Love Mends (3 page)

Chapter 7

“Tom!” Anne said.

He was on his knees, working on the generator.

“Tom!” She shouted this time.

He looked up. His upper lip was smudged with grease.

Anne started to laugh, but then caught herself.

“What's wrong?” He looked puzzled.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. Your face.” She touched a finger to her own upper lip. It looks like you have a moustache.”

Does it suit me?” He tried to wipe the grease away, but only managed to smudge it.

“Not really. Mum said you wanted to go to the general store.”

“I thought I'd go this afternoon.”

“It might be better to go now.”

He checked his watch—it was just after eleven.

“There's a break in the rain, but it's going to be back, much heavier, this afternoon,” she said.

“Right. In that case, I'd better go now. I don't want to get washed away. I'll just finish up what I'm doing. Would you like to come with me?”

“Me?” She hadn't expected that. “I don't think I can...  I have work... ”

“Sorry. I should have realised you'd be busy.”

“I could check with Mum to see if she needs anything from the store. Can I let you know in a minute?”

“Sure. I'll try to get rid of the moustache.”

“Here, use this.” Anne passed him a small white handkerchief.

“I can't use that.”

“It's clean.”

“I didn't mean... ” Tom laughed. “I wouldn't want to cover it in grease.”

“That's okay. I have dozens of them. I'll go and check with Mum.”

Tom finished off what he was doing, and then used the handkerchief to wipe his lip. Moments later, Anne returned.

“Mum needs bread and tea, so I can come with you.” Anne beamed. “Shall we take the carriage?”

“Do you mind if we walk?”

It was the first time Tom had seen a blue sky since he'd arrived. The island was transformed. His first impressions had been of a dull, desolate landscape. Today, the island seemed awash with colour.

“The island looks so much better in the sunshine,” Tom said.

“It's beautiful all the time. It just saves its best for sunny days.”

“Your mum told me you work on the farm.”

“I have since I was four years old. Katherine and David have too. Since I finished school, I've been working there full-time.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Of course—I love working with the animals.”

“Haven’t you ever wanted to move away?”

“From Marley?”

“From West Isle? To the mainland.”

“No.” Anne appeared surprised by the question. “I could never leave West Isle.”

“Don't you ever get bored?”

“How could I ever be bored here? There's so much to do.”

“Really?”

“You'll see.”

Below them, in the distance, green fields stretched to the cliff's edge.

“I wish the sea had been as calm as that when I made the crossing,” Tom said.

“It can change very quickly. When the storms arrive this afternoon, it may be even worse than yesterday.”

“Is that possible?”

“Oh yes. Yesterday's storm wasn't all that bad.”

Tom looked at her in disbelief. Several times during the crossing, he'd thought the boat was going to capsize.

“When it gets really bad, the boat-crossings are cancelled,” Anne said.

“Does that happen often?”

“More so in the winter. A few years ago, they were cancelled for two solid weeks during January.”

“Two weeks?” He sounded horrified.

“Don't worry. You'll be all right at this time of year.”

Anne stopped, and pointed down the valley.

“That's the village—down there.”

“That there?”

“What were you expecting?”

“I'm not sure.” He counted the buildings. “I suppose I thought it would be bigger.”

“Do you see the L-shape building?”

Tom nodded.

“That's the school.”

“It's very small.”

“There are only twelve pupils at the moment.”

“So your mum said. There was twice that number in my class at senior school. How many teachers?

“Just one. Mrs Jepson. She's really nice. I loved being taught by her.”

“Did you ever think of going to university?”

“No. I always wanted to work on the farm.”

Tom stepped off the path, and began to walk on the grass.

“Are you okay?” Anne asked.

“These shoes weren't made for this terrain.”

Anne looked at Tom's trainers.

“What size are you? You could have borrowed a pair of Dad's boots.”

“I'm okay. How do David and Katherine get to school?”

“Usually, they’ll walk. If the weather is particularly bad, or if they’re running late, they might take the carriage.”

Tom recalled his own journey to school; a ten minute ride on a school bus. He'd have been mortified if he'd had to make this walk twice a day.

Chapter 8

“That's the village hall.” Anne pointed to a small, rectangular building. It appeared much newer than the other buildings in the village. “And, that's the doctor's surgery.”

“Really?”

“It's actually Dr Nolan's house. He holds a surgery in his front room. Then, there's the general store, the school and the church.”

“No pub?”

“There isn't a public house on the island.”

Tom looked around. Whatever he'd been expecting, this wasn't it.

He tried the door of the general store.

“It's locked.”

“Press the bell.” Anne pointed to a button on the wall next to the door. “Mr Taylor probably hasn't had any customers yet.”

