A Roll in the Hay Page 21

  “Here you go.” Tess set down a mug of black coffee for Susannah on the table in the vets’ staffroom. Margo and Adam had been banished to the treatment rooms. She didn’t care whether or not they had appointments. “What did the investigators say?”

  “Pretty much what we expected. Fire started deliberately, no CCTV. They did find some kind of petrol can with a partial fingerprint though, which confirms it was Jonathan once and for all.”

  “Isn’t that a bit sloppy?”

  “I thought so. Apparently he’s been nursing a huge grudge ever since Jimmy broke up with him. Jonathan always blamed me. I do feel better knowing he’s locked up.”

  “Me too. When can you start work on rebuilding?”

  “A while yet.” Susannah paused. “Did I see you speaking to Joan before?”

  Tess nodded.

  “I’m going to ask her about getting a temporary liquor licence at the café for the evenings. People around here need a place to let off steam after a hard day’s work. I’m not worried about the lost business, but I am worried about the effects it could have.”

  Tess reached across the table and grabbed Susannah’s hand, rubbing her thumb across the knuckles. “You’re not responsible for the whole village, you know.”

  “Yes, but still—”

  “Not to mention you got the go-ahead for your development of the estate. You might even have your sister-in-law over your shoulder at some point, offering ‘helpful’ suggestions.”

  “I’m beginning to think you have a vindictive streak, Tess. But we are ready, and the building work starts next week. Robin, though, she’s really coming around. Guilt is a great leveller.”

  “Did I mention it’s hot when you’re all Businesswoman of the Year?”

  There was a commotion outside the door, and Tess glanced towards the noise.

  “Sounds a bit rowdy for a neutered Alsatian,” Susannah remarked just as the door banged open.

  “Tessie! There you are!”

  Tess almost knocked her half-empty mug across the table as she jumped to her feet. “Caroline?”

  “Can you tell these friends of yours that I do know how to behave in a veterinary surgery?”

  Adam and Margo were doing a fine job of trying to hold her back, but sheer entitlement seemed to have her overpowering them. Caroline always did have a strong “I want to see the manager” energy about her, with the haircut to match.

  “It’s okay, guys. Caroline, what are you doing here?”

  “Well, don’t just stand there, hero of the hour, give me a hug!” Caroline swooped in, but Tess ducked her open arms.

  “No thanks.” The floral scent of her perfume was more cloying than Tess remembered.

  “Oh, one of your moods, is it? Well, I was just on my way to Edinburgh for a little thing called my hen weekend. We get all the way to Berwick, and the trains just stop…total chaos. The girls decided to wait it out, but when I saw how close you were…one hire car later and here I am! Thought I should make sure you’re still coping, now that you’ve taken up running into burning buildings of all the things.”

  “She is coping!” Margo replied.

  Tess waved her off. “Why would you think I wouldn’t be coping? It’s been more than a year since we split, and as you can see, I’ve got a lovely little practice.”

  “Oh, Tessie, you know what I mean. You were trying to tell me you’d already met someone, and when I spoke to Barb—”

  “Babs,” Tess corrected.

  “Babs, yes. Well, she wasn’t entirely convincing. So I thought, why not round you up and drag you to this hen night, really help you get over me once and for all?”

  They all seemed stunned into silence.

  “Uh…” Tess was fumbling for how many different ways to say no.

  Caroline was off and running again, smoothing down the blazer she was wearing over one of her endless supply of blue-and-white striped tops, complete with the mandatory skinny jeans and heels. “Don’t believe we’ve met.” She gave Susannah a haughty once-over. “You’re a bit overdressed for a vet nurse, aren’t you? Oh, you weren’t in court, were you?”

  Other people might have been thrown by the hurricane of Caroline’s conversation, but Susannah took it entirely in stride. Not bothering to stand, she made a point of inspecting her manicure. “Not this week, no. Caroline, was it?”

  “That’s right! Dr Caroline Goddard, but I’m sure it’s all very informal around here.”

  “Quite the contrary,” Susannah replied, and it was almost a drawl. She sounded every bit the bored country lady. “Titles really should be adhered to, don’t you agree?”

  “Well, yes, yes I do!”

  Tess had to hide her mouth behind her hand. Susannah had read Caroline for exactly the snob that she was.

  “Then it’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr Goddard. I’m Lady Karlson, and these wonderful vets here look after all the equine care on my estate.”

