Page 27 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

‘No worries,’ said Lily. ‘I can make another.’

‘You’ve been working hard enough,’ said Faye, in a firm tone. ‘Which is more than I’ve been doing this morning, picking flowers and making chutney.’

Lily looked at the autumnal arrangement in a nearby vase. ‘It’s so pretty,’ she said, admiring the twigs full of berries, the orange chrysanthemums and a couple of red roses.

‘Most came from the garden but the berries are from the woods,’ said Faye. ‘I love wandering around week to week and seeing the changes.’

‘I’ve been admiring the view out of the window most of the morning,’ said Lily, before thanking Faye as she placed a sandwich on a plate for her to eat.

‘I can waste away many hours staring out of the window,’ said Faye in a wistful tone.

‘Especially when it’s framed like that,’ replied Lily.

‘So are you looking forward to your friends arriving tomorrow?’ asked Faye.

Lily nodded. ‘It’s been so long since I saw them. There’s so much to catch up on.’

‘Beth’s new boyfriend, for a start,’ said Hannah.

Lily sighed. ‘Another one,’ she replied, rolling her eyes.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ asked Frankie.

‘Everything, probably,’ muttered Lily.

Frankie and Faye exchanged a confused look. ‘Then why is she dating him?’ asked Faye.

‘Because Beth is so desperate for her very own happy ever after she doesn’t seem to have any kind of filter where men are concerned,’ Hannah told her. ‘She falls in love so easily, thinking the next guy is the one. She can’t think badly of any of them.’

‘When they’re mostly awful,’ finished Lily, with a shudder. ‘Do you remember that one that tried it on with me a few years ago? Ugh!’

‘Poor Beth,’ said Faye, shaking her head. ‘And she’s so sweet as well.’

‘I know,’ said Frankie, making a face. ‘She’s so sunny and happy it’s positively sickening.’

Everyone giggled.

‘Ella’s more like me,’ added Frankie, with a nod of approval. ‘She knows that men are to be toyed with and then discarded as soon as they’ve moved beyond usefulness into annoying.’

‘But you must believe in love,’ said Hannah, looking shocked. ‘I mean, you’ve been married two times!’

‘Oh, I never make the same mistake twice,’ Frankie told her, smiling. ‘I make it four or five times just to make sure.’

‘So what are you girls up to this weekend?’ asked Faye, after shaking her head at her friend.

‘Chilling out,’ Hannah told her. ‘With lovely autumnal walks, silly movies…’

‘And plenty of alcohol!’ finished Lily, with a grin.

‘Glad to hear that,’ said Frankie. ‘That’s true BFFs, that is. After all, a best friend reaches for your hand – and puts a wine glass into it.’

‘I’d better get back to work before all this talk of alcohol makes me thirsty for cocktail hour,’ said Lily, standing up.

‘Do you need a hand?’ asked Hannah.

Lily quickly shook her head. ‘You save your energy for work later,’ she told her.

She was still smiling to herself though as she headed back upstairs. She was trying to hold back from getting too close to the family whilst she was staying there. But she had to admit that she was enjoying the company of all the Jackson family.