Forever Love at Wildflower Lock, page 5
Theo paused. A slight cough caught in his throat before he released it as a groan.
‘I’m sorry. I’d love to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I did say there was a reason I lived so far away.’ He shook his head and let out a groan even longer than the first one. ‘I honestly thought introducing you was the right thing to do, so we could tell her about the engagement together, but she’s much better when there are more people. I should have thought about that. I mean, I’m sure she’ll get better. It’s a defence mechanism, you know? Mum always has to feel like she’s got one over on you. I have no idea why, but after that, she tends to mellow out a bit. But if it’s going to be too difficult, we don’t have to stay.’ As he looked down at Daisy, a sense of sadness and disappointment filled his eyes. ‘I can ring the hotel. See if they can squeeze us in for an extra night.’
Daisy was torn. In her opinion, Penelope needed to do a lot more than mellow to become anywhere near palatable. After all, who aimed to get things over on people they didn’t even know? Certainly not the type of person she would choose to spend any time with. But however strong a dislike she had taken to the woman, she was still Theo’s mother, and he wouldn’t have brought her there to meet his family unless it was important to him.
‘No, it’s fine,’ Daisy said, trying to project an inner strength and positivity she didn’t feel. ‘I’m sure she was just nervous about meeting me, too. I mean, she’s bound to be a bit wary of this girl her son moved back around the country for. Especially when they’ve never even met me.’
‘Exactly,’ Theo said, relief washing over his face. ‘I’m sure when we tell them about the engagement, they’ll be over the moon, just you wait and see.’
Excitement returned to Theo’s face and with it, a sense of optimism in Daisy. It had been a rough introduction, that was all. And it wasn’t like she and Theo had had the best first meeting. Yes, the more she thought about it, the more she decided that the old line about first impressions wasn’t really true at all. Theo’s parents would love her and she would love them, too. She was sure of it.
As she slung her bag over her shoulder and slipped her hand into Theo’s, she looked up at him and frowned.
‘Did they say we are sleeping in the guest bedroom? Is that what they did to your room after you moved out?’ she said. ‘Made it for guests?’
Rather than replying normally, as Daisy had expected Theo to do, he let out a loud scoff.
‘Oh no, the guest wing has always been there. They turned my room into storage for Mum’s dress-making and Dad’s golf clubs.’
17
The inside of the house was every bit the country chic that Daisy had imagined from the outside.
Dark oak flooring in the hallway gave way to a tiled-floor kitchen, where duck-egg blue counter tops were fashioned in a traditional style, with an Aga nestled at one end and a large dining table in the centre. The windows were deep-set and whitewashed, accented with small roller blinds, whilst large troughs filled with herbs sat on the windowsill. It was the type of house Daisy had dreamed of, when she first thought of growing up, getting married and having children. The type of house where you could hear the thunder of feet on the floorboards above you and rattles of laughter as siblings chased one another up and down the staircase and around the copious garden. It was the type of kitchen where she could have imagined propping a little one up on a stool and teaching her to make scones and cakes, the way her mother had done for her. A house filled with laughter and love. That was what it felt like this house should have been, yet at that moment, it felt as if both those aspects were thoroughly missing.
‘I take it the drive was all right?’ Theo’s father asked. Daisy was well aware that they hadn’t yet been introduced, but given that he had made no attempt to speak to her, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to extend any form of greeting. Instead, she lingered behind Theo, like she was some terrified schoolgirl, not a grown businesswoman who was meeting her fiancé’s family.
‘Traffic was good, actually. We left early. Thankfully, Daisy’s used to the early mornings, what with the coffee shop and everything.’
Daisy smiled gratefully at Theo for trying to include her in the conversation, but before she could comment, Penelope was speaking again.
‘Ahh, yes. You’re a waitress, isn’t that right?’
