‘And let someone else pick it up and run with it?’ Sy recognises that the big tech companies run everything and having sold out to one of them, they’ve now proven it’s all a means to a predictable end. It’s all about the profit and if they think they can squeeze a pound out of something, they won’t give up. Where’s the pride in customer satisfaction?

  ‘I see it all differently now, Sy. Big business and community are poles apart and maybe the two never can meet in the middle for a common purpose, even as a token gesture. They were clever, saying the things I wanted to hear that would allow me to let go. It was a valuable, if galling lesson.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘Big business isn’t trustworthy. If you’re putting your heart into something, then it’s the small set-ups that make a difference. Real people, not the fat-cat CEOs and shareholders who don’t give a damn, as long as they receive their dividends.’

  Sy looks at me, surprised at my reaction.

  ‘My baby is long gone, Sy. But I have no regrets. The subscription side of The Happy Hive would still be in profit if they hadn’t hiked up the prices overnight to a level that was unjustifiable. It was a big mistake, and they need to rethink what they’ve done. Give them a couple of options, ignore my suggestion if you’re not comfortable presenting it and walk away with a cheque in your hand. Then get back to what you love doing, and that’s working alongside Tegan to build your future together.’

  It isn’t until the end of the evening, as I ease on my coat and am about to take my leave, that Tegan pipes up.

  ‘We’re going to tie the knot, Kerra. It will be a registry office wedding with no fuss, but we do need two witnesses. We’d love it if you and Ross would do the honours for us. Once we fix a date, we thought we’d invite you both over to ask you properly, but I’m so excited that I just had to share it with you now.’

  It’s wonderful news and Tegan is glowing.

  ‘Of course, and congratulations, guys!’ I reply, feeling overwhelmed as we do a group hug.

  I’m tearful and I can’t hide it. My two best friends. Even in my wildest imaginings when I brought them together this wasn’t the outcome I was expecting. I thought Sy would simply help to get Tegan’s business back on track and then he’d head home to London.

  ‘It would appear that I’m joining the green welly brigade for good,’ Sy comments. ‘And now Tegan wants to get a dog. I mean, you know what I’m like with animals, Kerra,’ he moans.

  ‘A dog? How lovely,’ I reply and Tegan and I start laughing. Sy is one city lover who intends to fight the transition every step of the way, but deep down inside he knows it’s a losing battle. The heart always wins, even when the head hasn’t quite caught up.

  ‘Kerra, sorry it’s late but it’s been a hectic day.’

  ‘Aren’t you working tonight, Polly?’

  ‘Yes. I’m on a break and I’ve popped outside just to fill you in on what happened today.’ She sounds excited. ‘I was so nervous making that call, but Oliver just jumped straight in and outlined what he felt his clients were looking for. You would have been so proud of me, Kerra. I took a deep breath and said I was sure I could deliver to a pre-agreed timescale and budget. He’s going to take me to see one of his clients tomorrow morning, to talk through my ideas.’

  She’s almost breathless when she finishes speaking and I imagine her standing in the car park, in the cold, and not even noticing the chill in the air.

  ‘That’s an amazing result, Polly. I’m delighted for you.’

  ‘My head is reeling, and it’s so hard not to let on to Dad, but it would only unsettle him. I can fit this in around working at the pub as it’s not like we’re talking about a whole flood of work. Oliver says it’s a service they offer in London, but it’s on a different scale here. He’d been into the pub for a drink one evening last week and was impressed when I told him that I’d hand-painted all the furniture and organised a small team to do the decorating. I’ll take my portfolio with me tomorrow, to show his client. I have photographs of every little job I’ve done so far. I know the pub is the biggest project I’ve tackled to date, but it wasn’t the easiest of jobs.’

  ‘It’s enough to showcase your talent, though, Polly. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow. If you’re passing and you have time to pop in for coffee after your meeting, please do. I’m excited for you.’

  ‘All I can say is thank you so much. It would be nice to do something for me, for a change. I don’t begrudge working for Dad, but every day is the same and I feel like I’m stagnating. At least if I have a little project on the go it’ll keep my brain occupied.’ She laughs.