Tom pressed it, and heard a distant ringing. Moments later, an elderly, plump, red-faced man walked through the store, and unlocked the door.

“Morning, Anne. Who's your friend?”

“This is Tom. He's on the island to service the generators.”

“Welcome to West Isle, young man.”

“Thank you, sir.” Tom shook the old man's hand.

“Call me Walter. Everyone else does. Come in both of you. What can I get you today?”

“Is it okay if I take a look around?” Tom asked.

“Of course. Be my guest.”

The store was tiny, and there was very little by way of choice on the shelves. Tom stocked up as best he could on the basics, and then spent almost fifteen minutes talking with Walter who seemed genuinely interested in the island's newest visitor. The conversation was quite a contrast to the hurried 'have a nice day' platitudes thrown around by the bored sales staff Tom often encountered on the mainland.

On the way back, Tom insisted on carrying Anne's shopping.

“How does he make a living from the store?” Tom asked.

“He doesn't. Before he retired, he used to work on the farms. His wife, Maisy, ran the store. She died a year after Walter retired. I think he feels close to her when he's in there.”

“What will happen to the store after...?” Tom hesitated.

“Walter dies?”

“Or can't run it any longer.”

“I don't know. I haven't given it any thought.”

“Aren't you worried?”

“Why worry? Things will work out—they always do. Anyway, most of the islanders are self-sufficient.”

“Surely, there are some things you can't grow.”

Anne stopped and turned to face Tom.

“Do you always worry so much?”

He shrugged.

“That's not the island way,” she said. “What will be, will be. No point in worrying.”

“I guess not.”

“Come on.” Anne pointed to the horizon. “Those clouds will be here soon. We're going to get soaked if we don't hurry.”

Chapter 9

Tom graciously declined the offer to join the Masons for dinner. It was tempting to allow someone else to do the cooking—especially someone as talented in the kitchen as Jean Mason, but he didn't want to take advantage of their generosity.

“Why didn't Tom have dinner with us?” Katherine asked. She and Anne were in the older sister's bedroom.

“Mum did ask him to join us, but he said he wanted to make his own dinner.”

“Can he cook?”

“I'm not sure. Grandma's cooker is difficult to use at the best of times.”

“Mum said you went to the store with him.”

“She needed bread and tea.”

Katherine smirked.

“What?” Anne snapped.

“Nothing.”

“Come on. What is it?”

“It's just... It was only last Friday that Mum did a shop. I'm surprised there was anything she needed so urgently.”

“Isn't it your turn to sweep the kitchen floor?”

Katherine knew her sister was trying to change the subject.  “Do you think Tom is handsome?”

“I haven't thought about it. Anyway, I have things to do. Go on—go and do your chores.”

Anne was relieved when her sister eventually left her alone in the bedroom. She'd enjoyed the walk to the store with Tom. Although she had no wish to leave the island, it was interesting to talk to someone from the mainland. Not that Tom had told her much about himself. He'd been the one asking most of the questions. She hoped she'd get another opportunity to find out more about him before he returned to the mainland.

**************

Turning down an invitation to dine with the Masons had been a mistake. Tom might be able to strip and reassemble a generator in record time, but operating the cooker in the cottage was another matter entirely. It made no sense. He'd struggled for almost an hour, and had still not mastered the controls. He knew he could ask the Masons, but he didn't want to disturb their dinner.

'Their dinner'
—his mouth watered as he imagined what they might be tucking into at that very moment. He'd been reduced to making toast, and even that hadn't turned out well. One side of the bread was black; the other side was still white. He cut a few slices of cheese, and dropped them onto the toast. Tom made himself a promise that he wouldn't turn down another dinner invitation.

The cheese on toast hadn't really filled the gap, so Tom opened the packet of chocolate finger biscuits which he'd picked up at the general store. He was a third of the way through the packet when there was a knock at the door.

“Hello, David,” Tom said.

“Mum thought you might like these.” David held out a plate of sandwiches.

“Thank you. Would you like to come in?”

“I can't. I have homework to do. Can I help you this weekend?

“Why not? I'm sure I'll be able to sort something out.”

“Great! See you.” David turned to go, but then remembered something. “Mum says you can join us for breakfast if you want. Five thirty.

The sandwiches hadn't been made with the loaf which Anne had bought from the general store. Tom might not be an expert in the kitchen, but he knew home-made bread when he tasted it. Jean Mason must have anticipated he'd struggle with the old cooker. The sandwiches were delicious.

Afterwards, Tom studied the books that were stacked on the old bookcase in the living room. How long was it since he'd last read a book? He couldn't remember. These days, all he seemed to do was watch TV, go online or occasionally go out with friends.