’t think you would. I know you’ve tried really hard to help us.’
‘Yes, Lonan, you’ve been amazing,’ Linnet says, putting her hand on his shoulder.
Lonan gazes lovingly at Linnet, and I can’t help smiling.
‘What do we do now?’ Jonah asks. ‘We’re starting to run out of ideas.’
‘But luckily not time,’ I say. ‘By the look of what’s happening on the dig, they’re going to be there for some time yet. Did you all hear about the eagle they found today?’
Everyone nods. Gossip – or should I call itinformation– spreads with great ease around this village. It hadn’t, of course, taken too long for the news to spread that the much-adored parish priest had a new girlfriend, and I’d been surprised at how easily the news had been accepted by all Callum’s parishioners,including the older ones. We were still attempting to keep Callum’s overnight stays at my cottage secret, though; we didn’t want to push our luck too far!
The villagers of Bluebell Wood weren’t the only ones that had taken the news of our relationship well. I’d recently gone with Callum to meet Jena at the hospital. I’d been extremely nervous, not because of the place of our visit, but because I wasn’t sure how Jena would take to me. But I needn’t have been concerned. Jena, who Callum had assured me was very settled now on her new meds, was lovely, friendly and very welcoming.
I was pleased to find she had a wicked sense of humour, and would mercilessly take the mickey out of her older brother. It was also lovely to see Callum interacting with her, and I left the hospital not only promising to come back and visit again, but loving Callum just that little bit more after seeing how wonderful he was with his sister.
Hannah had, of course, been ecstatic when I told her that Callum and I were now an item, and Matt, even though he’d yet to meet him, had been extremely pleased I’d found someone that was making me happy, and that his sister wholly approved of.
So apart from our still unsolved mystery regarding the land around Bluebell Wood, life was going very well for a change, and I was happier than I’d been in years.
‘Bonsoir, mes amis,’ Alouette says, coming over to our table and sitting down with us. ‘I am so sorry I ’ave not been able to get over ’ere earlier; we ’ave been so busy tonight.’
Some of the workers from the dig would stay and have a drink after they finished at night, and often they’d eat at the pub too, so Alouette and Jack were also doing quite well out of the excavations on the field.
‘They are all celebrating the eagle!’ she says, her hands gesticulating in the air like wings. ‘They are very excited by it.’
‘It’s quite a find,’ I say, waving to Tori, who is in the pub tonight, too. ‘Tori says she’s never found anything quite as big and as complete as this on all the digs she’s been a part of.’
‘Do I hear right that Jack is thinking of changing the pub’s name?’ Callum asks. ‘I believe he’s considering changing it to The Eagle to commemorate the find.’
‘Ah!’ Alouette says, waving her hand dismissively in the air now. ‘’e ’as wanted to change the pub’s name since we came ’ere. I like The Daft Duck; it is funny, no?’
‘That’s a bit sudden, isn’t it?’ I say, surprised to hear this.
‘He thinks the pub sign falling down today is a symbol,’ Alouette says, wrinkling up her nose. ‘A symbol we ’ad a windy day today, that is all.’
‘Well, I like The Daft Duck,’ I tell her. ‘It’s different.’
‘Yes! That is what I think too, Ava.’
‘Eagles seem to be the in thing right now,’ Lonan says, looking slightly embarrassed. ‘I heard from my agent today that one of my past novels,The Eagle Soars, is going to be adapted into a television series.’
‘Wow, that’s amazing,’ I say, truly pleased for him. ‘Well done!’
We all raise our glasses in a toast.
‘While we’re sharing good news,’ Callum says, putting down his glass, ‘I have some news that I hope will be good too.’
