Page 70 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘Well, the smoke won’t help either,’ said Celia. She looked at Jack. ‘So you were just passing by?’

‘I was in the house.’

‘He saved our lives,’ Bert told her. ‘Carried our girl out of the blaze in the shed and then rushed back in and got me as well. Without him…’ His voice trailed off.

Her mother looked horrified. ‘You could have both died,’ she whispered.

‘But we didn’t,’ Bert told her. He suddenly looked very tired and put his oxygen mask back on.

‘I don’t know what you and Arthur were thinking of,’ said Celia, teary and upset. ‘You’re an absolute disgrace! Right. Apparently, you get a free ride in an ambulance because of your actions. They need to get you checked out at the hospital.’

Thinking that he was best away from all the family drama, Jack gave Bert a nod and began to move away, but Celia grabbed his arm again.

He braced himself for more of her anger, but it never came. Instead she said, ‘Thank you. My father-in-law and daughter would probably both be dead if it weren’t for you.’

Jack was surprised at her words. ‘I’m sure it wouldn’t have come to that,’ he replied.

Celia shook her head. ‘You won’t allow me to thank you for saving their lives?’

He gave a shrug, embarrassed. ‘Anyone would have done the same.’

She looked at him. ‘Depends whether they’re as brave or as quick-thinking. I’m guessing a lot of people would be neither.’ She hesitated. ‘I hate to impose further and be more in your debt, but I need to go with Bert to the hospital and I’m not sure how long I’ll be.’ She glanced over his shoulder to where Lily was still standing, looking dazed and pale. ‘I don’t want to worry her father, you see. I’m not sure how well he’d cope. But she shouldn’t be alone. So I was wondering…’

‘I can take her home with me, if you want,’ said Jack, guessing what she was hinting at.

‘Thank you.’ She looked relieved. ‘Richard never quite recovered from the accident, you know.’ She looked around suddenly in realisation. ‘We met in this orchard, actually. A very long time ago.’

Jack glanced around and realised that they were indeed standing amongst long rows of trees, all laden with apples.

‘Look,’ he told her, ‘I’ll try and get Lily to drink some coffee and eat something before she passes out. I can give you my phone number if you want to check on how she is later.’

‘Thank you,’ said Celia, looking relieved.

Jack paused a beat before saying, ‘You can trust me with her.’

Celia looked surprised. ‘Of course I can. I think she’s too drunk to realise at the minute, but I’ll make sure she knows who she needs to thank for keeping her home safe. And I won’t forget, either.’

Jack gave a shrug. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Yes, it does. You care for her, don’t you?’

He took a deep breath at her unexpected words. ‘I always did,’ he said eventually. ‘But I was too messed up to see a good thing when it came along.’

‘Perhaps you’ve got a second chance,’ she told him.

He smiled. ‘I’m not so sure your daughter would see it that way. Well, let’s exchange mobile numbers.’

As Celia and Bert left in the ambulance, Jack helped Lily towards Willow Tree Hall, beyond which his car was parked in the driveway. The house was in darkness. He presumed they were all still at the hospital. But for once he was grateful not to have the family nearby.

He managed to open the car door and deposit Lily on the passenger seat. She made a half-hearted effort to get up, but he gently pushed her back down.

It was then that he registered that she was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a thin T-shirt. And that she was shivering in the cool night air. He grabbed a sweatshirt from the back seat and gave it to her.

‘Put this on,’ he ordered, before shutting the door and going round to the driver’s side.

She had managed to pull it over her head by the time he was behind the steering wheel.

‘Buckle up, Miss Harper,’ he said, reaching across her to fasten her seatbelt. ‘Right,’ he said, turning the key and roaring the engine into life. ‘Let’s go.’