‘Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit,’ I said, trying not to laugh as my suggestion was greeted with loud roars of disapproval because everyone knew that only me and Izzy would have a chance of winning.
Epilogue
Rory and I arrived at Hilltop Farm with the keys for the first time. With us was Harry, who bounded out the car running for the field, followed by my dad, Angus, and our new sheepdog puppy Darcy who I, of course, named after Pride and Prejudice. It was a sunny February morning, much needed after such a snowy January, and it felt like possibility was in the air as we went inside the farmhouse as its official owners.
‘It’s just how I remember it,’ Angus said, looking around. ‘Your dad and I used to play cards with old Sam in the winter sometimes, he liked his whisky, and he always won – the shark,’ he said to Rory with a shake of his head.
‘I really want to keep it as close to the original farmhouse as possible,’ I said. We had just received official grade listing for both Hilltop and Fraser farm so any modifications we made had to keep within tight guidelines but I wasn’t concerned, I wanted it to be exactly as it was when it was first built, and would publicise that fact to future guests. ‘Look at those beams,’ I said in wonder, looking up at the ceiling.
‘And this fireplace,’ my dad said, gesturing to it. ‘When it’s working, it will be so cosy in here.’ He walked through into the kitchen and to the back door, which he flung open. We followed him outside and looked out across the fields, which rose high up to the hill that stood between our two properties. We were planning to farm sheep again here, and were trying to train Darcy. He ran off towards the grass, followed by a skipping and laughing Harry. We had some way to go with that training obviously.
‘The first thing we need to do is get the old gamekeeper cottage up to scratch,’ I said, looking over at where it stood close to the woodland area.
‘Cameron can’t wait to get stuck in,’ Angus said with a proud look. His sister’s son, who often helped out on our farm during summer, had agreed to take on the role as Hilltop manager. He’d be moving into the cottage as soon as we could get it ready for him, and would help us with our renovation project ready for our first guests to arrive in the summer we hoped.
‘Have you heard back from that company you’ve been talking to?’ my dad asked as we walked across the field. A farming supplies company had approached me about doing some social media work together, and we were discussing them potentially sponsoring our retreat here, providing equipment we needed, and doing some mutually beneficial publicity.
‘We have a meeting booked next week but they are really excited. I think it could work really well. And would mean the pressure would be off to be profitable in the first year with them backing us. So, we can really focus on creating the best retreat we can, and getting the farm working alongside Fraser.’
‘And I love the new logo you showed me last night,’ Rory said as he swung Harry up on his shoulders. I thought it was a good opportunity to refresh our logo to include both farms, new signage for both, and to create new things to sell in the farm shop. It meant I was using my creative side too, which I was really enjoying. He looked around. ‘Honestly, my dad would be thrilled to see us taking on Hilltop.’
‘I’m so proud of you both,’ my dad said. ‘You are giving Beth a run for her money in taking over Glendale.’
‘I told her to watch out,’ I agreed, laughing. ‘But with her new wedding business, I think she still has us beat.’ I gazed around at our new land – the opportunities here were so exciting. I didn’t feel overwhelmed though, I was just looking forward to seeing what we could do here. I really had come a long way these past three months. I looked at Rory. ‘She’s already told me she has to be our wedding planner, whether we like it or not. I think as we’re not getting married at the Hall, we’ll have to let her, we’ll never hear the end of it otherwise.’
He grinned. ‘You know, she’s more like her mother than she’d ever admit.’
‘She’d kill you for saying that,’ I said. ‘Only four months until we’ll be at Broomwood Castle…’
‘I can’t wait,’ he said. ‘About bloody time, don’t you think, guys?’
I rolled my eyes as my dad and Angus let out roaring laughs. Even Harry clapped, wanting to join in. I looked at Darcy for some support but the puppy had spotted a rabbit and had run off, barking at full volume. I sighed. ‘Still outnumbered by men,’ I muttered under my breath.
‘You wouldn’t have it any other way,’ Rory said, putting Harry down, and leaning over to kiss me. ‘Let’s walk up the hill and tire these two out,’ he said, pointing to Darcy who was now running after Harry. We set off across our land, a merry party of five humans, and one dog, the sun beating down on us from a clear, blue sky, and I sent up a silent thank you to my mum for helping me to see just what a blessing my life was, and how much I loved the people in it.
And for showing me that life doesn’t have to turn out the way you plan, and thank goodness for that.
