Page 18 of Hearts Colliding
“Seriously, you know why you’re here, and why your neighbours are too.” He paused, just for a moment, and was answered with nods and murmurs. “You’re here because you’re from a family with deep roots in the village, or maybe you’re a more recent resident. Whichever it is, you’re here because you love this village and the life it gives you.” The murmurs grew louder, and calls of agreement dispersed the last of his jitters.
“A strong sense of community.” Ryan tilted his chin upwards and raised his voice. “The pre-school group. The amateur dramatics society. The various coffee mornings supporting local charities that meet in this very hall, and in Harbour Coffee. The creative writing group. The local history society. The traditional crafts collective.” Ryan counted the groups off on his fingers, all of them defining the village everybody in the hall called home. “The WI. The walking and hiking group. But newer groups, too, like the LGBTQ+ society which has got off to a great start — I don’t expect too many rural communities like ours can boast such a group. The point I’m making is that Love’s Harbour is a vibrant place to live, a vibrant and lively village that preserves its history and traditions whilst being open to new ideas.”
Ryan’s words were met by cheers and clapping. Somehow, he didn’t know how and he didn’t care, he was speaking to every man, woman and child in the packed hall.
“We all love the life we live here,” he said when the cheering, clapping and foot stamping began to subside. “But it’s a fine balance. In recent years the village’s numbers have increased. We’ve been joined by people from elsewhere in the country, people who have thrown in their lot with the Harbour, have made it their home and become true villagers. And we needed new blood. We may be a tucked away community, but we’ve always been an open minded one, and those who have made their home here have enriched it — remember what I said, about it being a vibrant place? That’s in no small measure down to new people coming in with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. But, I also said it’s a fine balance. A development here, a development there, and what you —we— end up with is encroaching suburbanisation.”
Ryan didn’t know if such a word even existed, but in his stride, with the whole of the audience silent and enraptured by his words, he didn’t care. He pushed on.
“Housing estates spilling out into the surrounding fields. Local roads clogged with traffic. Piece by piece, Love’s Harbour silently stops being the village we all love, as a creeping suburban sprawl takes over. Is that where you want to live? Because I don’t, and unless we work together to stop Sir Alex Love’s plans to change the face of our home forever, that’s what we’re going to get.”
The hall erupted in whistles and shouts. Ryan’s heart beat fast and furious as he stared into the lively crowd, the faces swimming into focus where before they had been an amorphous mass. The words had tumbled from him because they were true, each and every one of them, and he believed them to the bottom of his heart. He would never allow Alex Love to destroy the home he loved so much.
“This meeting has been called because every single one of you has the right to air your concerns and ask questions. In the interest of fairness, Sir Alex will talk about his proposal and answer any questions — and I’m sure you have many.”
Ryan threw Alex a glance as he stepped down from the stage and took his place in the front row.Your move.Alex answered with the tiniest raise of a brow.
In the centre of the stage Alex stood stock still and looked out over the audience, waiting for the noise to abate. Everybody fell silent as though commanded to. Nothing could be heard in the packed hall, and the first shiver of disquiet rippled the length of Ryan’s spine.
“Thank you for inviting me this evening. I should start by saying I’d planned to hold a public meeting, so as I could meet you all face to face and address your concerns — concerns I take seriously, and concerns I believe I can answer and allay. But, you’ve beaten me to it.” Alex’s lips curved up in a small, almost self-deprecating smile.
Ryan ground his teeth. There was no sign, no fucking signat all, of the rapacious developer. Christ, he almost appeared to be humble.
“…and gentlemen, I want to properly introduce myself and my connection to Love’s Harbour.”
Alex pulled across a chair from the side of the stage and positioned it near to the front. Sitting down, he rested his arms on his knees and leaned forward, just a little, as though settling himself in for a cosy chat with friends.
Ryan crossed his arms over his chest, every muscle in his body tensing. The high of his impassioned speech was dropping fast and he forced his arms apart in an attempt to relax. But Alex was a pro. From his carefully modulated voice, to his casual clothes and open body language, nothing about him posed a threat. Even though he’d left years before, he was still one of Love’s Harbour’s own, a direct descendant of the man who’d founded the village and given it its name.
Alex began his counter assault.
“As you’re all aware, I’m Alex Love. Many of the longer established residents of the Harbour know me. Even though I moved away when I was just a teenager, to make my own way in the world, I grew up in the New House, and I have early, happy memories of the village.”
“Then why do you want to destroy it?” A voice from the back called, the Devonian accent rich and heavy, the voice of the old village community rather than the new.
“But I don’t want to destroy it.”
Alex’s eyes widened. Ryan ground his teeth harder and clenched his fists. The action, so small and indiscernible Ryan was sure nobody had consciously registered it, lent Alex an air of surprised hurt. But Ryan had noticed. He was watching, studying, scrutinising every inch of the man who definitely, absolutely, did not look like a hard nosed businessman, who did not look like a pro who’d made millions and who knew how to play a hostile audience.
Fucking hell…
“On the contrary, I believe the proposals I’ve submitted will add to and enrich Love’s Harbour.” Alex dipped his head at the low grumble of dissent which met his words.
“Let me take you through the plans,” he said, his voice intimate and friendly, as though he were talking to an old friend. “I’m sorry I don’t have a flashy PowerPoint presentation, because whatever you may think this isn’t a sales pitch.” Another smile, small and disarming, and a few people in the crowd chuckled. A second bead of sweat made its slow way down Ryan’s backbone. “But I see you have copies of the plans, so we can go through the points step by step — and please, stop and ask questions at any time.”
The hall filled with the rustle of paper.
“As you’ll all be aware, the New House has been standing unoccupied, or mostly, for a number of years—”
“It’s always been the home of the Love family,” an elderly voice, thin and reedy, called out.
“Yes, that’s true, and as heir to the estate the expectation is that I’ll make it my home. But, my business interests keep me in London and elsewhere and will do for the foreseeable future. From whichever way I look at it, returning to live in the village is neither practical nor possible—”
“Why not? What about when you marry and raise a family? If you carry on with this madness, you’ll be robbing your heir of their inheritance,” the same voice called out.
Ryan twisted in his seat, trying to see who it was but it was impossible. He turned back. Alex sat in silence, as though momentarily stumped for what to say.
Not so smooth now…
