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I laughed and leant into him. “My mum has thirty chickens. It just seemed like an equally random epilogue.”
He nodded, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “You got that right. Come on. Let’s sit down. I’ll tell you everything that happened after you left.”
I picked up my glass and followed him into the living room. I sat on the sofa, and Hugo swung up my legs, pausing to tug off my shoes. He shuffled along the cushions so we were right next to each other with my legs over his, and he rested one arm along the back of the couch.
I leant my head on his shoulder. “What happened?”
“I tried to come after you, but Dad said I needed to sort everything out. I didn’t agree at the time, but now… it was probably the right decision,” he said warily. “We pretty much backed up everything you said, I suspended Nancy, and Camilla provided the initial proof that she’d sent the email to her that said you were going in her place.”
I swallowed.
“Mum woke up the next day in a better mood. I don’t know what happened, but I think Dad flipped his shit a bit. I wasn’t much nicer to her. Grandma pointed out all the good things you’d done, and I think it really hit home for Mum how badly she’d treated you.”
“It did. If what she said to me was anything to go by.”
He trailed his finger up and down my arm. “In the end, she fired Nancy, the party went off without a hitch, and Grandma has been whinging about not seeing you. Dad confirmed he did try to set us up—”
“We knew it.”
“—And I think our family learnt a great lesson, all things considered.” He chuckled. “And Henry hit it off with the woman Mum had intended to set me up with, so it really did end well.”
“Good for Henry,” I muttered.
“So was Mum in Norfolk the whole time? We thought she was in Yorkshire visiting a friend.”
I nodded. “She said nobody knew. I… think we might even be able to salvage a friendship out of this mess.”
“Wow. You really are a good person.”
I smiled, remembering what Dad had said to me. “Well, we all made mistakes. None of us were innocent in the situation. Really, we were all being manipulated by one person.”
“She won’t do that anymore.” Hugo kissed the top of my head. “So what do we do now? Are you staying here, or are you coming back to Moorhaven with me?”
“I have nothing to stay for. Cam said she’s happy to move in with Ollie, and it’s not like I have a job or commitments. Going home made me realise how much I missed the countryside, so I suppose I’ll come home with you.”
“I like hearing you call it home,” he murmured.
“I need to find somewhere to live, though. It won’t be with your mother.”
Hugo laughed, dropping his head back. “I agree. Probably best to keep some degree of separation between the two of you.”
I tilted my head back. “This could be tough.”
“Well, you know that cottage we were talking about renovating?”
I nodded.
“Dad told me this morning that we received planning permission.” Hugo paused. “It’ll take about eight months to complete, all in all, and it’s only two bedrooms, but… what if we found you a short term let? Maybe even talk to Nora? Then when the cottage is ready… We could live there together.”
“Not in the big house?”
“Not in the big house. Eventually, of course, that would be home, but while it’s just the two of us, I don’t think Dad would have a problem with us living there for a couple of years.”
I smiled. “Can I have chickens?”
“You can have whatever you want as far as I’m concerned.”
I leant into him again. “What about until there’s somewhere for me to stay? Even a hotel until something more permanent comes up.”
