Page 39 of A Winter Wish

My heart lurches uncomfortably. If Lois digs her heels in and refuses to join Rory in his venture, what’s going to happen?

‘But surely, if you and Rory are together... do you really mean you wouldn’t move there with him?’

‘What? Tothatshithole of a place? With horse plop everywhere?’

Bertie giggles. ‘Horse plop!’

‘But it’s a gorgeous place, Lois. Well, you’ve been there, of course. You have to admit the views of the surrounding countryside are absolutely glorious. You just need to get yourself some wellies and you’ll be fine.’ I’m trying my best to sound optimistic but I don’t hold out much hope that I’m managing to enthuse Lois with my estate agent’s monologue.

‘I willneverlive there,’ she says firmly.

‘Right.’ I swallow hard. ‘Well, you never know... maybe if you go over and see it again, you might change your–’

‘I’m joking!’ Lois turns and grins at me. ‘OfcourseI’ll give it a go. If the man I love wants me to move in with him, I’m sure evenIcould get used to living in the back of beyond eventually. And the range of wellies you can buy is amazing. I’ve already found a pink and purple pair that I love online and Rory says he’s going to buy them for me.’

‘Right.’ My stress levels subsiding a little, I look at her in surprise. ‘That sounds great.’

She nods happily. ‘I told him he’ll make a country girl of me yet.’

‘Can we come and stay?’ begs Bertie. ‘Will I have my own room?’

Lois throws him a fond look and for one weird moment, I think she isn’t going to reply. Then she reaches out an arm and hugs him close to her, murmuring, ‘Absolutely. Whatever you want, little man.’

‘Yes!’ Bertie punches the air and squirms away from her, and Lois looks at me and laughs, and somehow, I manage to join in.

‘Oh, by the way,’ she says, ‘You don’t have to go and watch Elsie take her dance exam. I’ve told RoryI’llgo with him, okay?’

‘Oh. Okay.’

She seems genuinely happy about the stables, which really wasn’t the reaction I was expecting, although as she turns back to the website on her laptop, I imagine I detect a faintly troubled look on her face. She’s probably putting on a brave front, pretending she’s pleased. But that just shows how much she really cares about Rory... that she’s prepared to give country living a chance for his sake.

I always thought Rory would be good for Lois, smoothing off her prickly edges and turning her into a happier, more contented person. If he can succeed in whisking her off into the depths of the countryside as well, it could really be the making of her.

I slump tiredly against the doorframe for a moment, watching the pair of them looking at photos of the stables from different angles. I’m trying so hard to be happy for Lois and Rory. But frankly, it’s exhausting. And finding out that I won’t be going with Rory to see Elsie dance, after all, hurts more than I could have imagined.

But I can’t let Lois and Bertie see that I’m down.

Fake it till you make it.

That’s what people say these days.

One day, hopefully soon, I’ll be able to view Rory as simply my lovely brother-in-law. And until then, I’ll just continue smiling...

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Lois and Irene are still refusing to have anything to do with each other, which I’m finding hard to handle.

I’ve tried several times to get Irene to talk to me. But so far, more than a week after she first revealed the truth about her daughter’s birth, we’re all still keeping to separate parts of the house. Lois told me she only came back because she missed Bertie. Every time I mention her mum, she walks away in disgust, so I’ve given up trying for now.

I had hoped they might be reconciled by Saturday, which is Bonfire Night, so we could all enjoy it together with Bertie. (If Gran would agree to Irene joining our little party.) But as the weekend rolls around, it’s looking as if it’s just going to be Bertie, Luke and Rory over at Gran’s for the lighting of the bonfire. I asked Shaun if he’d like to join us, but he’s working hard to finish the barn conversion at Brambleberry Manor and won’t be home until late.

Rory stays over at ours on the Friday night, and the following lunchtime, I go into the kitchen to find him trying to persuade Lois to join us later. But Lois seems adamant she’s not leaving the house and is using her stookie as an excuse.

‘Why do you want to go to a stupid bonfire anyway?’ she’s asking him. ‘That’s for the kids, isn’t it? And Bertie and Luke will have Clara and her gran there. They don’t need you as well.’ She hobbles over to him and sits on his lap, putting her arms around him and murmuring, ‘Wouldn’t you rather eat fillet steak and chips, cooked for you bymoi, then get cosy on the sofa with a bottle of wine and a movie?’

Rory grins at her. ‘Sounds great. But we can do all of that tomorrow night.’

‘So you’re going to leave me here all on my lonesome?’

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