Page 72 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

Taking a deep breath in, Charlie stuck his fingers in his mouth and blew, a loud piercing whistle cutting through the shouting and the hubbub.

Standing still, everyone turned their attention to Charlie and, clearing his throat, he shouted his orders, ‘Claudette is welcome here, please don’t frighten her.’

‘You what? You’ve been harbouring the fugitive?’ Neil Parsons turned to him, an incredulous expression on his face.

‘Well, no, she has been visiting the farm over the past months, but I haven’t been harbouring her.’ Charlie chuckled. ‘I take no responsibility for the misdemeanours she has undertaken.’

‘But she’s living here?’ Neil raised his eyebrows so high they almost disappeared under his hairline.

‘Yes, as from today, she is welcome to live here. This will be her new home.’ He held his hand up, signalling people to continue to pay attention to him. ‘But if I could have a small group of volunteers to help me catch her and detangle the bucket from her coat, I’d be very grateful.’

‘Anything, mate. If you’re going to take her off our streets, then I’m more than willing to help.’ Neil nodded.

‘Me too. I’ll be able to go home and plant my begonias this evening, knowing they won’t get eaten.’ Mrs Pierce spoke up.

‘Great, thank you.’ Charlie began walking towards the group of volunteers.

‘Hold on.’ Nicola grabbed his hand, pulling him back towards her.

‘Yes?’ Charlie grinned as she took his hand in hers.

‘So there’ll be three of us living here at the farm then?’

‘Yes, I suppose there will be. Although if you count Mildred, Petunia, Helena, Daisy, Ethel, Storm…’ Charlie ran his fingers through his hair.

‘The hens? Storm?’ She laughed.

‘Got her!’ Neil Parsons’ voice rose above the chatter.

‘Haha, yes, she’s the one who keeps hiding.’ He glanced at Neil and Claudette before taking a step towards her.

‘You’re forgetting someone else.’ Nicola wrapped her arms around him as she tipped her head back and looked into his eyes.

‘Nope, I’m not.’ Charlie gently tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘I’ve already installed a cat flap in the back door of the farmhouse for Trixie and she has a new bed waiting for her too.’

‘You remembered her. Thank you.’ Leaning her forehead against his chest, she closed her eyes. This was it. This was her happy ever after.

Tucking his finger beneath her chin, he tilted her face until she was looking at him again. ‘Of course I did.’

‘I love you, Charlie.’ Nicola grinned. She didn’t think she’d be able to love him anymore than she already did and yet then he did something like this, like naming the hens and giving Claudette and Trixie a forever home, and she could feel her love for him expand again and again.

‘I love you too, Nic.’

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