Christmas at Lilac Cottage - Holly Martin Page 0,127

years but at least Octavia would rightfully win this one and Melody would come second, which would mean an honourable mention for the newcomer in the Ice Carving Federation magazine, even if it was by default.

They moved further into the marquee. The place was packed, people were chatting up at the makeshift bar, sitting down at a hodgepodge of tables covered in a colourful array of tablecloths and donated table decorations, none of which matched, and several people were up on the dance floor, swaying gently to the sounds of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ by Frank Sinatra. But Penny could see that every single person seemed to be enjoying themselves. They didn’t care that the food was mostly sandwiches, or that the music came from an iPod instead of a DJ or that none of the tables and chairs matched. The ball had happened because every single one of these people had helped to put it on. She could see Jill looking stunning in a long blue sequinned dress as her husband Thomas twirled her round the floor. Maggie was dancing with one of her boys and Edward waved at them as he danced with his wife. She loved this town with its crazy, nosy, caring people and now she had one more reason to love it too.

She squeezed Henry’s hand and he smiled at her. She wanted to find Daisy and hug her too, though she doubted that would happen any time soon.

‘Can you see Daisy?’ Henry asked.

‘Yes, she’s over by the buffet with Josh. She’s already seen us and is pretending she hasn’t.’ Penny saw the scowl on his face as he saw Josh with his arm round Daisy’s shoulders. ‘Don’t make a big deal over this, he is lovely and you certainly don’t want to make the situation worse between the two of you by going all “over-protective dad” again.’

‘I need to talk to her but shall we dance first?’ Henry asked and she nodded.

He swept her onto the dance floor and with his arms round her waist and her head on his chest, in front of the whole town, and they started to move slowly around the floor.

She looked up and he smiled at her. He bent his head down to kiss her when suddenly a large, mayonnaise-covered prawn splattered against Henry’s forehead. He looked up in confusion as the prawn slithered down his cheek and Penny managed to catch it before it hit his tux or her dress.

They looked around to see Daisy standing on the dance floor with her hands on her hips.

‘Don’t ever lie to me again,’ Daisy said, a smirk fighting on her lips, and Henry let out a booming laugh. With one arm still wrapped round Penny, he used the other arm to hook Daisy by the waist and brought her in for a group hug. Penny wrapped an arm round her too.

Henry kissed Daisy on the forehead. ‘You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I have never regretted having you, not for one second. I would never do anything to deliberately hurt you. I love you so much and me being in love with Penny doesn’t mean I love you any less.’

‘I know that, Dad.’

‘And I love you, too,’ Penny said. ‘If that’s OK?’

Daisy nodded and hugged them both tight.

Penny leaned her head against Henry’s chest again and watched the twinkling fairy lights over Daisy’s head.

It had turned out to be a perfect Christmas after all.

Epilogue

Christmas Day

Penny lay on the sofa watching the flames dance in the fireplace. She had eaten way too much turkey, chocolate and Christmas pudding, not all at the same time but close enough. She felt uncomfortably full and bloated. Daisy was lying next to her, her head on Penny’s belly which wasn’t helping the full feeling but Penny didn’t care. She had never felt so blissfully happy as she felt at that moment. She ran her fingers through Daisy’s hair, stroking her head affectionately. Anna, Steve, Bea and Oliver were coming round later that night but right now it was just the three of them, which suited Penny just fine, spending Christmas Day with her gorgeous new family.

‘That snow is coming down hard,’ Henry said, staring out the window with Bernard lying sprawled out upside down on his lap.

Penny transferred her attention to the fat flakes of snow that were swirling in the darkening sky outside. ‘Stop worrying.’

‘I’m not worrying,’ Henry said, failing to keep the note of