  ‘Creativity is a blessing, but it can also be frustrating if you have to stifle it.’

  ‘I knew you’d understand. Right, best get back to pulling pints, then. Night, Kerra, and hopefully see you tomorrow if I’m back well before opening at lunchtime.’

  As I’m about to put the phone down on the bed next to me, it kicks into life again and this time it’s Ross.

  ‘Ah, you’re off the phone, at last,’ he says, and the next thing I hear is a huge yawn. ‘I was worried I’d fall asleep before I could say goodnight.’

  ‘Polly rang; she wasn’t on long. You sound shattered.’

  ‘It was a productive, albeit it a hard day, and then shortly after I arrived home my father rang. We disagree more than we agree, these days, and every conversation is a slog. He’s lost touch with what’s happening, and he accused me of not keeping him up to date with what’s going on.’ The frustration in his voice is tangible.

  ‘That’s unreasonable, Ross – we both know that. Is he still talking about setting up a second office?’

  ‘I don’t even listen now when he goes off in that direction. I’ve explained why it’s not a good idea and I just switch off. Whatever I say, he counters but the nitpicking is grating on the nerves. Year on year our profit continues to grow because I keep a good handle on the number of guys we employ and the number of jobs we take on. He doesn’t appreciate there’s a tipping point and if you get it wrong things start to fall apart.’

  ‘Ah, I wish I was there to just wrap my arms around you. I hate to hear you sounding dejected when you work so hard.’

  ‘Just ignore me, I’ll get over it. How was your day?’

  ‘Good. My guest bedroom is now devoid of all office paraphernalia and it’s just the internet to sort out now. Hopefully, that will happen tomorrow afternoon. I had dinner with Tegan and Sy, at The Forge earlier on. They’ve really settled in; it looks cosy and they’re so happy to be there.’

  ‘I’m glad. Tegan’s house is nice but there are too many memories there. That invitation was a bit out of the blue, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Yes. Sy wanted me to look over the report he’s produced on The Happy Hive. Well, the not so happy hive now. It’s the same old problem that’s rife today. Too many ads, spiralling subscription charges for a service where people can’t see any real benefit in return. Hopefully, he’s charging them an exorbitant hourly rate for the work he’s doing, so it’s not all bad.’

  ‘And you don’t sound upset. I wondered if you might be.’

  ‘Not now. I don’t believe in looking back. It was in excellent shape when I handed it over, so any damage is of their own making. Besides, my future is about to kick off and there are so many options, it’s exciting.’ There’s another huge yawn down the line. ‘Now put down the phone and get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day and hopefully your father won’t ring again for a while.’

  ‘I miss you. Wish you were here.’

  Ripley is lying across both my feet and she lets out the loudest miaow as if she’s saying goodnight, too.

  ‘Did you hear Ripley?’

  He laughs. ‘I suspect anyone walking past the cottage would have heard her, too. Goodnight, Ripley. Look after my lady for me. Sleep well, Kerra. Love you.’

  Aww. As the line disconnects that warm little bubble that was hovering around me instantly disappears.

  ‘You miss him, too, don’t you, girl? One day he’ll be here with us and we’ll forget about all the dark, lonely nights.’ I reach out to smooth her back and she begins to purr. I don’t know what I’d do without her to keep me company. She might wake me up in the small hours because she hates using the cat flap if I’m around, but it’s a small price to pay.

  ‘Let’s get some sleep. It’s been quite a day.’

  Thirteen

  It’s All Go!

  The irony is that this morning I’m working from my kitchen table as our local telecoms engineer, Sienna’s husband Logan, won’t be here until after lunch to connect up the hardwiring. I spend a little time on the phone talking to Arthur, getting a feel for what features he thinks would be most useful for the community link-up.

  ‘You make it sound like it’s my system, Kerra,’ he remarks, cautiously. ‘I’m no brain when it comes to IT stuff.’

