Page 8 of The Village of Lost and Found

‘So, do you need me to do anything before I pick you up tomorrow?’ asked Lucy.

‘I need you to be happy so I can stop worrying about you,’ said Frank, reaching out to take her hand in his. ‘Your parents will recover once this tabloid business goes away. They’ve always been an ambitious couple and will thrive no matter what. But you’re different. You’re special, my darling girl.’

She smiled at him, touched by his compliment even if she didn’t believe it. There was nothing special about her as her parents had frequently reminded her. ‘I’m not so sure about that, but please don’t fret. I’ll be OK.’

‘Of course you will,’ said Frank. ‘In fact, I guarantee you might even enjoy yourself.’

‘How could I not?’ she murmured with a smile, giving his hand a squeeze in return. ‘I’ll be living in Cranbridge near to you.’

Lucy drove back from the hospital in something of a daze. At the beginning of the week she had thought that she was in love. But Jamie Watkins had been lying to her all along.

Then Uncle Frank had ended up in hospital and now her parents wanted her out of their fancy house for a while.

Now, to top it all, she was going to be working in Cranbridge, trying to clean up the world’s messiest office.

Tom Addison had been a surprise as well. Although shambolic in appearance, she thought that there was a sharp brain in there. Certainly he had talent, if that editorial he had written was anything to go by. And when he had looked at her with those blue eyes, it was if he could see into her soul.

Perhaps it would be interesting to work with him. She just hoped that her tabloid fame wouldn’t jeopardise his attitude towards her.

As she drove towards her home in London, she realised that her stay in Cranbridge had come at the perfect time. It would feel like a new start. She just hoped that she could leave her complicated old life behind at the same time.

5

Tom sat at the bar in The Black Swan pub and stared into the bottom of his almost empty pint glass.

‘How’s it going?’ asked Josh, slipping onto his usual bar stool between Tom and Del.

Del was the local coach driver. Or Dodgy Del as everyone referred to him. He was around the same age as Tom and was always dreaming up ways to help the village and himself become more profitable, despite the somewhat dubious methods involved, but he had a good heart.

‘Hey,’ said Tom to his friend. ‘I think the match is about to start.’

The large-screen TV at the back of the bar should have been showing the build-up to a friendly football game between England and Wales. But it appeared that Angie, the pub landlady, wanted to watchEastEndersinstead.

‘They’ve started early,’ said Josh in a low voice as the sound of an argument floated in from behind the bar.

Tom nodded. ‘Not sure they ever finish, to be honest.’

Mike and Angie’s rows were legendary. Their love for each other always seemed to blow hot and cold and the food on the menu reflected that upheaval. Angie’s food was barely edible at the best of times. And yet Tom liked the Mucky Duck, as he had begun to name it. There was always someone in there to talk to on any given evening and everyone was still cheerful. Apart from Mike and Angie whenever they came into close contact with each other, of course.

‘If I ever get like that, just shoot me,’ said Josh, giving Tom a knowing look.

Tom shook his head. ‘You and Amber will never get like that, believe me.’

Josh and Amber were a nice couple who had made a real success of The Cranbridge Stores ever since Amber had arrived in the village the previous autumn. They were now a team and suited each other very well. Also, they were deeply in love.

‘Let’s hope not,’ said Josh. ‘By the way, how did the interview go with Frank’s niece?’

Tom nodded thoughtfully. ‘I’m not sure I’d call it an interview,’ he said, frowning.

If anything, Lucy Conway had been trying to persuade him not to employ her throughout the whole meeting. That was, of course, after he’d clarified that she didn’t need to take her top off!

‘But she’s got a temporary job with us,’ said Tom. ‘By the way, did you know that she was famous?’

Josh shook his head. ‘What kind of famous?’

‘Who’s famous?’ asked Del, looking up from his phone.

‘Frank’s niece,’ Tom told them both. ‘Google Lucy Conway and you’ll find out.’