Return To Bluebell Hill. Rebecca Pugh

      During a lunch of salad in the cottage garden, bowls scattered across the iron table providing a selection of tasty food from new potatoes to crunchy carrot sticks, Jessica learnt that Rueben was a handyman and helpful gardener in Bluebell Hill. Esme complimented his skills and told Jessica of how the women in the village called him round not only to trim their hedges but to admire him up a set of ladders, too. Rueben shrugged it all off modestly, throwing a couple of handsome, amused grins Jessica’s way, to which she couldn’t help but giggle in return. Whenever Rueben smiled his green eyes lit up, appearing more vibrant somehow. It was hard not to look at his strong neck muscles when he threw his head back to laugh. Everything about the man was pleasing to look at, Jessica realised. Absolutely everything.

      She found out that Rueben’s father owned a farm shop a couple of miles away from the village, selling eggs, hefty sacks of potatoes, carrots and radishes that he’d grown himself at his allotments. Rueben’s mother was an avid cook and no longer worked but spent her days in the kitchen of their small home that sat prettily on the outskirts of Bluebell Hill. ‘She’s happiest at home in the kitchen,’ Rueben had explained, smiling fondly as he spoke about her. ‘And she cooks the best food in the world, take it from me. I sometimes miss living at home just because of that fact. Thankfully, I don’t live too far away, just the next town over, so I still stop off there sometimes if I’m feeling peckish.’ He grinned cheekily, completely at ease with himself and with the company that he was sharing.

      As he told them childhood tales, Jessica became captivated by him, slowly forgetting about the emotional upheaval of the morning. His enthusiasm for gardening and Bluebell Hill itself, as well as going on morning runs and visiting his nieces and nephews, had Jessica sitting up a little straighter in her chair, laughing and smiling and willing him to carry on. His smile was infectious and she was eager to hear more about Rueben and his quiet life. Wanting to know more.

      Eventually, once their plates were empty, conversation turned towards Bluebell House. When Rueben began to direct questions at Jessica in regards to it, she could feel herself retreating, not wanting to reveal too much, beginning to clam up like an oyster shell. She couldn’t help it. It was automatic. Any mention of her childhood home or her parents, and she felt her throat tightening, snatching away the ability to speak. She’d been having such a good time, too.

      ‘I guess Bluebell House has been left to you, Jessica?’ Rueben asked as the day began to wind down. The sky was softening as evening began to creep in. ‘It’s such a beautiful place. I’m still taking care of the gardens despite no one being there. I don’t like the thought of it all going to tatters. A garden like that deserves only the best love and care.’

      ‘You sound very fond it,’ Jessica commented as a look of pride passed over his handsome features.

      ‘Oh, I am,’ Rueben enthused. ‘Your parents were the first people to take me on when I decided to offer my gardening services in the village. They entrusted their gardens to my care and I couldn’t thank them enough. Thankfully, they were impressed with my work and told me I had a permanent place there if I wanted it. Once the village folk were aware that I was working there, they wanted my services too. Mind you, I didn’t see much of your parents after that first visit. I was only seventeen. I’d never known two people to be out of their home as much as they were. It was always empty inside, which I thought was a real shame. If it had been my home, I would have been there every day.’ He laughed. ‘I had a spare set of keys to let myself in case I ever needed anything but I rarely saw them besides the odd passing glimpse.’

      Jessica knew that feeling only too well. Her parents had been the two most absent people she had ever known. ‘Yes, they were very busy, my parents,’ she said, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. She cleared her throat quickly. ‘Still, I’m glad you love it so much and that you’re still taking care of the gardens. It’s nice to know someone cares about the place despite the owners no longer being around.’ She studied the table.

      ‘Do you know what you’ll do with it? Bluebell House, I mean?’ Rueben couldn’t seem to meet her eyes as he asked the question and, for the first time, Jessica thought she saw sadness in his own. He really did love that house, she realised, watching his face carefully.

      She chewed her lip and looked at Esme for some sort of support, but then finally, she shrugged. ‘I have no idea,’ she answered truthfully. ‘I mean, what am I supposed to do with it? It’s huge, way too big for me. And it’s never really felt like home.’ She allowed that confession to hang in the silent air for a few moments, wanting to take it back as soon as the words had left her mouth.

      ‘You don’t need to decide right now, dear,’ Esme said briskly, rising from her seat and gathering the empty glasses. ‘You have more than enough time to reach a sensible decision. Anyway, let’s get this lot inside.’

      Rueben stood immediately and went to grab some of the empty bowls but Esme shooed him away. ‘And that would be my cue to leave.’ He planted a gentle kiss on Esme’s cheek as he thanked her for the lunch and then turned to Jessica. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you,’ he said, smiling warmly. ‘I hope we meet again soon. I’m sure we will.’ He held eye contact with her for a second longer before turning away and leaving through a gate at the side of the cottage.

      ‘Such a lovely boy, isn’t he?’ Esme cooed after his departure.

      Jessica smiled as she followed Esme inside. She took the plates and cups from the woman’s arms and deposited them in the kitchen sink. He is rather lovely, she thought to herself as Esme closed the back door and joined her to get started on the washing up. Rather lovely indeed.

       Chapter Four

      The following morning, during breakfast in the cosy kitchen, Esme addressed the subject of Bluebell House.

      ‘You understand that Bluebell House is now your responsibility, Jessica? It’s entirely up to you what you do with it. You can either, keep it for yourself and move in. You could rent it out. Or, you can pack it up, empty the rooms, and sell it on. I’m not going to force you in any direction because whichever you eventually decide to do, it’ll be a big decision to make. We also need to organise an estate agent for if you do decide to sell. Everything else has already been dealt with. There are no outstanding debts, nothing that needs to be addressed. The future of Bluebell House is within your hands.’

      Jessica swallowed down a mouthful of warm porridge and surveyed Esme across the chunky wooden table between them. That was quite a lot to take in. She’d acquired Bluebell House. She took a moment to process her thoughts. ‘At the moment I’m leaning more towards the idea of selling it. Bluebell House doesn’t really appeal to me at all, Esme. I know it sounds awful, seeing as it was my parents’ home, and mine years ago, but I just can’t see any reason at all to keep it. I much prefer the idea of passing it on to someone else, someone who would actually want to live there.’

      Esme nodded. ‘Like I said, it’s entirely up to you. If selling Bluebell House is what you want to do then that’s what you have to do, dear. I completely understand why you’d want that. It’s your decision to make. No one else can make it for you and I wouldn’t want anyone else to make it for you, either.’

      Jessica nodded as she spooned another mound of porridge into her mouth. She didn’t feel capable of making decisions anymore. It was like she’d lost all control of her ability to make up her mind when normally she was brilliant at it. It seemed that when it came to matters of the heart she was still just a little girl.

      ‘We could always take a walk up there today and see what’s what?’ Esme offered as she rose from the table. ‘If you choose to sell then it’s probably best that you start packing it up as soon as you can. I know you have your job waiting for you back in London, as well as your friends, and there’s an awful lot of stuff in Bluebell House. It may take a while to fully empty it and get everything packed up.’

      The thought of going back to Bluebell House filled Jessica with an unpleasantness in her stomach