Phaedra Patrick - Wishes Under The Willow Tree

Praise for Phaedra Patrick’s debut novel The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper Praise About the Author Title Page Dedication 1. White Opal 2. Ruby 3. Moonstone 4. Malachite 5. Amazonite 6. Peridot 7. Turquoise 8. Zircon 9. Aquamarine 10. Lapis Lazuli 11. Blue Jack 12. Carnelian 13. Blue Lace Agate 14. Jade 15. Fire Opal 16. Kunzite 17. Azurite 18. Red Aventurine 19. Tourmaline Quartz 20. Bloodstone 21. Tiger’s Eye 22. Sunstone 23. Garnet 24. Poppy Jasper 25. Citrine 26. Blue Topaz 27. Onyx 28. Amethyst 29. Smoky Quartz 30. Diamond 31. Black Obsidian 32. Emerald 33. Sugilite 34. Jet 35. Golden Beryl 36. Alexandrite 37. Rose Quartz Author’s Notes Reading group questions Acknowledgements Copyright

‘A feel-good story with oodles of charm that had me rooting for Arthur all the way.’

The Daily Mail

‘Charming by name, charming by nature, this book is a balm for the soul and the heart.’

The Sun

‘A gorgeous journey told through charms.’

Heat

‘Eccentric, charming and wise, this will illuminate your heart.’

Nina George, author of The Little Paris Bookshop

‘A charming, unforgettable story.’

Harper’s Bazaar

‘With many poignant as well as laugh-out-loud moments, in the vein of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry , this is a lovely feel-good read.’ Compass

‘As charming and witty as the title suggests.’

My Weekly

‘We love this sweet story about self-discovery.’

Take A Break

PHAEDRA PATRICKstudied art and marketing and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film-festival organiser and communications manager. She is a prize-winning short story writer and her debut novel was translated in twenty languages worldwide. She lives in Saddleworth with her husband and son, where she writes full-time.

Wishes Under the Willow Tree is her second novel. For more information, please visit www.phaedra-patrick.comand you can also follow Phaedra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For Mark and Oliver

Contents

Cover

Praise Praise for Phaedra Patrick’s debut novel The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper Praise About the Author Title Page Dedication 1. White Opal 2. Ruby 3. Moonstone 4. Malachite 5. Amazonite 6. Peridot 7. Turquoise 8. Zircon 9. Aquamarine 10. Lapis Lazuli 11. Blue Jack 12. Carnelian 13. Blue Lace Agate 14. Jade 15. Fire Opal 16. Kunzite 17. Azurite 18. Red Aventurine 19. Tourmaline Quartz 20. Bloodstone 21. Tiger’s Eye 22. Sunstone 23. Garnet 24. Poppy Jasper 25. Citrine 26. Blue Topaz 27. Onyx 28. Amethyst 29. Smoky Quartz 30. Diamond 31. Black Obsidian 32. Emerald 33. Sugilite 34. Jet 35. Golden Beryl 36. Alexandrite 37. Rose Quartz Author’s Notes Reading group questions Acknowledgements Copyright ‘A feel-good story with oodles of charm that had me rooting for Arthur all the way.’ The Daily Mail ‘Charming by name, charming by nature, this book is a balm for the soul and the heart.’ The Sun ‘A gorgeous journey told through charms.’ Heat ‘Eccentric, charming and wise, this will illuminate your heart.’ Nina George, author of The Little Paris Bookshop ‘A charming, unforgettable story.’ Harper’s Bazaar ‘With many poignant as well as laugh-out-loud moments, in the vein of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry , this is a lovely feel-good read.’ Compass ‘As charming and witty as the title suggests.’ My Weekly ‘We love this sweet story about self-discovery.’ Take A Break

About the Author PHAEDRA PATRICK studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film-festival organiser and communications manager. She is a prize-winning short story writer and her debut novel was translated in twenty languages worldwide. She lives in Saddleworth with her husband and son, where she writes full-time. Wishes Under the Willow Tree is her second novel. For more information, please visit www.phaedra-patrick.com and you can also follow Phaedra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Title Page

Dedication For Mark and Oliver

1. White Opal

2. Ruby

3. Moonstone

4. Malachite

5. Amazonite

6. Peridot

7. Turquoise

8. Zircon

9. Aquamarine

10. Lapis Lazuli

11. Blue Jack

12. Carnelian

13. Blue Lace Agate

14. Jade

15. Fire Opal

16. Kunzite

17. Azurite

18. Red Aventurine

19. Tourmaline Quartz

20. Bloodstone

21. Tiger’s Eye

22. Sunstone

23. Garnet

24. Poppy Jasper

25. Citrine

26. Blue Topaz

27. Onyx

28. Amethyst

29. Smoky Quartz

30. Diamond

31. Black Obsidian

32. Emerald

33. Sugilite

34. Jet

35. Golden Beryl

36. Alexandrite

37. Rose Quartz

Author’s Notes

Reading group questions

Acknowledgements

Copyright

1. White Opal

hope, desire, fidelity

As Benedict Stone huffed his way to work, the sweet smell of the cherry scones in Bake My Day made him forget for a moment that his wife, Estelle, had packed her purple suitcase and moved out of their home.

His mouth watered and he stopped, sniffed and needed something weighty in his stomach, to help sugar-coat his sorrows. He curled his fingers into his palms and tried to resist, but it was like an ultra-strong magnet pulled him inside the baker’s shop.

A fella like you needs more than just a slice of toast , a sausage roll, bought by a schoolboy, said. You need something sweet too , a chocolate cookie, on display in the glass counter, chipped in.

Benedict tried his best to ignore them, but the lure of a succulent bacon sandwich and an oozy jam doughnut was too strong. He bought both and devoured them before he reached the front door of his shop, Stone Jewellery, just a few metres away.

When he unlocked the door, his stomach dropped as he glanced at the 25% Off Sale sticker he’d taped into his window three months ago.

He switched on the light and took off his jacket. Grey aluminium and glass cabinets lined the walls of the two-man deep and two-and-a-half-man wide space. The walls were all painted dolphin grey, and the floor was grey too. Benedict thought that the colour scheme was calm and elegant though his assistant, Cecil, claimed it needed more va-va-voom.

A black door behind the counter led through to Benedict’s workshop. The small, square room housing his workbench was his sanctuary. When he shut himself away in there, he could block out the outside world and almost convince himself that all was still fine with his wife.

He went inside and straightened up a file on his bench. He liked his tweezers, pliers, snips and soldering iron laid out in lines like a surgeon’s instruments. If Cecil moved his mallet by as little as a centimetre, Benedict could tell. Even with few entries in his appointment book, he felt driven to work. He crafted silver bangle after silver bangle, which he stacked like miniature tyres on the shelf.

Benedict slumped into his chair and placed his hands on his rounded stomach. He imagined the food dancing in there, laughing at him. Ha ha. Benedict Stone is a big guy but he has no self-control .

Shaking his head with remorse, he picked up a brooch he’d been working on. He switched on his gooseneck lamp and his face reflected in the shiny black metal.

Stone was a good name for him. His hair was short, swept back and graphite grey, the same colour as the stubble that peppered his upper lip and chin. Estelle said that he had a kind face, like when kids draw eyes and a smile into uncooked pastry. His hands were so large they looked as if they’d been inflated by a bicycle pump, but his fingers were surprisingly nimble when handling delicate silver findings.