‘Well, I think you can,’ I said. ‘If it wasn’t for the way the inheritance went, with Nick’s father so obsessed with his songettingthe house – the house he doesn’t even want – it would be yours, anyway, as his widow. This is your home; you’ve lived here for, what – over thirty years?’ She nodded miserably. ‘India’s happy here. I know she’s not Nick’s blood sister, but he obviously thinks of her that way. He’s not going to turf you out, Astrid, I’m sure of it.’
A wan smile came to her face.
‘Do you really think so?’
‘I do,’ I said firmly, although who was I to make such decisions about a man I had known a few weeks and she had known for almost his entire life? ‘But please speak to him. You can’t go on feeling worried like this.’
‘I will,’ she promised, scrunching the damp kitchen paper up in her hand. ‘Now, what were you supposed to be doing? I’m sure I’m keeping you from something – can I help?’
‘Quite the opposite!’ I said. ‘I came in here to make tea and instruct you not to come into the dining room. Marilise and I are wrapping presents.’
‘Oh, how exciting,’ she said. ‘I think I might go upstairs and do the same thing, with some Christmas music on the radio.’ Her face fell again. ‘But what am I going to do with the gifts I bought for Philip? Do you think I should send them to him?’
‘No,’ I practically shouted. ‘No. Why don’t you give them to me, with the receipts, and I’ll look into returning them?’
‘You’re so kind,’ she said, another tear teetering on her lower lid.
‘Not at all,’ I said. ‘And no more crying. You do plenty for other people, it’s time someone helped you out a bit. Now, I’d better get that tea to Marilise before she sends out a search party.’
When I returned to the dining room, I told Marilise about Philip, but not about Astrid’s fears over the house; the last thing I wanted was her worrying as well.
‘I met him once, Philip,’ said Marilise, carefully cutting the ends of a piece of ribbon into a ‘V’ shape. ‘I can’t say I liked him all that much. I found him brash, but I wondered if he was the sort of person I’m not used to. Astrid seemed to think he was a good idea, and who was I to question that? Maybe I should have.’
I shook my head.
‘No good ever comes of interfering in other people’s relationships, however well meant. I don’t think Astrid is too sorry – she’s more worried about India, who I think will be delighted.’
We fell into a companionable silence as we continued wrapping, but inside my head was a maelstrom. Was this new relationship, the only thing in my life which had felt right since Paulo died, going to disappear as quickly as it had come?
Later that day, when I was doing my usual paperwork, as well as making a start on returning the presents Astrid had bought for Philip, Nick came in.
‘Hello,’ he said, bending to kiss me. ‘Sorry I haven’t seen you all day, I’ve been snowed under with this latest app. Cup of tea?’
A few minutes later, he returned and sat down next to me.
‘Such a shame about Astrid,’ he said. She had told him about Philip after lunch, although I didn’t know if she had also raised her concerns about the house. ‘But she said she wasn’t too cut up about it.’
He paused.
‘Mmm,’ I said. ‘India told me that it’s made her Christmas – she didn’t like him at all.’
‘It’s India that Astrid is most worried about,’ said Nick, frowning. ‘She seems to think I’m going to kick them all out to live in London and sell Lyonscroft, like some crooked landlord.’
‘Are you?’ I asked as lightly as I could.
‘Of course not,’ he said roughly, then paused. ‘Sorry. No, I’m not, although this house is ridiculous, far too big for anyone. I think that Astrid and India would be far better off somewhere smaller, still with room for the horse, of course. But it’s not the time to discuss it with her. And anyway, nothing will happen until Marilise…’
‘Dies,’ I supplied. He nodded awkwardly.
‘Quite. Anyway, I’m thinking of sticking around for a bit myself,’ he said, putting his mug down and taking my hand.
I smiled.
‘Good. Although maybe I’ll be the one running off to LA, to avoid becoming my sister’s maternity nurse.’
I had thought he would laugh, but he looked at me seriously.
‘Well, why not?’ he asked. ‘There are worse places to live.’