‘No, I’m not,’ Daisy replied tersely, only to see the flicker of satisfaction on Penelope’s lips. Of course she knew Daisy wasn’t a waitress. She was goading her and Daisy had stupidly bitten, but she wasn’t going to let Penelope get the last laugh and so she continued, ‘I have to say, I have great admiration for wait staff, though. I know how difficult some of the people I have to deal with as the owner of the coffee shop can be. And that’s only takeaway. I can’t imagine how tough it must be when you’re stuck serving rude, entitled customers on a table you can’t get away from.’ She locked her eyes on Penelope as she said this last line, making it entirely clear who she was talking about. As Theo’s mother pouted, Daisy smiled as broadly and warmly as she could. ‘But I happen to love my job, running my own business, which is doing incredibly well, actually. I’m very lucky.’
If it was possible to hear someone’s teeth grinding together, Daisy was certain she would have done, as Penelope’s lips twitched and pursed as if she was having to stop herself from snarling. A paused elongated between them, and Daisy was sure she was about to bite back, but instead, Penelope offered her only a beaming smile.
‘Well, then, I’m sure this weekend will be quite the relaxation you need. Now, I’ll put the kettle on. Was it tea or coffee you wanted?’
‘I’ll have—’
‘Actually, Mum,’ Theo said, cutting across Daisy before she could speak, ‘the drive over was really hot and sweaty. Daisy and I were just saying how we’d like to grab a shower before we have a drink. You don’t mind, do you?’
Penelope’s smile twisted, tightening and contorting as she peered down her nose.
‘Of course not, darling. This is your home. You may do as you wish.’
‘Thank you.’
‘There are spare towels on your bed. Try not to get them too dirty.’
18
Daisy had to bite her tongue. Who made a comment about making towels dirty? And what did Penelope think she and Theo had been doing on the drive over? Stopping to have a mudbath? Still, Daisy had already been far less polite than she would ever normally dreamed possible. What she needed to do was try to make amends.
‘I’m sorry,’ Daisy said the moment they were out of earshot. ‘I know I was rude to her, only she was so condescending. The way she said the word waitress. Like waitresses don’t work damn hard.’
Theo nodded as he looked down at Daisy and placed a hand on her cheek.
‘I know. I get it. I understand how difficult she can be, but the thing with my mum is—’
‘She’s your mum, I get it,’ Daisy said, anticipating what Theo was going to say next. ‘She’s your mum and you love her and I’ll learn to love her too if I just give her a chance. I get it. I do. And I’ll try. I promise.’
Theo paused and pressed his lips together.
‘Actually, that wasn’t what I was going to say at all.’
‘It wasn’t?’ Daisy frowned.
‘No, I was going to say that she just has to feel like she’s winning. That’s it. She has to have the last word with everything. And as much as I love to see you standing up to her – and believe me, I do love to see you standing up to her – the last thing I want is for her to decide she’s going to use that against you. You know, start being unpleasant.’
‘Start being unpleasant?’ Daisy said. ‘Did you listen to anything she said?’
‘I know, I get it.’ Theo took her hands and squeezed them tightly. ‘It’s probably not going to make you feel any better, but she’s exactly the same with my sister. Always trying to get under her skin. You have every right to answer back and give her everything she deserves, but it’s just you I’m worried about. I’m worried about how difficult she can make things for us.’
‘We’re only staying here for one night,’ Daisy said, although she knew deep down that wasn’t what Theo was on about. They were getting married. That meant that whether she liked it or not, Penelope was in her life for good now.
‘Please, just this once, can you try to take the higher ground with her?’ As he spoke, Theo pushed out his bottom lip and offered Daisy his best puppy-dog eyes that were so good, even Johnny would have a hard time topping them. ‘I’ll promise I’ll make it up to you when we go to the hotel,’ he added.
‘Really? And how do you plan on doing that?’
Leaning forward, Theo whispered into Daisy’s ear, causing her to let out an uncontrollable burst of laughter.
‘Fine then, you’re on. But I’m holding you to that.’
‘Good,’ Theo said with a grin that was wide enough to make Daisy’s heart flutter. ‘I want you to.’
