‘No. Of course. So Asher and Josie only dated a couple of times? What happened with Josie and Liam? Did she go back to New York?’
‘Good heavens, no. Didn’t I say? Once Josie told Liam that she loved him, Liam admitted he felt the same. The silly man couldn’t bring himself to tell her until he’d heard the words from her. I think he hadn’t really admitted it to himself until then. Men are odd creatures. But he’d only gone and bought himself and Orla tickets to go and visit Josie in New York! And on the day she was due to leave, too. I heard that from Orla so I know it’s true. They changed the dates, as Josie had decided she wasn’t going back, and they all went there last week. They went to see Josie’s friends, do some Christmas shopping and go ice skating at the ice rink you always see on TV. The one at the Rockefeller Center. They had a wonderful time, so Orla tells me. And I’m sure they did.’
‘Is Asher over Josie now, do you think?’
‘I’m sure he is. He and Liam are close friends. Asher wants Liam to be happy and if that means curing himself of any feelings he had for Josie, that’s exactly what he’d do.’
‘I hope I see him again while I’m here. Does he usually spend Christmas in the village, do you know, or does he spend it with his family? I assume they don’t live around here?’
‘I heard him say, just the other day, that his family will be coming to visit him at some point over Christmas. His sister Sorcha was married, you know, but her husband treated her very badly and, with Asher’s help, she eventually left him. She’s four years younger than Asher and she’s now back home with the parents, but she comes here every so often to stay with Asher. I thought she might move here permanently, but the seahorses haven’t called to her. Yet. Perhaps they will when they think she’s ready. Or perhaps they don’t want her around. They’re sensitive souls.’
Quite how she knew seahorses were sensitive souls was beyond me, but I didn’t see any point in challenging this assumption. And they do look sensitive. There’s something ethereal about them. Not that I’d ever seen one in the flesh. I’d only seen them on TV and on the website for Seahorse Harbour.
But that was something I could change. I’d read a bit about the sea life centre and it wasn’t only kids who could go there to learn about the seahorses; adults could go too. That was one place I was definitely going to visit during my stay. And not just because I might see Asher Bryant there.
‘Perhaps I’ll get to meet her if she comes to stay this Christmas.’
‘Perhaps. Now tell me all about the relationship between you and Elsie. If she is your aunt, surely you must know Diana and Josie? And possibly, Alex and Bernice?’
I explained that my relationship to Elsie was by marriage, not by blood, and that not only had I hardly got to know Elsie, I’d never met the separate branches of Elsie’s family.
‘Mum and Dad kept in contact with Elsie after her husband, my uncle Eric, died. He was my mum’s younger brother. But Elsie never came to stay, at least not after my uncle’s death, and we never visited her. Mum did mention Elsie’s sister and the children, once or twice, so I have heard Diana and Josephine’s names, but I’ve never met them. Our only connection to Elsie was my uncle and it seemed that after he’d gone, Elsie’s life went in a different direction. But Mum and Dad always thought highly of her and when she came to Dad’s funeral, she invited me to come and visit. It’s just taken me a few years to do so.’
‘Well I never. Elsie is so close to her nieces, Diana and Josie, and to her great-niece and great-nephew too. That’s Diana’s children, Becca and Toby. How odd that she chose not to maintain a close relationship with her husband’s side of the family? But I do know that Elsie has a dislike of commitment and she’s a free spirit when it comes to relationships. I also know she travelled extensively before she eventually bought Seaside Cottage and settled here. Josie is her favourite, you know. I think that’s because Josie takes after her. Now I’m not one to gossip, as you know, but Josie was a bit of a wild child before she fell in love with Liam this summer. That girl has had more than her fair share of men, I’m pretty certain of that. And so has Elsie. Why only this summer she was dating Gray Meloy. He’s Mikkel’s dad, and he’s now gone back to Norway or wherever it was he came from, but between you and me, I think he was hoping Elsie would invite him to stay.’
‘Really? I look forward to my aunt telling me all about that. This dinner was delicious, Lilith. Thank you so much. But if you don’t mind, I think I should take Merry for her final walk before bed and then have that bath I mentioned, and an early night. The journey seems to have taken it out of both of us. But I’ll do the washing up before I go.’
She seemed a little surprised by my abrupt halt to the conversation and I suppose it might have been a little rude of me, but I felt uncomfortable discussing my aunt’s love life with a total stranger. Although that hadn’t stopped me listening to every word she had to say about Asher Bryant, or my distant cousin, Josie.
‘Oh. I’m glad you enjoyed it, dear. But don’t you worry about the washing up. I’ll just pop it all in the dishwasher before I retire for the night. You and dear little Merry run along and enjoy yourselves. If there’s anything you need, you know where I am. Breakfast is between 8 and 9, but as it’s only you and Merry for now, I’m happy to change that just for tomorrow.’
‘Thanks. But 8 is fine. I’ll probably be up and about long before then to take Merry out for her morning pee. I’ll say goodnight then, if you’re sure there’s nothing I can do to help.’
‘Nothing at all. Good night, my dear and pleasant dreams. I don’t need to be a genius to guess who you’ll be dreaming about. Asher Bryant, I don’t doubt.’
She grinned broadly and winked at me as Merry got up from the cushion Lilith had kindly placed in a cosy corner for her, and together we walked towards the hall.
I stopped at the door and turned to Lilith, smiling as warmly as I could.
‘Please don’t mention to anyone that I quite liked Asher Bryant. I’d be embarrassed if he found out. Especially as I only chatted to him for about 5 minutes.’
She beamed at me and tapped the turned-up tip of her nose.
‘Your secret is safe with me, dear. As you know, I’m not one to gossip.’
Five
Waking up in a strange bed is always a little disorientating, however comfortable it may be. Waking up to the sound of waves crashing against cliffs not too far away and then seeing snow-laden clouds and at least three inches of pristine snow on the ground, was so much more than that.
It took me a few seconds to remember where I was. And that had nothing to do with drink. Although I will admit that when I returned with Merry from our pre-bedtime walk, I discovered Lilith had placed a tray with a large glass of her egg-nog outside my room, and as I was cold and the delicious, alcohol-laced beverage was there, I did knock it back before I went to sleep.
I think I was starting to see why Lilith’s guests returned year after year and why her rooms were usually booked months in advance. Lilith Shoe had a knack of making her guests feel welcome.