Page 71 of Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood
‘So when I noticed he was helping another newcomer to the village . . . I have to say, I was a tiny bit jealous, Ava.’
I jump a little in my chair; I hadn’t seen this coming back to me at all.
‘And then I realised that there was more to it than simply loving thy neighbour.’ She grins. ‘Have you heard what I’ve been doing, Callum? I’ve been quoting the Bible for you – how fabulous is that? The Good Samaritan and “love thy neighbour”?’
Callum nods. ‘Yes, I’ve heard it. Very good.’
Jemima nods happily. ‘Yes, I was rather pleased with both of those. Anyway, I’m getting off track, where was I . . . ?’ She thinks for a moment, but neither Callum nor I feel the need to prompt her. ‘Oh yes! But then I saw how the two of you look at each other, and I knew that how Callum thinks about you, Ava, is not the way he thinks about the rest of his parishioners, if you know what I mean!’ And she gives us both a long salacious wink.
Callum and I don’t respond, we don’t even look at each other; we simply look down at the tablecloth, totally mortified.
‘Ah, look at the pair of you,’ she continues, smiling at us now, ‘like a couple of teenagers with their first crush. I’d say get a room, but I’m not sure the Church allows that, do they, Father?’
To our enormous relief Hannah and Lonan return at that moment; Hannah carrying a plate of apple pie and a bowl of chocolate mousse, and Lonan a jug of cream and a tub of ice cream.
They pause at the door and stare at the three of us sitting awkwardly around the table, Callum and I not knowing where to look, and Jemima still appearing to be completely unaware of what she’s said.
‘I don’t know if I need a knife to cut this pie I’m holding, or the atmosphere in this room?’ Hannah asks, looking at us with a bewildered expression.
‘What ever do you mean, my lovely?’ Jemima says, encouraging them to bring their sweet treats to the table. ‘We’re simply having a lovely chat, aren’t we?’
Not looking at Callum, I hurriedly help Hannah make room for the desserts on the table.
‘Golly, whathavewe missed?’ Lonan asks, putting his jug and tub down on the table and retaking his seat. ‘It’s obviously something good, by the looks on your faces?’
‘I had a glance at your bookshelves earlier, Ava,’ Lonan says a little later while we’re all happily tucking into our desserts.
Any earlier embarrassment lingering at the table like an unwanted guest has now, much to my relief, left.
‘Oh yes?’
‘You’ve got quite the library of books there. Some of them are quite old, too. They were the previous tenant’s, you say?’
‘Yes, Evelyn was obviously quite the bookworm. Some of them have come in very handy since I arrived, particularly the nature books. I know all about birds and wildflowers now, and probably far too much about the different trees and plants Merlin and I find on our daily walks in the wood.’
‘I’ve been doing some research on this area since I arrived. I always like to know the story of a place I’m staying in, and it seems Bluebell Wood has quite the history.’
‘Ooh, like what?’ Hannah asks keenly.
‘As you all probably know, the wood here is ancient woodland, which means it’s existed since at least the sixteenth century or before. But I think you can trace this area’s history back even further, possibly to the reign of William the Conqueror.’
‘Really?’ I say, surprised. ‘How do you know that?’
‘It’s to do with something called Forest Law – where the Norman kings of England procured areas of land for their own private hunting rights. This was mainly woodland, like here at Bluebell Wood. Which by the way was originally called Kingswood, according to the records.’
‘I didn’t know that,’ Callum says. ‘I’m surprised the church doesn’t have some documentation on that.’
‘You probably do if you search for it,’ Lonan says with conviction. ‘Churches hold a lot of useful information regarding the history of an area.’
‘Jonah would probably know more,’ Callum says, ‘he’s very good with the history of this area. He’s always on at me to learn more about it.’
‘I may well have to seek him out, then,’ Lonan says, nodding, ‘and pick his brains for further information. From what I know already, Kingswood, unusually for forest land, was allowed to have a small settlement on it – not that uncommon after 1217 and the charter of the forest was brought in, which gave some land rights back to the common man. But Kingswood was different; I believe this small area was owned by one family even before that, when in theory it should still have been owned by the King.’
‘Go on,’ I encourage when he pauses for effect. Lonan was obviously the consummate storyteller, both on the page and in person.
‘I’m still doing my research, but I think those ruins where you found young Robin may be the house where the landowner originally lived. Like I say, he shouldn’t have owned forest land, but everything is pointing that way. As a writer, I’m intrigued, I have to tell you. There’s definitely a story here.’
‘Sounds amazing, Lonan,’ Jemima pipes up again now. She’d been very quiet since we served dessert, and I’d been hoping she might remain that way. ‘But will it be a love story you uncover, I wonder?’ She gives Callum and me a meaningful look.
