‘Aren’t they beautiful? Came all nestled in a little box of lavender clippings.’
Jules couldn’t resist picking one up and cradling it in her hand. It made her feel close to him and far away all at the same time.
‘He popped his head around the door yesterday afternoon for a few minutes when he was dropping Erin off. You missed him. You’d nipped back to the cottage for your afternoon respite.’
Jules was aware that Rita was watching her keenly.
‘Tasha told me he’d been.’
‘I reckon he was disappointed that you weren’t here.’
Jules didn’t reply, but placed the sea green cane topper back on the table.
‘Said he thought I’d have more than enough fresh flowers and he’s right. Probably won’t get as many as this when I die,’ she said with a laugh. ‘And Christabel knows that I hate lilies. Do you think you could put those in another room, Jules? The scent is so cloying. It reminds me of a crematorium.’
Jules picked up the large cut-glass vase of deep red lilies and crossed the room.
‘I’ll put them in the hall,’ she said.
‘Thank you, dear, and would you mind finding somewhere for Lance’s gift? I don’t want them to get broken.’
‘Why don’t I place them on top of the canes supporting the dahlias? You’ll be able to see them through the window from your chair.’
Rita nodded and leaned forwards to rub her knee.
‘Lance says they’ll stop me poking my eye out when I get back to my weeding which won’t be long now. He’s a very thoughtful person. He thinks a lot of you.’
Jules paused by the door.
‘You could do worse,’ Rita said.
‘Than the dahlias?’
Rita threw her a frustrated look.
‘I think you’re being deliberately obtuse. You could do worse than Lance.’
Jules sighed. She’d been successfully avoiding this conversation for several days, but Rita wouldn’t be deterred.
‘I know I could, Rita. Most of the people I’ve been out with aren’t a patch on Lance.’
‘But you don’t fancy him?’
Jules half laughed.
‘I don’t know why you’re laughing. It’s an important factor in a relationship. I fancied my George rotten.’
‘Of course I find Lance attractive.’
‘What’s stopping you then? You’re young, both of you. Have some fun. It doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment. The Good Lord put us on this earth to enjoy ourselves and as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, give it a go, I say.’
‘The trouble is, I might hurt him and Erin. I like them both too much to risk that.’
‘Some risks are worth taking. My George left a good job and a steady salary to come and help me run this farm. We didn’t know whether he’d like it or if we could make enough money to support ourselves, but he took to it like a duck to water and we’ve done all right. Even took my surname, you know, so that it was still Tompkins’ Farm?’
‘No, I didn’t know that.’
‘Quite unusual back in the day. Brave even. Lance is brave.’
