Page 8 of The Summer Escape

Beth grinned. “It’s a good job we have a beach right on the doorstep then, isn’t it?”

“It’s not right on the doorstep, Mummy.”

“I realise that, clever clogs. It’s just a saying.” Beth headed for the stairs. “I’m going to shower and get dressed. Why don’t you draw a picture for me? There’s paper and crayons in the living room.”

“Okay, Mummy,” Ellie replied sweetly.

* * *

Trystan hopped out of bed on Tuesday and straight into his running gear. Jogging along the coastal path with a cool breeze in his hair beat sweating it out on the treadmill any day.

“Isn’t running every day a bit much?” his mum asked when he walked into the kitchen.

“I don’t run every day. I run five days a week.”

“It seems excessive. Especially when you’re on holiday.” She had her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee as she stared out of the window.

“I’m not really on holiday. I have to work, remember?” He’d been with the relocation firm for six years and had good relationships with his colleagues. It hadn’t been a problem to organise for them to take over any face-to-face work for him while he concentrated on the behind-the-scenes stuff and liaising with clients over phone and video calls.

“I hope you’ll have a break too. You work too hard.”

“I have a perfectly balanced work and social life,” he told her with a smile. “And things will feel even more balanced when I’m back in my own house tomorrow.”

“I’ve been thinking about that …”

“Don’t even think about renting the place out for longer.”

“I’m not.” She turned to look at him. “I just wondered whether to offer Beth and Ellie one of the spare bedrooms here if they’d like to extend their stay.”

“Did she say she wanted to?”

“No. I just got the feeling she’d like to avoid going home for a while. She seemed a bit sad somehow. But maybe I was imagining it.” Mirren shook her head. “I don’t know, I just like her. She has a nice vibe.”

“You already let them stay longer than they planned. I’d say you’ve done enough. And I really think you’d be annoyed with having people around the house after a couple of days. Especially a noisy kid.”

“She’s sweet.”

“She certainly looks like butter wouldn’t melt,” Trystan conceded. He’d waved to her every morning as he set off for a jog. “It’s different having people stay in the house though – sharing the kitchen and the living room. It’s awkward.”

“You might be right. I thought the company might be nice, but it probably would be annoying.”

Trystan took a couple of steps to his mum and wrapped her in a hug. “I’ll be here all summer. We’ll get Noah and Keira and Kit and Seren over for dinners and barbecues. It’ll be fun.”

“I know.” Her eyes brightened as she pulled away from him. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too.”

“Off you go and run around the island then.” She dismissed him with a flick of her hand. As he set off out the door he had a pang of guilt at talking his mum out of inviting guests to stay in her house. Selfishly, he just didn’t like the thought of there being random people around whenever he called up to see her.

Outside the door, he paused to feel the tingle of sunshine on his face and listen to the shrieks from gulls gliding high on the wind. The gusty sea air smelled of seaweed and blew any lingering guilt away as he stretched on the lawn before setting off through the gate and onto the lane.

Turning to greet the little girl in the window of Peswera Cottage was automatic, but this time she wasn’t grinning out at him. Today, her face was contorted with sadness. Her tear-filled eyes made him stop in his tracks.

As she slipped off the windowsill, he contemplated continuing on his way. Kids cried all the time, and her mum was there to take care of her, so there was really no need for him to waylay himself. At least until the front door opened and the sound of her gentle crying hit his ears.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She shook her head in short jerky movements.