‘Now those of us down here are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful parts of England – as a proud Sussex man I’d even say one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I’ve grown up with that beauty and the last thing I want to do is to spoil it in any way. Projects I’ve worked on recently – the Smalting Lifeboat Centre and the Clincham Haymarket Gallery—’ the mention of these names drew appreciative murmurs from his audience – ‘have, I’m glad to say, received very favourable responses and indeed won a few awards for the way they have married contemporary facilities with traditional design.
‘You see, I’ve now got to the stage of my life when, looking back on all the benefits that living in this beautiful area has given me, I’m asking myself: What can I do to pay back some of that good fortune? In what way can I use my skills to give something to the Fethering community? And developing Polly’s Cake Shop as a Community Amenity is exactly the sort of project that I think could answer my need. I am proposing that my company, Warboys Heritage Construction, should buy Polly’s Cake Shop.’
This raised huge enthusiasm from the committee, even to the extent that Phoebe Braithwaite peered round the kitchen door to see what was going on.
Kent Warboys raised his hands to quell the reaction before it turned into applause. ‘Now, I don’t want you to think that I’m being completely altruistic here. I’m not proposing to buy that place and make a gift of it to the SPCS Action Committee – much as I would like to be able to do that. No, I am a businessman and what I am proposing is a business plan. If Warboys Heritage Construction were to purchase the Polly’s Cake Shop site, my plans would be to improve and refurbish the existing flat above the café, and to build two more flats on what is currently the back yard.’
‘But, Kent,’ objected Arnold Bloom, gleeful that the conversation had moved on to a subject on which he was something of an expert, ‘I think you might find it hard to obtain planning permission for such a project. The local Planning Committee, I’m glad to say, are very averse to uncontrolled development of this locality.’
‘Maybe,’ Quintus Braithwaite interposed, ‘but the members of the Planning Committee are reasonable people. There’s one Kent and I know who’s also a member of Fethering Yacht Club, and I’m sure if we were to casually spell out to him the advantages of—’
‘I’m afraid nowadays backscratching by the Old Boys’ Network doesn’t work quite the way it used to, Mr Chairman.’ Arnold was approaching his high horse with great relish. ‘If you’re suggesting you’re going to get planning permission on a nod and a wink and a few expensive dinners, then—’
‘I am not suggesting anything of the kind! I am only saying that if one has useful contacts, one should—’
‘And I am telling you that we’re no longer in the days of T. Dan Smith and John Poulson!’ Puzzled looks on the faces of the younger committee members showed that they weren’t familiar with corruption trials of the early 1970s. And also suggested that Arnold Bloom might be a lot older than he looked. He went on, ‘Planning permission is not something that can be taken for granted. We’re very close here to the Arundel Park Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the idea of luxury flats being built on Fethering seafront is just the kind of thing that …’
Kent Warboys had raised a polite finger to stop Arnold in mid-flow, and it worked. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt you, Arnold, but I have no plans to build luxury flats. What I am talking of building is what we are constantly being told by every government of every hue is needed – particularly here in the southeast – affordable housing.
‘The existing flat and the ones I’m proposing to build will be priced in such a way that they could allow three young couples, brought up round here but unable to afford local prices, to stay in the area of their birth.’ Another murmur of approbation.
‘And in all this, let me stress that I am not forgetting the reason why you are all gathered here tonight at Hiawatha. You are the SPCS Action Committee, and your aim is to meet the goal of saving Polly’s Cake Shop. Well, my plans would achieve that, because the profit made on selling the three flats on the site would enable me to offer the ground-floor café area to be developed as a Community Amenity rent-free!’
This time Kent Warboys did not prevent the assembled throng from clapping. Nor from strongly endorsing his proposal that Warboys Heritage Construction should enter negotiations for the purchase of Polly’s Cake Shop.
Needless to say, the minute Quintus Braithwaite had banged his gavel to mark the official ending of the meeting, Phoebe was straight in from the kitchen with her tray of wine and glasses. There was an atmosphere of celebration in the drinking that followed, and in the course of it Jude was introduced to Kent Warboys.
‘Ah, we have a mutual friend,’ he said.
‘Oh?’
‘Sara Courtney.’
‘Ah.’
‘She’s very grateful to you for the help you gave her when—’ he didn’t want to spell out too much detail in public – ‘when she needed it.’
‘My pleasure. Glad she’s feeling better.’
‘Yes,’ said Kent Warboys with a grin. ‘She’s feeling a lot better.’
And the way he said the words made Jude wonder whether he had made any contribution to Sara’s newfound well-being.
EIGHT
Jude was surprised the following morning to have a phone call on the dot of seven. It was rather earlier than she liked to begin the process of waking up.
She was also surprised to find that the caller was Carole.
‘Is everything all right? Has the baby started?’
‘No, I haven’t heard anything from Fulham for three days.’ She sounded upset by this lack of communication.
‘Well, I’m sure in this case no news is good news. They don’t want to ring you until there’s something to say.’
‘Maybe not.’ Carole didn’t sound convinced. ‘Stephen always did have a very secretive streak.’
Congenital? Jude wondered. But she didn’t voice the thought. Instead she said, ‘Everything will be absolutely fine. Gaby had all those tests last week and they all proved that the baby was in excellent form.’
‘Yes. But I still worry.’ This was unusual from Carole. Normally she’d do anything rather than express her feelings – or admit to having any. ‘I’ve been awake most of the night.’
Jude was well practised in supplying comfort to the troubled, but she’d rarely had to offer it to her neighbour. ‘Look, do you want to come round and talk about it?’
‘Well …’ Carole was tempted. ‘But I haven’t taken Gulliver out for his walk yet.’
‘Or had breakfast?’
‘No.’
‘Then I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Just give me time to have a shower and get some clothes on, then I’ll join you for a walk. A good workout for Gulliver should take what … half an hour …?’
‘About that.’
‘Which would mean that at eight o’clock, when Polly’s Cake Shop opens, we could settle down for an indulgently large breakfast there.’
Carole didn’t demur. Which was a measure of how bad a state she was in. Normally she hated being organized by anyone. But on this occasion she needed help. Even more remarkable, she had virtually admitted to Jude that she needed help.
It was nippy on Fethering Beach. The October mornings were cold. Jude had already put Woodside Cottage’s central heating on, timed for a couple of hours early morning and a couple early evening. And if she was at home in the evening, she lit a fire. Carole, who still thought the whole concept of central heating was something of an indulgence, hadn’t switched hers on yet.