Page 115 of Lie For Me

Jack nodded. ‘Casston were pretty unhappy to start with, but we renegotiated the sale. And I stay put.’ He raised his eyebrows and put on a mock-serious face. ‘I told them you couldn’t live without me.’

Lucy snorted and tried to pull her hands free.

‘Humph. And they fell for that nonsense?’

Jack slid his hands around her waist, pulling her into him.

‘It might work out, it might not. But it seems now like that’s a risk worth taking. Like,’ he cleared his throat, ‘like that’s the risk that matters.’ He stepped back suddenly and took a breath. ‘God, I hope this works out. I gave up a year in New York for this….’

Lucy shoved him in the chest. ‘Oi!’

‘At least we know the sex is good.’

‘Hmm, it was all right,’ Lucy shrugged. ‘Nothing to write home about.’

‘Wow.’ He pulled her in close and dropped his lips to her ear. ‘Do you need a reminder?’

‘Not so much that I need a reminder, as you need the practice…’

‘Luce,’ He traced his fingers down her spine. ‘Haven’t you learned by now that nothing good comes from lying?’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she murmured, as she raised her lips to his. ‘This is working out pretty well for me.’

Epilogue

Lucy smiled as a toddler clambered down off Santa’s knee, happy to have delivered her list of Christmas present requests directly to the man himself.

Cassie appeared beside her and nudged a cup of mulled wine into her hands.

‘I think you’ve outdone yourself this year, Lucy,’ she said, nodding appreciatively at the crowds.

Lucy smiled. ‘As always,’ she gingerly sipped her hot drink, ‘it’s a team effort. But thank you.’

The old stately house was heaving with visitors, more than they’d had for the Christmas Fayre in previous years. They’d opened up additional rooms for the event, decorating the original kitchens, putting out traditional foods and decking out the ballroom in a midnight blue and silver theme.

Anne passed them with a group of visitors who had booked the VIP tour clutching their Christmas at Dulcetcoombe brochures, and Lucy and Cassie overheard an elderly man say, ‘So nice that they still do things like this. Reminds me of when I was little.’

Dot marched up to them, Dick glued to her side. After Lucy had spoken to him back in the summer, he seemed to have rather taken their talk to heart. Tonight, he was dressed in a tweed three-piece suit, his hair slicked neatly to one side. He hung on Dot’s every word.

‘Lucy,’ Dot began. ‘Have you seen the reindeer handler? He’s disappeared again and left Margaret looking after the reindeer. Said he was popping to the loo, but Dick said he saw him hanging around the mulled wine stall, and now no one can find him.’ She puffed out her cheeks and shook her head. ‘These are wild animals, Lucy, wild animals, and Margaret is in charge of them. She couldn’t manage a goldfish.’ She threw up her hands. ‘It’s a disaster waiting to happen.’

Lucy, in far too good a mood to allow Dot to ruin it, clicked her radio and sent a message to all staff to please look out for their missing reindeer handler, and for someone to please go and help Margaret in the meantime.

‘So Dot,’ Lucy said, smiling. ‘Apart from the missing-in-action reindeer handler, how do you think it’s going this year?’

‘Humph,’ Dot said and put her hands on her hips. ‘I think…well…on balance…overall…’ She nodded. ‘I think we’ve done well.’ She looked at Lucy. ‘You’ve done well. Best year yet.’

Her eyes were bright, and she gave a brisk nod of the head.

‘Now, Dick.’ Her voice turned stern. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be taking over at the candy cane stall right now? Come along.’ And she steered him off by the elbow as he grinned sideways at her.

Through the crowds, Lucy spotted a familiar dark head. She waved, ‘Over here!’

Jack grinned as he saw her and fought his way through the throng until he was standing in front of her.

‘Hi, Cassie,’ he said, hugging her. ‘Merry Christmas.’

‘Merry Christmas to you, too,’ Cassie said. ‘It’s been quite a year.’

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