Page 90 of The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea

‘You’d be surprised,’ murmured Clara, still trying to take in what River was saying as he stood, barefoot, his hair lit by sunlight dappling through the trees. He was still the boy she’d loved, and now he was the man who made her heart beat faster whenever she saw him.

‘Anyway, that postcard I sent was completely out of order and I totally understand why me trying to kiss you just now freaked you out. I mean, in many ways we’re strangers, and I live a long way away and?—’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, shut up!’ said Clara, flinging her arms around his neck. ‘If you’re not going to be an arse about it this time, just kiss me, will you?’

River looked down at her, the surprise on his face quickly replaced with amusement.

‘Well, seeing as you asked me so nicely.’

His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to him. And then he bent his head and kissed her, and this time it wasn’t tentative or awkward. It was passionate and practised and loving. This kiss was just right.

EPILOGUE

AUDREY, SIX MONTHS LATER

Audrey sat at the library window with a cosy throw across her legs and smiled at the efforts going on in the garden.

Geoffrey had insisted that an extra fir was needed, although the manor already had a huge Christmas tree in the hallway. Julie had spent ages decorating it and it twinkled a welcome whenever anyone came into the house.

Yet Geoffrey was adamant that the drawing room needed additional festive pizazz, hence the humongous tree that was currently being dragged through the snow towards the kitchen door.

‘Pivot!’ he yelled as they negotiated the gap in the wall that enclosed the herb garden. ‘Now!’

Sadly, pivoting proved useless because the tree clipped the wall, River dropped the thick trunk he was holding and fell backwards into a snowdrift.

When Clara immediately doubled up with the giggles, Audrey couldn’t help chuckling too. There was so much laughter at Brellasham Manor these days, and the sound of it had chased away any ghosts that remained of the past.

River pulled a screaming Clara into the snowdrift and they embraced, their breath frosty in the cold air.

‘Come on. No slacking on the job!’ called Geoffrey. He clapped his gloved hands together, startling a robin which had flown down to perch on the fallen tree. ‘You’ll be glad when the drawing room is looking marvellous.’

Audrey could still glimpse the serious little boy in Geoffrey, and he bore traces of Edwin that sometimes took her by surprise: a judging glance here, a barked order there.

But, overall, Geoffrey was far less like his father than he imagined himself to be. He was more open about his feelings – although that was a work in progress, according to those who knew him well. He was more gentle, and he was also more openly affectionate with his son. In fact, the more time father and son spent together, the better they seemed to get on.

Audrey watched as Geoffrey reached out his hand to pull River from the snowdrift. She had seen a change in her former stepson over the last few months, during her visits to this house. He seemed less rigid and brittle than the man she had first got to know.

As for River, his talk of returning to Australia had all but dried up and, seeing the way he looked at Clara, Audrey doubted that he would ever go back. Not for good, anyway.

Geoffrey had confided in her that he hoped his son might stay and take on the house when his time here was done, especially now it was in a much better state of repair thanks to the sale of the diamond necklace. And Audrey thought that he very well might.

Like her, River had fled Brellasham Manor, sure that he would never return. But here they both were, about to enjoy a family Christmas within its walls. It was strange how life turned out, thought Audrey, wrapping the throw more tightly around her legs.

What would Edwin think of it all? she wondered. Then, she shivered and turned her attention back to the garden. It didn’t matter what Edwin would think because he was no longer here to give his opinion. He was gone and the fear that he’d stoked in her had disappeared.

‘Hey, Audrey!’ Clara shouted, waving at her through the window. ‘Did you see River take a tumble?’

Audrey nodded and waved back at the wonderful young woman whose drive and enthusiasm were behind the manor’s new lease of life.

It had been her suggestion to build a children’s play area in the grounds for the youngsters of Heaven’s Cove, and also to provide new meeting facilities for organisations in and around the village. Hosting local weddings was another of her brainwaves that she was currently pursuing.

Geoffrey had been reluctant at first but he’d gradually come around to Clara’s assertion that the manor should play a bigger role in the future of Heaven’s Cove.

‘You should pass on your privilege,’ she’d told him, shutting down his protest that trying to stop a massive, grand old house from falling down was actually quite a hardship. ‘Tell that to Claude, who lives in a two-up, two-down with dodgy electrics,’ had done the trick.

So, from next month, local groups could book the manor’s old boot room, apple store and scullery which had been converted into meeting rooms, and the play area would open in the spring. Audrey often saw children with their faces pressed to the manor gates, watching excitedly as their new swings, slides and climbing frames were erected.

Tourist visits to the manor were also climbing after she and River had persuaded Geoffrey to let people enjoy the house that he and his family had kept to themselves for generations.

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