Return To Oakhurst Manor More of our enthralling serial

Part Three: The girls’ money-making tearoom plan is coming together, but will it be enough to stop Chris buying the Manor?

Girls, we will never be ready to open on time,” Molly declared to Fliss and Becca. “There’s just one week to go and the menus aren’t printed and most of the craft workers haven’t delivered their products. The side room I set up for the shop is almost empty. I think it best if we put off our opening for a month,” she added.

She felt defeated. Perhaps opening up a tearoom at Oakhurst Manor, to try to save it from the hands of the Canadian, wasn’t such a good idea after all? There was already a pile of invoices due for payment from tradesmen – even with Andy, Becca’s builder husband, working only for his keep.

Fliss and Becca looked at each other and shrugged. Taking Molly by the arm they almost dragged her to a nearby chair and pushed her down.

“Now, look here,” Becca said sternly. “I didn’t come home early from my honeymoon in order for my husband to carry on work here for you to suddenly put off your opening. Get your notebook out and let’s look at what needs doing.” She indicated to Molly to sit down.

Molly rummaged in her bag for a tissue and a notebook.

“We hadn’t even planned the tearoom when you got married,” Fliss whispered to Becca.

“Sshh, Molly’s in such a flap she won’t realise that,” her friend hissed back. “Pass me the list,” she instructed, “and for pity’s sake wipe your eyes.” Molly gave her a watery smile. “I’m sorry. There’s so much at stake here. Chris Thomas keeps popping his head in to see how things are progressing and I know Gran is starting to pack her belongings ready to move into the Dower House. It’s as if no one has faith in me – or, more to the point,

“You know, I have SEEN YOU before. I just can’t PUT MY FINGER on it…”

they’re humouring me and know I’ll lose my home regardless of what happens.”

“We haven’t lost faith,” Fliss said, giving her hand a squeeze. “We both want this business to succeed, not just to prove Oakhurst Manor can survive and stay in your family but because we’d like to continue living here now that we are no longer landgirls.

“Bert and Brenda are putting us up at the farmhouse but we need to pay our way. If you give up now, then you are not the only ones who will suffer.”

“Besides,” Becca said as she took the notebook and pencil and flicked through the pages of notes, “we’ve gone too far to hand everything over to Chris. Why don’t you take yourself off for a walk while we make sense of what you’ve written here? Don’t forget – we’ve just won a war, so a little teashop is not going to defeat us.”

Molly grinned. She could trust the girls to make her see sense.

“Thank you both. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ll only be fifteen minutes,” she said getting to her feet.

“No, you won’t. We don’t want to see you for at least an hour. Now be off with you!” Fliss laughed.

Molly waved back to the girls as she stepped out into the sunny afternoon. She’d walk up to the hop garden. Bert had mentioned he was working there. Heading past the beehives and the kitchen garden, Molly couldn’t think of a better place to live in the whole world. Their little part of the Garden of England was beautiful and she vowed to fight tooth and nail to keep it – even if she did have a little wobble from time to time.

She stopped suddenly as she heard a cynical laugh. Why did Chris Thomas always turn up to bother her? she thought as she turned towards the voice and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Oh! Hello, Simon,” she said. Brenda’s nephew was sitting on a grassy mound. How had she not seen him? “You caught me talking to myself,” she added, slightly embarrassed.

He shrugged without replying.

Molly stood closer to the man. “You know, I have seen you before. I just can’t put my finger on it… Never mind,” she added with a smile, “it’ll come to me.” Silently, Simon got up to leave. “You know, you could help by saying if we’ve met,” she called after him. “A hint would be enough to put me on the right track…”

“You want a hint? Steer clear of Christopher Thomas. As for if we’ve met before…” He turned and gave her an arrogant, cold stare before climbing a fence and heading towards the meadows. “You are good at solving puzzles so work it out for yourself.”

Molly headed on her way. He was certainly a strange man but as his aunt had said he’d been ill, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt. He most certainly had things on his mind.

Stopping on a small bridge that spanned a babbling brook, she leaned on the wall, deep in thought. By rights she should be thinking of the teashop but her mind was on Simon’s few words. What did he mean by youaregoodat solvingpuzzles? Granted, she enjoyed crossword puzzles and it was her success with these that led to her being recruited to Bletchley Park – but he wouldn’t know that unless…

“Of course!” she exclaimed before looking round to make sure she hadn’t been overheard. That was where she’d seen Simon – he had worked at Bletchley. With her mind on so many things, no wonder it had taken so long for the penny to drop.

Although she had found him alone, it stood to reason why he hadn’t answered her question. No worker was allowed to speak about their work to bring the war to an end.

Still deep in thought, she arrived at the hop garden and waved to Bert, who was standing on the back of a cart steadying wooden poles being placed into ready-dug holes. She held her breath as the cart moved.

“Whoa there, boy,” a familiar Canadian voice soothed the horse.

Molly sighed. Why did this wretched man pop up everywhere she went? Taking a wide berth so as not to spook the horse, she approached the workers.

