By early evening, all the family and guests were exhausted from setting up the fete and had congregated around the large patio table and chairs overlooking the back grounds.
Thankfully for Lily, dinner had only consisted of cold meats, quiches, salads, and lots of bread and potato salad, so she didn’t have to worry about cooking a meal. She brought in a second jug of the cocktail she had made, as well as all the plates and cutlery.
‘I can bring some of that outside for you,’ said Sam, leaping up.
‘You’re making me feel guilty that we’re all resting and you’re still working,’ Annie told her, frowning.
‘It’s fine,’ said Lily, putting the plates onto the table. ‘It’s my job.’
‘What am I drinking?’ said Alex, staring down at his glass in amazement, having taken a sip. ‘This is fabulous!’
‘Lily made it,’ said Rose. ‘She’s a whizz at cocktails, so I asked her to whip up something for us.’
‘Can I taste lemon?’ asked Alex.
‘It’s prosecco, limoncello, frozen raspberries and a leaf or two of mint,’ Lily told him.
Alex took another sip. ‘It’s wonderful. Just right for a summer’s evening.’
‘The limoncello was from the batch I picked up from a monastery in Tuscany a few years ago,’ said Rose, with a dreamy look on her face. ‘Does anyone want to know how I managed to seduce a monk?’
‘No!’ came the resounding shout in response.
‘Spoilsports,’ said Rose, with a pout.
Lily heard Alex whisper to Rose, ‘Tell me later,’ giving her a wink of approval.
‘I know the fete is tradition but I’d forgotten how full-on it was,’ said Will, with a yawn.
Next to him, Skye nodded in agreement but continued to write up price labels in her pretty handwriting.
‘That’s because you’ve never done a hard day’s work in your life,’ said Sam, with a grin.
‘Anybody got any energy left to beat up my big brother?’ asked Will.
‘Better not,’ said Mick, also yawning. ‘He’s gonna make us shedloads of money with our next album.’
‘To keep you in the leather-trousered taste that you’ve become accustomed to?’ asked Sam.
‘Too right, mate.’ Mick nodded. ‘We’ve enjoyed having an actual income this past year.’
‘Then you’d better decide what kind of theme you want with this big, fancy album launch of yours,’ Sam told him. ‘I can’t magic decorations out of thin air.’
‘We can’t decide,’ said Mick.
‘It’s an album of remakes of old country songs,’ said Sam, rolling his eyes. ‘How hard can it be to just choose something?’
‘Yeah, I know.’ Mick glanced over at Alex. ‘You alright, matey? You’re that quiet I thought you’d gone to sleep.’
‘I’m OK,’ said Alex, but his downcast eyes betrayed him.
‘Cheer up,’ said Mick, giving him a nudge. ‘All’s not lost yet.’
‘I know,’ said Alex. ‘I think I’m just too bloomin’ sober. Somebody give me another glass of that fabulous cocktail, will you?’
Lily automatically picked up the jug and poured him out another drink.
‘Thanks,’ he said.
‘You could have reached over and done that yourself,’ said Sam, shaking his head at his friend.
‘Look, please join us,’ said Annie, gesturing for Lily to sit down. ‘You must be exhausted as well.’
‘I’m fine,’ said Lily, aware of the fine line between guest and staff. ‘You’ve got a big day tomorrow and I’ve still got lots to do.’
‘What’s that smell?’ asked Alex, wrinkling up his nose.
Annie had her bare feet up on her husband’s lap and Sam was massaging her swollen ankles. ‘It’s not my feet, if that’s what you’re hinting at,’ she said.
Alex shuddered. ‘Please! You’ll put me off my prosecco. No, it’s floral.’
‘It’s the cream Eleanor’s made for me,’ Annie told him. ‘It’s a whole new range for mums-to-be.’
‘Sounds good. Maybe I’ll order some,’ said Alex.
‘What for?’ Sam laughed. ‘You’re not pregnant, are you?’
‘A few more of these on an empty stomach and I might be,’ said Alex, waggling his empty glass. ‘When’s dinner? I need something to mop up all this delicious alcohol.’
‘We’re waiting for Arthur,’ said Annie.
‘Yes, where is Arthur? I haven’t seen him all afternoon,’ said Rose, suddenly looking concerned. ‘Is he OK?’
‘Hold off the search parties,’ said Sam, who had stood up as if to check. ‘He’s coming back across the garden.’
Lily glanced up to where Arthur was making a somewhat unsteady path towards the patio.
‘Where have you been, dear?’ shouted Rose, making everyone jump.
Arthur looked up and smiled vaguely. ‘Just here and there,’ he told her, taking a somewhat slow journey up the steps to the patio.
‘Here, Grandad, sit down,’ said Sam, leaping up to pull out a chair.
‘Thank you, my boy,’ said Arthur, gratefully taking a seat at the head of the table.
‘Are you alright, my dear?’ asked Rose. ‘You look a little out of it.’
‘Probably too much sun,’ Arthur told her.
But he didn’t expand on that, merely smiling silently around the table at everyone.
Lily headed to the kitchen with the plate of cold meats, and when she came back Arthur had actually fallen asleep in his chair before eating anything.
The mood around the table had darkened somewhat since Arthur’s return.
Lily saw Sam and Will exchange a worried look.
‘He’s probably just tired,’ whispered Rose, but even she was frowning and looking concerned.
‘Maybe,’ said Mick in a low voice, a frown creasing his forehead. ‘But that’s how the dementia started with my dear old mum.’
‘Is there a history of it in the family?’ whispered Alex.
Rose shook her head. ‘Oh, no. The Harris family have all been very strong mentally.’ She looked a little teary.
‘Don’t you worry yourself, darling,’ rasped Mick, giving her a squeeze around the shoulders before pouring her out a large glass of the limoncello cocktail. ‘Arthur will be just fine.’
‘The other day he couldn’t remember having had lunch.’ Rose looked upset. ‘Maybe it’s just the stress hanging over us all at the moment.’
‘I’m sure that’s all it is,’ said Alex, patting her hand.
But the clouds that had gathered slowly to cover up the beautiful sunset appeared to have clouded over the whole table as well.
As she walked back towards the kitchen, Lily was equally concerned. Arthur had been a steady presence throughout her life, especially after the car accident. The thought that he might be unable to carry on his duties was very upsetting.
She just hoped that perhaps the family were wrong with their diagnosis.