  ‘But you are good at being the point of contact, Arthur. In essence you’re already running a network, and your phone is the communication system. All we are doing is replacing that with something much easier for everyone to access, for you to control, and to help you receive information in a timely fashion. But it will also be nice to incorporate some fun elements.’

  ‘Puttin’ it like that, Kerra, it makes sense. I’m pretty quick at pickin’ things up, if I do say so myself. If I think of anythin’ else, I’ll email you. Off the top of me head, exchangin’ recipes is one idea for a… what you do call it?’ It’s great to hear Arthur’s enthusiasm as I did wonder whether he’d find it a little daunting.

  ‘A message board. There will be a link on the website that will take members straight to it and anyone can post there. I’ll call in towards the end of the week and show you how it’s shaping up, but I’ll ring first to check when it’s convenient for you.’

  ‘Oh, don’t bother about that. Just pop in whenever you’re ready. It’s not like I’m going anywhere, is it?’ He laughs, good-naturedly.

  When I settle back down to work, it’s all about making the website visually attractive as I already have the bare bones in place. I want it to look professional as well as being easy to navigate. If I get a chance a bit later, I’ll pop out and take a few photos in and around the village to brighten up some of the pages. I want everyone to feel that this belongs to them, even though Arthur’s in control.

  It’s like the old days for me when I first set up The Happy Hive, before the idea exploded beyond all recognition. But the basic principle is similar, just on a much smaller scale. It’s nice to be able to do something useful and if there are any problems Arthur knows I’m always around to sort them out.

  Suddenly there’s a loud bonk sound overhead and I see that Ripley has just jumped off the bed and is now racing downstairs. Ding dong.

  Checking my watch, I hope it’s Polly and when I swing open the door, she’s standing there pink-cheeked and smiling. And looking incredibly smart, wearing a trouser suit and with a briefcase in her hand.

  ‘I did it. I have my first job for one of Oliver’s clients!’ she discloses, happily.

  ‘Well done, you. Come on in.’

  Ripley suddenly rushes out through the open door, almost toppling me as I try to avoid standing on her. ‘Ripley, slow down,’ I call after her, but she ignores me. At least she doesn’t head for the gate, but instead disappears under the big hedge to the side of the cottage.

  ‘Take a seat. Do you have time for coffee?’

  ‘No, sadly. I can’t stay long. I just wanted you to know that Oliver was pleased and any future contacts he passes on to me I’ll be handling myself.’

  ‘That is good news. Take a seat – just push those papers to one side. And you’re happy with the terms Oliver laid out to you?’ Polly isn’t totally new to business as she’s in charge of the admin for The Lark and Lantern, but it’s best to check.

  ‘Yes. I’m happy with the cut the company is taking. The only problem I have is that I don’t have a company name, or a logo. I’m going to set up a new email address and I’ll need that for the sign-off and for invoicing et cetera. It won’t take long to register and get the tax side of things in place, then I’ll sort out a system for keeping records. I want to keep it simple to begin with, though, and see how it develops.’

  ‘That’s very sensible. There’s no point in taking something on if it isn’t possible to make a decent profit. If you like, I can design a logo for you if you come up with the name. I dabble with graphics all the time when I’m working with websites and it’s easy enough to do.’

  ‘Oh, Kerra. I wasn’t hinting, really I wasn’t.’ Polly looks embarrassed.

  ‘Seriously, it’s a quick job for me. So, what are you going to call your new business?’

  ‘Hmm… I was thinking of Designed to Sell?’

  ‘Perfect! I’ll come up with some suggestions. What colour scheme would you like?’

  Polly stares at me blankly. ‘What do you think will work?’

  ‘Let me have a play around and then I’ll put together a couple of options for you to look at. I’ll send those across this evening.’

  ‘Oh… but you look busy. Don’t drop everything for me.’

  ‘I love playing around with things like this; it’s fun. Besides, I’m only twiddling around with this little project I’m working on, while I wait for Logan Williams to install my internet connection in the office. Working off the table isn’t ergonomically correct, and I’ll suffer for it if I sit in the same position for too long. It’s easier to do bits and pieces, rather than get stuck into something too intense.’

