Harrison nodded. 'It seems they've become quite fond of one another in the last couple of days.'
Juliet couldn't believe it. 'She just told me she was moving on to greener pastures.'
'Did she indeed? I hope she won't be too disappointed.'
'What will you do without her? Wasn't she your executive assistant?'
'Yes. It seems I have a vacancy to fill.' He pulled her closer. 'May I ask you something?'
'Anything. Oh. Are you going to ask me to become your executive assistant?'
He shook his head. 'No. I've got an entirely different position for you in mind.'
'Oh really? I do need a job.'
'We can discuss that later. This isn't about work. If I asked you to move away from here, from this house, would you do it?'
'Of course I would.'
'Even if it meant never setting foot here again?'
'Yes. But I'd have to come home to see my family.'
He let out a sigh. 'I knew I didn't need to ask. I'm sorry I did. But that old man still found a way to get to me. He said I'd better make sure it was me you wanted and not the house.'
'Harrison!' She pulled away from him, more than a little hurt. 'How could you think that for a second?'
'I don't. I didn't. But you don't know how that man gets under my skin. I'm sorry, Juliet. I had to be sure. Forgive me.'
She sighed and stepped back into his arms, as the carollers burst into Silent Night.
'I do forgive you. I suppose, in a way, I can't blame you for asking. I have been rather obsessed with the place. But if I had to choose between you and the house, there really is no contest. I'd choose you, Harrison. Without hesitation.'
She kissed him passionately while the carollers finished Silent Night and got to the end of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
'This is going to be the best Christmas ever,' he said, when they finally parted lips.
Juliet had a sudden thought. 'If things work out between Kiki and your grandad, do you think she'll be moving into here?'
'No. Apart from the fact that Kiki prefers bright lights and lots of parties, it's not his house.'
'It's not? Oh, you mean you'll inherit it when he dies?'
'No, my darling Juliet. I mean it's not his house. It's mine. And don't get cross because I didn't have any idea until I was thirty, but it's been mine all along. The old man bought it with my money. Well, with the money Dad left and funds from an ancient trust. Grandfather made me believe it was his money and that he was taking care of me and Luke out of the goodness of his heart, rather than the fact that he was the trustee of Dad's estate.'
'Oh Good grief. That's dreadful.'
He raised his brows. 'That I own the house?'
'No. What Rufus did.'
Harrison shrugged. 'He is who he is. He'll never change. Thankfully, Dad was nothing like him, and Mum was the epitome of sweetness and light. I think I take after them. At least I hope to God I do.'
'You do, Harrison. You're nothing like Rufus. I wish I could've met them.'
'So do I. They would've loved you almost as much as I do.' He glanced around the room. 'Are these people ever going to leave? I want to go back upstairs and admire the view.'
She grinned up at him. 'I think everyone's going to be staying on for a while yet.' She grabbed his hand. 'There's a pretty good view from the Rose room too. Allow me to show you. And that door also has the key in the lock. I noticed that the night I stayed here.'
Chapter Thirty-One
Juliet rolled over and reached out her arm for Harrison. He wasn't there. She sat upright and glanced around the room. He was nowhere to be seen. She looked at her watch. Eight-thirty on Christmas morning. Where could he have gone?
Last night, after they had spent an hour or so in her old bedroom, they'd returned downstairs to find the party was finally coming to a natural end. They sat and chatted with the guests remaining until it was time for Midnight Mass. Taking several cars, and Juliet going with Harrison, they went to St Clement's and when they came out, it was snowing.
'Are you spending the night at The Grange?' Rosa asked her.
'If you don't mind, Mum. I promise I'll come home first thing in the morning and help prepare Christmas dinner.'
'Oh sweetheart, don't you worry about it. Your father and I can manage perfectly well. Zoe's going to be at The Grange as well tonight, so come home when you both like. It would be nice to have dinner together though.'
I'll definitely come home in plenty of time for that,' Juliet had promised.
She had spent the most glorious night in Harrison arms. And in his bed. But now, he was nowhere to be seen.
'Morning. Merry Christmas!' He appeared in the doorway with a breakfast tray on which there was smoked salmon, caviar and scrambled eggs, two large glasses of orange juice and a bottle of champagne.'
'Merry Christmas,' she said, beaming at him. 'For a dreadful moment I thought I'd imagined last night when I woke up alone, but I saw I was in your room so I knew some of it had happened.'
He looked contrite for a second before he smiled. 'I'm sorry. I should've waited until you woke up. But I was excited to start the day.' He placed the tray on the bedside table, and bent down to kiss her. 'Last night was the best night of my life. I love you, Juliet.'
