Second Chances in Tuppenny Bridge: A totally heartwarming feel-good read, page 19
‘His stall?’ Rita was wide-eyed with excitement. ‘What stall is this? What’s he selling?’
‘A squeeze of his biceps with any luck,’ Birdie said, with a naughty chuckle.
‘Really, Birdie,’ Miss Lavender said sharply. ‘Is there any need to be so coarse?’
‘You should have heard what I was going to say until I toned it down,’ Birdie retorted, a gleam in her eye.
Miss Lavender sucked in a breath and rolled her eyes to the heavens, as if asking for patience from above.
‘But what is he selling?’ Rita persisted. ‘He’s never taken a stall at the fair before.’
‘Well,’ Kat said, feeling undeniably smug that she knew something they didn’t, ‘you’ll have to wander over there and see for yourselves, won’t you?’
‘We shall, shan’t we?’ Rita asked the others.
‘Too right,’ Birdie agreed.
‘I’m sure we’ll be over that way at some point during the day,’ Miss Lavender said coolly, although Kat could tell she was dying to know. It was quite amazing that she didn’t already. Eugenie Lavender had so many fingers in so many pies that Kat wouldn’t have been at all surprised to discover that every single stallholder had to be personally approved by her.
‘Are you doing anything in particular, Miss Lavender?’ she asked politely. ‘Have they asked you to cut a ribbon or anything?’
Miss Lavender eyed her doubtfully, as if not entirely sure whether she was being mocked.
‘I’m firing the starting gun at the sheep races later,’ she said cautiously. ‘And tomorrow, naturally, I’ll be one of the judges at the craft fair in the Town Hall.’
‘Naturally.’
‘Isn’t Jonah doing one of his shoeing demonstrations this year?’ Rita asked, sounding disappointed.
‘He is,’ Kat said, feeling ashamed that she’d never bothered to watch one before. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing it.’
‘Oh, so am I,’ Rita assured her. ‘It’s always so interesting to see our local tradesmen at work. We were thinking of going on one of the brewery tours, weren’t we, Birdie?’
The Lusty Tup Brewery organised tours regularly but held special events during the weekend of the sheep fair. The tours always proved popular and raised lots of money, not only for the brewery but for the Tuppenny Bridge Fund, too. Kat had never been able to bring herself to go on one, knowing it was where Leon had worked. She’d never set foot inside the place and had no desire to do so.
‘Well, enjoy it if you do,’ she said. ‘Now, I’m going to wander round the market place and show the children the different breeds of sheep, because Tommy’s itching to have a look at them all. Have a lovely day, ladies. I’ll no doubt bump into you again.’
‘No doubt. Have a wonderful time. Here.’ Miss Lavender rummaged in her bag and pulled out her purse. She handed Kat a twenty-pound note. ‘For the children.’
‘Oh, Miss Lavender,’ Kat said, surprised and deeply touched. ‘There’s really no need.’
‘I’d like to,’ Miss Lavender said. ‘Treat them to something. Have a lovely day, Katherine.’
Without thinking, Kat leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. ‘That’s so kind of you. Thank you.’
Miss Lavender brushed off her thanks, but Kat could see the gleam of pleasure in her eyes, and it left her with a warm, fuzzy feeling as she pushed the buggy deeper into the market place, Tommy holding on to the buggy handles as they walked.
Although there were stalls and events throughout the day, the focus of the weekend was always the sheep. It was an important day, not only in Tuppenny Bridge’s calendar, but in the calendar of the local farmers too. Not just from Skimmerdale either, but from all across Yorkshire and beyond.
Today’s showing events alone had fourteen sections, each with five or six classes. Kat had bought a programme for two pounds, and could see today’s events were for Texels, Herdwicks, Kerry Hills, Wensleydales, Suffolks, and many other breeds. Tomorrow’s shows would include the Swaledales, the Rough Fells, the Blue Faced Leicesters, and—her own personal favourites—the Jacobs.
People who thought sheep were all the same had no idea, and Kat agreed wholeheartedly with Tommy as they stood looking at a pen of black-faced Suffolks when he pronounced them beautiful, and just like the one on his jumper.
‘What a smashing jumper that is,’ a woman said, nodding approvingly at it. She peered at Kat hopefully. ‘Can I ask you, where did you buy it?’
