Page 32 of Lipstick Kiss

She gazed up at him smiling, and he had lost all his humour.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I never knew you liked the cottages.”

“Well, I like Archer’s and Jason’s. I’ve never seen yours because you are so ill-mannered you haven’t invited me around. When’s Daisy coming home? Maybe I can get her to go to Friday night drinks, and then I can check out her cottage and see what it’s like.”

“But you have hated the Turner houses for as long as I’ve known you. Which is since we were kids.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever said I’ve hated the Turner houses. They’re magnificent. Turner Hall is so grand I’d be too afraid to stay very long for fear of knocking over something expensive or saying the wrong thing to Bailey. Edward Hall is just as grand in its clinical whiteness. I’ve already told you I’d do just about anything to have a cottage like Archer or Jason’s places.”

“Wow. I must have convinced myself you’d hate it there. It’s why I haven’t invited you around for dinner.”

“Well, now you know. I’ll expect my invitation in the post,” Freya said, smiling as she nudged him with her hip.

“We’re here,” he said, pulling open the greenhouse door and letting her enter before him.

Chapter Ten

Luke

Luke was enjoying his morning coffee, sitting on a borrowed chair he’d hoofed down from Archer’s back patio area, drinking from the mug he took from Jason’s kitchen.

He needed to get furniture for his cottage, so he didn’t have to keep stealing his brothers’ stuff and annoying their wives. It was this thought of having his own wife that he spotted Bailey striding across the lawn to his place. Bailey didn’t waste any time getting the meeting set up.

He sighed tiredly, dropped his feet he had propped up on the low brick wall and placed his coffee mug on the floor. He hadn’t managed to procure a table yet. All the furniture would come when the house was emptied.

“Morning, Bailey,” Luke said, moving to the opening in the wall to greet him.

They shook hands.

“Morning, Sir,” Bailey replied.

“I’d invite you in for a coffee, but I only stole one mug and one chair.”

Bailey gave him a warm smile and a soft chuckle.

“I don’t have enough time to sit and put the world to rights, although looking at this view, it is very tempting. I’d forgotten how quiet it is here at the lodges.”

“You’re welcome any time, Bailey. No formality is needed with any of us over here. Maggie too. I hope you know that.”

“I do, and it’s really good to know you’re all coming back to live here. The Turner property needs it. It’s too old and too grand to leave to decay and ruin.”

They stayed silent for a minute while they gazed across the lawn that had been recently mowed and at the trees that were short enough that they could see the ocean.

“Has she set a date and time?” Luke said eventually.

He knew Bailey had to get back, but only because he always had a long to-do list with a building the size of Turner Hall. Bailey loved working the Turner estate, and he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise it.

“She has, Sir. This morning at ten o’clock in the morning room.”

“I’ll be there. Well, I’ll be there earlier so I can get Maggie to make me breakfast.”

“She is hoping you’ll do that. It’s her way of giving you strength.”

He needed to make sure he dropped in more often to see Maggie. He owed her a lot after his mother left the island.

“I’ll swing by at nine for a butty and a natter,” Luke promised.

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