Phillipa Ashley - A Perfect Cornish Christmas

‘You’ll make it up. You’re a brilliant copywriter. I know you can do it. You’ve had a few setbacks lately so no wonder you feel battered and bruised.’

There was a pause. ‘Yes, you’re right, as usual … after Rafa and then Christmas I haven’t trusted my judgement on all kinds of stuff. Men, people in general, and even looking for new work. My judgement feels skewed, as if I’m off kilter with the world a bit. Does that sound stupid?’

‘Of course not, lovely. What happened would shake anyone’s confidence, but you have to believe that you’re still the same old Scarlett we know and love.’

‘That’s just it … the old Scarlett might not be enough …’

Ellie wanted to reach down the phone to hug her sister.

‘But,’ Scarlett’s voice brightened. ‘I do have one piece of good news on the work front. A rival screw manufacturer outside Exeter wants me to take on all their copywriting now I don’t have a conflict of interest. They can’t give me quite as much work as Rafa’s company did, but it’s too good an opportunity to turn down because let’s face it, I do know a lot about screws. Of course, it’s a long way from Brum but then I started thinking … Exeter … that’s not too far from Ellie.’

Actually, thought Ellie, while admiring Scarlett’s optimism, it was over a hundred miles away, but she didn’t want to burst her sister’s bubble.

‘ And my shitty landlord’s hiked the rent on the flat just when I’ve taken a hit in revenue so I thought … 99 per cent of my work is done online from home and I can work for a couple of my existing clients anywhere. I can visit Eurofasteners from Cornwall when I need to. Then I also heard that one of my PR clients needs someone to write a customer magazine for a Cornish fashion company and so I said I was probably moving down here, which was a mad idea but I need to grab any chance I can these days while I have the nerve and it would be much more inspiring to write about clothes than screws all the time …’

‘I get that,’ Ellie said, still processing how to respond without deflating Scarlett’s optimistic mood.

‘Obviously, I won’t earn as much as I did, but enough to contribute to all the household expenses and get by. The whole thing with Rafa last year and then the rent hike, well, they seem like omens to take a leap of faith rather than wallowing here.’

Omens, eh? Ellie marvelled at her sister’s ability to rationalise. What had actually happened was that Scarlett had consciously – or otherwise – found two new clients that she could work for while living in Cornwall.

‘Hun, if it’s any consolation, I never really thought Rafa deserved you and, genuinely, you’re better off without him.’

‘Really? You never said that to me before.’

‘How could I when you were so down about the split? Now you’ve told me yourself that you’re over him, I may as well say what I think. He was way too full of himself and you’re far too good for him, but that’s history now. And I have no problem with you coming down here and I totally understand that you want to make a fresh start, but you’re forgetting one thing. Mum and Dad might not keep Seaholly Manor for long.’

‘I know that, so I called Dad earlier – I’m not asking Mum! – and asked if they had any immediate plans to sell, but he said neither of them had discussed it … Mind you I don’t think they talk much at all these days.’

‘I’m sorry, hun.’

‘Yeah, well. Dad said it would take months or even years to sell the place even if they did decide to get rid of it, so he reckoned I should go ahead. Between us, I think Mum’s hoping Dad will simply forget what’s happened, but he won’t and neither can I.’

Ellie heard the break in Scarlett’s voice. Even with Scarlett only a few miles from her parents, it sounded as if there was no prospect of reconciliation on the horizon. ‘I must admit it’s not looking hopeful if they still have separate rooms after this long,’ she said, deciding to be honest. ‘I spoke to Dad last weekend and when I tried to ask how things were going, he almost bit my head off.’

‘Did he say anything about a divorce to you?’

‘I never got that far. I only tried to suggest gently they go see Relate and he told me to mind my own business and that he and Mum would sort it out on their own. Marcus tried to hint to them to have counselling too, and got the same response.’

‘He said the same to me when I met him for coffee last week. He also told me that he doesn’t blame me for the test. He was still Dad, but somehow, I can’t help feeling that he’s taken a step away from me. There’s a distance between us that wasn’t there before.’

‘I’m sure that’s not true!’ Ellie was horrified at the thought of a growing rift between Scarlett and their father and hoped her sister was reading the situation wrong.

‘He said it didn’t matter who my biological father was, that I’m his daughter in every way that matters and that it was only a terrible accident that he’d found out, but when he kissed me goodbye, it was so quick, as if he couldn’t wait to get away from me.’

‘I’m sure Dad would never push you away and he’s right; it isn’t your fault,’ Ellie said gently, yet she felt cold at the idea that their father might possibly be distancing himself from Scarlett, even subconsciously.

‘But it’s so strange looking at him now and knowing we have no actual connection, not genetically or even legally. He said he’d changed his will so that I’ll inherit the estate equally with all of you. That was awful to hear, even if he meant it well. Just hearing him say it felt so weird. He didn’t need to even tell me; it seemed such a formal thing to say.’

‘Don’t overthink it, hun. Of course, he loves you the same as he always did. You must believe that,’ Ellie said, tiptoeing on eggshells.

‘I suppose so, but I can’t help wondering if it must have changed the way he sees me. Mum hasn’t forgiven me for stirring things up, even if she is wrong. Whenever I’m around, she’s so tight and closed – we both are – and I do feel angry with her.’

‘Mum will have to accept that. If she’s being awkward with you, it’s because she must feel guilty. Has she given you any clue at all who …?’ In the nick of time, Ellie slammed the brakes on her next phrase. There was no way she was going to refer to any other man but her own father as Scarlett’s dad. ‘Who he might be?’

‘She won’t even admit to me or Dad that she had an affair, not even after the other tests we did.’

‘It must be driving you mad. I love her, but it would be better if she told Dad the truth. Better for everyone, especially you, and if she did own up, perhaps they could start to move on. Of course you can come down here, as long as you know that one day in the not-too-distant future, we might have to leave again.’

‘I know that, and if they do split up – and maybe they won’t – I’ll have to make other plans. Maybe if you want to stay in Porthmellow we can get a flat or a house together. If we keep saving up what we’d have had to fork out in rent, that would help. If you are staying, of course.’ Scarlett’s voice lifted hopefully.

It was happening again – temptation was being put in her way. The house, Aaron, the community and now Scarlett luring her to linger. Maybe Scarlett was right. This was an omen – a series of omens – that meant she should stay in Porthmellow.

‘I don’t know what my long-term plans are. I do like it here and I must admit that I’m very tempted to stay. I’d love to have you … as long as being in Porthmellow again doesn’t stir up unhappy memories.’