'Best night so far,' she said. 'I love you too. I promised Mum I'd go home this morning. You're welcome to join me, but I assume you'll be having Christmas dinner here.'
He nodded. 'I suppose I should. Especially as Grandfather is planning on leaving tomorrow. Who knows when, or if, he'll come back. I may actually pay him to stay away. Although he is family, so we'll see. We could always have dinner at both. We're having ours this evening. You're having yours around two, I think you said.'
Juliet nodded. 'Two Christmas dinners? I'm not sure I could manage two.'
He grinned. 'We can work some of it off, in between. What do you say? Even if we don't eat much at either, it'll be fun to spend out first Christmas together with both families, don't you think? And we've got plenty of food here if your mum doesn't have enough.'
Juliet was excited at the prospect. 'I'll text Zoe now and see what she thinks, and I'll call mum after that. Are you sure, Harrison?'
'It means I get to spend all day with you. Of course I'm sure.'
Juliet sent her a text and got a reply a few minutes later while she and Harrison were eating breakfast. Zoe had said yes, and then Juliet called her mum who loved the idea.
'We're all set,' Juliet said. 'But it means I need to go and help prepare all the extra veg.'
'I can come and help with that.' Harrison removed the empty plates and poured each of them another glass of champagne which he placed on the bedside table. 'But first I need to play with my favourite present for a while.'
He pulled the duvet over them and Juliet burst into laughter.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Christmas Day was beyond Juliet's wildest dreams. They spent the morning at the cottage, with Harrison, Luke and her dad peeling vegetables, while she, Zoe and Rosa made mince pies, sausage rolls and cinnamon biscuits which Juliet and Zoe iced with hearts and everyone's names. Cinnamon, the dog, was all over Harrison like a rash, and not sprawled in front of the Aga for once.
'I think you've got Cinnamon's seal of approval', Juliet said.
Harrison laughed. 'That's good to know. I just wish the approval wasn't quite so furry, or so slobbery.'
Rufus and Kiki had chosen to stay at The Grange. They had been invited, but everyone was glad of their decision. And everyone speculated whether their 'relationship', whatever it was, would last.
They opened presents, and Harrison was delighted with the present Juliet gave him. It was a bronze figurine of a knight in armour on a white-glazed horse.
'Well, you did save my life, so you were my knight in shining armour when I bought it. Now that's even more the case.'
'I love it, Juliet. It'll take pride of place on my desk. I've got you something, but I'm not saying wha
t. You'll have to wait and see.'
'You've got me a present? What is it?' Juliet shrieked.
'Patience,' Harrison replied.
They drank champagne with their lunch and brandy with their Christmas pudding and then after playing games and drinking coffee, Harrison said he had to go but would be back in a moment.
'But aren't we all going to The Grange soon?' Juliet asked.
'We are. But there's something I need to do first. Don't go anywhere.' He kissed her and smiled. 'Luke. I need to borrow you for a while.'
'Don't be long,' Zoe said, kissing Luke as if she wouldn't be seeing him for hours.
Cinnamon got up from in front of the sitting room fire and raced after Harrison, barking.
'Cinnamon's missing you already,' Juliet said. 'And she's not the only one.'
'Really girls,' said Bernard. 'They'll only be gone five minutes.'
'You've forgotten what it's like to be young and in love,' Rosa said.
Bernard smiled lovingly. 'I may have forgotten what it's like to be young, darling, but I know what it's like to be in love. I've been in love with you since the day we met.'
Rosa blew him a kiss and smiled. 'And the same goes for me, my love.'
Cinnamon came back, plonked herself in front of the fire and let out a resounding and rather smelly, fart.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Juliet opened the cottage door half an hour or so later, and couldn't believe her eyes. Nor could the rest of her family if their shouts of delight were anything to go by.
Two of the vintage, open top carriages that had been sold with the house were sitting on Mistletoe Row. Each had white and silver ribbon tied all the way around them, but the one in front, had pink roses pinned to the ribbons, and pink rose petals strewn inside. Luckily, there was no breeze today and the predicted snow, had not arrived, so far. The second carriage had two superb grey horses pulling it, but it was the first carriage that took Juliet's breath away. It was pulled by two magnificent white horses but when she looked at them she saw that they had white, sparkly pointed cones tied with ribbon, around their foreheads and lengths of iridescent streamers falling gently from their manes.
Several people on Mistletoe Row had come to their doors to see what was going on, and customers flocked out from The Mistletoe pub, including Dan and his family.
