Page 31 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

She looked across once more to where the maples were now wearing their autumnal splendour, coloured deep shades of red and gold scattered all around the surrounding forest.

‘I think it’s my favourite season when it’s like this,’ said Walter. ‘But then again, I say that about every season here.’

‘How long have you lived here?’ asked Lily.

‘All my life,’ he replied. ‘Never wanted to be anywhere else, to be honest.’

‘I can see why,’ she told him.

‘Which makes me all the more puzzled as to why folks don’t want to come here,’ carried on Walter. ‘I mean, look at it.’

He had a point, thought Lily. ‘I agree,’ she said. ‘But perhaps Ben’s new ideas will help bring in the guests once more.’

Walter’s good mood faded. ‘He shouldn’t be here. He should be off living his life,’ he muttered.

Lily was surprised at the fierceness of his tone. ‘Maybe he wants to be here,’ she told him. ‘After all, this is his home too. Some of us don’t have one of those, not a permanent one in any case.’

Walter looked at her with piercing blue eyes. ‘I guess not.’ He turned back to look at the lake. ‘Maybe you’re right. This place is certainly in his blood. When he was young, he loved working with the timber. He understood the importance of taking care of the land. That we’re just caretakers. You don’t own it. It belongs to nature.’ He sighed. ‘He and I used to spend hours together in my workshop.’

‘Maybe that’s where he got his love of architecture from,’ she told him.

Walter huffed. ‘He’s got a rare talent,’ he said, with a proud look on his face. ‘Hate to see him wasting it out here in the middle of nowhere.’

‘But as you said, it’s his home,’ Lily reminded him.

Walter sighed heavily but didn’t reply.

Before she could ask him any more, she saw Hannah, Beth and Ella walking towards them and, after a short greeting, Hannah’s grandad walked away.

‘What was that about?’ asked Hannah, as they all began to walk the circuit of the lake.

‘He was telling me how much Ben used to love helping in his workshop,’ replied Lily.

‘Oh, yes,’ said Hannah, nodding and smiling in memory. ‘You could only lure him out of there with food sometimes.’ She took in a deep breath of the crisp cold air. ‘Hate to see him and Grandad so far apart after everything that’s happened this year.’

Beth reached out and linked arms with Hannah, giving her a squeeze.

‘You must miss your dad very much,’ said Beth.

Hannah nodded. ‘Oh, yes,’ she said, breathing out a sigh. ‘I miss his hearty laugh and the way he was always there with a warm hug. But most of all,’ she hesitated before carrying on, ‘most of all, I miss how we all were so much happier back then.’

‘How has it changed?’ asked Lily.

‘Take Grandad and Grandma for a start,’ Hannah told her. ‘Grandad tries so hard to prove that he’s up to running the hotel when he clearly isn’t because he’s nearly eighty and allowed to be tired some of the time. Grandma seems to have lost her spirit as well. Mum’s so sad too. And Ben? Well, he’s so busy I’m not sure he’s even had time to grieve these past few months.’

‘And what about you?’ asked Ella. ‘You’re important as well.’

‘Me?’ Hannah gave her a small smile. ‘I just try and help in my own small way. Cake helps, I’ve been told.’ Her face dropped. ‘Not that it’s any use, I’m sure.’

Lily looked at her friend, hearing the pain in her voice. ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t come and see you sooner. I should have made the time to come and see you when you were hurting so bad.’

‘Thanks but it’s fine,’ said Hannah with a small shrug. ‘We all know how busy you are.’

They carried on walking but still Lily felt guilty that she’d been so busy with work that she hadn’t seen quite how much Hannah was struggling with her grief.

‘Maybe I should start wild swimming again,’ said Hannah, looking out across the water. ‘Grandma always used to as well when the weather was warmer but it’s been a few years now since we bothered, to be honest.’

Ella shuddered. ‘Isn’t it a little cold for that at the moment?’