Birds of a Feather. Cressida McLaughlin

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СКАЧАТЬ had several important meetings on Friday, one of which was with the bank,’ she said, talking over Abby. ‘And the situation at Meadowsweet isn’t improving. I value all your efforts, and I know you’ve been working hard to keep this place going, however, it hasn’t been enough, and while some publicity is good, some is decidedly not.’

      She didn’t look at Abby, but her meaning was clear. Abby dropped her head, her neck burning.

      ‘Anyway, that is an aside. My meeting with Mr Philpott was before the Sunday papers, and they had no bearing on his decision. We haven’t been making a profit, it’s as simple as that, and I cannot hold off the wolves any longer. I was given a number of options; seek an investor in the reserve or sell off some of its assets. While one of those is much more attractive than the other, I fear I no longer have a choice. Running Meadowsweet has never been about making money, it’s been about protecting the land, the wildlife, giving people the chance to see it, but without any sort of profit, it can’t survive. And now our time has run out.’

      ‘But couldn’t we keep looking for an investor?’ Rosa asked, her palms pressed together.

      ‘Rosa,’ Penelope said, a sigh in her voice, ‘I’ve been trying. A friend of mine has been exploring the options on my behalf, and it’s all been in vain. No, the decision is made. I’m going to have to sell Swallowtail House.’

      There was a stunned silence, and Abby sank lower in her seat, wondering if things could get any worse.

      ‘Will that impact on the reserve?’ Stephan asked eventually.

      Penelope pursed her lips, and Abby could imagine how hard it had been to say those words, to admit that the home she had been happy in with Al, that she had fought so hard to hold on to, was now going to be lost. What happened to the reserve was, perhaps, not the point for her.

      ‘It could do,’ Penelope said. ‘Of course, I own the estate, and am entitled to sell which parts I want, and the house itself is listed. But the grounds directly abut the reserve, and depending on who buys it and what their plans are, it could significantly impact on the harmony, the sanctity of Meadowsweet. Our only option is to move onwards and upwards, and hope that the new owner will be sympathetic to its position.’

      ‘I’m so sorry,’ Abby said. ‘I know what the house means to you.’

      ‘Do you?’ Her voice was sharp. ‘Do you have any understanding at all, of Swallowtail, of the reserve and their significance – of Al’s legacy? Because if you did, I believe you wouldn’t have been so casual in your handling of it.’

      ‘Penelope!’ Abby gasped.

      ‘I know Jack Westcoat, of course,’ she continued. ‘I can understand the attraction. But while you’ve been allowing him to take up all your time, you have let us down. Planning events halfheartedly, or leaving it so late that you’re in such a state by the time they come round you’re unable to deal with problems effectively. That is no way to run a public-facing business at the best of times, let alone when it’s in crisis.’

      ‘Now hang on,’ Stephan said.

      ‘Not to mention this latest failing.’ Penelope kept going, ignoring him. ‘While Reston Marsh is bathing in the wholesome publicity of Wild Wonders, you have got yourself embroiled in some sort of scandalous love triangle. I don’t claim to know the truth and I don’t want to know, but this, Abby, is not the kind of press we need. I don’t want you to be the only attraction anyone is interested in. First it was Jack, and now he’s gone back to London, he’s left you in his place. I had hoped, with his departure, the whole debacle would be over.’

      ‘Jack’s gone?’ Rosa asked, flashing Abby a concerned look.

      Abby couldn’t move, couldn’t blink or breathe or open her mouth to respond to Penelope’s accusations.

      ‘I have been considering your position, Abigail, and I’m struggling to see any reason to keep you on here.’

      There was a beat of silence, and then Rosa and Stephan started talking at once, leaning forward towards their boss.

      ‘Abby’s been brilliant, you can’t get rid of her.’

      ‘The whole thing will fall apart without her!’

      Penelope held a hand up, stopping them. ‘I am still considering it. I’ll make my decision by the end of the week. Now, back to work, all of you. And I mean work, not gossip.’

      They left her office, Stephan retrieving the tray of untouched drinks. Abby was last, and she half-expected Penelope to call her back, to give her a private dressing-down, or maybe ask what had happened with Jack. Leo had obviously been in touch with her, to let her know he was giving up his lease on Peacock Cottage, which was probably another blow to the finances of the estate.

      ‘She’s upset about the house,’ Rosa whispered as they walked slowly to the reception desk, where Maureen was talking to a group of visitors. ‘She’s not going to fire you. It would be a ridiculous, counterproductive move. Either she has no idea how much you really do here, or she’s just angry and can’t think straight. But what happened with Jack?’

      They heard the click of Penelope’s door opening, and Rosa hurried back to the shop.

      Abby took over from Maureen, and then, when reception was quiet, pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped a text to Rosa.

       It’s a mess. Come to the pub with me later? x

      Her friend’s reply was instant.

       Sure. Xx

      Abby hadn’t had a message from Jack since their parting the day before, but maybe he was feeling as shell-shocked as she was. She hadn’t sent him one either, and how could she now, when she was on the verge of losing her job, when he’d told her that the thought of her striding through the reserve was keeping him going, and very soon she might not even have that?

       Chapter Three

       Many species of ducks, geese and wading birds are only visitors to the UK, coming here for the food and the warmer weather and returning home in the spring. When you hear the honking call of geese above you and look up, you can often see them flying in a V shape. This is so they can get where they need to go more quickly, the bird at the front breaking up the wall of air, like an arrow. When one bird is injured and can no longer fly, family members stay with it, looking after it until it recovers, and then they all set off again together.

      — Note from Abby’s notebook.

      Abby arrived at the pub after collecting Raffle, expecting to find Rosa waiting for her at a table for two. Instead, she was at their usual, large table in the window. And so were Jonny, Stephan, Gavin and Octavia. A pint of lager sat bubbling at the empty place, and Abby, grateful and wary, dropped into the chair, picked up the drink and took a long, fortifying sip.

      ‘Dear Abby,’ Octavia said. ‘You’ve had a trying few days. Come, tell us everything, get it off your chest.’

      ‘What happened with Jack?’ Rosa asked. ‘Why has he gone back to London?’

      ‘Did СКАЧАТЬ