A Letter from Victoria
Dear readers,
I started this book at the start of 2020 and had to finish writing it during the UK Coronavirus lockdown in March. It was a surreal time to be writing but I was grateful to have the lovely world of Glendale to escape to.
This time, Heather is the main character and I was eager to show that the Heather we had seen in the first two books wasn’t always the whole truth, that sometimes she felt the need to show everyone just how capable she was even if underneath, she was struggling. I think we all do that sometimes. Heather is a worrier, just like me, and her anxiety sometimes stops her from enjoying her life as much as she should. It was interesting to climb inside Heather’s head during such an anxious time for the world, and even though I decided not to mention the virus and keep Glendale as the escape we all need it to be, I felt like I understood Heather’s mindset even more. I hope that Heather finds a place in your hearts like she has in mine, and that if you are a worrier like us you know that you are also a warrior, and you are capable of anything you want to do.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you all so much for your wonderful messages about the Glendale books. Honestly, it’s amazing to know that so many of you love reading these stories as much as I love writing them. Writing is such a solitary profession, and I decided to write full-time just as we went into lockdown, so it’s been such a support knowing there are so many of you out there waiting to read this third Glendale story. Thank you so much to anyone who has contacted me this year, or followed me on social media – your messages have brightened my day so many times, and your support really does mean the world to me.
I hope you stay safe and well, and that you enjoy escaping to Glendale once again. Glendale welcomes you back with open arms to a snowy Scottish Christmas with a cup of hot chocolate and a slice of cake so please curl up, read, and enjoy! And please do pop a review up on Amazon if you can, and come and say hello to me on social media too.
Lots of love,
Victoria
Instagram: @vickywalters
Twitter: @vicky_walters
Facebook: VictoriaWaltersAuthor
Blog: www.victoria-writes.com
Biography and List of Books
Victoria Walters writes uplifting and inspiring stories. She’s the author of the bestselling GLENDALE HALL series, which continues with its third book HOPEFUL HEARTS AT GLENDALE HALL in Autumn 2020, as well as two other standalone novels – SUMMER AT THE KINDNESS CAFE, and THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE. She has been chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for two RNA awards. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star, and her books have won wide reader acclaim. Victoria is a full-time author who lives in Surrey with her cat Harry.
Glendale Hall series:
Coming Home to Glendale Hall
New Beginnings at Glendale Hall
Hopeful Hearts at Glendale Hall
Standalone novels:
The Second Love of my Life
Summer at the K
indness Cafe
eBook short stories:
Dancing in the Fire
The Summer I Met You
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my editor Keshini Naidoo for all your guidance on this book and the whole Glendale series, for sharing my enthusiasm and love of these characters, and for all your helpful notes and phone calls! I couldn’t have written this one without you. Thank you so much Lindsey Mooney for all your hard work in getting the Glendale books into readers’ hands, and for the cheering Zoom chats too! Thanks, as always, to my agent Hannah Ferguson for your support and encouragement.
A big thank you to all at Hera and the team at Hardman and Swainson for all the work you do behind the scenes for my books, I really appreciate it all! Special thanks to copy editor Dushi Horti, Vicki Vrint for proofreading, and Cherie Chapman for all the gorgeous Glendale covers.
During lockdown, I was lucky to be able to chat with lots of authors and readers, more than I ever have done before, and ‘meet’ some via Zoom too, which was lots of fun. Special thanks to Kim Nash, Kiley Dunbar, Lisa Swift, George Lester, Anna Bell, Cressida McLaughlin, Heidi Swain, Lisa Dickenson, Isabelle Broom, the Doomsday Writers, and Laura, Hayley, Rachel, Jenn for all brightening up my days! Thank you so much to my Facebook Book Squad, and all the book bloggers and reviewers who have shown so much support and love for the Glendale series.
I really do appreciate every message I receive from readers of my books, and I was so honoured to hear that my books helped cheer some of you up during lockdown. It’s such a pleasure to write for you all! I hope Glendale continues to be a lovely escape for us all for a long time to come.
Lots of love to my family and friends too, especially to my mum and Harry, my lockdown companions, for helping me through writing this book.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Hera
Hera Books
28b Cricketfield Road
London, E5 8NS
United Kingdom
Copyright © Victoria Walters, 2020
The moral right of Victoria Walters to be identified as the creator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781912973453
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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