19
Unlike her personality, everything about Penelope’s guest room was fluffy. The throw cushions were fluffy, the towels were fluffy and there was even a fluffy teddy bear sat in the middle of the cushions, while the carpet was the densest Daisy had ever stood on. It was undeniably sumptuous and the opulence didn’t stop in the bedroom. The en suite shower was filled with the most luxurious brands of soap, shower gel and bodywash, and Penelope had even gone as far as to lay out little guest toothbrushes, like the types given out at hotels. It was hard to believe that someone who had gone to all that effort would be so vile to her guests, but then, Daisy considered, maybe she had read her wrong. Maybe Penelope had really thought her name was Maisy, and that she was a waitress. If Theo didn’t speak to her that often, then it stood to reason that she would make a couple of mistakes.
‘Was your mum like this to Heather?’ Daisy asked as she took a clean dress out of her luggage and hung it on a coat hanger. ‘Did she act strangely to her?’
Theo barely pondered the question. Instead, he simply scrunched up his nose before he spoke.
‘It was different with Heather. You know, with us growing up together and everything,’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’ Daisy asked. ‘I didn’t realise you two grew up together. Did you go to the same school? Is that what you mean?’
‘Well, we did, but it was more than that. Heather’s mum has been best friends with my parents for years. They’ve known each other their entire lives. I think Heather and I even went to the same baby groups together.’
Daisy dropped down onto the bed, feeling a sudden weight flooding through her.
‘How did I not know that?’ she said. ‘I knew you’d been together for a long time, but surely that’s something I should have known?’
A deep furrow formed between Theo’s brows. ‘I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think it was much of a big deal. We didn’t get together until after we’d both left home. We were only ever friends until then. But I suppose that’s why I had such a hard time finishing things. We both did, because we knew how difficult it was going to be on our families as well.’
Daisy stared off into the distance as she tried to make sense of what she’d just heard. Did it really matter that Theo and Heather had known each other that long? Or that his parents probably thought about her as a daughter? It shouldn’t, and on one hand it didn’t. Heather was Theo’s past and she was his future, but it was the fact she hadn’t known any of this that left her feeling uneasy. To start with, she’d have been far more understanding of Penelope’s reaction. Part of her wanted to be cross with Theo for not filling her in on the full picture, but then again, did Theo know everything about her and Paul? Probably not.
‘So, I guess if your parents are still friends, then she’s always going to be in your life, in a way,’ Daisy said, imagining a wedding with Penelope sat on one side of the top table, and Heather on the other, speaking across Daisy as if she were invisible. Panic tightened her chest.
As if sensing the feeling, Theo reached around and took her arm.
‘It’s nothing to worry about, honestly. You don’t need to worry about Heather, and you don’t need to worry about my mum. It’s you and me, always, Daisy May, okay?’
She nodded, although the knot in her stomach remained.
‘Come on,’ Theo said. ‘Let’s go down and get a cup of tea. I’m parched.’
20
Downstairs, a pot of tea was waiting on the kitchen island, along with a tin of flapjacks and a packet of shortbread rounds.
‘Not homemade,’ Penelope said with that same tight-lipped smile. ‘But they are from the farmers’ market and they do make everything fresh, with organic ingredients. I can’t remember… is your little café organic, Daisy?’
Daisy drew in a long breath as she forced her lips into a smile.
‘Of course,’ she said, knowing it probably wasn’t true. It wasn’t like Penelope was ever going to come down and see for herself.
‘Well, shall we take the tea into the drawing room?’ Penelope continued, as if she hadn’t even asked Daisy a question, let alone heard Daisy’s reply. ‘We don’t want to sit out here in the kitchen, do we? Theo, can you take the tray, please? Daisy can help me with the plates.’
There was no question in her sentence, and so Daisy instinctively moved to pick up the large set of plates set on the counter, but no sooner had she moved than Penelope barked at her.
