I can just see his lips move under my eyeline, our mouths are a needle width apart.
‘Maybe we can save each other?’ I murmur back.
Then I kiss him. It’s soft. Tender. It’s everything I want. He’s everything I want.
I pull away just in time as Terry pounds into the room.
‘There ye are.’ He strides over to us. ‘Maggie, I owe you an apology.’ A genuine expression of regret conveys the sincerity of Terry’s feelings.
‘No, Terry. You really don’t.’ I hold my hand up.
‘I do.’ Terry’s brows join together to form his very own disapproving line. ‘I should have checked out the facts fully first. Most unacceptable of me. Dan explained it all. I think I’ve been so stressed, not just with the castle but also with Giselle – she had .?.?. in the past .?.?. issues .?.?.’
‘Holding onto the pregnancy, I know,’ I say softly. ‘I had my own part to play, I was too focused on myself. I owe you an apology.’
There is a tiny twitch at the corner of Terry’s mouth. ‘Friends?’ He extends his hand, a towering presence, and I shake it, my hand lost in his large palm.
‘Terry?’ Dan says. ‘What is it?’
‘Oh, yes, well I just heard from Kate and Jimmy inside about their wedding down below and how they are paying us the rest of the money we need to pay the vultures to have their wedding in the cellar! That’s all your doing, Maggie. We are forever in your debt,’ Terry says. To have his seal of approval means everything to me. I know Terry is a good man, devoted and dedicated to Danand to Castlemoon.
‘W-what?’ Dan spits. ‘They are?’
‘Oh yeah. Meant to tell you that too.’ I shrug nonchalantly, as Dan moves to me, lifts me off my feet effortlessly and spins me around.
TWENTY-EIGHT
‘Thank you everyone for coming out again.’ Although public speaking is so far from my comfort zone, somehow I speak confidently into the microphone on the stage in Heartwell Hall. ‘Especially so early after the late finish with céilí last night,’ I add, raising an eyebrow to the packed room.
‘We love you, Maggie, anything for you, ma chérie!’ Giselle shouts up. Terry waves, drapes an arm around his heavily pregnant girlfriend.
I can’t help but laugh. ‘So, we spoke to you all briefly about the cellar in the Heart Ballroom before you all left last night. It’s all hands on deck down there today. Kate and Jimmy will be married there next week.’
‘Another cheer that Castlemoon is off the market! For good!’ Dan jumps up from the bench in the front row. Cheers erupt from all the villagers.
‘But Dan needs all your help. He can’t do this alone, guys,’ I tell the hall authoritatively when they settle.
‘Tell us what you need!’ a man shouts out, his voice croaky from last night’s shenanigans.
‘After what we witnessed last night, you need dance lessons, Markey!’ someone yells back and they all howl laughing.
‘I have drawn up a list on a whiteboard that is at reception inthe castle. There is a lot to be done, but I know every one of you can bring your special talents to it. I leave tomorrow morning so I want to get as much done as we can today. I want to assign the jobs.’
‘Don’t go!’ I see young Donal jump up as a sudden hush ascends across Heartwell Hall. I’m shocked to feel I’m strongly fighting back tears. ‘Who will get my toastie and KitKat when I’m checking tickets?’
I forcefully swallow the lump of emotion, curl my hair behind my ears.
‘You heard the lady, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!’ Terry sees and comes to my rescue as he stands up and pats Donal on the shoulder and he sits back down. Protectively, Terry extends his hand for me to come down the sharp side steps.
‘I simply cannot thank you enough, my dear,’ Terry says again to me in his posh English accent.
‘You have thanked me enough, I’m just really happy I could help. Dan is super lucky to have you, Terry.’ Reaching up on my tippy toes, I kiss Terry on the cheek.
‘Avengers assembled!’ A shout comes from the crowd. I gasp as I spin around and look down at what seems like the entire village of Heartwell standing up. Then I narrow my eyes and see they are all armed with buckets, spades, gardening tools, paintbrushes, tins of paint, cleaning products, wheelbarrows, shovels, hammers, bin bags bursting at the seams and all kinds of things. All of them, ready to make their way up to Castlemoon through the snow and howling winds to get the cellar ready for Kate and Jimmy’s wedding. The most unselfish, considerate bunch of people. They define community.
* * *
Out in the square, I button up my green wool coat to the neck and pull on my hat. Dan is pulling on a leather jacket, and steps out behind me.
