Page 56 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

Lauren blushed and looked guilty. ‘Mum said I should sell them if I’ve made them.’

‘You made all of these cakes?’ asked Lily in amazement, wondering when she’d had the time.

‘I like baking.’

‘Have you tried her fairy cakes?’ said Megan, coming to stand next to them.

‘Not yet,’ said Lily.

‘Well, you must,’ said Megan, reaching out her hands. ‘Here. Give those to me. I can take the prizes.’

‘But it really should be me,’ said Lily, feeling worried about her job.

‘Rubbish,’ Megan told her. ‘You’ve been stuck inside all day. Come on, have a fairy cake. It’s a fete, remember. Everyone has to have cake.’

Not wanting to make a scene, Lily took the proffered fairy cake and bit into it. Instantly, the sweet icing hit the spot.

‘Wow, this is good,’ she said, smiling at Lauren.

‘Better than my cleaning, anyway,’ muttered Lauren in reply.

‘I’m sure you’ll get better at that,’ said Lily, smoothly. ‘Well, I’ll see you at nine o’clock in the morning,’ she said. The maid had been late every morning since she had begun work.

Lauren’s shoulders slumped. ‘Yeah,’ she replied.

‘Good luck selling the rest of your cakes,’ Lily told her and wandered away.

She wolfed down the remainder of the cake as she walked around the stalls. She felt guilty at having some spare time whilst everyone else was so busy, though. Even her dad was selling some of his competition prizes for the tombola.

‘Have you had fun?’ she asked him when she had finally fought her way through the crowds to get to him.

He nodded. ‘I’m shattered now, though. Don’t think I’ve been outside for so long. But when Arthur asked me, I couldn’t say no.’

Lily thought it might have done him good to get some fresh air, and wondered whether Arthur had thought the same.

‘We miss you at home,’ said her dad.

Lily smiled. ‘I’ve only been away for a couple of nights,’ she reminded him.

‘Your mum won’t say, but she’s been counting the hours since you’ve gone,’ said her dad.

‘Where is she?’ asked Lily, looking around.

‘Helping switch on the fairy lights,’ her dad told her.

As Lily walked away, she watched as the soft lights were switched on as the sun slowly set beyond the horizon. The sky was now darkening, streaked with dark blue and raspberry. In the distance, the first stars appeared.

Lily sighed with disappointment. She had somehow managed to miss most of the fete.

The previous year, everyone had stayed until late in the evening and Sam had announced that they would do the same again this year. So tea lights in jam jars and bottles were also being lit. With the hundreds of fairy lights that were wrapped around the trees and strung from stall to stall switched on, the whole estate was beginning to twinkle and take on a magical, softer feel in the dusk.

As everyone began to gather on the grass for the evening entertainment, Lily leaned up against a tree in the shadows, wondering whether she should get back to the house and finish that day’s to-do list.

But, in the end, she decided to stay and watch all the Harris family gather on the makeshift stage. Arthur and Rose gave out the prizes for all the competitions. Will and Skye announced the huge amount of money that had been raised for the local hospital that afternoon, which led to a rousing cheer from the audience.

Finally, Sam and Annie stood hand in hand in front of everyone.

‘By now, you’ll all know that our future is not quite as secure as it was this time last year,’ said Sam. Annie looked a little upset, so her husband put his arm around her as he carried on talking. ‘But I want you to know that my family will fight this and any other proposal every step of the way. We’re a community and we are a village. But, more than that, we are all family. So, please relax and enjoy tonight’s entertainment!’ Everyone whooped and cheered at this. ‘And now, back by popular demand is our very own local boy, Tommy King, and special guests Hazy Memory!’