Page 64 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden
Sam said, ‘I’ll stay and wash the vegetables, shall I?’
‘No,’ Adela said quickly, not wanting Joan to have any more distractions. ‘You can go back to the allotment.’
Joan rolled her eyes at him as she sauntered back into the café. Adela felt her teeth clench. Sam put a hand on her arm.
‘Let’s go for a walk up the Tyne this evening after work,’ he suggested. ‘I’ll take the camera. Just you and me.’
Adela felt exhausted just thinking of it. ‘There’s so much to do here. By the time I get cleared up I’ll just want to soak my feet in a basin of hot water and drink gin.’
‘After the gin then,’ Sam said with a smile.
‘Anyway you can’t. Your mother’s expecting you for supper. Last thing she said before she got the bus home. Though why you shouldhave to trek miles across the city to see her when she’s at the café every other day, I don’t know.’
Sam frowned. ‘Because I’m down on the allotment or out taking photos. I don’t see her that often – and I only go over to the coast when you’re staying here late.’
‘I wouldn’t have to stay late if you helped out more,’ she snapped.
‘I thought we agreed that I was of most use in the allotment?’ Sam said.
‘Well, if Joan goes then you’ll have to help round here more,’ Adela said with an impatient sigh.
‘Perhaps if you were a little kinder to her,’ said Sam, his voice suddenly steely, ‘then she might stay longer.’
With that he dumped down the box of vegetables and strode out of the kitchen. Adela felt immediately contrite and hurried after him.
‘Sam, I’m sorry,’ she called.
He turned, halfway across the yard. Her stomach somersaulted at his handsome face, but his look was wary.
‘Go and see MrsJackman this evening,’ said Adela. ‘I didn’t mean to criticise her; your mother’s been a godsend. We’ll have a walk on Sunday – just the two of us.’
She couldn’t read his expression; was he relieved or disappointed? She was too weary to work it out. She blew him a quick kiss and then doubled back inside.
It was after seven o’clock before Adela was finished in the café and locking up. She knew Sam wouldn’t be at home and she didn’t have the energy to put on a cheerful face for Tilly and Josey. She climbed the stairs and knocked on Lexy’s door.
‘Come in!’ Lexy’s deep smoker’s voice beckoned.
As Adela entered the cosy flat, Lexy was already heaving herself out of her armchair and making for the kitchen. ‘I’ve got a pot brewing. Thought you might be up shortly. Heard the fun and games earlier. Madam Joan playing up, is she? Little minx.’
‘I’ll get the tea,’ Adela said at once.
‘You’ll sit down and put your feet up, hinny,’ ordered Lexy. ‘I might puff like an old steam train but I can still pour a cuppa.’
Adela sank gratefully on to the sofa and closed her eyes. She must have dozed off for a few minutes because when she opened her eyes, Lexy was back in her favourite chair coughing over a cigarette and there was a cup of black tea and a paste sandwich on the side-table by Adela’s elbow.
With a deep sigh, Adela drank the tea. She was past being hungry and the grey sandwich didn’t look in the least appetising.
‘Tell all,’ Lexy encouraged.
‘Where to begin? It’s so much harder running the café than I thought. Even though we aren’t on the ration, it’s almost impossible to get hold of some ingredients. How can you make a decent shepherd’s pie when half the potatoes have been blighted by frost? Thank goodness I’ve got your contacts at the Grainger Market or we wouldn’t have anything on the menu.’
With a sympathetic nod from Lexy, Adela continued to pour out her troubles. ‘Joan is driving me mad and Sam just panders to her instead of backing me up, and his mother is really kind but once she gets in the café kitchen she’s a real bossy-boots. I know I can’t manage without her – I have pretty few cooking skills – but she’s taking over our lives. If she’s not at the café then she’s wanting Sam to go all the way out to Cullercoats to spend the evening with her.’
‘She’s had a long time without him,’ Lexy pointed out, ‘so she’s only trying to make up for that. She’ll calm down.’
Adela felt a twinge of guilt. ‘I sound so ungrateful, don’t I?’
‘It’s only natural that you feel a bit jealous over Sam with his mam,’ said Lexy.
