The Garden of Forgotten Wishes - Trisha Ashley Page 0,79

permission … and plumbing …’ He ran his hands through his hair in a distracted way.

‘The current loos must be on the other side of the wall at the far end, so there shouldn’t be any difficulties with the plumbing. And you aren’t building a new shop, just extending into another area of it,’ I said reassuringly. ‘If the loo is at the end of this new part, perhaps divided by a stud wall, then the museum section can be in front of it … with more displays of things for sale nearer the exit door.’

‘We had to take the flags up in the shop and put a damp-proof membrane down before we re-layed them,’ Ned said. ‘We’d have to do the same in here.’

‘We might be able to save money by doing some of the decorating ourselves. I can do plastering, rough or otherwise, so you needn’t pay for that.’

‘Really?’ he asked sceptically.

‘I have all kinds of odd skills, from helping to renovate all those châteaux,’ I reminded him. ‘You can’t sit about in the evenings watching people working around you.’

‘I suppose not,’ he agreed.

‘I do think it will pay dividends in the long run, Ned, and sometimes you have to set a sprat to catch a mackerel.’

That was one of Aunt Em’s sayings.

‘You said you’d like to display the original garden plans and some of the old photos and documents here, for the visitors to see.’

‘True, and I do have several things we’ve found in the outhouses, like old gardening tools and blown-glass forcing jars, which would make a good display,’ he said, warming slightly to the idea. ‘I’ve still got more boxes of old papers and photos to sort through, if I ever have any time.’

‘Perfect: photos of the garden and house, past and present, a pamphlet about the history of the family and the garden … Elf could write that, and visitors will love to learn about the buccaneering Grace. I’m sure he had that sundial made now I’ve seen it closer. That’s a very Tudor galleon and the writing’s old and funny.’

‘You’re probably right. I think it was on the lawn behind the house originally, but was moved to its present spot later.’

‘So, are you going to add converting this building to your plans – maybe get someone to do an estimate?’ I demanded.

‘I’ll think about it,’ he said, and led the way back into the cobbled courtyard, locking the gate behind us.

‘Meanwhile, you need one of those big collecting boxes so people can donate towards the restoration of the garden.’

‘So you said … Seems a cheek when they’ve just paid four quid to look at it.’

‘There are a lot of garden lovers out there,’ I said, and then checked my watch and realized how long I must have spent pottering about with Ned.

‘Look at the time! I’ll have to go,’ I said. ‘Treena came over this morning with her friend Luke, the archaeologist in charge of that dig.’

‘You’d better get off, then,’ he said, and I thought he sounded slightly disappointed. Probably he’d hoped to rope me in for a bit of extra work, as Elf had warned me.

‘Treena’s meeting me at the bridge. She’s never been further into Jericho’s End than Risings, when she’s been called out to see the Pekingese, so it’s time she did. I thought we’d go up the River Walk and—’

My phone buzzed, cutting me off, and I fished it out of my pocket. ‘On my way, Treena!’ I said hastily. ‘Two minutes.’

I looked up. ‘Have to dash. Treena’s already waiting for me.’

Something about his expression – I don’t know, perhaps I imagined a faint wistfulness had replaced the disappointment – made me add, ‘Luke’s meeting us for lunch at the pub – join us if you’re free?’

I didn’t wait for an answer; I was already heading for the gate to the rose garden. I nearly dropped the phone again, trying to shove it in my pocket as I ran past the koi pond, another watery phone death narrowly averted, though maybe it would have lasted long enough for the fish to call their friends.

I wonder what fish would talk about to each other. Maybe the huge, orange, hairy creature that sat on the edge of the pool watching them, with a kind of detached, languid interest, and who barely glanced at me as I hurtled past.

Treena was standing in the embrasure on the upstream side of the bridge, leaning over the wide stone wall to watch the water