She’d missed Luke, she realised, ever since she’d gone to the dinner dance with him, when she’d felt so close to him, so in danger of stepping over the line of friendship. She would enjoy staying in his house, she decided. It would be nice to feel close to him again.
She made herself breakfast, enjoying the fact that Luke had nice mugs and crockery. He appreciated quality and she liked that.
Safely installed at the kitchen table with tea and toast, she used her quiet morning to unpick everything she’d put in place to satisfy Clive’s ridiculous requirements. Now that her dream home was only ever going to be a dream, she resolved to see what was on the market within her budget. Paying back Leonie was her first priority. She called her.
She explained what Clive had done and her sister was suitably furious. ‘But it means I can pay you back straight away.’
‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. You must be desperately disappointed.’
Hattie sighed. ‘It can’t be helped. But I’m at Luke’s now – while he’s away – so I can have Xander any time. It must nearly be the start of the new term?’
‘Yes, next week. If you could have him from Friday, it would be amazing. As you know, I’m hoping to come back as soon as I can arrange it.’
‘I know Luke would be happy for him to be here.’
‘That’s really kind, Hattie! Thank you!’
‘I love having him and he’ll stop me getting lonely.’
‘It’s not like you to be lonely.’
‘I know. I’ll get over it. So what are your plans for when you come back from Switzerland?’ Hattie asked to take the attention off her. She really hoped her sister’s plans included Tom.
‘The moment this contract is over, I’m going to come and live near you,’ Leonie said.
‘So Xander can carry on at his college?’
‘Of course.’ There was a moment’s pause. ‘But actually, you live in a really lovely area…’
‘And?’ Hattie prompted.
For a moment her sister didn’t answer; then she said, ‘Well, Tom and I are thinking of getting somewhere together.’
‘That’s great news!’ said Hattie. ‘I really like Tom! You must let me know what sort of thing you want, and I’ll keep an eye out for you.’
Hattie was aware she had dreaded her sister asking for help but now, she didn’t mind. She felt her relationship with Leonie had shifted, and in the right direction.
‘So we’ll be getting the services of a house hunter for nothing?’ asked Leonie, laughing now.
‘It looks as if you are! Don’t tell everyone.’
Feeling a lot happier about life – it was such good news about her sister – she reflected that the thought of living near Leonie would once have been her worst nightmare. Now it felt like something to look forward to.
Next, she rang Rose, who was suitably excited about Leonie and Tom getting a house together and equally outraged and sympathetic about everything that had happened with Mary’s house. After she’d called Clive every insulting name she could think of she said, ‘Can I come house hunting with you? My mother-in-law has gone and I managed not to be rude. I need treats!’
‘Of course you can. I’ll ring Susie, my mortgage advisor, and tell her what’s happened and that my budget is now lower, but at least I won’t owe anyone anything for the deposit and getting a mortgage agreed might be less stressful next time.’
‘Don’t rush into buying something you’re not really happy with just because you can afford it,’ Rose said.
‘I’m not going to rush into anything.’ Although after she’d disconnected the call, she realised that she wasn’tgoing to waste a moment. She knew she couldn’t go on living in the haphazard way she had been for years. She had come so close. If she couldn’t have Mary’s house, then the new dream had to be a country cottage of her own, and soon.
She drove over to Rose’s house and they sat together at her kitchen table with Rightmove open. Because of her job, Hattie was able to add the kind of detail often left off house listings – how near the properties were to busy roads, what the area was like and how far she would need to go for milk.
‘I don’t know how you know all this about these very modest little terraces,’ said Rose. ‘It’s not as if your clients want houses like these… and is this what you really want?’ Understandably perhaps, her friend was still indignant about Hattie having to give up her dream of living in Mary’s house. ‘And what about a garden? And you probably need room for a shed.’
Hattie laughed. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll run all my choices past you, Rose. Did I tell you I’m looking out for suitable houses for Lennie and Tom too? Unfortunately I haven’t got her wish list. Or maybe it’s fortunate. It won’t be short!’
‘Well, let’s just concentrate on finding you somewhere to live first. How many bedrooms?’