  Caroline lit up like she’d finally found her people. “Well, at my practice we take our important clients out to lunch, but I suppose coffee in the staff room is another way to go. I don’t suppose you’re in the mood for a little jolly in Edinburgh? The girls would just love that.” She waved out the window at a compact, mud-flecked rental car parked outside as if ready to whisk them away that minute.

  “Great offer.” Susannah finally unfolded her long frame from the chair. She took the necessary couple of steps to be at Tess’s side. “But we have plans this weekend. Not terribly outdoorsy ones, if you catch my drift. Although there’s always the hot tub.”

  Caroline looked between them as Susannah slipped her arm around Tess’s waist, letting it settle there like it belonged.

  Gathering herself, Tess put her hand on top of Susannah’s at her waist and gave her ex a beaming smile.

  “This…this is Susan?”

  “Susannah,” Tess replied. “Lady Susannah Karlson. Don’t let us keep you. It’s quite a drive up to the city.”

  “Especially in some dreadful little rental car,” Susannah said, her polite laugh tinkling and very fake. “They’ll give you any old thing. Unless you have someone like Tess here—she has wonderful taste in cars.”

  Margo was making faces at Tess, who couldn’t let herself look properly, in case she burst out laughing.

  “Does she now? Still, good to see you’re doing well for yourself, Tessie.”

  “She prefers Tess,” Susannah answered for her. “Or is that just from me, darling?” She fitted about six A’s, twelve H’s and half of the Elgin marbles into the extra-hoity-toity way she said darling.

  Tess could have kissed her for it. So she did. Great little habit that was becoming.

  “Right, better be going,” Caroline said like it was all her idea. “Do let me know about your wedding RSVP; the date’s not so far off now.”

  Then she was gone, leaving them all to collectively lose it as soon as the door closed behind her.

  Adam got hold of himself first. “Oh, that showed her. Good on you, Lady K.”

  “I think someone was after a one-night stand en route to the hen night,” Margo said.

  Susannah nodded. “Definitely. She thought Tess’d be just waiting to fall back into her arms. Well, we showed her you’re definitely off the market, didn’t we?”

  “I am?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then we did,” Tess replied, glowing from confirmation of what she was already pretty sure about. “And can you stop looking so scandalized, Adam? Did you really think we’ve been playing Monopoly all the time we’ve been spending together?”

  “And it won’t, uh, affect our contract?” he asked, which Tess had to concede was a fair question.

  “Absolutely not,” Susannah replied. “And if for some reason Tess never wants to see me again, you can simply swap in another vet to deal with my h
orses. Speaking of which, I have two fine boys being delivered today. I had to delay their arrival with all that’s been happening. Tess?”

  Tess reached for her jacket and vet bag. “Did you think up new names for them?”

  Susannah groaned.

  “What?” Tess asked.

  “It’s just that ever since you suggested Andy and Jamie, well…they’ve kind of stuck in my head.”

  “Andy and Jamie?” Margo repeated. “Why is that a problem? Not the fanciest names, but still.”

  “I’ve been trying to avoid more tennis names, to change up the habit at my stables. But here we are with the Murray brothers joining the ranks.”

  “It suits them,” Tess said. “Come on, let’s get up there and help them settle in.”

  Chapter 24

  Today was the day. The big day. Maybe the biggest of all the days so far.

  Susannah couldn’t help wishing Tess was already at her side, but she would be seeing her soon enough. That was what mattered. Now it was just down to the last few details.

  Nails? Immaculately manicured. Hair? Styled and set. Dress? Sitting perfectly, thanks to that wonderful tailor in Glasgow. The speech? On index cards, if the nerves really grabbed hold. Otherwise it was all filed away in Susannah’s memory, along with a hundred other details that she could let go of once the day was over and done with. Wouldn’t that be a relief?

  “Tess just arrived,” Finn said, popping their head around the door. Stylish to a fault, they had really pushed the boat out with a crimson waistcoat that matched the floral arrangements that dotted the hall and seating area. “Do you want me to sneak her back here for a quick morale boost or just show her to her seat?”

  “Let her go and sit down,” Susannah said, although a hit of Tess’s calming presence was tempting. “The music is cued?”

  “Just hit the button on your phone and wait ten seconds before walking in,” Finn said. “You’ll knock ’em dead out there, Boss. This has been a long time coming, eh?”

  “Couldn’t have done it without you. Tell that hunky partner of yours we’ll all be wanting a dance with him later.”

  “If I tell him now, he’ll go into hiding,” Finn replied. “But I’ll make sure he sticks around to show off his two left feet. See you out there!”

