The Gift of Cockleberry Bay (Cockleberry Bay #3) - Nicola May
PROLOGUE
‘Rosa, Rosa, you have to come right now.’ Jacob’s voice was full of panic.
‘What’s wrong? Where are you?’
‘Upstairs at the pub. The Duchess is about to give birth, and although I’ve watched Call the Midwife once or twice, my own midwifery skills are somewhat limited. Please, I need you!’
With a shake of her dark brown curls, the publican’s younger friend answered with a smile-filled voice, ‘Jacob, it’s OK. The Duchess will know what to do.’
Then on hearing both him and the pregnant dachshund making irregular panting noises down the end of the phone, she said, ‘I’m on my way.’ Instructing her own dachshund, Hot Dog, to be good, she quickly headed for the door of the Corner Shop, slamming it shut behind her.
Rosa was walking so fast up the hill, she nearly missed her mother waving from the window of Seaspray Cottage. Mary Cobb dashed out, dressed in her supermarket uniform, ready to do a shift at the local Co-op.
‘I’m just off to work but have you got a minute, duck?’
‘I haven’t actually. The Duchess is about to give birth and so too is Jacob by the sound of it.’
Mary tutted. ‘Bloody drama queen, he is.’
Rosa laughed. ‘Yes, and he’d be the first to admit it. I must go – but is everything OK?’
‘Yes, apart from the weather forecast. Did you not hear? There’s a massive storm on the way. The sea’s likely to come right up and over the beach wall. You and Sara might need sandbags to protect the café.’
‘A storm in July? And that bad – really?’
‘Well, I personally can’t wait. I’m sick of this bloody humidity. It plays havoc with my breathing.’ Mary reached for the inhaler in her apron pocket and shook it. ‘Merlin, that mad cat, has been tearing around the back yard in circles too, and he is all-knowing when the weather’s about to change.’
‘OK. I’ll go down to the front and check with Sara about keeping the café protected, but I can’t go until I’ve helped deliver these baby chipolatas.’ Rosa turned to go.
‘You’ll be getting a reputation as a midwife in the village at this rate, what with bringing Titch’s little Theo into the world too,’ Mary called after her, a sudden gust of wind taking her words away over the rooftops of Cockleberry Bay.
As Rosa carried on up the hill, Ritchie Rogers was busy nailing single boards of wood across the big front window of the fish-and-chip shop.
‘Morning, Rosa,’ the young man hailed her from the top of his ladder. ‘It’s going to be a fiery one. The glass was blown clean out last time we had a storm of this predicted level. It was really dangerous – thank heavens no one got hurt.’
‘Really? It doesn’t seem possible with the sun still shining like it is now.’
‘Yes. I guess you soft townies haven’t encountered anything like a proper coastal storm.’ He laughed. ‘You wait and see.’
‘Right now, I’m off to put a cold flannel on Jacob’s forehead. The puppies are on their way.’
‘Aw, exciting. I’ll let Titch know. She’ll be beside herself.’
‘Are you two still having one of the puppies, then?’
‘That’s the plan.’
As Rosa reached the Lobster Pot a huge gust of wind swept down the narrow street, causing her light summer dress to blow up and reveal her knickers.
Watching for her from the top window, Jacob had hurried downstairs and was at the door ready to greet her. He put his hand to his forehead in mock horror. ‘If it’s not enough dealing with a bitch in labour, I now get to see the next week’s washing of another one.’
Rosa laughed. ‘Come on, Grandad, let’s do this.’
With an offended ‘How very dare you!’ from the handsome forty-something publican, they made their way inside.
CHAPTER 1
Rosa could barely hear her friend Sara and co-owner of ROSA’S – the café formerly known as Coffee, Tea or Sea. The waves crashing to shore and the heavy rain that had just started lashing against the side of the glass-fronted café made it all but impossible to make out her words, even though they were standing facing each other. The force of the wind had already washed the apostrophe off the ROSA’S sign outside.
‘I’m so glad you are here,’ Sara said gratefully. ‘I’ve never known a storm quite like this before.’
‘I know,’ Rosa nodded. ‘It came in so quickly too. Madness! Trust the boys to be on the golf course when we need them. I can’t get hold of Josh, his phone is off.’