her apple-round cheeks, framing her face prettily.
Esme laughed. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, dear. I’m almost a decade older than I was the last time you saw me.’ Her eyes travelled greedily around Jessica’s face. ‘But look at you! So beautiful, so grown-up.’
Jessica blushed at the words before turning her attention towards the red-brick entrance of the station. On the other side lay a world she hadn’t stepped foot in for a very long time. ‘Would you like to lead the way? It feels a bit strange… You know, being back.’
Esme nodded and linked their arms together. ‘My pleasure, dear.’
The station was positioned at the top of one of the many hills that surrounded the outer edges of the area. A solitary road led away from the station which eventually joined forces with a winding, twisty lane that would lead them into the heart of the village. The oaks that grew in the area were ancient and creaked like old wood with or without the wind’s help.
The two women left the station and were hit by a blast of late spring sunshine. Squinting, Jessica could see the viewing point up ahead.
‘I can’t believe that old bench is still there,’ she commented as they drew near to it.
Esme laughed. ‘Shall we take a look?’ She didn’t wait for a reply but instead hurried towards the viewing point that looked over the village, and allowed her wrinkled hands to rest on the splintered handrail which had, like the bench, lived way past its sell-by date. ‘Won’t you come and take a look?’ she asked over her shoulder.
‘I think I’m okay, actually, Esme. Why don’t we—’
‘One little look won’t hurt. Just come and see how beautiful it is.’
Jessica saw the pleading look in Esme’s eyes and gave in. ‘Fine, just one look. I’ve seen it plenty of times before, so I’m not sure what you think is going to—’ Her nonsensical rambling came to halt once her hands touched the wood and she looked down at the vision below them.
‘Welcome back to Bluebell Hill,’ Esme whispered.
Bluebell Hill, the place she’d lived since birth and then left as soon as she’d been able to, reminded her of something out of a storybook, a place where fairy-tales could originate from. She could see the buildings in the village square, the top of the church, the thick patches of woodland, the school and the vivid green fields that stretched out for miles. Scattered around the edges of the village, the more expensive homes sat proudly, impressive chunks of brick against the blue sky. Her eyes caught on Bluebell House and she stared at it, trying to decipher how seeing it made her feel. Scared? Vulnerable? Angry? Like a child again? She swallowed.
She leant forward and angled her head to look down at the hill they were situated on. The traditional bluebells of the village worked their magic and transformed the hill from a dusky green to an enchanting blue. They ran down the hill like a river and surrounded the bases of the oak trees. The ground was temporarily covered with a blanket of blue.
‘You’re right. It’s beautiful.’ Jessica turned to Esme and smiled. ‘It doesn’t change anything, though.’ And that saddened her greatly. If only it did. ‘It’s still Bluebell Hill. It’s still the place I escaped and for very good reasons.’
Esme’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘Come on. I’ve got a beef stew slow-cooking back at the cottage. I know it’s one of your favourites.’
They set off down the dusty, sun-burnt lane.
***
‘Perhaps you should fill me in on what you’ve been up to since you’ve been away?’ Esme suggested as they strolled. ‘So much time has passed since you left. What happened once you arrived in London?’
‘Once I arrived, I found a cheap apartment,’ Jessica began. ‘The money you gave me really helped me. Did I ever say thank you for that?’ Esme smiled, nodding for her to continue. ‘It was only a small place, not exactly sparkling clean, but it was perfect for me. I met one of the girls who lived upstairs and she helped me out with finding a job. She put a good word in at the café she worked at and I got straight in. Sarah. She’s an angel. I really don’t know what I would have done without her.’ She smiled at the memory of working alongside Sarah for those first few months. They’d had such a great time together, their friendship blossoming into the incredibly strong bond that they shared now, all these years later.
‘How lovely of her to help you out. She sounds marvellous. Do you still see her now?’ Esme angled her head towards her.
‘She’s my closest friend.’ Jessica laughed lightly. ‘We do everything together. I went from the café to a bookshop around the corner which then led to my colleagues pushing me towards applying at Partridge & Co. which I thought was a ridiculous idea at the start but once I was sat back at home it became a bit of an obsession for me. In the end I took a chance and they invited me along for an interview. I was beside myself with excitement,’ she continued, unable to stop the grin from appearing on her face as she thought back to the day when she’d received the phone call. ‘Just a day after the interview I was called and offered the job.’
Esme stopped walking and turned to face Jessica. ‘I’m very proud of you, Jessica. You do know that, don’t you?’
Caught off guard by the unforeseen moment of tenderness, Jessica swallowed and tried to keep it all together. ‘Thank you, Esme. I’m proud of me, too. And of course I know that you’re proud of me. You’ve always been proud of me, haven’t you? Even the tiniest things, like getting myself dressed in the mornings or brushing my teeth.’ She smiled at Esme, basking in the glow of affection. ‘It took a while for me to work my way up through the company but now I’m a marketing manager. It’s so much fun and gives me such a buzz. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I must admit, I was a bit worried about being away from it whilst being here. I feel a bit lost.’
‘I’m sure they can manage without you, and just think how pleased they’ll be to see you once you’re back.’ Esme adjusted her shawl and allowed it to hang lower across her arms. The sun’s heat was surprisingly warm.
‘I miss Sarah already. But I can chat to her whenever I need to. She’s reminded me a million times that she’s only ever a text or a phone-call away which makes me feel so much better. I really don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s amazing.’
‘You should have invited her along. I would have loved to have met the woman who helped you out. She sounds fantastic. You can never have too many good friends.’
‘No, I don’t think she would have enjoyed it.’ Jessica shook her head and blinked up at the sun. ‘She’s got her own things going on at the moment. New relationship, work… Plus, I felt I needed to come here alone. It might have been awkward for her, with the funeral and everything.’
Silence descended as they both thought about what lay ahead during Jessica’s time in Bluebell Hill. It was going to be a difficult time for both of them, not just Jessica. Esme had worked for the McAdams family for a long time.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. The funeral would have darkened the visit, so it’s probably best that she stayed at home.’ Esme nodded firmly.
When they’d been following the lane for what felt like forever, Jessica finally saw the first signs of civilisation in Bluebell Hill. She glanced behind herself at the way they’d come, the bluebells looking resplendent cascading
