Page 32 of All Wrapped Up

I didn’t sleep soundly that night, but the next day I strengthened my resolve to further distance myself from what had happened at the Fenview Feast, because actually, nothing of worrying significance had happened.

Ash and I had danced together. Full stop.

We’d had a dance and a laugh and that was it.

I had nothing to feel guilty about and the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that Ash must have made his plan to visit his parents before he thought to mention it to me because he didn’t have the sort of job where you could just take off, did he? Ergo, all was right with the world.

‘All hail the dancing queen,’ Joanne greeted me, when I looked in at the gallery, with Pixie in tow on Saturday morning. ‘I heard you had fun at the Fenview Feast and I’ve been hoping you’d come and tell us all about it.’

‘I think that particular title belongs to Tom,’ I said, thinking back to his extraordinary moves on the makeshift dancefloor. ‘He was the one who really let himself go.’

‘He does have that reputation,’ Lizzie laughed. ‘There’s never a dull moment at a party if he’s invited.’

‘I can well believe that,’ I laughed.

‘How’s everything going?’ Lizzie then asked.

‘Really well. I’ve been booking and scheduling some extra events and making sure the socials are all up to date with the details, too.’

‘Brilliant.’ Lizzie nodded.

‘That’s why I’ve not been around much,’ I added for her assistant’s benefit. ‘I’ve been far too busy to come in here and gossip with you, Joanne.’

‘That’s you told,’ Lizzie laughed and Joanne looked chastened. ‘So, what are you up to today, Clemmie?’

I glanced at Joanne and felt a bit bad that I’d been so blunt with her in front of Lizzie.

If there was something on her mind that she was masking through her apparent interest in other people’s lives, then publicly telling her off was hardly the way to go about gaining her trust and getting her to confide, was it?

‘Nothing in particular,’ I replied to Lizzie. ‘Now I’ve got everything sorted again, I’m going to be a free agent for a little while.’

The decision to still pace myself and balance the bouts of getting out and about with being back in the cottage with Pixie, was making all the difference to my confidence levels, but I was in no rush to tip the scales too far in either direction and sacrifice one for the other.

‘In that case,’ she said, putting her hands together in a pleading gesture, ‘is there the slightest chance that you might consider helping me out in here today? Jemma really needs Joanne in the café because of staff illness, so I’m going to be trying to run two workshops back-to-back until late in the day and with no support. ’

I might not have had a to-do list of my own to work through, but I wasn’t sure I was up to helping Lizzie with hers and especially with no time to prepare myself to do it. My crafting skills weren’t the best and I was still refining my social ones, too.

‘But I’ve got Pixie,’ I therefore quickly said, indicating my canine companion in the hope that she’d get me off the hook, even if I did feel bad about leaving Lizzie in the lurch.

‘Well,’ said Lizzie, bending to give Pixie a fuss, ‘she wouldn’t be the first four-legged visitor the gallery has had and there’s a dog bed behind the counter, so she could take herself off to that if she needed some space. Maybe you could settle her there and see how she goes?’

The gallery bell rang out as the first workshop attendees arrived and Joanne got ready to head next door to help Jemma.

‘You really would be saving the day,’ Joanne said to me.

‘And my sanity,’ Lizzie added.

‘Oh well,’ I swallowed, ‘if your sanity is on the line, Lizzie, then I really do have to stay, don’t I?

’ I supposed as festival organiser it was inevitable that I would be asked to pitch in with this sort of thing at some point.

‘I’ll just follow Joanne next door and ask Jemma if I can borrow a water bowl for Pixie. ’

‘No need,’ Lizzie smiled. ‘Along with the dog bed, there’s one of those behind the counter, too.’

‘Perfect,’ I said, letting out a breath. ‘Come on then, Pixie.’

Pixie was a paragon of virtue the entire day.

I hadn’t initially committed to staying for both the morning and afternoon sessions, but she was so content, padding out for a fuss and some attention and then putting herself back to bed when she’d had enough, that the time flew by and I felt myself relax into it all as a result.

The gallery was a wonderful place to work and Lizzie had the knack of putting everyone at ease.

A space in the afternoon session meant that I could both support her and take part and I ended up thoroughly enjoying myself. I was delighted that Lizzie had talked me into helping and grateful to Pixie for settling so well.

‘I absolutely love these, Lizzie,’ I said, holding up one of the three pumpkins I had selected to decoupage, after I had assisted her in making sure everyone else was sorted.

The other workshop, happening on a different table, involved sewing and stuffing a patchwork pumpkin.

