Page 10 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘So, what will you do with yourself today?’ asked her mum, who was batch-cooking at the stove. She had become very skilled at making cheap cuts of meat stretch to feed the family.

‘Look for a job,’ said Lily, with a sigh. ‘I’m not sure how many event management jobs there are around here, though. Oh, I’m popping in to see Megan later this morning to catch up.’

‘Such a shame about the redundancy,’ said her mum, shaking her head sadly as she chopped up some garlic. ‘And now single again as well. No children either. The only thing you had going for you was your career.’

‘Gee, thanks a bunch, Mum,’ said Lily, rolling her eyes.

‘I didn’t mean it like that, darling.’ Her mum took a chopping board over to the sink.

Lily took the criticism and tried to ignore it. In her younger years, she and her mum had fought and argued to the point that she had been desperate to escape from her home. But these days, there was too much pain and, anyway, all their petty rows over nothing were in the past.

She was still feeling pretty low, so was glad she still had her visit to Megan next door later in the morning.

*

‘Come on in,’ said Megan, as soon as she opened the front door. ‘My mum is babysitting the kids at her place, so it’s safe to enter.’

‘How is the family?’ asked Lily.

Megan groaned. ‘Exhausting, and we’re only four weeks into the summer holidays. God help me.’

Inside, the cottage was a mirror image of Lily’s own home, but whereas hers was fairly dull, Megan’s was packed with toys and life, and, as it turned out, Annie, Megan’s best friend.

‘Hi,’ said Annie, giving Lily a hug as soon as she went into the lounge. ‘Lovely to see you. Hope you don’t mind me crashing your gossip session. I was on my way home from the doctor’s.’

Annie had gone to school with Megan and, along with their other friend, Eleanor, the three of them had been as thick as thieves throughout their lives. Recently reunited as they all now lived in the village, Lily had heard that they were as close as ever.

Annie had been in the year above Lily at school until her parents had moved away. However, she had returned to Cranley a year and a half ago where, to the amazement of everyone in the village, she had fallen in love with and eventually married Sam Harris, Arthur’s grandson. With Sam first in line to inherit the earldom from Arthur, Annie was suddenly elevated from housekeeper to future countess.

‘It’s great to see you, too,’ Lily told her. ‘I haven’t seen you since the wedding, anyway.’

It had been a beautiful ceremony and reception at Willow Tree Hall. Lily remembered making mental notes about the decoration for her own future wedding to Mark. How could she have been so blind?

‘You’re really starting to get big now,’ said Lily, looking at Annie’s baby bump.

Annie smiled a little wearily. ‘I know. But I think my swollen ankles are showing worse.’

She was dressed in leggings and a baggy T-shirt. Hardly countess material, but certainly comfortable-looking.

Megan brought in a packet of biscuits and three mugs of coffee.

‘When are you due?’ asked Lily.

‘Tenth of October.’ Annie automatically touched the bump. ‘It’s been a bit grim, actually,’ she said, her pretty face screwing up into a grimace.

‘Grim is an understatement. It’s been like something out ofThe Exorcistup at the Hall,’ said Megan, sitting down. ‘Poor thing’s got the worst morning sickness.’

Annie nodded. ‘It’s true. And it didn’t stop at twelve weeks, either. I don’t know when I’m supposed to look radiant and blooming. I just feel tired and sick most of the time.’

‘How awful,’ said Lily. ‘Poor you.’

‘Here, I got you some ginger biscuits,’ said Megan, leaning forward to pass the packet to Annie.

‘You’ve lost a bit of weight,’ said Lily, studying Megan.

‘You think so?’ said Megan, blushing as she picked up her mug. ‘I have been trying to, haven’t I? Plus I’ve been running around like a loony since beginning to help out Eleanor with her business.’

‘It’s still going well?’ asked Lily.