Knit One Pearl One Read online

  “Archie likes her too. He says she smells of flowers, and when she reads stories she does lots of different voices.”

  Tina smiles. “Top marks all round then.”

  We’re clearing the plates ready to bring the jelly and ice cream in when Daniel arrives.

  “Hello angel, sorry we’re so late. Tony got lost, again. Say sorry, Tony.”

  Tony steps forward, grinning, and hands me two birthday cards. “Sorry Tony.”

  “It’s fine, Tony, and thank you, that’s really sweet of you.”

  Daniel shakes his head. “It’s not fine; I wanted to be here on time.”

  “You’re in time for the cake, Daniel, and that’s the big moment. Actually, you can carry Pearl’s in if you like while I do Jack’s.”

  “Really?”

  He looks very pleased, and hands his camera to Tony.

  “Much as it pains me, here, try and take some snaps with this, would you? Preferably where we all have heads, that kind of thing. The light’s fine, so just don’t touch anything.”

  Tony gives him a Look. “Who do you think fixes all your jobs when you’re heading for disaster again?”

  “Me.”

  He laughs. “I believe you, guv, thousands wouldn’t.”

  The cakes are a triumph, Mark has really excelled himself. Jack has a giant J-shaped chocolate cake, with candles and indoor sparklers, and Pearl’s is a pink extravaganza with edible glitter. She’s completely thrilled. We sing “Happy Birthday” and then shepherd everyone outside to work off some of the sugar overload by racing round the bonfire before the fireworks kick off.

  I’m making another round of cups of teas and coffee when Daniel comes in with two more cups. “Reg says he’d like one sugar this time.”

  “Okay.”

  “Great bonfire. Here, I got this for my girl, but I didn’t want you opening it in front of everyone.”

  He reaches into his satchel and hands me a battered old leather box, in pale green leather.

  It’s a tiara, with a pearl in the middle, and what look like diamonds suspended in the middle of the flower shapes that surround the pearl.

  “Oh, God, Daniel, it’s gorgeous.”

  “It’s a necklace too. That central bit unclips and there’s a silver chain, in that little velvet pocket, see?”

  “It’s beautiful. She’ll love it, but it’s far too—”

  “I know, but I couldn’t resist it. It probably belonged to another Principessa. I found it in Venice. It just seemed so perfect, and I thought you could save it for her, for when she’s bigger.”

  “Of course I will. Actually, she’d love it now, but I’d be worried she’d break it, it’s so delicate.”

  “Good, I’m glad you like it. I told the guy in the shop it was for my two-year-old daughter. It felt great saying it, actually, and he went all soppy; you know what the Italians are like about kids. So I had to buy it after that. But we can’t have our girl with better jewelry than her mum, can we? So here.”

  He hands me another battered box, this time in navy blue leather.

  “Daniel, you shouldn’t— Oh, my God.”

  It’s the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen. A pearl necklace, with what I seriously hope aren’t diamonds around the central pearl, which is huge, and beautiful pearl earrings to match. I should probably refuse it, but I can’t. I love it too much already.

  “Thank you, so much, it’s absolutely beautiful.”

  “Great, so now you’ve both got diamonds. Girl’s best friend, right?”

  “Definitely.”

  Bloody hell, they really are diamonds.

  “And you’re still sure, angel? No second thoughts? There could be more diamonds, just say the word.”

  He’s looking nervous.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to change my mind.”

  He grins. “But wherever you are, whoever you’re with, I’m access all areas, yes? Well, not all areas but—”

  “I know what you mean, Daniel, and yes. You’re stuck with us now.”

  “Good. What did you get her by the way?”

  “A plastic toddler-size kitchen, with plastic plates and saucepans and food. It’s completely hideous. But at least it won’t cause any damage if I put her saucepans on fast spin. Tragically stereotypical, I know, but she loves it.”

  “Whatever gets you through the night, right?”

  “Yes.”

  He puts his arms round my waist and kisses me on the cheek, just as the kitchen door opens and Martin comes in.

