‘But, darling, I hadn’t realised it was quite so soon. I’ll get in touch with your father. I can’t take you back to Switzerland with me, I’m so busy trying to wind things up before I leave.’
‘Can’t I just stay here?’ said Xander. ‘I’ll be fine at home on my own.’
Leonie took a breath but Luke spoke first. ‘I’m happy for him to stay here for as long as he wants. I’m still away in Cornwall a fair bit, but of course Hattie comes overnight when I’m not here.’
Leonie didn’t speak for a few moments. ‘It would only be until Xander goes to visit his father for his usual summer visit,’ she said.
‘So that’s OK then?’ said Xander. ‘Mum? You coming?’
Leonie got up. ‘I do wish I’d had some warning about your term ending,’ she said.
‘It’s been in your diary since before I started at college,’ said Xander. ‘Now come and hear this track!’ With that he practically dragged Leonie from the room.
Luke and Hattie looked at each other in bemusement. ‘Are you sure you’re happy with this? It won’t be long till Xan goes to Scotland.’
‘It’s fine,’ he said.
‘But it’s so unlike Lennie not to have the date etched on her memory, with a plan in place.’ Hattie was amazed. ‘And usually she’s on my case about everything, all the time. But she’s hardly told me off at all during this visit.’
‘No,’ Luke agreed. ‘She was quite relaxed about sharing a bedroom with my tools too. Although I had bought some new bed linen.’
‘That would have helped. But anyway, if she’s happy, we mustn’t stop her. It’s lovely that Xander wants to show her your cabin. I just hope she doesn’t mind him making music that doesn’t involve recognisable instruments.’
Luke laughed. He was, Hattie decided, looking handsome in a rugged way. Maybe it was his casual denim shirt which showed off his builder’s physique. Or his recently washed hair which was a bit longer than he usually had it or the fact his teeth looked particularly white against his faint tan. For the first time since she’d met him, Hattie allowed herself to admit it was a shame he was such a good friend.
Xander and his mother came back to the kitchen. ‘She quite liked it, didn’t you, Mum?’
‘I don’t really understand that sort of music but it did sound nice,’ said Leonie. ‘Maybe you’ll be able to keep practising when we move here. I’m really hoping to be able to relocate somewhere nearby by September or October.’
Hattie wondered again how she’d feel about her sister living in the same area as she did. It would certainly be nice to see Xander more often. She’d become very fond of him since he’d been under her wing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
‘Penny for them?’ Luke asked when he came back from delivering Leonie and Xander to their chosen lunch spot.
‘I was thinking of calling on Mary, as Leonie doesn’t need me. Sheila gave me a whole box of leftovers and I’d like to bring it to her as she couldn’t go to the party herself.’
‘Good idea. And do you fancy lunch in a pub? We can go somewhere different from Xander and Leonie.’
A flutter of something made Hattie clear her throat. ‘Actually, I’d planned to stay with Mary for lunch. I’ll share the leftovers. I usually rush in and out when I visit her. I’ve got time to pay a proper visit today.’
Luke nodded, but didn’t comment.
Mary was very pleased to see Hattie, who felt her friend looked frailer than she had when she saw her last, only a couple of days earlier.
‘Hi, Mary,’ Hattie said, kissing her cheek. ‘Shall I set us up outside in the garden for lunch? It’s such a beautiful day, and the view is too good to miss.’
‘If it wouldn’t be too much trouble,’ said Mary, who was very pleased to see her. ‘I would like to go outside.But I haven’t worked in my garden for far too long. It’s a jungle now.’
‘Wildlife haven,’ said Hattie briskly. ‘You’re doing nature a good turn.’
Mary laughed. ‘I think I was still doing nature a good turn when I kept things a little tidier, but I appreciate your positive attitude.’
‘If you like, I could tidy the beds you can see from the house before I go,’ she suggested. ‘You should ask Clive if he could get someone in.’
Mary shook her head. ‘The last time I let Clive have anything to do with the garden it ended in tears. He’s a slash-and-burn type and I much prefer a jungle to a wasteland.’
‘I do know someone who could come and do it for you. She’s a lovely woman and has a team of other lovely women to help.’
