Page 52 of The Village of Lost and Found

‘Definitely an improvement these past few days,’ he told her.

‘You’re doing really well,’ she said.

And it was true, she realised. Although he still had a slight limp, there was a big improvement from how he had been walking when she had picked him up from the hospital.

He smiled. ‘Thanks to your care and attention. And it’s only been a fortnight since you arrived.’

‘Is that all?’ she asked, looking across to where the slow-moving river was reflecting the grey, drizzly sky above. So much had happened since she had arrived. Getting to know Cranbridge all over again. Sharing the apartment with Molly. Making new friends with Amber and Belle.

And then there was Tom.

She sighed heavily.

‘Is everything OK?’ asked Uncle Frank, hearing her sigh and turning his head to look at her.

‘I need to talk to you about something,’ she told him.

‘Then I think we’d better get the kettle on when we get home, don’t you?’ he said.

Back in the bungalow, Lucy made them both a mug of coffee and then carried the drinks into the lounge. Uncle Frank was sitting with his foot up on his recliner chair.

‘Thanks, love,’ he said, taking the drink from her.

She sat down on the small sofa and placed her drink on the coffee table.

‘Now,’ said Uncle Frank, looking at her. ‘What’s going on? Are you OK?’

‘Oh yes,’ she replied quickly. ‘For once, it’s not about me, you’ll be glad to hear. Although I’m not sure you’ll be that glad to hear what I’ve got to tell you.’

‘Go on then,’ he said. ‘Better out than in, as they say.’

She hesitated before telling herself that he had a right to know. ‘It’s the newspaper,’ she finally said.

‘I see,’ he replied, nodding his head thoughtfully. ‘Are you about to tell me that it’s in danger of closing down?’

Lucy was shocked. ‘You knew?’

He gave her a sad smile. ‘I still have all my faculties, luckily. And I can read a financial report as well as you, regardless of Tom trying to protect me from the worst of it.’

Lucy sagged back against the sofa. ‘Why didn’t you say anything? If not to me, then to Tom?’

‘I guess I was trying to protect myself from the bad news as well,’ he said, turning his head to look at the photo frames on the fireplace.

Lucy followed his gaze and saw a number of the pictures were of her at various points in her life. And, of course, there was Aunt Jane as well. On their wedding day, in the garden and on holiday somewhere hot and sunny.

‘You never met your grandfather unfortunately,’ said Uncle Frank.

Lucy looked at the last photo on the end, where a stern-looking man was standing next to an ancient printing press.

‘He startedThe Cranbridge Timesand then it was passed down to me.’ Uncle Frank looked proud for a moment. ‘It was always a family business which used local resources and local people.’ He turned back to look at Lucy. ‘But times change. As they must.’

‘How long has it been struggling?’ asked Lucy.

‘For the past four or so years,’ said Uncle Frank. ‘That’s why I persuaded Tom to take it on. He’s a good man and seemed to agree with my ethos about it being a local business. Plus he needed to get out of London.’

‘Why did he have to leave London?’ Lucy found herself wondering out loud.

‘His wife left him,’ said Uncle Frank, looking sad. ‘She treated him frightfully and he needed to get away from the city.’