Woman’s Weekly UK – 06 August 2019

womansweekly.com 55

SERIAL

‘Thisis MichaelCassidy

we’retalkingabout,’hesaid

witha grumpyfrown.

‘Yes,themanwhohasput

a roofoverourheadsand

askednothingin return,’

Darcysaid.‘Givetheguy

a breakandaccepthis

hospitalityin thespirit it’s

beenoffered.’

‘You’reright,’hesaid.

‘Don’tworry.I’llbehave.’

‘It’soddnoonehasbeen

to seeusisn’tit?’Darcysaid.

‘Don’tthinkaboutit, Darcy,’

Popsaid.‘Let’sjustconcentrate

onhavinga niceevening.’

Theywalkedacrossthe

foyerto therestaurantand

wereimmediatelyshownto

a tablewhereStella,Michael

andKatewereseated.

Michaelstoodand held

Darcy’schair.

‘Wethoughtyoucoulduse

a changeof scenery,’Kate

saidwhileMichaelpoured

thema glassof wineeach.

Darcynoticedallthetables

nearthemwereemptyand

theotherdinerswereoutof

earshot.Sheshota glanceat

Popandsawhimtuggingat

histieto loosenit. Something

abouttheset-upmadeher

feeluneasy.Theonlywaythis

couldgetanymoreawkward

wasif Nedturnedup.

Shelookedround,half

expectinghimto materialise.

Butastheyatetheirmeal

andchatted,shebeganto

relaxandit seemedPopdid

too.It wasallveryconvivial

andpleasantuntilthey had

coffeeafterwards.

‘So,’Michaelsaid.‘Alan.

I wonderif you’vegivenany

morethoughtto sellingthe

Victoriato me?What’sleft

of it anyway.’Helaughed,

whichseemedinappropriate

underthecircumstances.

Darcyswivelledin herseat

to lookat hergrandfather,

hereyebrowsraised.

‘I have,Michael,’Popsaid,

straighteningin hischair.‘As

I toldyouat mywife’sfuneral,

theVictoriais notforsale.

Notevenwhat’sleftof her.’

‘What’s this?’ Darcy said.

‘I wasn’tgoingto tellyou,’

Popsaid.‘Michaelfirstoffered

to buytheVictoriajustafter

youwentto NewZealand.’

‘Andyouwereseriously

consideringit at thattime,’

Michaelpointedout.‘You

wereallforsellingupand

followingDarcyto New

Zealandandstartingafresh.

Youthoughttherewouldbe

moreopportunitiesforher.’

‘Isthistrue?’Darcy

roundedonPop.Michael

wasleaningbackin hischair

asif nothingwaswrong.

‘Ofcourseit’strue,’Stella

said.‘Michaelcouldseethey

werestrugglingandEsther

toldmewithoutyouthere,

thehotelhadbecomea

millstoneroundtheirnecks.’

‘We’retryingto helpyou,’

Katechimed in. ‘Can’t you

seethat?’

‘Granwouldneverhave

agreedto sellherbeloved

Victoria,’Darcysaid.

‘You’reright,shewouldn’t,’

Popsaid.‘Shewentupthe

wallwhenI toldherI’dbeen

discussinga salewith

Michaelandsaidonedaythe

hotelwouldbeyours,Darcy,

andyoucoulddecidewhether

or notto sellupandmoveon.’

Darcystoodandswayedas

a waveof dizzinesswashed

overher,thenPopwas

besideherholdingherarm.

‘Thankyoufora lovely

evening,’hesaid.‘Butmy

granddaughterandI aretired.’

‘Don’tdothis,Alan,’

Michaelsaid,gettingup.‘I

justwantto makethingseasier

foryou.I’mnotyourenemy.

Atleastthinkaboutit.’

‘I havethoughtaboutit,’

Popsaid.‘I’vethoughtabout

it a greatdealandtheanswer

is noandwillalwaysbeno.

TheVictoriais notforsale.’

‘I won’tgiveup,’Michael

calledafterthem.‘Sooner

orlater,youwillsell,Alan.’

AsPopledDarcyout,

shecouldn’thelpthinking

thatMichael’spartingwords

hadsoundedlikea threat.

TOBECONTINUED

Teresa Ashby, 2019

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