  Damn. They’ve been ignoring each other so far, not in any obvious way, but there’s definitely been a tension. Which has just got a whole lot worse.

  “Hello Martin. How are you?”

  “I was fine, until you turned up. Can we have a word? Outside?”

  Oh, God.

  “Sure, what about? It’s not about the wonderful world of wood, is it mate, because to be honest, it’s not really my thing.”

  “I want to know what your intentions are. With Jo. I mean obviously Jo.”

  “Sorry?”

  “Do you love her? Because if you do, well, that’s fine. I mean not fine, obviously, but I can accept that. But if you don’t, then I think you should leave. It’s the last thing she needs, the last thing the kids need, someone wasting their time. So, do you?”

  “Sorry, you’ve lost me. Do I what?”

  “Love her.”

  “I’m not sure I’m really comfortable discussing that with someone wearing such a ridiculous hat. Your mother made it, is that right?”

  Martin goes red, and pulls his hat off.

  “That’s better. Now, where were we?”

  Martin steps forward. “Will you just answer the question?”

  “Or what? Christ, you’re not going to challenge me to a duel are you? With special chisels or something?”

  Crikey. So much testosterone, so little time. Actually, this is getting ridiculous.

  “Daniel, stop it.”

  He smiles. “It’s fine, angel. We’re just having a chat. You need to channel it, mate, be a bit more assertive in your daily life, don’t go round bottling it all up and then start venting at people.”

  “Daniel, I mean it. Stop it.”

  “It’s all right. I’m just giving a few tips, man to man.”

  Martin looks furious.

  Oh, God, they’re glaring at each now.

  Tony arrives, looking breathless. “What’s going on here then? Come on, gents, let’s break this up, shall we? I’ve always wanted to say that. Not much chance surrounded by models and bloody clients. Come on, guv, let’s—”

  “Fuck off, Tony. There’s nothing to break up. He’s come in, said his piece, and taken his woolly hat off. And now he’s done. About time too, if you ask me.”

  And then Martin shoves him, and he lurches backward, and then he shoves him back.

  It’s so ridiculous I think we’re all slightly stunned for a moment.

  “Stop it, right now. Honestly, you’re worse than the kids. Martin, go back outside, and Daniel, pull yourself together.”

  “Why do I have to be the one that goes outside?”

  Daniel sniggers.

  “Right, I’ll go outside, and when you’ve both finished behaving like children, you can both bugger off home. I’ve had quite enough of this.”

  “No, it’s fine Jo. I’ll go out. I need to help Dad with the fireworks.”

  Martin glares at Daniel, picks up his hat, and slams the door behind him.

  “What’s his problem?”

  “I quite liked him.” Tony’s grinning.

  “Tony, you know that thing where I tell you to piss off, and you don’t get it?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re doing it right now.”

  “Oh. Right. I’m off for another little walk then. Only could you hurry up, guv? It’s bloody freezing out there and we should be at the hotel for dinner with the client in about an hour. And it’s at least a three-hour drive.
See you later, Jo.”

  “Bye Tony.”

  “Well, that was a turn-up for the books.”

  “It’s not a joke, Daniel.”

  “I know, angel. But wait for a bit, will you?”

  “Wait for what?”

  “Before you tell him that he’s just made a total tit of himself and we’re friends and nothing else. And don’t tell him we were ever talking about, well, about anything else. I don’t want him thinking he’s seen me off.”

  “Daniel.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  “I know that, angel. But I’m your kind of ridiculous, and anyway, we’re going to be friends, and friends do favors for each other, don’t they?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well then, make him sweat for a bit, before you tell him he’s won.”

  “He hasn’t won. Christ I’m not a prize in a lucky dip.”

  He smiles.

  “And if you ever behave like that again, I’m seriously going to lose my temper with you.”

  “Sorry. But he loves you, didn’t you hear him? And that’s a start, isn’t it? And he’s a decent enough bloke. Terrible temper, but you can’t have everything.”

  “I’ve never seen him like that before.”

