‘Oh really?’ laughed Cassie. ‘And who is Ruby entertaining?’
‘Some chap they met on holiday apparently.’
*
Fletcher sat opposite Lilly on a table by the open fire at the inn. Feeling the cold setting into his bones on the short walk from the car park, he instantly went to the two empty chairs nearest the inglenook to warm up. Lilly also looked relieved to be next to the heat.
‘That’s better!’ he exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. ‘Now what do you want to drink, Lilly?’
‘Just a tonic water please,’ she replied, picking up a menu off the table.
Fletcher took quite a while to return, having chatted to the many locals he knew at the bar. Old Dickie was there with Max and Fitz, who had given him plenty to talk about.
Lilly was still studying the menu when he sat down. He didn’t need to look at the menu, he always had the fish pie when eating at the inn.
‘So what are you going for, lass?’ he asked, seeing her dithering for choice. Knowing Lilly, he suspected she would just go for one of the cheapest meals, rather than what she fancied.
‘Err… the cheese and onion pie… I think.’
‘Oh, go mad and have the steak,’ he coaxed, sensing that was what she really wanted. He knew Steak Diane was a particular favourite of hers.
‘Oh, go on then,’ she smiled.
Lilly was wearing the brooch which Fletcher had bought her from the Gem Rock Museum in Scotland. She was very smart in a burgundy woollen twin set and her hair had been neatly coiffured at the hairdresser’s.
‘So, been booted out by your sister tonight, then?’ chuckled Fletcher, who had found it hilarious that Ruby was on a ‘hot date’ with Alfred. He tittered to himself picturing Ruby lighting the candles on a romantic table for two in their kitchen. According to Lilly, Ruby was cooking them a ‘special dinner’. He wasn’t entirely sure what it would consist of. Maybe oysters and champagne? They were supposed to be aphrodisiacs, weren’t they? He took a mouthful of beer to hide his snort of laughter. Whilst he found the whole thing amusing, he knew Lilly was taking it rather seriously. Her sister’s happiness was obviously an important issue to her, but then Lilly was the one that had to live with Ruby, warts and all. Clearly, if Ruby was happy, then so was Lilly, and if Lilly was happy, then so was he, Fletcher reflected. He took in her appearance, noticing how lovely she looked tonight, all ‘dolled up’ as he would put it, making a change from seeing her in the usual apron and slippers she wore at The Laurels. He was genuinely pleased for Ruby too, all joking aside. Alfred was a thoroughly decent chap and made a good companion for her. Although, truth be told, he was more pleased that it may now open up a different opportunity…
Fletcher had thought long and hard and was going to run something past Lilly tonight. After ordering their food, he decided to take the plunge.
‘Lilly, I’ve been thinking,’ he announced, making her look up abruptly. ‘Now that Ruby has a friend, why don’t we go on that river cruise I suggested a while back?’ The question had clearly taken Lilly by surprise, not being able to answer immediately. Fletcher made good use of the silence. ‘You could go with a clear conscience, knowing that Ruby wouldn’t be left alone. She could invite Alfred to stay for a few days,’ then added, ‘or even go away with him on a mini-break, too.’
Lilly pondered on his suggestion. It did make sense, now that Ruby had Alfred for company. Well, why not? She quite liked the idea of floating tranquilly along the Danube, taking in all the sights.
‘Yes, Fletcher. I think that would be lovely.’
‘Good lass!’ he replied with gusto, marginally surprised at how easy it had been to convince her to go. He too envisaged them holidaying together, just the two of them this time, without any distraction or interference from Ruby. It would be a treat to have her all to himself. Once again, that pesky sentiment of ‘what if’ started to replay in his mind. He took a drink then glanced up to see Lilly staring him fully in the eye.
‘I would have said no,’ she stated.
‘Pardon?’ Fletcher’s brow creased in confusion.
‘If you had proposed, all those years ago. I would have said no.’ She was looking directly, yet calmly at him, unfaltering. The declaration floored him. So, all this time he’d been contemplating how things may have panned out, Lilly had been thinking something else. He was shocked, not only at her intuition, but by the revelation that she would have turned him down.
‘Why?’ he blinked, unable to believe his ears.
‘Alice. I always knew she was the one,’ she replied. Her voice held no emotion, just a neutral tone. Fletcher nodded sadly.
‘She was off limits though, Lilly. Me and Alice could never have been together.’
‘And yet, she’s the mother of your child, Fletcher. Not so off limits, was she?’ Again, her voice was still matter of fact. Fletcher’s eyes bulged, he started to splutter in astonishment. How the hell did Lilly know about Jasper? It beggared belief. As if reading his mind, Lilly continued by way of explanation. ‘The night of the last summer ball I saw you, coming down the stairs with Alice behind. It was plainly obvious what you’d been up to.’
‘But… but—’
‘Then nine months later, out popped Jasper, who, incidentally, looks the image of you, not Rufus.’ Fletcher glared at Lilly in disbelief.
‘Why have you waited so long to say all this, Lilly?’ he asked in shock.
Lilly shrugged. ‘To be honest, I don’t know. Perhaps I’m tired of pretending, Fletcher.’ Then she continued, ‘You said to me a few days ago that you notice more than I thought. Do you remember, when giving me this brooch?’ she tapped it with her finger. ‘Maybe I notice more than you think.’
