‘I’m Marcus,’ he said, flicking his long fringe from his eyes with a toss of his head. ‘I would shake your hand but…’ He glanced at the mug and toast.
‘I’m Rain,’ she replied. ‘As in pissing down.’
‘It’s pretty.’
‘Pretty weird,’ she replied, despising herself for smiling.
‘Are you weird, then?’ Marcus’s voice was deep and resonant, as if it belonged inside someone much older, more manly. Someone like his dad.
‘Very,’ she said, twirling her hair. God, this was going to be easy. Easy and boring. ‘Maybe I’ll get a chance to show you?’
She gave him her best selfie pout and Marcus’s gaze followed the predictable route from her mouth, down her neck, settling on her breasts. The bra she wore hitched up her Cs into Ds. Some of her friends were seriously considering implants, but there was no way she needed them, especially as she was still developing.
‘How long are you staying?’ Marcus took a bite of his toast, forcing his gaze back up.
‘A week. But it’s going to feel like a year around here.’ She squeezed past, retrieving her bag off the hall table.
‘It’s not so bad. I’ll introduce you to my mates. There are some decent clubs in Newquay. You got your ID?’
‘Of course.’ She patted her bag.
‘We could head down there tonight if you like. Plans are already afoot.’
Afoot, she thought incredulously. A geek, after all. But if nothing else, she could brag about him to the girls, big him up a bit, use some filters on Instagram. She couldn’t let Katie down.
‘Cool,’ she said, sliding between him and the wall as she headed back to the kitchen. She made sure her body brushed against his.
Chapter Fifteen
Shona was waiting for Claire to bring Maggie and Rain down to the farm. She wanted to settle them into their rooms but was feeling agitated. She hadn’t wanted to have the conversation with Patrick today of all days, but he’d brought it up out of nowhere and he wouldn’t let it drop. And on top of that, he’d completely forgotten about the reunion, refusing to join everyone up at Claire’s for breakfast.
‘You’re being more stubborn than usual, Pat,’ Shona said, instantly regretting it. She didn’t think he looked at all well, so she’d ended up making him breakfast at home. ‘And don’t put so much butter on your toast. You know what Dr Jenkins would say.’
‘And you know what I’d say to Dr Jenkins.’
Shona sat down next to him. He wasn’t going to get any better, she knew that, let alone change his ways. She also knew there was one thing and one thing only preventing him from agreeing to sell up – and that’s what had been on his mind this morning.
‘You know, it’s OK for us to move house now, Pat. She’s not coming back.’ She hated herself for wishing that this was one thing he’d actually forget, but his brain stubbornly refused to let go.
Patrick put down his knife, staring at Shona through eyes she’d never seen look quite so sad. ‘We made a promise, Shona…’ He looked away, as if he couldn’t recall what the promise was. Just that there was one.
Shona felt tears building. Each day he seemed to get a little worse.
‘We promised her. And we promised each other,’ he added.
Shona went to the window, squinting up the drive to see if Claire and the others were coming. Behind her she heard Patrick clear his plate, gather his stick and hat and leave the house without another word, shrugging away as she tried to catch his arm. Then she heard the Land Rover’s engine start up and she knew it was too late to stop him.
She sighed, staring up the long drive. As long as he stayed local or on farm tracks, she wouldn’t worry too much. He was still a good driver, but she wished he’d just cool off with a walk around the farm like he usually did. Suddenly, the back door opened, followed by chattering. She closed her eyes briefly.
‘Mum, we’re here.’ Claire kissed her cheek. ‘Where’s Dad off to in such a hurry?’
Shona avoided answering. ‘Oh, Maggie, how lovely to see you.’ She gave her a hug. ‘And you must be Rain?’ Her welcoming nature kicked in. She was adept at making people feel as though they’d lived at Trevellin all their lives, a skill developed from bed and breakfast guests constantly coming and going as well as a houseful of children – hers and their friends. She hugged them both, finally giving her daughter a fond squeeze.
‘Shona was like a second mother to me when I was a kid. I virtually lived at Trevellin,’ Maggie explained to Rain.
‘Thank you for having us, Mrs Lucas,’ Rain said politely. ‘You have a beautiful home.’
Shona was warmed by the girl’s slightly old-fashioned manner, which her looks belied. ‘It’s my pleasure,’ she replied, though the comment prompted another pang of regret about selling.
When she’d first walked through the front door of the derelict old farm nearly half a century ago, she’d fallen in love with the place immediately. A slate and stone farmhouse, Trevellin Farm was a failing old dairy business back then. Patrick worked it back to profitability while Shona took in bed and breakfast guests. One thing was for certain – when they first set eyes on the place, they knew it was their forever home where they would raise happy, healthy children on the Cornish coast just like they’d always dreamt.
How time had flown, she thought, catching her breath as she showed them up the creaky old staircase. She watched the trail of women in the big gilt mirror on the half landing, each one a different generation. She felt both proud and desperately sad.
‘I thought you and Rain might like the attic bedrooms,’ Shona said, leading them up the second staircase. ‘It’s cosy up here.’
When they’d moved in, the top floor had been nothing more than a draughty storage space crawling with birds and spiders. When they’d turned their first year’s profit on the farm, Patrick had instructed an architect to plan the conversion, although he’d done most of the actual work himself. He was good with his hands. It became extra guest accommodation during busy summers but was hardly used nowadays.
‘I thought you could have the lilac room, Maggie, and Rain, you’re in here.’ Shona was a little breathless as they reached the top floor. She swept back an errant strand of grey hair as it escaped the clip she always wore. ‘I’ll leave you to settle in.’
Back on the landing, Shona saw Claire slipping her phone back into her pocket. ‘That was work,’ she said. ‘They need me to do a quick viewing.’ She glanced at her watch.
‘Really? Can’t you say no?’ Shona felt she should go out and look for Patrick, but it would be rude to leave Maggie and Rain alone.
Claire shook her head, pulling a face. ‘Not really, though I’m not happy about it. One of the agents was meant to cover for me, but she’s called in sick and Jeff’s doing another viewing. He’s desperate, but did say it won’t take long.’
Shona sighed. There was no point arguing with her daughter any more than there was with Patrick. She went back downstairs, leaving Claire to explain to Maggie. She stood at the kitchen window again, watching out for her husband just as she used to for Lenni in the early days. When there was still hope.
Chapter Sixteen
Claire drove as fast as she dared along the narrow lanes. She knew all the passing places, the sharp bends, the blind corners and junctions, and was able to dash to the office in town to collect the keys and still make it to the property before the client arrived.
Whatever happened, she’d be back home within the hour.
‘It’s a man viewing on his own, Claire.’ Even over the phone, she’d heard the guilt in Jeff’s voice – partly because he knew she was on annual leave, and partly because he never usually sent female agents to view with male clients they didn’t already know. He was old-fashioned like that. But he’d sounded desperate.