Page 46 of Best Laid Plans

Gina’s father-in-law, Fred Roberts broke off an animated conversation with Lucy to catch Will as he passed.

‘Great to see you again,’ Fred said, shaking Will’s hand. ‘We old-timers have been following your exploits in Alaska and Africa and Mongolia. It all sounds so exciting.’

‘It’s been interesting,’ Will agreed, without meeting Lucy’s gaze.

‘Good for you. Why not enjoy an adventurous life while you can? I should have headed off myself when I was younger, but it just didn’t happen. I’m pleased you didn’t get bogged down here, Will. I suppose, in some ways, we look on you as the one who got away.’ Fred chuckled. ‘When are you heading off again?’

‘Pretty soon.’

Fred clapped Will on the shoulder. ‘Good for you, son. Don’t hang around here. It’s too easy to grow roots in a place like this.’

Will caught Lucy’s eye and saw the sad set of her mouth and the thinness of her smile. He wondered, as the laughter and chatter floated about them, if he was the only one who noticed the shadowy wistfulness in her eyes whenever she glanced in the direction of the babies.

Unlike the other women, Lucy hadn’t begged for a chance to cuddle little Mia or Jasper and Will’s heart ached for her.

When it was time for dessert, silver platters piled with dainty lemon meringue tarts appeared.

‘Lucy, these are divine!’ Gina exclaimed with her mouth full.

For the first time that day, Lucy looked happy. ‘They turned out well, didn’t they?’

‘Did you make these?’ Will was unable to disguise his surprise, which he immediately regretted.

Lucy’s smile faltered. ‘Yes.’ She tilted her chin defensively. ‘As a matter of fact, I made them entirely from scratch – even the pastry.’

‘What’s got into you, Will?’ Gina challenged. ‘Are you trying to suggest that Lucy can’t cook?’

The eyes of almost every guest at the table suddenly fixed on Will and he felt the back of his neck grow uncomfortably hot.

He smiled, tried to mumble an apology. ‘No, no, sorry. I – I — ’

To his surprise, Lucy came to his rescue. ‘Back when Will and I were at uni, I used to be an atrocious cook.’

This was greeted by indulgent smiles and nods and comments along the lines that Lucy was an accomplished cook now. As general conversation resumed, Lucy’s eyes met Will’s down the length of the table. She sent him a smile, nothing more than a brief flash, but its sweet intimacy almost undid him.

Shortly afterwards, the babies woke from their naps and the christening cakes were cut and glasses were raised once again. Tom made a short but touching speech of thanks to Mattie for her wonderful gift of the surrogate pregnancy and just as he finished, baby Mia let out a loud bellow of protest.

‘Oh, who’s a grizzly grump?’ Gina gave a theatrical groan. ‘She probably needs changing.’

To Will’s surprise, Lucy jumped to her feet and held out her arms.

‘Let me look after her,’ she said.

‘Oh, thanks, I won’t say no,’ Gina replied with a laugh.

Lucy was smiling as she scooped the baby from Gina’s lap.

Will watched her walk back across the smooth lawn to the house and thought how beautiful she looked in her elegant dress with its floaty grey skirt, the colour of an early morning sky. Her pale blonde hair was shining in the sunlight, and the baby was a delicate pink and white bundle in her arms.

Without quite realising what he’d done or why, he found himself standing. ‘I’ll fetch more champagne,’ he offered, grasping for an excuse to follow her.

‘No need, Will,’ called his father, pointing to a tub filled with ice. ‘We still have plenty of champers here.’

‘I – er – remembered that I left a couple of bottles in the freezer,’ Will said. ‘I don’t want them to ice up. I’d better rescue them.’

As he entered the house he heard Lucy’s voice drifting down the hallway from the room that used to be Gina’s. Her voice rippled with laughter and she was talking in the lilting singsong that adults always used with babies.

For Will, the sound was as seriously seductive as a siren’s song and he couldn’t resist heading down the passage.

---