“Oohh!” Diane cried, her dark piggy eyes wide with greed, “They look delicious.”
“And absolutely key to what I want to discuss,” Peter supplied as he strolled into the room, making his way to the comfortable Chesterfield settee. “Now, I know things haven’t been easy,” he said, eyeing each woman in turn. “In different circumstances connected to the Hall, you’ve both lost your husbands . . .”
Diane nodded sadly, her mouth overly full of cream horn.
“So . . . Lily Green and I thought it’d be a really good idea if you both went into business together. Lily has found a lovely little tea shop in Wenham and I want to buy the lease for you both so you can both make a new start.”
Felicity Manners-Gore gave a gasp of surprise and Diane’s cream-filled mouth fell open, much to Felicity’s disgust.
“The premises come with two bedrooms above the shop, so you’ll have somewhere to stay as well as a very convenient place to earn a living. Mum will let you have all her recipes and she’ll show you how to cook for lots of people which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is very generous of her.”
Diane and Felicity stared at one another as the reality of the opportunity sank in.
“I personally have nothing else to lose,” Felicity said sadly after a long moment, eyeing the French omalous mantle clock that was no longer hers.
“Me too,” Diane agreed, her mouth finally empty before she devoured an iced bun that called to her from the dainty Willow pattern plate set before them. “I’ve been so lonely on my own, and with barely a penny to my name.
My dog, Whiskey ran away and Frank’s life insurance didn’t pay up! Do you know, he ran that blessed company for eighteen years and–”
Peter clapped his hands together. “Right,
that’s settled then.”
“It’s amazing how much your life has changed in such a short space of time,” Lily summed up, “it’s bound to be difficult to adjust.”
Peter nodded as they sat in the beautiful dining room with its huge stone fireplace. Kitty had just cleared away the detritus from a magnificently large cinnamon and apple crumble with custard, one of Nella’s specialities and Peter’s favourite. He patted his stomach contentedly and sighed. Taking Lily’s hand, he looked deeply into her eyes.
“There’s something serious I wanted to ask you and now seems as good a time as any.”
Before he could continue, Nella bustled in. "Have you asked her yet?” she enquired.
“No,” Peter exclaimed.
“Oh, well, I’ll leave you to it then.”
Alone once more, Peter assumed a serious expression, worried his mother might be listening at the door. “So, Lily Green, will
you do me the honour of–”
“Y-yes, of course I will!” she cried, beaming ecstatically.
“Err, re-cataloguing my library . . .” he trailed off.
“Oh, how embarrassing!” she whispered, a crimson hue marching at a pace up her neck and cheeks. Changing the subject rapidly, Lily said, “Isn’t it strange how the Major and Dr Bailey were so harsh on Cecelia after her silly fraud attempt, when they were actually doing it too? Prison won’t suit her. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know what happened to the real Dorcas Ambrose . . .”
Peter nodded. “Well, I’ve only got one thing to say . . .”
“Oh?”
“As well as cataloguing the library, I thought it would be rather good if we got engaged.”
Lily gave another wide grin, this time knowing it was for real. There was no longer a fear of being ‘left on the shelf’ and she had met a man with an inheritance. This was straight out of a Miss Pringle novel and she was living it!
The Mystery at Fig Tree Hall Page 26