TIME FOR TRUTH

Anneke hums to herself she ladles coffee into the cafetière and adds hot water. She inhales the rich aroma, sets the timer for four minutes and goes to the pantry to fetch the cake tin. As she lifts the lid she inhales again, savouring the dense, sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon.  She cuts a large slice, quickly licking her finger as the sauce oozes from the cake, then she wraps the portion into a piece of waxed cotton covered in yellow bumble bees. The timer bleeps and she pushes down the filter and pours the coffee into a flask. She smiles to herself as she packs the drink and snack into a basket. John deserves a treat, he is so busy at the moment he rarely stops for lunch.

Before she sets off, she takes a moment to apply the tinted lip gloss which Margaret gave her for her birthday and runs a comb through her freshly washed hair which she has left  loose today, cascading around her shoulders.. The sun is bright as she steps outside into the courtyard and she delves in her bag for the vintage tortoiseshell sunglasses which were a charity shop find. Margaret said they made her look chic, which caused her to blush. She is feeling carefree – it can’t be long before the mad busy-ness of Greenfest is over and things can return to normal. She misses the quiet rhythm of life on the farm and at Tregethlan. It hasn’t been the same since she and Valerie found Sheila and Treve on that shocking day. She craves a return to a life of quiet and simple routine.

Overhead a buzzing shape swoops across the sky. Luke has got his drone going. It darts across the sky and then pauses, resting in flight like a bird of prey. She heard him say he was doing an aerial survey of the site for health and safety purposes but she suspects he is a man who loves to play with toys and gadgets and flits from one project to another. Not like John, a man of his word who commits to a task and sees it through.

She wanders down the track, her sandals disturbing swathes of dust from the parched earth as she walks along swinging her basket, singing softly to herself. She is enjoying the feel of the gentle breeze lifting her hair and the warmth of the sun on her face. She wonders idly what the drone might see. The Greenfest site extends across a dozen fields. There are three stages, the eco stage for the main acts such as Jim Glasgow, whilst the smaller stages in the fields closer to the beach are for the lower profile acts like Ellie Pool. Anneke is looking forward to seeing this local girl perform. She enjoys gentle folk ballads.

There are areas set aside for activities such as yoga, dance and meditation. A sign points to tree bathing in the woods. There is an acoustic area where musicians can play  ‘unplugged’, and an entertainment tent hosting comedy acts. A spicy aroma rises from the Thai curry stand as Anneke wanders past. Food providers have set up early to cater for the many staff working on site. There are a variety of vans and stalls selling falafels, fish and chips, burgers and hot dogs, vegan meals, pasties and cream teas. John made sure that local businesses would have priority in getting a pitch on site.

There are tents selling brightly coloured clothing, trousers, skirts, jackets and t-shirts in cottons of ethnic origin. There are stalls selling wellingtons and waxed jackets for the visitors who have come ill prepared for the vagaries of the Cornish climate. Vast areas are set aside for the campers, most of whom will arrive tomorrow, but some tents and vans are already on site belonging to the stall holders. Beyond that further fields are empty but cordoned off ready to accommodate the vehicles of the day visitors, though many will use the park-and-ride service from Portglas.

Anneke shudders to think of the amount of mess that will need to be cleared up afterwards. She continues her walk down the track to the river where John is dealing with a blockage to the stream. As she draws close she sees that he is taking a break. He is lying on the riverbank propped up on his elbows and Jo sits cross-legged beside him, her skirt spread out around her long slender legs as she chats to John. They are laughing. John leans forward to ruffle Jo’s hair and Jo responds by pulling John towards her. Anneke stops dead, holding her breath. She had no idea that John and Jo were involved like that. She looks down at her picnic basket then shuts her eyes – what a fool. Jo and John are probably laughing at her. Who was she to think that John would look at her, mousy and invisible compared to stunning, passionate Jo?

Anneke turns on her heels and marches back up the hill. All she can think about is finding Margaret and getting back to work. Her vision is blurred and she wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her cardigan. She won’t let down her guard again, far better to be single, independent and emotionally invulnerable. She is getting hot from striding up the hill and stops to pull off her cardigan and tie it around her waist. She pulls a clip from the pocket of her dress and rakes her hair back into a ponytail, then she picks up her basket and resumes the climb up the hill towards the house.

As she draws close, the front door opens and Luke emerges in his Greenfest sweatshirt and Hunter Wellingtons. Mrs Clemens is holding onto his arm. wearing a dress that Anneke has not seen before. It is lavender crepe de chine with a soft cowl neckline, exuding quality but perhaps now a little too big for her. Margaret has covered her shoulders with a silk fringed shawl in soft pink. Incongruously, she is wearing sequinned trainers. It is the sort of outfit Jo would pull off with elegance but on Margaret it looks eccentric. Anneke’s heart goes out to her. Margaret is not the only one making a fool of herself.

‘Good morning Mrs Clemens.’

‘Hello dear, Luke is going to take me on a tour of the site in his car. Aren’t we lucky with this glorious weather?’ Margaret’s cheeks are pink and her eyes are shining.

‘It is lovely, but I’ve heard the weather might be turning.’

‘I am sure it is going to be fine – there’s not a cloud in the sky – the forecasters never get it right.’

Luke leans forward. ‘Would you like a champagne cocktail Anneke? Mrs C and I have been celebrating – there’s another bottle in the fridge.’

Anneke smiles and shakes her head. Should he be driving?

‘Mother!’

They turned to see Jo entering the garden with John trailing in her wake. Her cotton maxi skirt wraps around her in the breeze, giving her the silhouette of a model. She looks beautiful and Anneke’s chest tightens.

‘Good morning Josephine. A beautiful day for the festival I think you’ll agree.’

Jo is close now and Margaret is gripping Luke’s arm, her knuckles blanching. He puts a reassuring hand over Margaret’s.

‘You still don’t get it do you Mother? The damage you are doing.’

‘Jo darling, let’s move on – let’s make the best of things.’

Margaret reaches out seeking to touch her daughter’s forearm, but Jo pulls back her arm with vigour. Luke supports Margaret as she wobbles.

All at once, Anneke finds herself shouting at Jo. ‘Leave your mother alone! Don’t you realise that everything she is doing is to protect your inheritance? You are nothing but a spoilt little rich girl who has a family, home and money, yet appreciates none of it. You don’t know how lucky you are.’

Anneke turns on her heel and strides across the garden towards the back of the house. She is unaccustomed to this feeling. Rage is powerful.

Jo looks round for John but he ignores her and turns to follow Anneke.

Chapter 39