Page 30 of The Inn on Bluebell Lane

“It does,” Ellie admitted. “Although I’m still figuring out how to use it.”

“So you moved to help do the place up?”

“Yes, and because I felt it was only fair—to spend some time in Matthew’s home country, after we’d been so long in mine,” she explained. “And when he was made redundant…” She shrugged, a soft sigh escaping her, not wanting to go into all the messy details with someone she barely knew. “We were at a loose end, in many ways, and it seemed like the right choice at the right time, for all of us.”

“And does it still?” Emma asked a bit shrewdly. “A couple of weeks in?”

“Well…” Ellie let out a shaky laugh. “Yes and no. I feel like we’ve had a lot to deal with, more than I could have possibly expected. I mean, you try to prepare yourself for the usual things—grumpy kids, culture shock and…”

“What else has there been?” Emma asked, frowning a little in concern.

With a grimace, Ellie explained about the ceiling crashing in—their bedroom, although much improved, with John starting to repair the floor, was still a construction site—and Matthew breaking his arm, having it immobile in plaster for at least six weeks.

“And I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like I get along with my mother-in-law,” Ellie confessed in a semi-guilty rush. “Things had gotten a little better recently—at least I thought they had. But even though she’s lovely, truly, we just always seem to… come up against each other. I don’t know what it is, exactly. We’re very different, I guess.” Although not that different, surely, she thought. Not really. Maybe she needed to ask Gwen outright why she’d become so distant, right when Ellie thought they’d been making progress, showing some solidarity with each other.

“Mother-in-laws are always a bit tricky, aren’t they?” Emma sympathized. “Even the really nice ones.”

“Yes, and I don’t suppose you normally have to live with your mother-in-law.” When they’d been in hospital together, waiting to hear about Matthew, she’d felt, for the first time, as if they were truly on the same page. But since then, everything had got tense and muddled again; last night, Gwen had snapped at Ava for playing too loudly, and when Ellie had offered to make dinner even though it wasn’t her turn, she’d been decidedly cool. Ellie really wasn’t sure what to do.

“Sounds like quite a list,” Emma remarked. “Anything else going on?”

“Well…” Ellie hesitated, not wanting to pour out all her woes on this near stranger, and yet knowing she needed someone, anyone, to confide in. “My oldest daughter is in year nine and seems to hate everything about her life here, including me.” Ellie let out a trembling laugh. A week of school had not improved Jess’s mood in the least, although at least Ellie had sorted out the parent pay for her lunches. She wouldn’t go hungry, but hopefully she wouldn’t be so lonely, either. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she felt her throat thicken. “I actually think I might cry again.” She brushed at her eyes, willing it all back, at least for now.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” Emma said as she gently touched her arm. “It sounds like you’ve got far too much going on, especially when everything feels so new and strange. But it will get easier, trust me. It will get better. It just takes time, day in and day out, showing up, slogging on. It’s hard, and sometimes it feels long, but you will get there.”

“It already has got better,” Ellie told her, smiling through the last of her tears. “I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me, just to have someone to listen to me complain for a little while. I think I needed to let that all out, whether I realized it or not.” She gave her new friend a watery smile that Emma warmly returned.

“I’m so glad,” she said, and Ellie knew she meant it.

“But what about you?” Ellie asked. “I’ve been moaning about myself for ages. Have you settled into Llandrigg life, without an Aga or muddy walks in the countryside?”

Emma laughed and took a sip of her hot chocolate. “Have I?” she mused as she put her cup down. “Yes, in some ways. I think I’ll always miss London, but I wouldn’t want to be back there, either. And people are friendly here, once you get to know them. It takes a little while, and I know the schoolyard can be intimidating, but when you keep showing up, they will notice you.”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” Ellie promised.

“Are you thinking of working?” Emma asked. “Now that Izzy is in school, I’ve thought about going back, but there’s not much around here, to be honest.”

“What did you do, back in London?”

“BC?” Emma filled in wryly. “Before children? I was an event planner. I did all sorts—parties, weddings, retirement dos. It was on a small scale, but I loved it. Hard to start from scratch here, though, but I’ve thought about it. What about you?”

“I can’t work for a while yet,” Ellie replied, “due to my visa. I worked for a literacy charity before I had kids, but it’s been ages, and I suppose helping with the B&B might fill up my time.”

“Is that something you want to do?” Emma asked, and Ellie considered the matter.

“I think so,” she said slowly. She’d been so focused on making sure Matthew had a project, that she hadn’t really thought about whether she needed one. But, yes, she would be interested in helping out, if she could find a way to do it that didn’t step on anyone else’s toes—Gwen’s or Matthew’s. “We’ll see,” she added, and Emma nodded in understanding.

“Right now you just need to focus on finding your feet. And I promise it won’t take you as long as you think it will!”

Ellie smiled, feeling better already, thanks to their chat. “I’ll hold you to that,” she warned, and Emma laughed and nodded.

“And so you should!”

CHAPTER 17

GWEN

“Is there anything else I can get you, love?” Gwen asked.