  ‘It’s very kind of you, Kerra. This first job is exciting, but it will be a bit of a test, I will admit. I want all my dealings with Oliver to be as professional as possible, given the opportunity this presents.’

  ‘What’s the first project?’

  ‘It’s a two-bed, mid-terrace not far from the Polreweek town centre. The owner inherited the property recently when his uncle died. It’s shabby inside, but the building is sound. It needs redecorating right through, which means finding someone to work with me. We agreed a reasonable budget to furnish it out afterwards, as it’s going to be a holiday let. The location is good, being central, and it should be a nice little investment.’

  ‘Who did you use when you did the work in the pub?’

  ‘One of Ross’s guys and two friends from college. We all rolled up our sleeves and did night shifts. Dad wouldn’t shut the pub, obviously, so it meant clearing up after every stint and leaving it tidy for the next day. At least with this property there are no restrictions.’

  ‘If you’re looking for someone local, how about Ian Adams? He worked for Newson’s as a painter/decorator. Alice and Ian are staying with Dad for a while. It might not be long, but I have a feeling it will be a couple of weeks at least.’

  Polly grins at me. ‘I had heard on the grapevine. It can’t help things between Eddie and your Uncle Alistair,’ Polly replies, grimly.

  ‘I know. And I had high hopes at one point that Dad would find someone to run the kennels for him, so he could get back to doing what he loves and that’s working with wood.’

  ‘Do you mean Nettie?’

  It’s nice to have someone to talk to about this, and Polly knows Nettie well.

  ‘Yes. At first, I thought she disappeared after Mum died because she and Dad had fallen out, but Nettie says he pushed everyone away for a while, and that included her. When she offered to help Dad, I thought it was because she’s interested in getting more involved now she’s given up her part-time job at the vet’s. But, sadly, that’s not the case.’

  ‘It’s wonderful when a hobby turns into a career and that seems likely for Nettie if she gives it her all. I know how good it feels when things begin to take off. You have to go for it, or risk looking back and wondering what if? But I do feel sorry for your dad. He wants to keep your mum’s dream alive.’

  ‘I know. Ian seems to enjoy walking the dogs, but he can’t survive on a couple of hours’ work each day. And if the house you’re working on is empty…’ I pause, thinking of a delicate way of putting this without sounding like I think there’s a question mark hanging over his head. ‘Then Ian wouldn’t feel uncomfortable about being there on his own if you’re at the pub.’

  Her eyes light up. ‘That could be the perfect solution, at least for this first job. Anyway, I’d better get going. I slipped out without Dad seeing me but getting back in isn’t going to be quite so easy. I’m going to leave my jacket and briefcase in the boot of the car and throw on a thick jumper to put him off the scent. If I can prove it’s possible for me to take jobs on the side and keep Dad happy, then he won’t get upset.’

  As we walk towards the door, I give Polly an empathetic glance. ‘Your free time is just that, Polly. And what you do with it, is entirely up to you. But if you need any help you can always call on me in an emergency – you know that.’ She gives me an affirming nod of her head. ‘And I’m a dab hand at sanding and painting furniture,’ I add.

  ‘Oh, I’m so excited and now I have to calm myself down and get a grip. Pub lunches don’t serve themselves and if I don’t wipe this self-satisfied little grin off my face the customers will wonder what’s going on.’

  ‘Hi, Logan. Coffee and cake?’

  He rolls his eyes. ‘If you insist… that’s why I like coming back here.’ He grins at me.

  ‘Wow, that’s a nice-looking office you have there,’ he comments, as he walks towards the wall of glass doors. ‘Treloar’s do the business, alright. A kit, wasn’t it? I overheard someone talking about it when I was standing in line at Pascoe’s bakery the other day.’

  ‘Yes. So, who was talking about me, then?’ I rattle around with the mugs and spoons, feigning interest, but I am somewhat curious.

 

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