Page 116 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘It’s certainly very beautiful,’ agreed the journalist. ‘So, underneath all that leather you normally wear, you’re just a simple farmer?’

‘Well, I’ve always appreciated nature,’ croaked Mick, giving Lily a leer and a wink.

She quickly turned away to take the apple martini from Jack that he had just mixed.

‘Better make these a bit stronger,’ she murmured to him. ‘Then they might forget these interviews.’

He laughed. ‘I think it’s Sam who needs the strong drink.’

Lily handed over the cocktail to another member of the press who was in discussion with Howard the drummer.

‘I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor,’ Howard was saying. ‘Rich is better, you know what I mean?’

At this point, Sam rushed over and persuaded the band that perhaps it was time for some music rather than talking.

The lights from inside the barn twinkled as the band took their places behind the microphones. As Lily carried on serving the drinks, familiar melodies drifted out to mingle with the sweet smoke rising from the small bonfire nearby.

Eventually, everyone squeezed into the barn to dance and enjoy the music. So Lily and Jack joined them, leaving the cocktails set out ready for anyone to help themselves.

The band were on the stage singing ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, but Lily realised they had changed the words to ‘sweet home Willow Tree Hall’ instead.

After a huge round of applause at the end of the song, Mick said, ‘We’ve travelled around the world, but this is the only place that feels truly like home to us. So raise a glass if you’ve got one to Willow Tree Hall and the Harris family. We love ’em all.’

They began to sing ‘Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue’, which was a slower tempo. Lily was pleased to see her dad walk slowly onto the dancefloor, hand in hand with her mum. She watched her parents move slowly in time to the music. Ever since he had worked on the apple press, her dad had begun to use his carpentry skills more and more. Will had asked him to make some tables for what might possibly become a tea room in time, and he was also beginning to pick up odd jobs around the village. Therefore, her dad was getting out of the house and, in doing so, his overall mood was far more positive.

Her mum was also up at the Hall more frequently, as she had been batch-cooking various meals to help Annie out for when the baby finally arrived. There was even talk of her becoming a part-time cook which would mean that she could reduce her hours at the supermarket.

Both her parents were looking more relaxed and smiling more than Lily could remember. Perhaps at last they were all moving forward.

The barn was getting pretty crowded, Lily realised. Feeling a warm hand enclose hers, she looked around to find Jack standing next to her.

He nodded with his head to lead her outside, but they had only gone a few steps when Arthur appeared in front of them.

‘Well, it all appears to have gone swimmingly well,’ he told them.

‘It does,’ said Jack. ‘Did you enjoy your apple and elderflower gin?’

‘It was delicious,’ said Arthur, nodding. ‘It was mixed superbly, of course, but I like to think that the Willow Tree Hall apples gave it the extra difference.’

‘I’m sure they did,’ Jack told him.

‘By the way,’ carried on Arthur, ‘I showed that plate you found to my accountant, who was also here tonight. He has an interest in these kinds of things. He took some photos on his phone and says he’ll look into it for us.’

‘That’s great,’ said Jack. ‘Maybe it’ll be worth something.’

‘Everything I already have is priceless,’ said Arthur, looking across the grounds to the Hall. It looks very pretty, lit from within. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m promised a dance by both of my granddaughters-in-law.’

Arthur wandered inside the barn whilst Jack led Lily out into the night. She realised that the moon was full once more and had begun to rise from behind the trees into the inky black sky.

It was a crisp, cool night, but the glow of the bonfire and the moon overhead warmed both her body and soul.

Once a little way away from the barn, she stopped to face Jack. ‘You promised me a dance,’ she told him.

‘And here I am,’ he replied, drawing her close to him and wrapping his arms around her.

‘Out here?’ she said.

‘I don’t like an audience,’ he told her.