Kat felt a little embarrassed. ‘I made it actually,’ she admitted.
‘You never did! Well, aren’t you clever. I wish I could knit, but no one ever taught me and I’m too old to learn now,’ the woman said with a sigh.
‘You’re never too old to learn a new skill,’ Kat assured her. ‘There are plenty of books on the subject. Or you could watch videos on YouTube.’
The woman wrinkled her nose. ‘I’d never follow all that. Wish my mother had taught me but she was too busy working in a factory all day, bless her.’ She nudged Kat. ‘You ought to sell them jumpers, love. I’d buy one for my grandson like a shot. You could have made a fortune here today, what with all these sheep lovers being here.’
Kat laughed, thinking it was hardly likely. Still, it was nice of the woman to say so.
As the woman moved off, Kat gazed around while Tommy and Hattie stared in wonder at the sheep. She spotted Summer walking arm-in-arm with her best friend, Clemmie Grant, who worked in the local bookshop. Dolly Bennett, who was Clemmie’s aunt and boss, must have given her the morning off to have a wander around.
She realised Ben and senior vet Clive were in the process of looking over the Kerry Hills and watched, smiling, as the girls stopped beside the pen in which they were working, and Ben leaned over and planted a kiss on Summer’s lips.
It was so good to see the two of them happy. Ben was like a different man since he and Summer had got together, and since he’d finally shed the burden of Monk’s Folly. She wondered if Jennifer would pay a visit to the fair at some point over the weekend. Kat had never spotted her there before, but things were different now after all. She hoped so. There was nothing she wanted more than Jennifer’s happiness.
‘Kat!’
She waved as Ava Barrington, the vicar’s wife, strolled up with Bluebell from Cutting it Fine, the local hair salon, at her side.
‘Aren’t you working today, Bluebell?’ Kat asked, glancing quickly at the salon but not able to tell if it was open or not.
‘Am I buggery,’ Bluebell said cheerfully. ‘No one’s going to come in for a haircut today, are they? And I’d have had a mutiny on my hands if I’d asked Clover and Buttercup to work through the sheep fair,’ she added, referring to her two daughters who worked in the salon with her. ‘Besides, I’d rather be here having fun. Aw, look at them bairns. Do you like the sheep, Tommy?’
Tommy nodded. ‘I like that one best,’ he said, pointing to a Suffolk sheep that stared back at him before turning to nudge its neighbour out of the way.
‘Smashing,’ Bluebell said approvingly. ‘Ooh, it’s like the one on your jumper! Very nice. So where are you off to next?’
‘Are you going to watch the duck trials?’ Ava asked, her dark brown eyes sparkling. ‘I love it! Watching the ducks waddling along while the sheepdogs round them up. So funny.’
‘She’s playing truant,’ Bluebell confided. ‘Should be in the church showing people around the flower exhibition and smiling and nodding like the dutiful vicar’s wife. It’s me. I’ve led her astray. Zach will be very cross with her. She’ll have to say ten Hail Marys tonight.’
Ava nudged her. ‘That’s a different crowd,’ she said, giggling. ‘I’ll make it up to Zach somehow.’
‘I’m sure you will,’ Bluebell said, waggling her eyebrows. ‘And talking of hunky men, where’s that Jonah of yours?’
Kat blushed and immediately checked that Tommy wasn’t listening. ‘He’s not my Jonah,’ she muttered, embarrassed. ‘Don’t say things like that around here. You know what will happen.’
‘Oh, darling, if you mean the Lavender Ladies running a bet on you two getting together you’re way too late,’ Ava said cheerfully. ‘That’s been going ever since you moved in with him.’
‘You’re kidding!’ Though why, Kat wondered, was she even surprised? ‘Anyway, I haven’t moved in with him. Not like that. I’m sort of working for him as a babysitter and housekeeper, and accommodation comes with the job.’
‘I’d like a job like that,’ Bluebell said dreamily. ‘Mind you, knowing my luck I’d end up getting hired by Joseph Wilkinson or someone like that.’
‘Don’t be so beastly,’ Ava chastised her. ‘Joseph’s a lovely man.’
‘Course he is, love, but I ask you, would you rather have his face staring at you every day over your morning cornflakes, or Jonah’s? Be honest.’