  “But girls like that sort of stuff, don’t they?”

  “Not really. Not if they’ve got any sense they don’t.”

  “Oh, I get it. You don’t know if you love him back?”

  “I do, in lots of ways, but it’s complicated.”

  “It always is.”

  “I know.”

  “All’s fair in love and war, angel.”

  “Yes, and that’s bollocks too. Fair is fair. It doesn’t change just because love gets involved. And as for war, there’d be far less of that if men didn’t think it was all right to go round shoving people. It’s pathetic.”

  “True. And I promise I’ll try harder to play nicely next time I see him, okay?”

  “You bloody well better.”

  “I’ll call you.”

  “Okay, and thank you, for the presents. They’re, well, they’re amazing.”

  “Nothing less than you deserve, angel.”

  He kisses me on the cheek and goes off back through the hall and out the main door.

  I’m still trying to work out if I want to kick something or burst into tears when Gran comes in. “Was that Daniel leaving?”

  “Yes, Gran.”

  “He’s a lovely man, but that sort is always more trouble than they’re worth, in the end. Like your Nick, too clever for his own good. He was bound to trip himself up in the end, too high an opinion of himself. The grass is always greener with men like him.”

  “Sometimes the grass is greener, Gran.”

  “Yes, and sometimes it’s a collage.”

  “A collage? Do you mean mirage, Gran?”

  “Yes pet, one of them too. But he does love our Pearl, anyone can see that.”

  “He’s still going to be around, Gran. We’re good friends, and he wants to be part of her life, properly.”

  “That’s nice, but you want someone you can count on. Not someone who’s always arriving and leaving.”

  “I know, Gran.”

  “Not that I mean you need to settle, if you’re not ready.”

  She looks at me and smiles. “Your Martin looked upset.”

  “Yes.”

  “He’s a lovely man you know.”

  “I know, Gran.”

  “Well, good. But that doesn’t mean you have to rush into anything. There’s plenty of time for that, you’re still young. Look at me and Reg. You take your time, pet. You’ve got a whole lifetime ahead of you with the boys growing up and our Pearl giving you a few more sleepless nights.”

  We both smile.

  “The thing is, does he take your breath away? Because I think you need that in a man, at your age. At any age, come to think of it. And Reg might not look like it, but he can still make me go all peculiar, and that’s important.”

  “Yes Gran, but—”

  “I don’t mean in bed; I think there’s far too much talked about that. No, I mean the things they say, the little things they do, things that make you realize you’re important to them, that they’d turn the world upside down to find you. Anyway, that’s what I think, pet.”

  “Nick took my breath away all the bloody time, and look how that turned out.”

  “Yes, but it was worth it though, wasn’t it?”

  She pats my hand.

  “Yes Gran, it was.”

  “There you go then. I know people say you need someone as you grow older, but I don’t know why. You don’t want someone cluttering the place up and treading mud in from the garden and wanting his meals cooked unless you really love him, pet. Better to be on your own and have things the way you like them, far less bother in the end, unless you meet someone really special.”

  Gran’s having a running battle with Reg over “mud” from the garden.

  “Yes Gran.”

  “I just want you to be happy, pet. Don’t listen to anybody else. Just do whatever makes you happy, and then the children will be happy too, and so will I.”

  “Thanks Gran.”

  The fireworks are lovely, and Elsie makes sure nobody sets fire to their brother’s hood, and then they’re playing tag, while Pearl and Laura’s Rosie play their own version, which involves running and then hurling yourself onto the grass giggling. Even Maximo is enjoying himself, transfixed by the bonfire and trying to get his gloves off.

  Martin is standing by the fire.

  “Have you calmed down yet?”

  “Yes, I’ve had a walk round, and I’m really sorry about that, Jo, I really am. I’ll ring him up and apologize.”

  “Good.”

  “Last time I was pacing up and down like that, I was in your garden and you were having Pearl.”

  “Yes.”

  “I was terrified.”

  “I wasn’t feeling that calm myself.”

  “It was one of those moments, where you see everything clearly.”

