The girl strolled up the path, trailing her fingers over the lavender flowers and cosmos.
‘This is really beautiful. Like something out of a picture book.’
‘Come on, sweetheart, we’d better get going,’ Lance said, placing a hand at the small of Erin’s back as she peered past Jules into the hallway.
‘Dad’s always wanted to take a look inside,’ she said. ‘Guy kept telling him to come over when he was doing it up, but you never got around to it, did you, Dad?’
‘No, but now isn’t the time. Jules isn’t even dressed.’
‘She’s decent. You wouldn’t mind, would you, Jules?’
Erin threw her a winning smile.
‘Umm…’
‘We’ve got to go and get Tasha,’ Lance protested.
‘She won’t be ready,’ Erin said. ‘You know she’s always late. Tell you what, I’ll wander around to the farm and chivvy her along while Jules shows you around. We’ll meet you back here, then you won’t have to come to the farm and can avoid you know who.’
And before either of them could say anything she had turned on her heel and was skipping back up the path and heading out on to the lane.
Lance shrugged and shook his head.
‘I’m so sorry. She likes to organise me.’
‘That’s not always a bad thing.’
She stood to one side.
‘It’s fine. I can just get back in the car and wait for her and Tasha to sort themselves out.’
Let him do that, Jules. You can go and have a nice, relaxing shower and a quiet day.
‘She’s bound to ask you what you think of the cottage. What are you going to say?’
‘Something ambiguous,’ he replied with a rueful smile.
‘I don’t really know Erin, but I’m not sure she’ll settle for that. You’d better come in and at least have a quick look around.’
It’ll only take about two minutes, she thought to herself, and then I’ll have the place to myself again.
‘Thank you,’ he said, slipping off his loafers as he crossed into the hall. ‘My wife had a soft spot for this house. She liked to come and have tea at the gardens and then we’d walk around the village. When she got too weak to walk, I used to drive her in the car. She always asked me to stop outside Hideaway Cottage, said that just looking at it made her feel less afraid for the future.’
He looked around before turning back to Jules.
‘If she’d come inside, I think she’d have felt that even more. It has a lovely atmosphere in here, heavy, but not in an oppressive way. It’s comforting.’
His eyes fell on the flowers in the middle of the table.
‘Nice vase, too,’ he said, his eyes twinkling.
Of course. It was one of his. How had she not noticed that? How had she not noticed that the clock was losing time and that her dressing gown had a splodge of egg right on the front? Suddenly she was aware of everything in sharp relief, the slight stubble on his chin, the way his hands were never still, the story of a life lived across his whole face. Embarrassed, she swivelled and headed through to the sitting room.
‘Mind your…’
There was a sickening thud as Lance’s head met the solid wooden lintel over the door to the sitting room.
‘Ouch!’ she said, as he reeled backwards slightly and swayed on the spot. ‘Are you all right?’
