Chapter Six

‘ A nd here it comes.’ Resting her hand on Robyn’s forearm, Elsie looked upwards.

‘What comes?’ Robyn followed her gaze just as the skies opened and the dark clouds emitted the first raindrops of the day. ‘Ah, the rain.’

‘Yep, the rain.’ Elsie shook her head. ‘I suppose we’ve done pretty well. It is almost two and we’ve sold over two-thirds of what we brought here.’

Robyn nodded. She was right. They had been rushed off their feet since about half-past eight this morning and once she had reached the fortieth customer; Robyn stopped counting how many customers had come by and bought something.

‘I’m sure there’ll be a few people who will still brave the market despite the weather, so we’ll give it a bit longer. Besides, if we’re lucky, this weather will pass soon enough.’

‘That’s true.’ Robyn watched as people pulled hoods up, erected umbrellas, or ran in the direction of the shopping precinct for cover. A few, once dually protected from the rain, continued to browse the market stalls as though the rain was merely an inconvenience rather than a reason to panic.

‘Oh, we’re almost out of mince pies.’ Elsie tapped her chin and glanced across to the bakery van. ‘I think I may just have another trayful of them in the van. I know I brought two lots, and I don’t think we’ve had the second lot out yet, have we, love?’

‘No, I don’t think so.’ Robyn pulled the hood of her coat over her head. ‘I’ll go and see if I can find them.’

‘No, don’t worry, love. I’ll go. I need to see if I’ve got a portable charger in the glove box, anyway.’ Elsie pulled her mobile from her coat pocket. ‘I’m almost out of juice.’

‘Okay.’ Lowering her hood again, Robyn turned to serve a customer. ‘Hi, what would you like today?’

‘Apart from some sunshine, you mean?’ The woman chuckled as she pointed to the chocolate chip cookies. ‘I’ll take three of those please and three of your gingerbread Santas too, please?’

‘Coming right up.’ Robyn grinned as she picked up a paper bag and the tongs. ‘The cookies and gingerbread, not the sunshine, I’m afraid.’

‘Ah, at least it’s not snowing yet, I suppose. For that, we should be grateful.’ Tapping her card against the card reader, the woman took the paper bags and slipped them into her shopping bag before venturing from beneath the awning of the stall. ‘Ta-ra.’

‘Bye.’ Robyn smiled. Every single one of their customers today had been nice. They’d chatted away, smiled at her, and had generally just been friendly. She’d think it was the Cornish air if it wasn’t for Jasper over there. She quickly glanced towards him and sighed. He was busy chatting to customers and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was smiling. And laughing! It must just be her he had a problem with then.

‘Ouch!’ Elsie let out a yelp from behind her.

Spinning around, she saw Elsie on the floor, surrounded by mince pies. Robyn threw the tongs down as she ran towards her. Kneeling down by her side, Robyn helped her to sit up. ‘Elsie! Are you okay?’

‘I’ll be okay, love. I must have missed the step down from the van, that’s all. Give me a moment to catch my breath again.’ Holding her hand to her chest, Elsie took a couple of deep breaths before trying to stand.

‘Here, let me help you.’ Holding her by the elbows, Robyn helped her stand.

‘Oh no, it’s no good. I think I’ve sprained my ankle.’ Elsie winced as she tried to put weight onto her foot. ‘Yep, I think it’s sprained all right.’

Biting down on her bottom lip, Robyn glanced around, searching for anyone who looked as though they might know a thing or two about first aid, but everyone was so engrossed in talking to people at their stalls or serving customers that she couldn’t catch anyone’s eye to get their attention. ‘Let’s get you into the van and then I’ll go and find a first aider.’

‘No, don’t. It’s just a sprained ankle. A little bit of a rest and I’ll be as right as rain.’

Robyn looked at her. Judging by the pained expression on her face, it would take more than a five minutes rest to fix her ankle. ‘Do you think it’s broken? Did you hear a crack?’

‘No, love. It’s just sprained, that’s all.’ With Robyn’s help, Elsie hobbled towards the van and perched on the step up to the back.

‘I don’t know. You can’t just sit here, you’ll get soaked through for one thing, and you’ll be in pain too.’

‘Just fetch me a brolly and I’ll be okay. I don’t want to pack up just yet. This weather might pass.’

Robyn pulled an umbrella from the back of the van and pushed it open before holding it over Elsie.

‘Everything okay over here? Are you hurt?’ Jasper appeared beside them; a look of concern etched across his face.

‘Hello, Dasher’s owner.’ Elsie patted his arm. ‘I’m just fine. Just a silly sprained ankle, that’s all.’

‘Is there someone I can call for you? Someone to pick you up so you can rest up in the warm and dry?’ Jasper pulled his mobile from his back pocket.

‘Oh, I...’ Elsie looked from Jasper to Robyn and back again and chuckled. ‘Now, I’ve got the both of you trying to get rid of me.’

‘Nothing of the sort.’ Jasper smiled. ‘We only have your best interests at heart.’

Robyn watched as he passed Elsie his mobile. Today’s jumper was a deep royal blue covered in brilliant white snowmen. He’d said ‘we’ despite not having looked at her once during the whole conversation.

‘Okay, okay. I give in. I’ll give Ian a call and ask him to bring Brooke across to replace me.’ Shaking her head in defeat, Elsie keyed in Ian’s number.