‘What’s going on, Mum?’ Dulcie’s gaze roamed over Beth’s face, then Walter’s. ‘Why have you called afamily meeting?’ She did air quotes with her fingers.
It was Sunday morning, and Beth was well aware that everyone in her family were busy people. But they could spare her half an hour. ‘I’ll tell you when Nikki gets here,’ she said.
‘I see you picked Walter up on the way,’ Maisie observed. ‘It’s nice that the two of you get on.’
Beth bit back a smile and ignored the hip bump Walter gave her. ‘Get the kettle on,’ was all she said.
‘It’s on.’ Dulcie rinsed out the teapot. She was adding a couple of fresh teabags when Sammy and his dog burst in through the door, Nikki and Gio following.
‘Are we having a party?’ he cried.
‘No party, Sammy.’ Beth gathered him to her, inhaling his little boy smell and swearing that he’d grown since the last time she’d seen him.
‘Can we have one?’ he persisted.
‘Not right now, your nanna has got something to tell us.’ Nikki was looking concerned.
‘Make the tea and bring it into the living room,’ Beth instructed, ushering Walter ahead of her.
‘You’re enjoying this,’ he murmured out of the corner of his mouth. ‘They’re probably taking bets on what it’s about. Do you think any of them have guessed?
‘I expect so. But it’s nice to make it official. They can gossip amongst themselves after we’ve left.’
Dulcie appeared with a tray and began to pour. Once or twice, she opened her mouth to speak, but Beth quelled her with a look.
When everyone had a drink in their hands, Beth cleared her throat. ‘We’ve got an announcement,’ she said, then paused for dramatic effect. ‘I’ve moved in with Walter. Permanently. We’re a couple.’
‘A couple of what?’
‘Don’t be dense, Maisie – acouple, couple.’
Maisie’s mouth fell open. ‘Oh,thatkind of couple. Bloody hell, Otto, you were right. I thought you were pulling our legs.’
Walter turned to his son. ‘You guessed?’
‘Iknew. I’ve known from the minute you two met. It was just a question of time, wasn’t it, Dulcie?’
Beth stared at her middle daughter and everything clicked into place. ‘You set us up!’ she accused. ‘You knew I’d agree to help Walter out, if only to get rid of him. Dulcie Fairfax, you conniving, sneaky—’
A cork popped. Otto was opening a bottle of champagne for the second time in a week. ‘I think this calls for a celebration.’
‘Hang fire a minute,’ Walter said. ‘There’s more.’
Beth took up the baton. ‘As I’m living with Walter now, I’m not going to need my house in the village.’
A chorus of groans erupted, and Dulcie cried, ‘Don’t tell me we have to help you move again.’
‘Not necessarily,’ Beth said. She glanced at the faces of her family, settling on Maisie. ‘My tenancy agreement was for six months initially, so there’s no point in moving all my furniture again if I’ve got to pay the rent on it for half a year.’
Dulcie said, ‘Can’t you get out of it? It seems silly to pay rent if you’re not living there.’
‘Unfortunately, I can’t,’ Beth replied. ‘Anyway, I’m happy to continue paying it, especially if someone else is living there.’
‘Who?’ Nikki demanded.
Beth focused on Maisie again. ‘Maisie, Adam, how much longer until the old farmhouse is ready to live in?’
Maisie shrugged. ‘I dunno… Five, six months.’ Beth grinned as realisation dawned on her youngest child’s face. ‘Are you saying that me and Adam can live in your house in the village?’
