Page 58 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

‘OK. Well, we can work out the brunch menus this weekend, if you like, to keep the guests set up for the day,’ said Jake.

‘It would be great to get a young person’s input,’ replied Faye. ‘We need to keep up with the latest ideas and fads, don’t you think?’

‘Sounds ghastly,’ said Walter as he came into the kitchen. ‘What’s wrong with eggs on toast?’

‘Nothing, Grandad,’ said Ben. ‘But not all changes are bad, are they? Lily’s redecoration is a case in point.’

‘Keep me out of this,’ she said, with a sheepish grin.

Ben smiled back at her as they locked eyes.

Their moment, however, was interrupted by Walter placing something down on the table in front of them. It was a basket made of woven strands of willow, something he had been making for years.

‘What’s this?’ asked Jake.

‘A wicker basket,’ Walter told him. ‘Faye asked for one to replace the fruit bowl which was broken.’

‘Oh, Walter, it’s lovely,’ said Faye, beaming as she picked it up. ‘So light as well.’

‘So light that it floats,’ said Walter.

‘It floats?’ asked Lily, looking amazed.

Walter beamed. ‘Just say the word and I can set it off across the lake after breakfast,’ he said.

‘Maybe we can send a message to Alex if he’s still out there,’ said Jake, with a grin.

29

At the end of the day, Lily sank onto the sofa in the lounge with a sigh of relief. After her cold water shock first thing, she had worked non-stop and was grateful to finally be resting.

She had spent the day beginning work on the lounge which had meant painting the plain walls either side of the fireplace. The soft green worked well with the stone hearth but there was still so much to do, along with the entrance hall and dining room as well. Then there were all the final touches to add to all the areas. The work ahead still seemed to be vast.

Thankfully Alex and Jake had helped clear the huge number of empty boxes that had built up from all the televisions that Ben was beginning to install in the bedrooms, as well as helping to fill two large skips with all of the debris from the bathroom renovations.

Lily took a sip of the cocktail that Frankie had made them after dinner. This time it was a warming concoction of rum and spices and she could feel it dulling her senses and making everything just a little bit softer and more relaxed.

Ben sat down next to her and gave her a smile before he looked at the roaring fire next to them.

‘I needed this,’ he said. ‘I’ve spent all day updating the reception desk computer and, despite my brain being ready to explode, you’ll be glad to know that we now have an online booking system as well as a website where people can book at long last!’ He raised a glass to her and she recognised Frankie’s cocktail.

‘Careful,’ she told him. ‘It’s another strong one.’

He took a tentative sip before his eyes clicked wide open. ‘Strong but pretty tasty. Glad I’m not doing any more work tonight. I’m not sure I should be operating any machinery after one of these.’

Lily smiled and sighed, closing her eyes briefly as she leant back against the sofa. There was a short silence before she opened them again and found him watching her with his dark brown eyes completely unreadable.

‘You’ve had a busy day too,’ he told her, moving his gaze to admire the paint colour either side of the fireplace. ‘I like the colour.’

‘Well, it’s a start,’ she replied.

‘It certainly is.’ He reached out his glass for her to chink with his. ‘Cheers. To a job well started.’

They both spluttered after taking another sip of the drink before Ben took her glass and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

‘So what next?’ he asked as he sat back.

She laughed and groaned at the same time. ‘Give me at least one night off,’ she told him. But all the same, she couldn’t help but let her eyes wander around the lounge, imagining how it would look when it was finished.