Page 111 of Boomerville at Ballymegille

Jo, who’d been in reception checking guests in, caught up with Hattie. Taking her arm, she pulled her to one side.

‘Guess what?’

Hattie could see that her friend was excited. ‘Astound me.’ Hattie reached for a slice of apple cake and took a large bite.

‘James has decided to stay on.’

‘Eh?’ Hattie mumbled, chomping her cake.

‘Isn’t it wonderful?’

‘Aye, in actual fact, it is,’ Hattie said and thought that with James in situ as full-time manager, Jo would be free to move around her businesses. ‘So, he’s decided not to go back to LA and work with his old boss?’

‘Apparently not; Long Tom leads a quiet life these days and is settled in his house in Malibu,’ Jo said. ‘He lives with a couple of dogs and his music.’

‘No need of a butler?’

‘Not according to James.’

‘Shame you never took that leap of faith all those years ago.’ Hattie lowered her voice. ‘You could be holed up in comfort, sitting on a sunny deck, listening to Long Tom tinkling on his ivories, whilst watching the surfers out in Malibu bay.’

‘I don’t know why you always bang on about that,’ Jo said crossly, ‘it was never meant to be.’ She shrugged. ‘Anyway, I’m too old, too set in my ways and don’t have limbs capable of leaping anywhere these days.’

‘Well, I think we should have a drink to celebrate.’ Hattie strolled over to the bar and asked a waiter to open a bottle of champagne. ‘In fact, let’s have champagne all round!’

As glasses were filled and toasts made, Jo and Hattie stood to one side. They both surveyed the group before them and as if by telepathy, turned and smiled at each other.

‘This all started with a funeral,’ Jo said.

‘Aye, Hugo’s, not so long ago.’

‘What are you going to do now?’ Jo touched Hattie on the arm and spoke softly. ‘Something tells me that you’re going back to Cumbria but not to Hotel Boomerville.’

Hattie sighed. Jo knew her so well.

It was true, Hattiedidfeel that it was time to go back. Jo didn’t need her in Ireland and now, with James in place and Jo having more free time to manage her properties, Hattie had to find something else to do. She hadn’t told Jo that she’d recently learnt that she’d inherited a derelict cottage from an old aunt she hardly knew. It was in a village called Hollywood, not far from her house in Marland.

Hattie thought about the property in Marland. She’d put it up for sale for she had no desire to return there, since it had been trashed.

‘Aye, it’s time I made tracks,’ Hattie said; she took a drink and felt the bubbles tingle on her tongue. ‘In fact, I think I’ll grab a seat on the coach with Willie and the gang, when they leave tomorrow.’

‘So soon?’

‘You don’t need me, Jo; you’re achieving your dreams, all by yourself.’

‘I’ll always need you, Hattie, no matter where I am.’

‘But I need a dream.’ Hattie raised her glass. ‘Something new. Hollywood is calling me,’ she smiled.

‘Here’s to dreams,’ Jo said and toasted Hattie. ‘And may our dreams always come true.’

* * *

Three months later…

Jo strolledacross the snow covered lawn at Boomerville Manor, where the trees edging the garden were almost swallowed in white. The ground underfoot was icy hard but the snow was soft as icing sugar, as it dusted the tops of Jo’s walking boots, creating lace patterns on the edge of her jeans. As flakes drifted windlessly down, she turned to see pawprints crisscross the paths and called to Bunty and Teddy, who followed close behind.

The dogs wore red fleecy jackets, edged with Christmas ribbon.

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