Carole laughed. ‘As long as you don’t mind them, I suppose they’re all right. And are wedding bells in the offing?’
Hattie winced inwardly. ‘Moving in has been enough of a commitment for the time being.’ She couldn’t let Carole continue this line of questioning in case she contradicted something Luke had said to her. ‘Can I make you some tea? I’m gasping for some myself.’
‘I’m on coffee,’ said Carole, raising one of Rose’s very pretty mugs as if in a toast. ‘But you carry on.’
Hattie wondered how long she could spin out making a cup of tea when to her relief she heard the men come in. They were talking and then Luke’s phone rang. ‘Excuse me,’ he said, staying in the hallway to take his call.
Jason came into the sitting room, which doubled as a dining room. ‘Still some pastries left, I see.’
‘Do have something,’ said Hattie, returning to the table. ‘They are so delicious. We’re very lucky to have a van that brings them practically to our door.’
Luke came in. ‘More hot drinks?’
‘I’m absolutely stuffed!’ said Carole. ‘What are we going to do this morning?’
‘I really hate to be boring,’ said Hattie. ‘But I have to do a bit of work. The downside to being self-employed.I hope to be able to join you for lunch but I can’t promise.’ She had actually promised herself that she wouldn’t join them, but didn’t feel she could make it a definite no. She just needed some time away from the pressure of entertaining.
‘Oh!’ said Carole. ‘That’s a shame! Surely when you work for yourself you can choose your own hours?’
‘In Hattie’s case, working for herself means she often has to work at weekends,’ said Luke. ‘We’ve been lucky that she’s been able to take off as much time as she has.’
Hattie gave him a very warm smile. His support made her feel properly appreciated.
‘And I don’t expect Xan wants to come on a healthy walk,’ he said. ‘If you like the idea I thought we might walk along the canal for a bit and look at the round houses. They used to be lengthmen’s cottages, in the old days. There’s one that needs a bit of work. I might tender for it. I’d like to be more home-based for a bit. Driving up and down to Cornwall is exhausting.’
‘Are you sure you won’t come with us?’ asked Carole a little while later, when they’d pulled on their Barbours and Le Chameau wellingtons which looked suspiciously new, as if bought for their stay with Luke. ‘I’ve a feeling the boys are going to bore me silly talking about architecture and traditional building methods.’
‘Get Luke to take you to my friend Rose’s shop,’ Hattie suggested, determined not to sacrifice her time alone and, indeed, time to work, which had been piling up frighteningly. ‘She has some lovely things. There are quite a few samples round here.’ She gestured. ‘I can’t resist her stuff.’
After Hattie had got through quite a lot of paperwork, she made some tea and thought about her options. Rose was right, she didn’t want to buy just anywhere out of panic, but she couldn’t stay with Luke for ever and renting was expensive. It would eat into her deposit terrifyingly quickly. She sat at the table with her notebook and pen, doodling, hoping it would create a solution to her problems. Then Xander joined her.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked.
Hattie sighed. ‘Trying to work out where we’re going to live. I’m sure if your mum realised that I’m not very good at making a home for you, she wouldn’t let you stay.’
‘Why can’t we stay here? Luke seems quite happy.’
‘Erm…’ Hattie thought how best to explain to Xander the subtle and not entirely logical reasons she wasn’t keen to rely on Luke indefinitely.
‘I won’t be here for too much longer anyway. When Mum moves back to England I’ll be back with her.’
‘Are you looking forward to that?’ Hattie asked, feeling that Xander wanted to talk about it.
‘I am, and I like Tom. He makes her laugh.’
Hattie smiled, feeling like a fairy godmother – which, in a way, she was. ‘It’s because she’s found her person.’
‘But you haven’t found your person?’
Hattie shook her head.
‘Shame. I think Luke’s found his.’
Hattie frowned, not quite sure what Xander meant. Had Luke confided in him? About April? It was possible. She pushed the thought out of her mind. ‘Really? Well, that’s great. But I’m supposed to be working so I’d better get on. I could drop you off at the pub for lunch, otherwise it’s leftovers.’
‘Happy with leftovers. My mum says you’re an over-caterer.’
‘Guilty as charged,’ said Hattie, ‘now let me get on!’