'They may not be unicorns, exactly,' Harrison said. 'But they're trying very hard to be. And I may not be Prince Charming, but I'll spend the rest of my life getting as close to that as I can.' He bent down on one knee in the snow and opened the lid of a tiny, antique box. 'This was my mother's engagement ring. I'll buy you another of your own if you say yes, but in the meantime, will you marry me, Juliet Bell? Will you make me the proudest, happiest man in the world and say you'll be my wife? I know we've only, technically, been on a couple of dates. One twenty years ago and one last night, if that counts as a date. But I've loved you for twenty years and I'll love you till the day I die. And if you think that it's too soon, I'll ask you every day until you finally say yes.'
Juliet's mouth fell open and she stared at him for a second. 'Oh God, Harrison. Of course I'll be your wife. I'll be anything you want as long as I can spend the rest of my life with you.'
'Really?' He beamed at her, got to his feet and slid the ring on her finger.
It fitted perfectly and the magnificent, entwined diamonds sparkled as she marvelled at their beauty.
'Because I do need a new executive assistant, as it happens,' Harrison added.
Juliet burst out laughing. 'Are you offering me the job?'
He shook his head. 'No. But I do want you to be my partner, not just in our personal lives, but in my business, too.'
'Oh for God's sake, man. Just kiss her, will you?' It was Dan's voice and he was out of breath. He'd clearly run from the pub to get a better view.
Harrison looked at Dan and smiled. 'Thanks. I'll do that.' His eyes were filled with love as he smiled at Juliet and pulled her into his arms. 'I love you, Juliet. You are my heart and soul. My Lady of the Lake.'
'And you have made unicorns real. You're my Prince Charming. I love you, Harrison Bow. And this ring is perfect. I don't want another.'
Juliet and Harrison smiled adoringly at each other, and kissed, as everyone, especially Rosa, Bernard, Zoe and Luke clapped and cheered. Even Cinnamon's bark sounded congratulatory.
As if on cue, soft flakes of snow fell gently from the sky, the bells of St Clement's started ringing, and via the open door of the cottage next to number 29, carollers on the radio boomed out, Joy to the World.
'Oh my days,' Dan said, in the campest voice ever. 'You couldn't make this stuff up. Even the heavens approve, darling. Congratulations and Merry Christmas one and all.'
Juliet was far too busy kissing Harrison to reply.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Coming soon
Return to Lily Pond Lane
A new book in the Lily Pond Lane series
A Note from Emily
Thank you for reading this book. A little piece of my heart goes into all of my books and when I send them on their way, I really hope they bring a smile to someone's face. If this book made you smile, or gave you a few pleasant hours of relaxation, I'd love it if you would tell your friends.
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To see details of my other books, please go to the books page on my website, or scan or tap the QR code below to see all my books on Amazon.
Contact
If you want to be the first to hear Emily's news, find out about book releases, enter competitions and gain automatic entry into her Readers' Club, go to: www.emilyharvale.com and subscribe to her newsletter via the 'Sign me up' box. If you love Emily's books and want to chat with her and other fans, ask to join the exclusive Emily Harvale's Readers' Club Facebook group.
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Also by Emily Harvale
Highland Fling
Lizzie Marshall's Wedding
The Golf Widows' Club
Sailing Solo
Carole Singer's Christmas
Christmas Wishes
A Slippery Slope
The Perfect Christmas Plan
Be Mine
It Takes Two
The Goldebury Bay series:
Ninety Days of Summer – book 1
Ninety Steps to Summerhill – book 2
Ninety Days to Christmas – book 3
The Hideaway Down series:
A Christmas Hideaway – book 1
Catch A Falling Star – book 2
Walking on Sunshine – book 3
Dancing in the Rain – book 4
Hall's Cross series
Deck the Halls – book 1
The Starlight Ball – book 2
Michaelmas Bay series
Christmas Secrets in Snowflake Cove – book 1
Blame it on the Moonlight – book 2
Lily Pond Lane series
The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane – four-part serial
Part One – New beginnings
Part Two – Summer secrets
Part Three – Autumn leaves
Part Four – Trick or treat
Christmas on Lily Pond Lane – standalone novel
Acknowledgements
My grateful thanks go to the following:
Christina Harkness for her patience and care in editing this book.
My webmaster, David Cleworth who does so much more than website stuff.
My cover design team, JR.
Luke Brabants. Luke is a talented artist and can be found at: www.lukebrabants.com
My wonderful friends for their friendship and love. You know I love you all.
All the fabulous members of my Readers' Club. You help and support me in so many ways and I am truly grateful for your ongoing friendship. I wouldn't be where I am today without you.
My Twitter and Facebook friends, and fans of my Facebook author page. It's great to chat with you. You help to keep me (relatively) sane!
Thank you for buying this book.
Bells and Bows on Mistletoe Row Page 17