The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part Four: Trick or treat

by Emily Harvale

  'And I thought Alexia was nice.' Mia shook her head. 'I thought we could be friends.'

  'Imagine how we feel,' Toby said. 'We had no idea my sister was like this and we've lived with her all her life. We knew she had a temper, and reacted badly if things didn't go her way, but we never, for even a second, suspected anything like this. We're really sorry, Mia. And you, Jet. We hope you won't tar us with the same brush. Mum's in a right state and Dad's trying to put on a brave face, but this is the worst thing to happen in our family, ever. I'm not sure what we'll do. Mum thought the sun shone out of Alexia. And I can't believe I didn't know my own sister. It's so unreal. We're all in a state of shock. But I felt I had to come and talk to you about it. To apologise for all of us.'

  Mia sighed softly. 'It's true what you said, Mum. You can be with someone all your life and never really know them. And you can be with someone for a day and know them inside out and up and down and backwards. I won't hold any of this against you, Freda and Alec, Toby. It's not your fault. But I think I need a drink.'

  'Under the circumstances,' Toby said. 'The drinks are on the house for all of you tonight. It won't make up for what Alexia did, but at least it'll help with the shock.'

  'And all for nothing,' Mia said. 'I found the codicil and I get everything whether I stay or go. Tom wasn't left a penny.'

  Toby blinked. 'Wow! That's great. You deserve it after this. Um. Did you know that Mattie also owned Grace's cottage?'

  'What?' Mia blinked in disbelief. 'Grace Tyburn? Tom's gran?' She looked at Jet, who shook his head, and then at her mum and Ella. 'I had no idea. The solicitor told me she owned other assets, but he wouldn't say what until I inherit at the end of the year. Although, of course, once I show him the codicil and he opens his copy, I'll get it all now, I suppose. But no. I didn't know. Are you sure?'

  Toby nodded. 'That's what made Tom even more angry, I suppose. And Alexia. They obviously thought Tom would inherit Corner Cottage after Grace died, but when she did, that's when Tom found out that Mattie had bought the cottage from Grace several years ago so that Grace would have plenty of cash to live on. There was hardly anything left by the time Grace died.' He shook his head. 'It seems Grace had an addiction for online gambling and blew almost all her money on that.'

  'Wow!' Mia said. 'So that's what Mattie meant. She said she was making sure Grace had money. She didn't say she was buying the cottage.'

  Toby shrugged. 'Come on. I'll get you those drinks.'

  'Hold on,' Jet whispered, squeezing Mia's hand. 'I'd like a word.'

  Ella, Lori and the others smiled and left them to it when Mia nodded.

  'Please don't tell me you're having second thoughts,' Mia said.

  He grinned. 'Absolutely not. I just don't understand how everyone could see how we felt about each other but we couldn't.'

  'I could, Jet. You were the only one who couldn't. But only because you didn't want to.'

  'Well, I want to now. And I want to ask you something.'

  'Go on.'

  'You keep saying that people can change. You, your mum, Fiona, me. Well, if that's true, and even I now believe it is, does that mean you might be able to change the way you feel about animals and farms?'

  She smiled up at him. 'With some time and effort, yes. And a bit of one to one training and hands-on experience. I would say I'll have it cracked in a year or two.'

  He swallowed. 'A year or two? As long as that?'

  'Says the man who doesn't believe in relationships, or a woman moving in, or marriage, or anything else like that.'

  'Says the woman who can't wait to get me into bed and says she's sure that I'm The One.'

  'Oh I am sure, Jet. I told you that and I meant it. But that's why there's no rush. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you, I think. I also think you're right to want to take things slow. And I think you're right to—'

  He cut her short by kissing her and when he finally eased away, he smiled and looked into her eyes.

  'And I've told you, you think too much. And this time, I'm not going to walk away. I'll never walk away from you again.'

  She grinned at him. 'You won't? Is that a promise?'

  'I won't. I promise.'

  She ran her hands down the front of his torn and tattered Frankenstein shirt. 'Jet?'

  'Yes, Mia?'

  'Will you sleep with me tonight?'

  He sighed. 'It's always about sex with you, isn't it?'

  'Does that mean no?' She gave him a disappointed look.

  His lips twitched before blossoming into a huge smile. 'No, Mia. That means yes. Most definitely, yes. Although I think I can guarantee we won't get much sleep.'

  'I certainly hope we won't.'

  'Do you still want that drink?'

  She shook her head. 'There's plenty of wine and beer at home.'

  'There's brandy at my home. Do you want to come home with me?'

  'Jet Cross. I thought you'd never ask.'

  She grabbed his shirt collars, pulled him to her and kissed him. As he returned her kiss, he picked her up, lifted her legs so that they wrapped around him and he carried her towards his new car, parked in the drive of Sunbeam Cottage.

  A group of laughing children rushed from door to door, yelling, 'Trick or treat?'

  Jet stopped kissing her for long enough to open the car door.

  'Treat,' she said, smiling into his eyes. 'Without a doubt, if that kiss was anything to go by.'

  He smiled at her and winked. 'I know a few tricks,' he said, his voice crackling with excitement and laughter.

  'I know a few tricks of my own,' she replied. 'And I'm telling you now, Jet Cross. You're in for one hell of a treat. I think we both are.'

  He kissed her again as he sat her in the passenger seat before dashing to his side of the car and jumping in.

  'I know we are,' he said, beaming at her as he turned on the ignition.

  She matched his smile, leant across and kissed him on the cheek. 'And all because of a fortune-teller and a great-aunt I never even knew I had.'

  Coming soon

  Christmas on Lily Pond Lane

  A standalone book which catches up with some of the characters from the four-part serial but is a new story and introduces some new characters.

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  Acknowledgements

  My grateful thanks go to the following:

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