‘No, not those, Daisy. Not for biscuits. Archibald, get Daisy the proper plates.’
Daisy pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a smirk. Being named Archibald was one thing; having your wife use it was another. Penelope sounded like she was ordering around a child.
The drawing room was, like the rest of the house, exactly as Daisy had expected: an outdated cliché of how the wealthy would dress their rooms, with a miniature grand piano in one corner, and velvet curtains with large drapes folding down. A large pink rug sat on the faded carpet and none of the furniture matched, with a floral sofa, two large leather armchairs and several small tub chairs.
After Theo had placed the tea tray on the coffee table, Daisy put the plates down next to it before taking a seat and allowing Penelope the room to pour the drinks.
‘I didn’t bring sugar, but I assume no one will need it,’ she said. ‘I do not understand people who suffocate the taste of tea with sugar, do you, Daisy?’
‘Well, I let my customers choose how they want their drinks,’ Daisy replied. ‘I’m not sure they’d pay me for them otherwise.’
‘Of course, of course you do,’ Penelope said, fixing them all identical drinks with milk and no sugar. When everyone had a cup of tea, Theo’s mother took a seat in one of the tub chairs, but despite the softness of the fabric, she looked anything but relaxed. The way she placed her hands upon her knees reminded Daisy of a poster she’d seen from the 1940s, demonstrating all the good qualities a wife should have. She didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry.
‘Well, this trip was a welcome surprise,’ Theo’s father said, as he helped himself simultaneously to a shortbread and a piece of flapjack, seemingly able to ignore Penelope’s glare. ‘I have to say, we were talking only the other day about how long it’s been since we’ve seen you. Not that we’re not pleased, but is there any particular reason that you’ve graced us with your presence today?’
Daisy’s heart began hammering in her chest. She had assumed telling people about her engagement would be exciting. That it would be the type of moment when people would sweep around you and congratulate you, pat you on the back, and say how excited they were for you. But she had the distinct impression that it wouldn’t be that way today. She glanced at Theo, wondering if he was going to say anything, and it was only then she realised she had kept her hands folded the entire time, the antique ring tucked out of view.
As she held Theo’s gaze, he offered her a warm smile before reaching out and taking her hand.
‘Actually, there is. We have a bit of news to share.’
Daisy didn’t want to look at Theo’s parents’ faces. She wanted to keep her eyes on him only, but she knew that couldn’t happen. Steeling her breath, she slipped her hand out of his, displaying the ring in all its beauty.
‘Theo asked me to marry him. And I said yes.’
She waited for the snarky comment, the cutting remarks that made Daisy feel less than two inches tall. But instead, Penelope smiled broadly, her face beaming as she reached forward and took Daisy’s hand in hers.
‘Oh, I’m so pleased,’ she said.
‘You are?’ Daisy and Theo spoke simultaneously.
‘Yes, I’ve been so worried that you lost that ring after you asked for it to give to Heather. Tell me, Theo, you did give that ring to her when you proposed then, didn’t you?’
21
Daisy wanted the floor to swallow her up. No, she needed the floor to swallow her up, because the only other options were storming out of the room, having some very choice words for her fiancé with his parents there watching, or bursting into tears. And she had a horrible feeling that she was closest to the latter.
She swallowed hard repeatedly, feeling Penelope’s eyes boring into her, but what was she supposed to say? That she knew Theo had already used this ring to propose once? And that she didn’t mind? She’d have had a hard time sounding truthful, considering she hadn’t even known that Theo and Heather had ever been engaged before. Besides, at that moment, Daisy wasn’t even sure she could speak. Once again, she attempted to swallow down the lump that had lodged itself up in her throat, but before she managed to clear it, Theo was speaking.
‘Heather and I didn’t get engaged, Mother, as you know,’ Theo said. His voice sounded remarkably calm and at any other time, it might have put Daisy at ease. But Penelope’s smile only broadened, and it had the same effect on Daisy as nails on a chalkboard. A cold shudder ran down her spine.