‘Will you be quiet!’ Kat shook her head, smiling, then nodded meaningfully to where Tommy was crouched down, chatting through the bars of the pen to a bored looking sheep about goodness knows what. ‘I don’t want him repeating stuff like that to his dad, now do I?’
‘Might give him a nudge,’ Bluebell suggested. ‘That is, unless you’ve already nudged him yourself.’
‘It’s not like that…’ Kat sighed, knowing she was on a hiding to nothing. Once the people around here got something into their heads it was hard to shift. ‘I suppose you’ve had a bet.’
‘Too right I have,’ Bluebell said comfortably. ‘I reckon Harvest Festival should do it.’
‘That’s tomorrow!’ Kat gasped.
‘How much time do you need?’
Ava patted her on the arm. ‘Don’t worry, sweetie. There’s no pressure. I’ve given you until Halloween.’
‘Oh for goodness’ sake!’ Kat shook her head. ‘Right, I’m afraid I’ll have to say goodbye. I’m going to the field now to browse the stalls and watch the demonstrations. And that’s the real reason before you start.’
‘We believe you.’ Ava winked at Bluebell. ‘We’ll be heading that way later ourselves. We’ll come and say hello—to you, or to Jonah, or maybe to both of you. Who knows?’
Grinning, they walked off and Kat rolled her eyes and took a reluctant Tommy’s hand.
‘Sorry, but it’s time to go and see Daddy,’ she told him, which cheered him up immediately.
She couldn’t help wondering, as she headed towards All Hallows, if all the locals had been gossiping about her and Jonah, and how many of them had placed bets on when the relationship would change from platonic to romantic.
And, she had to admit, she also couldn’t help but wonder if someone stood to make a profit on their bet, or if every single one of those hopeful punters was on a hiding to nothing.
SIXTEEN
After spending the rest of the morning in the field beyond the churchyard, watching some of the events that were taking place there with an excited Tommy, and a thankfully sleepy Hattie, Kat headed towards Jonah’s stall, realising as she drew near that he wasn’t alone. He was talking to Ross Lavender, who as usual had a pretty woman hanging off his arm.
‘Hello,’ Kat said, trying to smile naturally as her heart thudded just at the sight of Jonah standing there, looking all gorgeous in jeans and a checked shirt.
‘Hello yourself,’ he replied, smiling back, and holding out his arms as Tommy rushed to greet him.
He scooped his son up and kissed him. ‘Have you had a good morning? By heck, what a smashing jumper that is!’
‘Kat made it for me. We saw the sheeps and some of them looked just like this one!’ Tommy told him, pointing excitedly to the one on his jumper. ‘There were loads of them. And there were ducks, and the dog was chasing them, but he didn’t eat them.’
‘I’m relieved to hear it,’ Jonah said, laughing.
‘I love the duck trials,’ Ross admitted. ‘Always fun to watch.’
‘How are you, Ross?’ Kat asked, realising she hadn’t really spoken to him for ages. Years ago, when they’d both been regular guests at Monk’s Folly—she as Leon’s girlfriend and he as Ben’s best friend—they’d talked regularly, even if it had been about silly, minor things. After Leon’s death they’d not really seen each other except to pass on the street or to exchange smiles and waves at local events such as these.
It was a shame. She’d liked Ross, who—if she was being honest—had always been much nicer than Ben back in the day. Of course, Ben had grown up and become a lovely man, whereas Ross had turned into a lady-killer who didn’t seem to hang out with anyone much. Then again, he was heavily into art, and she supposed that was his real passion. It certainly didn’t seem to be any of the women he dated, who came and went with remarkable frequency.
‘I’m fine thanks, Kat. How about you? I hear you’re working for Jonah now.’
Kat shuffled awkwardly. ‘I suppose I am, yes,’ she mumbled, just as Jonah hastily said, ‘Not working for me as such. Helping me out, that’s all.’
‘Just while I find something else to do,’ she added, reluctantly forced to acknowledge to herself that she didn’t want to be known as Jonah’s childminder and general dogsbody. ‘You heard about the wool shop I suppose?’
‘Of course. Aunt Eugenie’s always going on about it, and the For Sale sign is up for everyone to see, which is awful. I’m sorry. I’ll be sad to see it go.’
‘Yes, me too.’ She looked pointedly at his companion who’d been listening to their exchange with interest. ‘Hello. I’m Kat.’
