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His eyebrows shot up. “Is she your girlfriend, then?”
“What? No. I meant generally.”
“But you’d like her to be?”
Lucie huffed. “Dad, I’m not answering that.”
She retreated to the sitting room, where Mandy was already settled on the sofa beside the fireplace. Taking the seat at the opposite end, Lucie avoided looking at Frances, not trusting herself with those deep blue eyes.
The cork flew with a sharp pop that made everyone jump, and her dad filled the glasses and passed them around.
“To absent friends and family — and new ones,” Mandy said, raising her glass.
As they clinked glasses, Frances caught her eye just as they both echoed, “And new ones.”
Lucie looked away quickly as her dad squeezed himself between her and Mandy.
“It’s nice to spend time where you’re not rushing here or there, Lucie,” he said.
“Sorry. That’s probably my fault,” Frances admitted. “I have been... monopolising her.”
The thought sent a tingling warmth through Lucie. She would be quite happy for her monopolise her way more than she was. When she realised she was now staring dead at Frances, she quickly looked away.
“Shall we do presents before lunch?” she said, getting back up. She reached under the tree and retrieved the gifts she’d dropped off last night. “I thought I’d support a local business, so everything is from the hall’s gift shop.”
“The roof restoration fund thanks you for your custom,” Frances said, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
Lucie returned it.
“Presents,” Rose piped up. “Did we bring any Frances?”
Mandy patted her knee. “You brought us some lovely bottles of champagne, Rose.”
“Oh, yes... it is rather lovely, isn’t it?” Rose said, lifting her glass. “Cheers.”
“Dad, this is for you,” Lucie said, handing him a wrapped parcel. “Don’t get excited.”
“You being here is the only Christmas present I needed, love.”
A chorus of awws followed as Lucie’s eyes began to sting.
“And Mandy, you have similar,” she said, passing her an identical-sized wrapped box.
They unwrapped them together, revealing white china mugs.
“His Lordship,” her dad read from the front of his.
“Her Ladyship,” Mandy said, eyes crinkling.
Lucie smirked as they thanked her. Would they take the hint?
“I haven’t got anything to give you today, love, but I’m going to help you financially with whatever your next steps are, when the time comes.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Wherever it takes you,” he added firmly.
She beamed at him, her gaze drifting to Frances, who was staring at the floor, a stillness in her. Would Frances miss her when the time came? She felt sure her visits to Rose would be missed by them both.
