Page 56 of Autumn at the Willow River Guesthouse
While she could hardly have expected otherwise, having previously dumped him—and of course, she had long ago removed her own—but to see that he had replaced the picture of the two of them together moments after getting engaged was like a final stake pushed through the heart of their relationship.
She would call him later. Maybe. She wished she had still had her phone in order to take a photograph just for evidence’s sake, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t talk his way out of this one.
None of them noticed her standing there, watching them. No doubt later Steve would try to pass it off as something innocent, that he’d found out they were art students and was giving them a contact in the industry, or perhaps they’d even recognised him from some obscure magazine feature and he had promised—reluctantly, for certain—to secure them tickets for his upcoming exhibition.
Lily knew the drill. But now that she had witnessed Steve in action, there was no going back. She gave a last shrug as though to throw off the shadow he had cast over her, then walked up the street and through the doors of The Crown.
‘Did you find him?’ Rick asked.
‘Yeah, I did,’ Lily said.
Rick obviously caught something from her expression. ‘Like that, is it? Well, what can I get you?’
Lily smiled. ‘Do you have any champagne?’
Rick frowned. ‘There might be a bottle out the back. What’s the occasion?’
‘I’d like to celebrate moving on with my life.’
‘Well, there’s no better reason to celebrate than that. Just a minute.’
Rick went through a curtain into a back room and reappeared a couple of minutes later with a bottle of Don Perignon.
‘Have a glass with me, please,’ Lily said. ‘And pour one each for those guys over there. Whatever’s left please share with the regulars later.’
Rick, chuckling, did as she asked, pouring out four glasses, and calling over the two surprised tourists, who introduced themselves as Lucy Drake and Dan Bale, a couple from Bristol who had recently got engaged.
‘I’d like to make a toast to new beginnings,’ Lily said, holding up her glass. ‘To finding friends in all places, and to following your own true path in life.’
They touched glasses and drank. After a few minutes of genial conversation, Lucy and Dan, who, it turned out, were staying at the guesthouse, made their excuses and headed out, leaving Lily and Rick to finish the last of the bottle.
‘I’ve got another I can put out for the lads later,’ Rick said, ‘so don’t feel guilty about finishing this one off. Some leftover from a wedding last month.’
‘Thanks, Rick,’ Lily said, finishing her glass, and feeling happily lightheaded. ‘I needed that.’
‘So … with all this talk of new beginnings and everything, are you still going to be available for skittles this week?’
Lily frowned. ‘If we win, we’ll go second in the league, isn’t that right?’
‘Right.’
‘Then I’ll definitely be there.’
‘Good lass.’
The evenings were drawing in, and the wind was rustling through the trees around the churchyard as Lily headed back through Willow River. As she passed the guesthouse, she thought about stopping in to see Michael, but the day had been a rollercoaster and she needed some time alone to think. She was working tomorrow in any case, so would likely see him then.
The setting sun was glittering off the river as she came to the bridge. She stopped and leaned on the old stone wall, watching a couple of swans gliding serenely through water turned orange and red. The lines of willows on either side shook gently in the breeze, and showers of falling leaves fell across the cycle path with each new gust of wind.
Winter would soon come, but Lily felt more optimistic than she had in weeks. More than anything, she felt free, as though the chains of her old life had finally been shaken off, and the road was clear to make a new start.
Her mum and dad were just sitting down to dinner when she got home a few minutes later.
‘Chicken pie,’ Sarah said. ‘Are you hungry? We weren’t sure if you’d be home for dinner or not. How did things go with Steve?’
Lily grimaced. ‘Let’s just say that I saw a side of him I had long suspected, and it’s not something I want in my life. Oh, and I met Victoria’s son.’
Pete glanced at Sarah. ‘Well … that sounds promising.’