  “Oh yes, and what did you see?”

  “Well, you need your fence painted.” He grins.

  “I know I’m not very good at this. I tend to go off into my own little world.”

  “The wonderful world of wooden things.”

  He smiles. “Yes.”

  “That’s okay, Martin. I’m getting quite fond of it now.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes, in short bursts.”

  “But you know I care about you, don’t you? And the children? More than I can ever say.”

  “I know, Martin.”

  God, I’ll be in tears in a minute. He looks so nervous.

  “I know I’m not suave like him.”

  “Martin.”

  “No, I know I’m not. I’d ask you to marry me if I thought that was what you wanted. But it’s not, is it?”

  “No, I don’t think so, not yet, maybe not ever, I don’t know. I think I’d like to carry on just like we are and see what happens?”

  “What do you mean like we are now? I haven’t been speaking to you for the last five weeks.”

  “True. But that’s because you’re a twit.”

  He grins.

  “So how do we carry on then? Sort of semidetached, muddling along, keeping the kids happy and trying to get some time to ourselves occasionally?”

  “Yes.”

  “That sounds complicated.”

  “Sometimes complicated is good, Martin.”

  “So we just see what happens?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, I think I can cope with that. I’ll try as hard as I can.”

  I take hold of his hand.

  “Do I really have to ring him up and apologize?”

  “Yes, you do. He’s going to be around a lot more, for Pearl.”

  He hesitates. “I suppose that’s good, isn’t it, for Pearl?”

  “Yes, I think
it is, Martin. But there’s nothing going on, between him and me. There was a moment in Devon, I want to be honest with you, we—”

  “Don’t tell me about it. It’s okay, but I don’t want to know.”

  He’s holding my hand quite tightly now.

  “Okay. But whatever it was, it’s all sorted now. We’re friends, and Pearl’s mum and dad, but nothing more.”

  “Good. And does he know that you and I are, whatever we are.”

  “Yes. He knows that you’re the boy for me, Martin. Okay?”

  He grins. “Am I?”

  “We’ll see.”

  He kisses me, and I kiss him back.

  “Martin.”

  “Yes.”

  “That woolly hat is tragic.”

  He throws it on the bonfire.

  Oh dear. I’m sure Elsie’s seen him throwing his hat on the fire, so Monday morning in the shop might be a bit tricky.

  But I really don’t care.

  “Mum?”

  “Yes Jack.”

  “This was my best party ever.”

  “Was it, love? That’s good.”

  “And Uncle Daniel gave me a whole twenty pounds.”

  “I know.”

  Actually it was fifty pounds, but he’s never seen a fifty-pound note before, so he thinks it was a twenty. I could make a nifty profit there, if I was quick.

  “And Mum.”

  “Yes.”

  “When we get home, I can open my presents from the party, can’t I?”

  “Yes love. But wait for me, so I can write down what everyone has got you for your thank-you letters.”

  “Yes, and then can we have toasted cheese, with no tomato?”

  “I should think we probably can, love.”

  He gives me a hug and races off to tell Archie the good news.

  Toasted cheese and birthday cake, and a birthday boy and girl to cuddle, along with my very own budding magician.

  Perfect.

  • • • Reading Group Guide • • •

  Introduction

  Knit One Pearl One, the follow-up novel to The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club and Needles and Pearls, continues the story of Jo Mackenzie’s life in the scenic seaside village of Broadgate. Between her three adorable children, her ever-expanding knitting and café business, and her friends in high places, Jo can hardly find a moment of harmony in her crowded, hectic life. The arrival of Daniel, father to her young daughter, Pearl, throws a wrench into Jo’s carefully planned day-to-day whirlwind. Should Jo take a leap of faith with the globe-trotting one-, well, two-night-stand Daniel, or should she settle for Martin, the hapless but earnest local carpenter? In Knit One Pearl One, one thing is certain: everyone in the close-knit Broadgate community is part of the family. And in the end, Jo realizes she doesn’t need a man to make her happy—her busy life is already brimming over with love.