‘Congratulations on the house sale,’ he said, pulling away and handing her the chilled bottle, beads of condensation running down it.
She could only nod as they walked towards the kitchen.
Clara greeted Will. ‘That’s two bottles of Champagne now. It’s officially a party.’
Will kissed Clara on the cheek and then waved at John and Molly through the kitchen window. The two came in from outside.
‘Are we opening this Champagne or what?’ John asked. ‘Fancy them getting an offer so soon,’ he said as he shook hands with Will.
‘Some things are just meant to be,’ Lucy said, fetching flutes from the cupboard as Will eased the cork from a bottle and began pouring for everyone. ‘I really liked the buyers,’ she said. ‘They’re the perfect family for this house – I’m sure of it.’
They clinked glasses, Molly joining in with a Champagne flute full of lemonade but Clara didn’t take a sip of hers, instead putting her glass down. Lucy didn’t miss that.
‘So what will you do now?’ Clara asked. ‘Deux Tourelles is sold. The antiques dealer is booked to appraise the furniture. It’s a case of packing up things like this now,’ she said, pointing to the Champagne glasses, ‘and sending them to the charity shop.’
‘Won’t take five minutes,’ Lucy said. ‘And then I’m surplus to requirements.’
‘Not to me,’ Clara said, kissing her sister on the cheek.
‘Nor me,’ Will said. John and Clara gave each other a wide-eyed knowing look as Lucy looked into her glass, avoiding everyone’s gaze.
They sipped their Champagne, talking about property prices on the island that could see a family of five laying down millions for a house like Deux Tourelles.
‘I’m in the wrong job,’ Will said, shaking his head.
‘And me,’ John agreed.
‘I don’t really have one at all now,’ Lucy admitted.
‘What?’ Clara asked.
‘I’m not taking on any more work.’
‘Why?’ Clara asked in horror.
‘Because I need that push; that fear to do something else, something I actually care about, something I’m actually interested in, instead of …’
‘Coasting?’ Clara finished Lucy’s sentence for her.
Lucy smiled. ‘Yes, thank you. Coasting.’
‘What are you going to do now?’ Clara asked. ‘Although actually it’s not as if you’re going to struggle for cash when this place sells.’
‘I know,’ Lucy said. ‘Although I do actually have a plan.’ She pulled out the leaflet about gardening courses that she’d found when it had fallen out of her new gardening book. ‘Don’t laugh, but I really enjoyed doing this house up, but not as much as I enjoyed every single minute I spent out in the garden. I want to learn how to do it properly. I’m not sure where that will lead in the long run but for now … there’s this,’ she said, tapping the leaflet. ‘And I know I’ll enjoy learning new things, applying it practically.’
‘Here?’ Clara said.
Lucy looked at Will quickly but his face was unreadable. She looked back at Clara, ‘Well, it’s online mainly, distance learning, so I’m not sure where yet,’ she flustered. ‘But I’ll have to find somewhere to do some practical work. Perhaps Guernsey for a while. I’ll be around a bit more for Molly until the house sells anyway and then who knows. Maybe a little flat here with a sea view?’ Lucy suggested.
‘Maybe a large flat here with a sea view,’ John suggested wagging his eyebrows. ‘Thanks to Dido.’
‘Perhaps,’ Lucy said with a laugh. She sipped her Champagne and looked over at Will who was smiling at her. He raised his glass and she raised hers.
‘To Persephone and Dido,’ Lucy said, and the others echoed it.
A moment’s silence descended and Lucy glanced over at the picture of the two sisters on the beach, flanked by the two boys.
John looked at his watch. ‘Agh, Molly’s swimming lesson,’ he said.