  Then Susannah was alone again in the small room leading into Midsummer’s de facto ballroom. It was supposed to be a dining room, really, but Susannah rarely had a chance to fill it. The last event before today had been when the councillors had told her they were following Robin’s advice not to back Susannah and her plans.

  But thanks to Tess being her charming and delightful self, those same councillors had voted yes anyway. Now Susannah was well on her way to transforming Midsummer into the place she had always wanted it to be. It certainly hadn’t seemed possible even a few months ago.

  Susannah cued up the music on her phone and waited the requisite ten seconds. Then the door was open, and she was striding across the floor to the designated spot. Every head in the room turned to stare at her. There was only one face she was looking for, though.

  And there she was, right in front. Tess led the round of applause as if she were watching a triple-bill of Beyoncé, Madonna, and Lady Gaga, but the enthusiasm in the room quickly matched hers. Most importantly, she looked stunning in her navy-blue suit and pale pink shirt, with her hair down to mark the special occasion.

  Susannah reached the glass podium and raised her hands to quiet the crowd. She would never quite get used to this part of it. “Thank you all for being here today. If you could take your seats, I just have a few words I wanted to share with you.”

  Just over a hundred people did exactly that, and the room hushed in anticipation.

  Susannah swallowed to combat her dry throat. “A lot of people didn’t think this day would come,” she began, and she felt Robin’s eyes on her from the back of the room. She looked up, and their eyes met. A nod came from Robin, confirming that their truce held, that all was well. “There have been a lot of days where I was one of those doubters. But after years of planning and months of hard, hard work, we’re finally here.”

  Another ripple of applause broke out.

  “And while there’s much still to be done, we can declare Phase One complete. So welcome, all of you, to a new age here at Midsummer. The Midsummer Animal Sanctuary is now officially open!”

  Tess was on her feet. Robin clapped as loudly as anyone. This time the applause around the room was loud and confident, helped by all the new staff who looked pleased to be there. Next week the pub would reopen too, which might be the biggest highlight of all for the people of Hayleith.

  Babs and Joan were sitting together. That was still nothing short of a miracle, and one Susannah was grateful for.

  “So, please, help yourself to drinks, and have some food from our fabulous chef. I expect to see you all on the dance floor before the night is out!”

  Relieved to be done with the speaking part, Susannah accepted the ridiculous giant scissors from Finn and cut the purple velvet ribbon that hung across the doorframe behind her. She acknowledged yet more clapping, but the moment it was done, she strode across to reunite with Tess.

  “Hey, you,” Susannah said, melting into one of their easy embraces. “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it.”

  “It was touch and go, but she finally delivered about two hours ago.”

  People came by offering handshakes and congratulations before Susannah and Tess could keep talking. Susannah accepted them graciously. The one-on-one parts were slightly easier, though not by much. It was a little less awful with Tess by her side. “Usually when you’re gone all night because someone’s giving birth, you come home and tell me about a calf called Daffodil,” Susannah said. “Tell me Margo and Adam haven’t been as adventurous with the baby names?”

  “Sticking with Baby Boy Elliot for now. There’s been some heated debate, though,” Tess replied, accepting two glasses of bubbly from a passing server and giving one to Susannah. “I believe Margo said that if Adam wanted to name their son after him, he’d have to… Well, it was something about a bowling ball and his nostril but with a lot more swear words.”

  “Ah. Shall I send something over to the hospital?”

  “She’ll be home tonight. But I already picked out some things. From, uh, from us both?”

  Susannah smiled as she claimed another quick kiss. “I like that. Another level of official. Despite how chaotic it’s been, you’re still not running. From this, or us.”

  “Never been much of a runner,” Tess replied. “Not when everything good is right here. Great job, great woman, my best friends, nice house…what should I run from exactly?”

  “You make a good point. I’m going to have to make the rounds for a little while. Think you can spare me?”

  “Only if you come back every so often,” Tess said. “I am a frequent guest at Midsummer, you know, and I expect a certain level of VIP treatment.”

  “I think that can be arranged.” For a moment, as she held Tess’s hand, Susannah considered blowing off the party and sneaking upstairs. Unfortunately, being the centre of attention made sneaking anywhere almost impossible. “And I want to see you on that floor at some point. The world deserves to see your step-perfect Mamma Mia choreography, Tess.”

  “That was one time!” Tess called after her.

  Susannah was already off and wending her way through the crowd. Midsummer didn’t feel empty anymore. Her step faltered for a second, and she considered the house around her. Within a moment or two, her gaze drifted back to Tess.

  The house may not have felt empty anymore, but most of all, it finally felt like a home.

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