Page 47 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘You’re back in leather!’ cried Sam, as he hugged Mick, the lead singer.

‘Didn’t feel right without it,’ said Mick, grinning, as he turned to face Annie. ‘Wow! You’re looking bloomin’ lovely! A little Mick or Mickette!’

Annie laughed. ‘Now there’s a different name we hadn’t thought of!’

‘Darling!’ cooed Rose, coming across to give Mick a kiss on both cheeks. ‘You’re looking marvellous.’

‘You too, sweetheart,’ said Mick, lifting Rose off the floor as he hugged her. ‘What’s your secret?’

‘Sex!’ said Rose, giggling. ‘What else?’

Mick laughed. ‘I hear ya! That’s what keeps my wrinkles at bay as well. It’s so good to be back here. We’ve been working far too hard, haven’t we, lads?’

‘Glad to hear it,’ said Arthur, coming through the front door to shake everyone’s hands.

‘Hello, your lordship,’ said Mick, stepping forward.

‘Surely we’re on first-name terms by now?’ said Arthur, with a smile. ‘Come on through.’

‘By the way, boys, this is Lily, our new temporary housekeeper,’ said Annie over her shoulder as she walked back inside the house.

‘Smashing!’ croaked Mick, the scratch-voiced lead singer and infamous womaniser. He ran his eyes up and down Lily. ‘Are you on call day and night, my lovely?’

‘Leave off!’ snapped Sam. ‘You’ll have us all done for sexual harassment if you go on like this.’

‘I’m just sussing out whether she’s available for room service,’ said Mick, still leering.

His youthful blue eyes twinkled, the assets that he had used to woo many hundreds of women over the years, including his three ex-wives. With his long hair, he had all the hallmarks of a classic rock star, albeit one now enjoying middle age.

‘Definitely not,’ said Sam, pulling Mick away. ‘No room service.’

‘He’s like that with everyone,’ whispered Annie to Lily.

Still expecting hardened partygoers, Lily was amazed to hear Howard, the drummer, announce, ‘I’ve been looking forward to this fete all summer.’

‘Can’t beat a bit of homemade lemonade, can you?’ said the guitarist, as they took a drink in the kitchen.

Perhaps they weren’t quite as wild as she had first thought.

‘I dunno,’ said Mick, with a shudder. ‘I could do with something stronger.’

So Lily headed into the kitchen with Rose and Annie to make up a jug of mojito that everyone could help themselves to.

‘This is yummy,’ said Rose, with a gleam as she took a sip. ‘What is it?’

‘Rum, sugar and lime juice,’ said Lily, shredding some mint leaves on the top.

‘Wherever did you learn to do this?’ asked Annie. ‘Mmm, wish I could try some.’

‘I had an evening job at that cocktail bar in Aldwych when I was at college,’ said Lily. ‘Always knew it might come in handy at some stage.’

‘You should come and hang outside with us all,’ said Annie, grabbing some glasses.

But Lily shook her head. ‘Too much to do,’ she said. ‘Anyway, entertaining them is your job.’

She briefly wondered what her teenage self would say, turning down the opportunity to drink and laugh with a famous rock band. She thought fifteen-year-old Lily would think that she was out of her tiny mind.

But almost-thirty-year-old Lily knew better. She’d had her wild years and the whole family had paid the price. This was all about the job and keeping it for as long as she could. This was about being sensible and not succumbing to the wild side.