Six months later
‘What do you think, Daisy?’
Noah gave her an enquiring look and she beamed at him.
‘It’s perfect! Better than I ever imagined. Oops!’ She glanced at the estate agent. ‘I shouldn’t have said that, should I? Aren’t I supposed to lie and pretend that it’s just okay, but we can probably find something better?’
The estate agent laughed. ‘I really appreciate that you didn’t.’
Noah smiled affectionately at her. ‘Daisy’s not capable of playing games,’ he said. ‘What you see is what you get.’
‘Then you’re a very lucky man,’ the estate agent said. ‘So, am I to take it that you’re interested?’
Daisy could hardly contain her excitement. ‘What do you think?’ she asked Noah.
‘I think it’s perfect, too,’ he said softly. ‘I think we’d be very happy here.’
‘Then…’ The estate agent looked from one to the other of them.
Noah nodded. ‘We’d like to put in an offer. Subject to survey, naturally.’
‘Naturally, although that won’t be a problem. They don’t build them like this anymore. Made to last, and well maintained by its previous owner.’
Driving into Market Square a little later, Noah said, ‘I can’t believe we’ve actually found somewhere. I was convinced we wouldn’t. Do you mind that it’s not in Tuppenny Bridge?’
‘Not at all. We both work in Tuppenny Bridge, after all, so it’s not like we won’t be here most days, and West Colby’s a lovely village.’
‘It’s not too isolated for you?’
‘With Dolly just up the road? Hardly! And it is a lovely house, isn’t it?’
‘It is. I can’t believe our luck. We have a lot to thank Dolly for.’
They’d been house hunting for three months but finding somewhere for sale in Tuppenny Bridge was proving impossible and they were beginning to despair of ever finding a new home. Then Dolly had tipped them off that her closest neighbour, Arthur Francis, was moving in with his daughter, Pam, and was selling Mulberry Cottage.
Today they’d gone to look around, hardly daring to hope that it would be the house of their dreams. The cottage needed updating, that was without doubt. It was old fashioned and probably needed a new kitchen and bathroom suite, as well as redecorating throughout, but it had, as Daisy said, the feeling .
They’d both felt the same, looking around. It had three good sized bedrooms and a large, if overgrown, garden.
‘Perfect place to have a family,’ the estate agent had said, and they’d smiled at each other, agreeing with him.
Letting themselves into the flat above Cutting it Fine, they paused on the threshold and kissed.
‘One day,’ Noah said, ‘I’ll carry you over the threshold of our beautiful new home, and you’ll be Mrs Lavender.’
‘I can’t wait,’ she told him, kissing him again.
They headed upstairs, their minds full of possibilities for the future. Daisy put the kettle on and dropped teabags into two mugs, while Noah rummaged in the cupboards for celebration biscuits.
It had been an amazing three months since he’d moved in with her. They couldn’t believe how happy everyone was for them, and how easily they’d slotted into their new life.
Noah had endured an operation on his eye, since there had been bony fragments that needed removing. However, his vision was unimpaired, his blood pressure had finally returned to normal, and the panic attacks he’d had since the final attack were becoming a distant memory, as was the stammer, despite the trauma he’d been through.
Peony Cottage had gone up for sale just weeks ago and had sold almost immediately. As they’d realised themselves, it was hard to get property in Tuppenny Bridge, and there was high demand for it.
His divorce from Isobel would be through in the next couple of months, according to the solicitor. It had been surprisingly straightforward, with Isobel complying with every request and putting no obstacles in his path.
‘I imagine it’s her aunt, pushing her to be rid of me,’ Noah had said. ‘She’ll want this whole sorry business over and done with as soon as possible.’
Petalicious was still open, though Kelly’s gran had now been installed as the full-time manager of the place. Isobel would never return to work there, but it would continue to bring in an income for her, which, as Noah said, was something she would be glad of when she was released from prison.
There had been a great deal of anger that she’d only been sentenced to two years, thanks in part to the superb legal team her aunt had hired, but Daisy knew Noah was quite relieved. With good behaviour she’d be out in a year, and he felt that was as long as she could probably cope with. He didn’t want her to suffer any longer, and Daisy knew he would feel happier when Isobel was out of jail and safely ensconced in her aunt’s house in Harrogate.
At least she’d admitted what she’d done, which had meant Noah hadn’t needed to go to court and relive what had happened. Daisy wasn’t sure she could ever forgive Isobel for what she’d put him through, but she was grateful to her for that, at least, although she was pretty sure Isobel had only pleaded guilty on the advice of her legal team.
As they settled on the sofa, cups of tea in hand, they talked excitedly of the future, making plans for Mulberry Cottage—the way they’d decorate it, the new kitchen they’d select, the furniture they’d choose, the children they’d fill it with…
And as the daylight began to fade, they switched on the lamps, ate dinner, and toasted their happiness with glasses of wine.
‘What shall we drink to?’ Noah asked. ‘There’s so much I’m grateful for I don’t know where to begin.’
‘How about, to new beginnings?’ Daisy suggested.
‘Good idea,’ Noah said softly. ‘Or, to true love?’ He paused, thinking. ‘Or,’ he said at last, ‘to finding Mr Blue Sky, just when I thought it was going to rain forever.’
They smiled at each other, remembering that day inCamackerwhen they’d each gone to see the wildflowers, never dreaming that their lives were about to change so drastically.
‘To Mr Blue Sky,’ Daisy said, her eyes shining with love for him as she raised her glass and clinked it against Noah’s. ‘May he never hide away again.’