“Hello there – you look busy, Bert,” she said, doing her utmost to ignore Chris. It wasn’t easy, with his shirt open to the waist and his chest glistening with sweat.

“I’m just about finished for the day. With Chris helping out I’ve done the job in half the time. I miss the help of those two Land Army girls,” Bert said as he took the reins and watched Chris jump on the back of the cart. “Are you coming back to the farmhouse?” he asked, patting the bench seat beside him.

“I’d love to. I want to see Brenda about the cheese scones and honey cake for the tearoom,” Molly said as Chris moved up to lean on the back of her seat. She could smell a mix of soap and a slight muskiness as he leaned close.

As he spoke close to her ear, his voice resonated, sending the hairs on the back of her neck on end.

“How’s it going up at the Manor House? Grace told me you’ve been busy.”

“Very well, thank you,” Molly replied coolly, shuffling along the bench to escape his closeness and reminding herself of Simon’s words. This man was dangerous.

“Fliss said you were thinking of moving seats into the old orangery,” Bert said, oblivious to the electricity between Chris and Molly.

“I’d hoped to, but we’ve run out of time. The orangery looks so run-down and tired that I’d die rather than put customers in there as it is. The grapevine survived the war, as did most of Grandad’s plants – it’s the woodwork that needs repairing and painting, and a few floor tiles cementing back in place. We have less than a week before the tearooms open so I’ve struck that idea off my list for now.” www.myweekly.co.uk

She jumped off the cart as it pulled up in the yard and hurried into the kitchen where Brenda gave her a welcoming hug.

“Now sit yourself down. I’ll put the kettle on and then we can sample the cakes I’ve been baking. I could do with borrowing Fliss for a few hours to churn the milk – we’re almost out of butter. God forbid we run out on the big day. Now tell me what’s been happening down at the manor while I get that tea on the go.”

Molly washed her hands at the stone sink and sat at the table as Brenda brought a cake stand from the pantry.

“I thought as how I’d lay out the cakes like they do in those fancy tearooms up in London,” she said brightly. “I went once with Bert before we were married. I remember the cake stands more than the cakes.

“I picked this up at the church jumble sale. I knew there’d be a use for it one day. I’ll wrap it up and you can take it with you – I’ve no use for the thing. Our Bert prefers his food on a plate and plenty of it.” Molly marvelled at the plate of cakes. “I only expected a few scones and some of your honey cakes,” she said.

Brenda placed a pot of tea on the table. “Help yourself. I thought you had to have Gypsy tart, what with it coming from Kent – and the bread pudding will be ideal when we have any leftover bread from the day before. The dried fruit is still hard to come by, but I can do a little bartering with eggs and honey to get what we need.”

Molly bit into a slice of the sweet Gypsy tart and gave a sigh of delight.

“This is my favourite. I think I missed this most when I was away,” she sighed.

“What’s all this?” Bert said as he came into the kitchen followed by Chris.

“Keep your hands off, Bert Weeks. These are some of the cakes I’m baking for Molly’s tearoom. You can help yourself, Chris,” she added giving him a sweet smile. “Molly’s venture is going to be a big hit. I can feel it in my water.”

Chris nodded as he helped himself to a large chunk of bread pudding.

“As long as she doesn’t forget my agreement with her grandmother.”

Molly gave him a confident smile. Suddenly she couldn’t wait for the day the new venture opened to the public. Whatever he was up to, she’d not allow Chris Thomas to stop her feeling positive about her dream for the future.

With Simon’s warning echoing in her ears she vowed to do her utmost not to be alone with the handsome Canadian.

Icouldn’t have done any of this without you all,” Molly said, feeling emotional. Fliss gave her a hug. “We just followed your lists.”

“Then we ignored them as we couldn’t read your writing,” Becca added.

“I have something for you, dear,” Grace said as she entered the tearoom carrying a box. “I’ve had them washed and starched.”

Molly opened the box and gasped before pulling out crisp white aprons and frilly caps. Underneath she found six black dresses. “These are perfect, Gran, but how…?” Grace smiled. “I’m pleased you can make use of them. These are the formal uniforms the maids used to wear when I was a girl. I’m surprised they have lasted. You may as well make use of them. I’ve also put a few items in your craft shop.”

The girls followed Grace through to the side room that was now chock-ablock with knitwear, pottery, plants and homemade sweets. A distinct aroma of lavender from tiny lavender bags complemented the stock. Displayed on a side table was an array of delicate lace made into tablecloths, napkins and dressing table sets.

“Gran! They are beautiful,” Molly said as she ran her hands over the tablecloth. “I had no idea you still had your lacework. Are you sure?”

“I’m perfectly sure and if your guests like them, I shall set to and make some more. I’ll have a word with my friends in the lacemakers’ guild to see if they’d like to sell their goods as well.”

For a while Molly was speechless before she remembered her manners and thanked her grandmother.

“Does this mean you approve of the tearoom, Gran?”

“I’ve always approved, my dear. What I’m unsure of is whether the business will support Oakhurst Manor, she’s an expensive lady with expensive tastes. Time will tell and you haven’t used up your six months yet. Now come with me, I have a nice surprise for you.”

