Page 120 of My Kind of Happy

I was still laughing about his ‘pittle eggs’ as she got her fan out and left the shop. I assumed she meant pickled; I wasn’t so sure about the ‘trump’ reference.

An hour later I decided to close up and began clearing the display area on the pavement outside the shop. All I’d sold all day was a couple of pots of herbs, a bunch of roses to the pub landlord and I’d taken an order over the phone for some flowers for someone’s mum’s birthday which I’d be able to drop off on my way home. But it wasn’t the meagre takings I was worried about; it was the lack of venue for Laura’s wedding. I couldn’t do much else until that was sorted and so far, I’d drawn a blank.

‘Cooee, Fearne!’ came a wavery voice.

I looked across the pavement to the tables which, tucked under the café’s awning, looked lovely and shady. There was a family tucking in to ice creams and beyond them, Delphine was sitting with another woman of a similar age. Both of them were piling jam and cream on to scones from a cake stand bursting with afternoon tea goodies.

She waved to me. ‘Come and meet my friend.’

I did as I was told, closely followed by Scamp, ever the opportunist where café crumbs were concerned, and Delphine introduced me to Una who also lived at The Evergreens.

‘And aren’t you a dote!’ Una declared in a broad Irish accent. ‘Such pretty hair. I had blonde locks like yours once. Before it turned into white wire wool. So there’s something to look forward to for you.’ She gave me a mischievous wink.

‘You two look so glamorous,’ I said, smiling at Delphine in a floaty pink chiffon dress and Una in a white linen shift, both of them wearing matching wide-brimmed hats. ‘I feel a proper scruff beside you.’

‘You are a dear!’ Delphine looked delighted. ‘My best friend Violet and I went to Royal Ascot a few years ago and this was the dress I bought for the occasion. I saw it hanging in the wardrobe today and decided to put it on. I’d been saving it for best, which is ridiculous at my age.’

‘And this is the only thing I can fit into at the moment,’ Una laughed uproariously and patted her round tummy. ‘Mind you, if I had pins like yours I’d be in shorts in weather like this. Unfortunately, my legs look like an ordnance survey map of the Himalayas, thanks to my varicose veins.’

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Delphine slip Scamp a piece of ham under the table.

‘We’re being decadent,’ she said, giggling girlishly. ‘We’d planned a walk in the Dales today but it’s too hot for that sort of nonsense.’

‘Besides, we’ve worked our fingers to the bone this week,’ said Una, holding out her hands. She had stubby fingers with rings stacked up on the ring fingers, the backs of her hands freckled with age. ‘So we deserve a treat.’

‘I heard from Gina that you’d been busy getting the house ready for visitors,’ I said. ‘How did it go?’

‘Pretty well, I think,’ said Delphine vaguely, pulling out a chair. ‘Have a seat for a minute.’

‘Yes, do. Then you can help us eat some of this food, we’ve been going half an hour already and we’ve barely made a dent in it,’ said Una.

‘That’s very kind, I don’t mind if I do.’ I sat down gratefully. The shop was still open, but as virtually no one had been in all day, it was unlikely to be burgled.

‘And then we need some flowers from you to fill this jug.’ Delphine pulled a beautiful glazed jug in deep blues and purples from her shopping bag.

‘My granny used to have one of those and I loved it so much!’ I gasped. ‘I remembered asking her with all the non-existent subtlety of a child if I could have it when she died.’

‘And I bet she said yes?’ Una smiled indulgently. ‘I can never refuse my grandchildren anything.’

I nodded. ‘Unfortunately, my brother got obsessed with the Karate Kid films and used to leap around Gran’s living room wearing his pyjamas with Granddad’s black tie around his waist, and he kicked the jug off the dresser.’ I laughed at the memory. Gran had been cross but Freddie was so proud of his highest-ever kick that the telling-off he received was like water off a duck’s back.

‘Then you shall have this one,’ Delphine declared, putting it in my hands. ‘We’ve hundreds of others which will do just as well.’

I started to protest but Delphine insisted.

‘Please accept it. It would make me so happy to give it to you. I shall think of you enjoying it and remembering your granny every time you fill it with flowers.’

My heart pinged with affection for the old lady. I kissed her soft cheek.

‘Then I’d be honoured to accept it in exchange for a bouquet of your choice. What would you like?’

Delphine and Una exchanged looks and both spoke at once. ‘Roses, please.’

‘Dexter and Gina have been working so hard all week that we’ve decided to do a special romantic dinner for two tonight in Welcome Cottage for them,’ Una explained.

‘That’s the cottage at the top of the drive to The Evergreens,’ said Delphine, ‘Gina used to rent it before she bought The Evergreens and then Dexter moved in and now he’s moved into the main house with her.’

‘So it’s going to be kitted out as the honeymoon … ouch!’ Una clapped her hand over her mouth as Delphine prodded her with a fork.

My ears pricked up. ‘Honeymoon suite?’

‘That’s top secret,’ Delphine hissed at her.

‘Sorry,’ Una mumbled.

My mind whirred. If there was a honeymoon suite at The Evergreens, it followed that there might be a wedding venue too.

I leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘Listen ladies, I won’t breathe a word to anyone, but I’m desperately seeking somewhere to hold a wedding and if there’s any chance of you helping me I’d be very grateful.’

Una blinked at me like a child caught with a hand in the biscuit tin, clearly not daring to say another word.

Delphine took a bright pink lipstick from her bag and applied it precisely without using a mirror.

‘Give Gina a call on Monday,’ she said mysteriously. ‘That’s all I’m saying.’

‘Thank you, I will,’ I said, intrigued. ‘Thanks again for the jug, and the tea. I’ll go and choose you some roses.’

I clicked my fingers to Scamp and we headed inside the florist’s. This could well be the answer to my prayers.