Praise for Phaedra Patrick’s debut novel The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
‘A feel-good story with oodles of charm that had me rooting for Arthur all the way.’
The Daily Mail
‘Charming by name, charming by nature, this book is a balm for the soul and the heart.’
The Sun
‘A gorgeous journey told through charms.’
Heat
‘Eccentric, charming and wise, this will illuminate your heart.’
Nina George, author of The Little Paris Bookshop
‘A charming, unforgettable story.’
Harper’s Bazaar
‘With many poignant as well as laugh-out-loud moments, in the vein of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, this is a lovely feel-good read.’ Compass
‘As charming and witty as the title suggests.’
My Weekly
‘We love this sweet story about self-discovery.’
Take A Break
PHAEDRA PATRICK studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film-festival organiser and communications manager. She is a prize-winning short story writer and her debut novel was translated in twenty languages worldwide. She lives in Saddleworth with her husband and son, where she writes full-time.
Wishes Under the Willow Tree is her second novel. For more information, please visit www.phaedra-patrick.com and you can also follow Phaedra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For Mark and Oliver
Contents
9. Aquamarine
10. Lapis Lazuli
11. Blue Jack
12. Carnelian
13. Blue Lace Agate
14. Jade
15. Fire Opal
16. Kunzite
17. Azurite
18. Red Aventurine
19. Tourmaline Quartz
20. Bloodstone
21. Tiger’s Eye
22. Sunstone
23. Garnet
24. Poppy Jasper
25. Citrine
26. Blue Topaz
27. Onyx
28. Amethyst
29. Smoky Quartz
30. Diamond
31. Black Obsidian
32. Emerald
33. Sugilite
34. Jet
35. Golden Beryl
36. Alexandrite
37. Rose Quartz
Author’s Notes
Reading group questions
Acknowledgements
Copyright
hope, desire, fidelity
As Benedict Stone huffed his way to work, the sweet smell of the cherry scones in Bake My Day made him forget for a moment that his wife, Estelle, had packed her purple suitcase and moved out of their home.
His mouth watered and he stopped, sniffed and needed something weighty in his stomach, to help sugar-coat his sorrows. He curled his fingers into his palms and tried to resist, but it was like an ultra-strong magnet pulled him inside the baker’s shop.
A fella like you needs more than just a slice of toast, a sausage roll, bought by a schoolboy, said. You need something sweet too, a chocolate cookie, on display in the glass counter, chipped in.
Benedict tried his best to ignore them, but the lure of a succulent bacon sandwich and an oozy jam doughnut was too strong. He bought both and devoured them before he reached the front door of his shop, Stone Jewellery, just a few metres away.
When he unlocked the door, his stomach dropped as he glanced at the 25% Off Sale sticker he’d taped into his window three months ago.
He switched on the light and took off his jacket. Grey aluminium and glass cabinets lined the walls of the two-man deep and two-and-a-half-man wide space. The walls were all painted dolphin grey, and the floor was grey too. Benedict thought that the colour scheme was calm and elegant though his assistant, Cecil, claimed it needed more va-va-voom.
A black door behind the counter led through to Benedict’s workshop. The small, square room housing his workbench was his sanctuary. When he shut himself away in there, he could block out the outside world and almost convince himself that all was still fine with his wife.
He went inside and straightened up a file on his bench. He liked his tweezers, pliers, snips and soldering iron laid out in lines like a surgeon’s instruments. If Cecil