handed him an apron and told him they could cook whatever he liked.’
‘Now I feel really bad.’
‘I didn’t come here to make you feel that way, I just wanted to tell you and when I was so close by I thought I’d do it in person. And I knew I had to do something before our lives change again with the baby. Peter needs some stability and part of that comes from you.’
‘I’m glad you came.’
‘Me too. I’m not sure how much time I’ll have on my hands to sit around in waffle shacks when the baby comes, and Winchester is far enough away that I know it won’t be easy for us to catch up. And besides, I wanted to check this place out and see what all your hard work has brought for you. And thank you, Daniel, for saying Peter can come and hang out here.’
‘Least I can do given I’m forever in your debt and I love Peter like he’s my own.’
‘Hey, I think we’ve both helped each other enough over the years that we’re about even.’ She picked up one of the menus. ‘Peter’s going to love it here. You know, I don’t remember ever having made him waffles.’
‘Then he’s coming to the right place,’ he said as she picked up her coat.
He helped her on with it and with a bit of effort she managed to do up the buttons. ‘Besides not wanting to turn out my pockets for that police woman, I didn’t want her asking me to undo this as I was frightened I’d never manage to do it up again and I’d freeze.’
He locked up for the night and switched off the twinkling lights while she quizzed him about the woman he’d been so desperate to see this evening and he found himself blurting out everything as he walked her back to her car, parked on The Street not too far from Lucy’s workshop and flat.
‘Talk to her, Daniel.’ Giselle hugged him goodbye.
‘I will.’
She climbed into the car, waved, and as he waited for her to drive away he turned and noticed the lights were already off in Lucy’s place. He’d hoped he’d be able to make out at least one, giving him the go-ahead, but it wasn’t to be. He wouldn’t get a chance to talk to her tonight but perhaps it would give him an opportunity instead to work out what he was going to say to get everything out in the open once and for all. He just hoped she’d take the time to listen.
He was about to head home when Harvey appeared from the end of the lane that led to Tumbleweed House, which had once been the family home and now belonged to Harvey. Daniel hadn’t been back there in years and he doubted he would for a very long time if the look on Harvey’s face was anything to go by. He’d realised coming back here was going to be difficult but he hadn’t banked on Harvey being so resistant to hearing him out.
‘That your wife, was it?’ Harvey said without preamble as Giselle’s car drove around the bend and she was gone from sight. ‘I guess I should say congratulations.’
‘Not now, Harvey.’
‘Yes, now.’ He jolted Daniel’s arm to make him spin around and face him.
Daniel put his hands up. ‘You want to do this? You want a fight in the street?’
‘I don’t want a fight. I don’t want any trouble, has it not got through to you yet?’
‘Then why do you keep insisting on confronting me?’
Harvey’s breath curled into the night air as he considered his brother’s words. ‘I just don’t want you upsetting people, that’s all.’
‘And what makes you the village keeper, looking out for everyone? Let people live their own lives, Harvey. And it might surprise you to know that people can change. OK, so Dad never did, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t.’ When Harvey said nothing he added, ‘Why don’t you see that?’
Harvey looked as though he might be considering what his brother was saying until he realised they were outside Lucy’s place. ‘Don’t even think about going to see her.’
‘And what’s it to you if I do?’ He’d wanted to see Lucy; instead he was having a deep-and-meaningful out here in the wintry air and he was already feeling the cold. The shack had been so warm with all the crowds, the cooking, then the clearing up, that he hadn’t bothered with his coat when he’d only been walking