Luke unlocked the front door and let the dogs out.
Frank and Fearless were, Hattie knew, the most gentle dogs ever but they were very well trained. Luke’s arm waved them forward and they surged towards Lance,who didn’t wait. He ran back to the car as fast as he could, the dogs keeping him company.
Luke whistled them back as Lance got in the car and reversed it back down the lane.
Hattie managed to get the kettle on before her knees gave way. Fiona joined her at the table. ‘Who is he?’ she whispered, pointing to Luke, who was relocking the front door.
‘Luke. He’s my friend.’
‘He’s a hero!’ she said.
Luke came in. ‘Hi,’ he said, ‘you must be Fiona. I’m Luke.’
‘You were amazing!’ said Fiona. ‘Thank you so much for fighting off Lance.’
Luke gave her a half-smile, which made him very attractive, Hattie thought. ‘It was Frank and Fearless,’ he said.
Fiona leant down to pet the dogs, who seemed unaware that they’d played a starring role in a drama. ‘They were very brave,’ said Fiona. ‘Lance has always frightened me, I think.’
‘Well, he won’t be back tonight, I don’t think,’ said Luke.
Hattie had a moment of panic thinking that Luke might go home now.
‘You’re not going, are you?’ said Fiona, to Hattie’s relief.
‘No. We’ll stay until I feel it’s safe for me to leave,’ said Luke.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Xander, who came into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. ‘I heard a lot of shouting.’
‘It’s a long story,’ said Hattie. ‘Now, who wants a hot drink? Or shall we just go to bed?’ A terrific yawn over-took her.
‘You go to bed, Hattie,’ Luke said, walking around the kitchen counter. ‘I’ll make drinks for anyone who wants one. What about you, Fiona?’
‘I’ll go back to bed in a minute. I feel too shocked to sleep just yet. And I have been in bed for hours.’
‘That’s because you probably haven’t slept for days – or even weeks,’ said Hattie.
Fiona nodded. ‘I’ve been so nervous about the wedding. Now it’s as if the elastic has snapped. But I’m still on edge.’
‘Hardly surprising,’ said Luke, ‘if you were planning to marry that—’ He hesitated.
‘You can say it,’ said Fiona. ‘Or I will. He was – is a bastard.’
Hattie nodded. ‘But he’s out of your life now.’
‘I just hope he’s out of your life too,’ said Fiona.
‘He is,’ said Luke. ‘I’ll see to it. Now go to bed, Hattie. You’re dropping. Fiona, I’m going to make you a special Horlicks.’
‘What’s special about it?’ asked Xander.
‘It’s got brandy in it,’ said Hattie. ‘And you can’t have any.’
‘Bed,’ said Luke firmly.
Happy to be ordered about in this instance, Hattie went upstairs.
Within moments she was in her night clothes and under her duvet. She plumped up the pillow and closed her eyes.