Anothersurprise? Molly thought as she followed Grace through the room that would now be called “the shop” and into the old orangery. Her first feeling when she saw Chris Thomas standing in the middle of the orangery was one of anger. How dare he be here, interfering in her business… her dream?

Then she noticed the sparking glass and the freshly painted woodwork. The fancy patterned black and white floor tiles had been repaired and cleaned.

“Oh my,” was all she could think to say. Even the old grapevine, and the ferns in their terracotta pots, seemed to have taken on a new lease of life. “It’s beautiful,” she admitted. “We can have tables and chairs out here for our customers. However did Andy find the time to fix it up? This as a long way down my ‘to do’ list.”

“It wasn’t Andy, darling, Chris did all this on his own,” a delighted Grace announced. “Isn’t he wonderful?”

Molly found her eyes drawn to Chris who stood silently waiting for her to speak. A small smile betrayed his feelings as he watched her reaction.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” she spluttered. Her mind was asking her what he was playing at while her heart was skipping a beat.

“I think it’s wonderful!” Fliss

A small smile BETRAYED his feelings as he WATCHED her REACTION

squealed with delight. “With this room we can double the seating area.”

“We just need the customers now,” Molly replied, not wishing to put a dampener on things.

“You’ve no need to worry about that,” Becca said. Tables are booked up for the next couple of days, thanks to Grace’s WI friends.”

“They didn’t want to miss blacking their noses,” Grace laughed. “I took a few of your leaflets to the last meeting and they jumped on them.”

“So while I’ve been out distributing posters and begging shopkeepers to have leaflets on their counters you’ve been pulling in bookings from your friends? Gran, you are a wonder!”

Becca linked her arm through Molly’s as they walked back to the tearoom to prepare for the first customers.

“Now you can go and visit your friend, Amy, without worrying about the tearoom,” she said happily.

Molly frowned. Amy was a friend from her time at Bletchley Park. She’d lodged with Amy’s parents and had been planning to visit to collect the last of her possessions and to spend some time with her mate. “How did you know about Amy?” “It was on your list of things to do. Why don’t you arrange to see her this weekend? Honestly, Molly, you worked your socks off and you need a break.” “I’ll do that – thank you.” Fliss caught them up. “I’m wondering if we could offer a tour of Oakhurst Manor? Visitors would love to see the grounds and perhaps we could take them up the clock tower to admire the view. I’m told it is unbelievable.”

“No!” Chris shouted, causing them all to stop in their tracks. Silence fell on the group as they waited for him to explain.

“It’s too dangerous. No one must go up there,” he instructed. “They may be injured.”

Molly watched Chris through narrowed eyes. He seemed rather over-anxious to stop anyone entering the clock house. Was he hiding something?

Molly relaxed in the garden of her friend Amy’s home in Berkshire. It was good to simply enjoy the sunshine and not have to worry about anything for a few days.

They’d caught up on news over lunch and reminisced about their work. With Amy’s parents out for the day, they were free to talk about their time spent at Bletchley without giving away secrets or having to answer awkward questions. As far as her parents were aware, the girls had become friends while working in London for the Government.

“Here, have some lemonade, it’s home-made. Mum has a scrummy recipe. I’m sure she will let you have it for your tearoom. I’ll even bring her down to visit, so she can show you how to make it.”

“That would be wonderful. Why not stay for a few days and I can show you the Kent countryside? We aren’t that far from the coast.” Molly’s mind wandered back to Oakhurst Manor and how, as a child, she would go up into the clock tower and while away the time looking across the green fields and oast houses toward the sparkling blue sea. There was nowhere else like it on earth.

“You are miles away,” Amy commented. “I take it there is a man on the horizon?”

“Goodness, no,” she answered rather too quickly as her cheeks start to glow as she thought of Chris Thomas. “I’m far too busy for all that nonsense. However, there is a man I met who I’m hoping you will know.”

“Oh yes, this sounds intriguing,” Amy said as she settled on a chair next to Molly. “Come on, spit it out.”

“I met the nephew of one of Gran’s friends. Rather a strange chap, keeps himself to himself. It took me a while to remember where I’d seen him before. I’d swear I saw him at Bletchley. I couldn’t mention it, obviously, as you know, but there’s something about him that just isn’t right. Simon Cardew. Do you know of him?”

“Crikey, Molly, do I know him? Too true I do. He’s the chap who disappeared under a cloud after he supposedly attacked one of the female staff in hut eleven. He was cleared but from all accounts the unpleasantness tipped the chap over the edge.

“I did hear other things were going on at the time, but you know what it’s like. Careless talk cost lives and all that,” she said, reaching for her cigarettes and offering one to Molly.

Molly refused the offer. “Do you know any more?”

“Only Chinese whispers and you know how they end up. I suggest you steer clear of him to be on the safe side. The last thing you want is to be alone with a creep like that.”

Molly sipped her drink. Who should she fear most – the introverted Simon or Chris, the man who caused her heart to flutter in spite of herself, and who wanted to take her home from her? Whatever should she do?