Page 12 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘That’s a good idea,’ said Annie enthusiastically. ‘And, besides, I didn’t have any experience either.’

‘And it showed,’ murmured Megan.

‘Excuse me?’ said Annie in a mock stern tone.

‘You were awful and you know it.’ Megan looked back at Lily. ‘I mean, you say you’re used to organising stuff and people. You’ll be great. They’re desperate up there, honestly.’

‘I was alittlebit more organised than you’re giving me credit for,’ said Annie, almost affronted.

‘Listen, I love you but don’t push it,’ said Megan. ‘But it doesn’t matter. Dream husband, dream home, baby on the way. So just bask in the irritating bloody marvelousness of your good fortune and let Lily get some organisation in the place. Honestly, there weren’t even any loo rolls in the guest bathroom when I last went.’

Annie blushed. ‘I just forgot to pick up any, that’s all.’

‘You’ve got full-on baby brain,’ said Megan. ‘Why don’t you let Lily take over? It’ll be fine.’

They both turned to look at Lily.

‘I don’t know,’ she told them, trying to think of any reasons not to take the job. Was it too good to be true? But she needed to get another job, and fast, to keep helping out her family.

‘Listen, maybe think of it as just for the time being,’ said Megan. ‘To tide you over until you get another job. Just whilst Annie is pregnant.’

‘Why don’t you come up to the Hall this afternoon?’ said Annie. ‘If you’re free, that is. I’ll show you around and you can make up your mind. No pressure, honestly.’

So it would only be for the next two months or so? Lily wondered whether she should dare to go for it. But jobs were hard to come by and it wasn’t as if she had any stunning qualifications to her name. Plus, the money would tide them all over until she found something more permanent.

Lily was shocked to find she was nodding her head. Her family needed the money and, besides, this job seemed to have landed in her lap quite by chance. Perhaps it was worth heading up to the Hall to find out for herself.

5

Jack brought his car to a halt on the brow of the hill just outside of Cranley and wound down the window.

He took a moment on the edge of the hill to look around him. The hot, dry summer had turned the fields to brown but the patchwork quilt of countryside in front of him still looked so beautiful.

And extremely familiar.

It seemed a long time ago and yet it could have been only yesterday, as the hurt stung at him deep inside. The feeling of being an outsider. The feeling of never belonging that had stayed with him year after year.

He looked across the valley to the large stately home of Willow Tree Hall, barely visible through the trees. Had he ever been inside the house when he was young? He doubted it. He certainly couldn’t remember that far back.

But this time he wasn’t a visitor. He wasn’t an awkward schoolboy, either, with a massive chip on his shoulder, scowling at his adoptive parents. He was a highly paid property developer with a job to do. Life was pretty peculiar sometimes.

He revved up his Mercedes and set off once more.

The journey to Willow Tree Hall led him through Cranley village. From what he could remember, the tiny hamlet had barely changed in the fifteen or so years since last he had seen it. There were only a handful of cottages and shops. All the buildings were made from a sand-coloured stone, which made the whole place very attractive to look at.

His parents only lived a couple of miles down the road and he had his own property just a short distance away by car. And yet he hadn’t returned to Cranley since that fateful night all those years ago. He had left straight after college at the age of eighteen and had never looked back. Hardly came back, either, to visit his adoptive parents who lived in the next village along. It was for the best, he knew. They wouldn’t want him anyway if they found out the truth.

A mile or so on from the high street, he turned the car through some rusty iron gates and into the long driveway leading up to the house. Bouncing up the drive, he slowed down to avoid the massive potholes.

Despite the huge craters in the narrow lane, Jack couldn’t help but feel appreciative of the stunning setting. The driveway was long, bordered on either side by huge fields of long grass and sun-bleached picket fences. He seemed to recall that the front lawn was where the summer fetes had been held.

In the middle of the front lawn stood a huge willow tree, presumably so ancient that the Hall had been named after it all those centuries ago. The willow tree’s long boughs of green leaves swayed gently, catching the light of the late afternoon sun as they moved.

Then the house came into view. It was even bigger than Jack could remember. At least it looked well maintained. All the sash windows appeared new, as did the doors, walls and most of the fixtures and fittings. But somehow it had retained its air of aged splendour.

He pulled up the car and turned the key. In the silence that followed the engine being cut, Jack could hear nothing but birdsong and the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. He had a brief moment of reverie when he remembered the first time that he had been taken to meet his adoptive parents. Having lived in the city for so long, the silence of the countryside had been quite frightening. Or perhaps it was being alone with his own thoughts that he had found the most unsettling.

He got out of the car, pulling on his suit jacket before starting to head towards the large red front door. But before he was anywhere near, it suddenly opened and he was face to face with his past.