My sewing skills weren’t all that hot, so the decoupage was perfect for me.

Though if I did want to improve in the future, then I’d look no further than Lizzie for a teacher.

She was patient, hugely experienced and full of tips and ideas. The ideal instructor.

My role for the day had been simple enough. I had handed out, tidied up, ferried food and drink orders to Jemma next door and taken lots of photos for the festival pages. I’d ended up enjoying myself far more than I had expected to and I’d coped well with the busyness of it all, too.

‘They’re cute, aren’t they?’ said a woman next to me as she looked at the trio she’d selected. ‘I’m going to give these to my sister. She’s mad on autumn.’

‘It’s a very popular time of year.’ I smiled.

‘Her obsession really started last year when she found this account on Instagram. All About Autumn, it’s called. Or something like that.’

‘Do you mean AutumnEverything?’ Lizzie, who happened to be close by, asked.

‘Yes, that’s it!’ said the woman. ‘AutumnEverything. It’s gorgeous. She’s got me following it now, too.’

‘That sounds lovely.’ I swallowed.

My palms suddenly felt as sticky as the glue I was using to attach the pieces of paper to my three pumpkins and I could feel my cheeks were blazing.

‘It’s stunning,’ said Lizzie, with not even a hint of a look in my direction which I appreciated. ‘I love it myself.’

‘I’m a follower, too,’ said someone else.

‘And me.’

‘You know it?’ the woman who had originally mentioned it laughed.

‘Seems like we all know it,’ said Lizzie. ‘Now, does anyone need any help while I’m on my feet?’

Once I’d got my temperature back under control, I felt a swell of pride as they all carried on talking about the most recent photos I’d shared, but I had no desire to announce that I was the account owner.

The last thing I wanted was anyone delving into my personal history online and messaging me like I’d experienced before, as a result.

I made a quick mental note not to post photos of the pumpkins I was currently decorating. It would only take one beady-eyed follower from around the gallery table to put two and two together!

‘So,’ said Lizzie once we’d finished tidying up at the end of the day. ‘How was that?’

‘Actually, I really enjoyed it,’ I honestly told her.

‘Well, you needn’t sound so surprised!’

‘You say that, but I am surprised. Publicly organising the festival and now helping out in here today, has been a huge leap from being home alone and focusing on nothing other than the cottage renovation for so long. I’ve really had fun, but I’m tired out from it all, too.’

‘Oh, my goodness,’ Lizzie responded with a gasp, ‘I didn’t even think of that. I’m so sorry, Clemmie. I really shouldn’t have asked you to help today, should I?’

‘No, honestly,’ I told her, wishing I hadn’t said anything because she looked so upset. ‘It’s fine. I’ve really loved it.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘One hundred per cent. It’s done me the world of good, but now I feel like I need a bit of a break.’

‘Okay,’ she said, letting out a relieved breath.

‘You did look as though you were enjoying yourself and I have to say, you took to the role like a duck to water. You knew just what the customers needed, especially with a nod to styling, but then I already knew you had a great eye for detail, didn’t I? ’

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I suppose you did and thank you for not letting anything slip when AutumnEverything unexpectedly came up in conversation.’

‘I promised you I wouldn’t and I still stand by that. Now, can I tempt you to tea and cake?’

‘That’s kind,’ I said, checking the time, ‘but I’m feeling zonked now and my parking ticket is about to run out, so I’d better head off.’

I was relieved I’d remembered to extend it earlier in the day.

‘You must let me pay for your parking,’ Lizzie insisted. ‘It’s the least I can do.’

‘Absolutely not,’ I said, holding up the pumpkins I’d decor-ated and which she had said I could keep. ‘You’ve already paid me in pumpkins.’

‘You better not post those on your Insta,’ she laughed, ‘otherwise you won’t have to worry about me outing you because you’ll have done it yourself.’

‘I’d already thought of that,’ I smiled back.

‘Right,’ she said, looking around again while I attached Pixie’s lead, ‘you head off. And thank you again, Clemmie. After all this today, I hope you’re going to assign your deputy to attend the library book club launch in your place tomorrow.’

‘No, I’ll be there,’ I told her. ‘I might not stay for the whole thing, but I’ll be popping in for Kay’s opening speech and I can’t rope Ash in anyway, because he’s in Bakewell visiting his family.’

‘Is he?’ Lizzie frowned. ‘I didn’t know that. I hope everything’s okay.’

‘He went yesterday and as far as I know, there’s nothing wrong.’

‘But that means you’re flying the festival flag solo again,’ she tutted.