Ross cleared his throat. ‘Sorry. This is my friend, Nina.’
His friend? Yeah, right. Kat held out her hand and Nina shook it limply, while shooting Ross a look that showed she hadn’t liked that description one little bit.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ Kat said, while thinking it would probably be the one and only time she ever saw her. Everyone knew that Ross never dated any woman more than once or twice.
She turned to Jonah. ‘How’s it going anyway? Have you managed to sell anything?’
‘A few bits,’ Jonah said with a shrug.
Ross burst out laughing. ‘You’re too modest! I’ve just been telling him how well he’s doing, because I’ve seen quite a few people walking around with his works of art sticking out of their bags.’
‘Works of art! Hardly,’ Jonah said, looking embarrassed.
‘But they are.’ Ross turned to Kat. ‘They’re really good. I’m impressed. I was just saying, if he’s interested we’d like to display some of them at the academy when it’s up and running. Maybe Jonah could do demonstrations to the pupils if we took them to the forge. I’m sure some of them would love to watch an artist blacksmith at work.’
‘I’m hardly that,’ Jonah protested. ‘I’m a farrier first and foremost.’
‘With a real talent for art,’ Ross said. ‘I mean, look at this!’ He held up a small sculpture of a bat, its wings folded around itself like a cape. ‘You can’t tell me this isn’t art!’
‘Jonah!’ Kat exclaimed. ‘I didn’t see that in the forge. It’s beautiful. You made this, really?’
He gave a short laugh. ‘Yeah, but if you knew how long it took me to make it and how many of them went wrong…’
‘Stop putting yourself down!’ Ross eyed him sternly. ‘There’s going to be a shop and gallery at the academy when it opens, and if you want to sell any of your stuff there you only have to say. We’re looking to showcase local art in all its forms, and this is perfect. Think about it, okay?’
Jonah nodded and Ross sighed.
‘Have a word with him, Kat,’ he said. ‘He doesn’t realise how good he is.’ He put the bat back on its stand and turned over the price ticket, shaking his head. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Don’t let this go for less than seventy pounds. I mean it!’
‘Seventy—’ Jonah began, clearly shocked, but Kat interrupted him.
‘I won’t,’ she said firmly. ‘Thanks, Ross.’
‘Can we go and get something to eat now?’ Nina whined, and Ross draped his arm carelessly over her shoulder.
‘Yes, of course. Come on then. See you later, guys. Good luck!’
Jonah put Tommy back on the ground and ruffled the little boy’s hair. ‘This jumper’s smashing, Kat. Thanks so much. What do I owe you?’
‘You don’t owe me anything. Don’t be daft. I’ve just had a woman telling me I should sell them,’ she added, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit it. ‘She reckons I’d have done a roaring trade at the fair.’
‘So you would. Maybe next year?’ He crouched down in front of Tommy. ‘So, have you had anything to eat?’
He looked up questioningly at Kat who nodded. ‘We’ve had sandwiches and cake at the café. What about you?’
‘Not had time,’ he pointed out.
She rummaged in her bag. ‘That’s what I thought so I brought you these.’
He straightened and peered into the paper bags she’d given him. ‘Cheese sandwiches and a slice of Bakewell tart. Just the job! Thanks, Kat.’
‘You’re welcome.’
She glanced round, smiling, as Summer and Sally arrived.
‘Thought we’d come early so you can tell us what we need to know,’ Summer said. ‘So come on, fill us in.’
There wasn’t really that much to tell, and Jonah quickly ran through the basics. While he was talking to them, Kat had a quick look at the price tickets and, like Ross, she was shocked at what she saw.
‘Jonah, you’re seriously under-pricing these,’ she told him. ‘I think you should triple them at least.’
‘They’d never sell,’ he protested. ‘They’re not worth that much!’
Sally and Summer had a look at the tickets on some of the items.
‘She’s right, love,’ Sally said. ‘You’re practically giving them away at these prices. I’d triple them too, if I was you.’
He hesitated. ‘Double them,’ he said eventually. ‘That’s as high as I’m prepared to go, though. Okay?’
‘Deal,’ Kat said, glad he’d seen sense, even if she was sure he could have asked more. ‘You’d better get off anyway. Find somewhere quiet to eat your lunch then get yourself ready for the shoeing. Tommy and I will be there watching. Good luck!’
