‘So, what would this holistic therapy do for me exactly?’ Jimmy the guard asks Claire.
‘It would relax you, Jimmy,’ Claire explains, smiling easily. ‘An aromatherapy massage could melt all your troubles away.’
‘I have been feeling a bit stressed recently,’ Jimmy confirms.
‘Have you?’
‘Yes, there have been some work-related issues …’
I cringe as I hear this – poor Jimmy never got his promotion, despite his prodigious note-taking. It’s been the talk of the village for weeks now. That and Odette’s sudden departure. Ever since she left under a cloud to start a small-animal practice in the city people have been talking about very little else.
‘Well, then, a massage could help,’ Claire says. ‘I’m not fully qualified yet, of course, but I could still give you one if you like. I need the practice.’
‘It won’t hurt, will it?’ Jimmy is momentarily alarmed.
‘Of course not.’ Claire is affronted at the suggestion.
‘Not unless you want it to, Jimmy.’ Ted sniggers.
‘Ted!’ Peg chastises him. ‘Sorry, Claire,’ she says. ‘I think he’s still a bit jet-lagged.’
‘It’s not jet-lagged I am, it’s giddy – giddy with life!’ Ted laughs.
Ted is bronzed and healthy-looking – losing all that weight really suits him, and shaving off his handlebar moustache has transformed his smiling face.
‘Now, Ted, people don’t want to know about you and your giddy life.’ Peg slaps his arm good-naturedly. She’s tanned and happy too. Ever since they started globe-trotting, they’ve really blossomed – it’s knocked years off them both.
‘That’s all right, Peg.’ Claire grins. ‘If I was just back from Brazil I think I’d be pretty giddy too.’
‘We’re going to the Norwegian fjords next,’ Ted says, a gleam in his eye. ‘Aren’t we, Peg?’
‘If you behave yourself,’ Peg replies.
‘You really love to travel, don’t you?’ Claire asks.
‘We do, Claire, we do!’ Ted enthuses. ‘Sure you only live once, and you’ve got to make the most of it.’
‘I have to admit,’ Peg’s voice is a whisper and I have to strain to hear her, ‘I was never a fan of going out foreign, but I’ve been converted. Travel really does broaden your mind.’
‘I totally agree,’ Claire says. ‘Going to India changed my life.’
‘Ah, India!’ Peg sighs dreamily.
‘That’s where we had our second honeymoon,’ Ted explains.
‘Are there Indians in India?’ Polly pipes up.
‘Well, yes,’ Claire says.
‘Cowboys?’
‘No cowboys, sorry.’
Polly looks disappointed. ‘Did you hear that, Granny?’ she shouts. ‘There are no cowboys in India.’
‘Quite right.’ June smiles as Matilda hands her a glass of wine. ‘There are more than enough of those here.’
‘Now, June,’ Laurence tuts, ‘when am I going to convince you that I’m no cowboy?’
‘Maybe when you stop acting like one.’ She arches a brow at him.
‘But look what I’ve done for the village – this arts initiative was practically my idea, you know.’
‘Hardly, Laurence.’ June’s tone is withering. ‘None of this would be happening if it wasn’t for Maggie. She and Edward deserve all the credit.’
June smiles at me, real warmth in her eyes, and I smile back.
‘Matilda, will you please tell your grandmother that I’m not the big bad wolf?’ Laurence pleads.
‘She won’t listen to me.’ Matilda laughs. ‘Granny is her own woman. But you can keep trying.’
I feel my heart swell with pride: Matilda has been a much happier girl in the past few months. Helping Drya with her recuperation has really settled and matured her: the change has been astounding.
‘What else can I do?’ Laurence laments to Polly. ‘I’ve tried every trick in the book to get your granny to go out with me – nothing works.’
‘She likes hot chocolate,’ Polly says. ‘Have you tried that?’
‘Who mentioned hot chocolate?’ Edward calls, poking his head through the door.
‘Daddy!’ Polly squeals, bounding towards him.
‘Look who I found outside,’ Edward says, guiding in a group. There’s Dermot and Yvonne, Robert and Maria, Mum and Dad, Theresa, Malcolm and the twins too. I can’t believe they’re all here – everyone I love is in the one room. All those untruths I told are long forgotten.
‘Have we missed it?’ Dermot asks anxiously.
‘No, they haven’t cut the ribbon yet,’ Yvonne replies fondly, linking her arm through his.
From where I’m standing I can tell she’s wearing high-street shoes – she told me she sold her designer collection of Louboutins and Jimmy Choos on eBay to help pay the bills. I seriously underestimated her – she’s not the gold-digger I thought she was. The truth is she’s stuck by Dermot through thick and thin, despite his troubles.
‘Good!’ Dermot grins. ‘I need to get Dom on the phone – he won’t want to miss Maggie becoming a proper country bumpkin.’
‘So, Maggie,’ Edward looks to me, his gorgeous blue eyes dancing mischievously, ‘are you ready to become a proper country bumpkin, then?’
‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’ I smile at him, my heart filled with love.
‘Then what are we waiting for? Let’s cut the ribbon and get this party started.’
Together we grip the scissors and slice through the red ribbon as everyone cheers and the cameras flash.
‘Glacken Arts Initiative is officially open for business!’ Edward cries. Then he leans in to kiss me and, laughing through tears of happiness, I kiss him back.