Page 62 of The Village of Lost and Found

Lucy looked at her. ‘Would you like it to?’

‘I hate to be left out of anything,’ said Grandma Tilly, with a chuckle.

‘Then absolutely you’re included!’ said Lucy. ‘Does anyone need another coffee?’

They all shook their heads in reply so she bought three coffees for the newspaper staff before leading everyone next door into the newspaper offices.

Upon hearing voices, Tom got up from the desk in his office and came to the door. ‘What’s all this about?’ he asked.

‘Guest local reporters,’ Lucy told him, going over to hand him a coffee. ‘A particularly brilliant idea of mine.’

‘I see,’ said Tom.

‘Is that OK?’ she whispered, now wondering if she’d made a huge mistake.

He turned to look at her, his blue eyes smiling down at hers. ‘Of course. Did we have to buy them all coffee?’

‘Luckily they’ve brought their own,’ she murmured.

She sat Uncle Frank, Stanley and Grandma Tilly down on their desks and then looked across to Tom for guidance.

‘Right,’ he said, glancing around the office. ‘OK. Well, to be honest I could do with a bit of a hand writing up some of this week’s stories. I’m trying to concentrate on the quarry, you see. But that’s leaving me a bit short.’

‘Well, I’ve written enough articles over the years,’ said Uncle Frank. ‘What do you need?’

‘Five hundred words on the Pet Service,’ said Tom. ‘You went with Lucy, didn’t you?’

‘I did indeed,’ said Uncle Frank. ‘Have we any pens and paper?’

Lucy grabbed a notebook from a nearby pile that she had made of various blank pads.

‘I have a pen,’ said Stanley, reaching inside his jacket pocket.

‘You’ll need yours,’ said Tom. ‘I need three hundred words on the Cranbridge Lions cricket match last weekend.’

‘Lucky for you that I went along to watch it,’ said Stanley, smiling.

‘Are you OK writing up the match?’ asked Tom.

‘Well, I was the headmaster up at the primary school up until a decade ago,’ said Stanley. ‘And before that I was an English teacher, so I think I’ll cope.’

‘And what about me?’ asked Grandma Tilly. ‘My spelling’s questionable, to be honest.’

‘How’s your tidying skills?’ asked Lucy.

‘Spot on,’ said Grandma Tilly with a wink.

‘Great,’ said Lucy, grabbing a nearby pile of paperwork that she had yet to sort. ‘How do you feel about sorting all this lot out?’

‘Just leave it to me,’ said Grandma Tilly, who looked delighted with the task.

Lucy headed over to where Tom was still standing at the door to his office.

They both stood and listened to the murmur of conversation that had been brought in before turning to smile at each other.

Tom was nodding thoughtfully to himself as he continued to smile at her.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ asked Lucy.