Page 54 of Winter Magic on Railway Lane

‘But she’s right.’

Libby stared at him. ‘She is?’ she asked tentatively.

‘I’ve been stuck in neutral, I think she said, for so very long. Almost revelling in the misery of the stroke that I’ve let it become more than it should have been.’

‘Yes, but you’re not the same as you were before,’ Libby told him quickly.

He nodded thoughtfully. ‘True, but I’m not sure I should let it define me either. And it was a huge burden on you when I really could do a bit more. I mean, look. I made you a cup of coffee.’ He smiled proudly to himself. ‘When was the last time I did that?’

‘It’s been a while,’ she murmured, with a soft smile which she was pleased to see him return.

Just then, they both heard a knock on the front door.

‘Your adoring masses appear to have arrived,’ he told her. ‘I’ll go and let them in.’

‘Thanks for the coffee,’ she called out as he went.

By the time she had eaten her muffin and drunk half of the coffee, Katy, Harriet and Flora had all climbed the stairs and rushed into the small bedroom, immediately filling it up.

‘Oh, you’ve got more colour today!’ said Katy, rushing over to give her a kiss on the cheek. ‘That’s good.’

‘Yes, only the croaky voice to get rid of,’ replied Libby.

‘I dunno,’ said Flora, next up to give her a kiss. ‘I think husky and quiet suits you.’

‘A quietish Libby? Never,’ said Harriet, giving an exaggerated shudder.

They all sat down on the bed on either side of her and then there was a short silence.

‘You silly sausage,’ said Harriet, eventually breaking the silence and looking tearful.

‘I’ve aged about ten years,’ said Flora, with a heavy sigh.

‘Me too,’ said Katy, checking her dark hair in the camera of her mobile. ‘Do I have any grey hairs? It feels like I should have.’

‘Thank goodness you’re okay,’ said Harriet, reaching out to take her hand.

‘I’m fine,’ Libby told them. ‘Which is more than can be said for Ethan’s kitchen.’ She grimaced at the thought. ‘How bad is it?’ she tentatively asked.

‘Nothing that a bit of scrubbing of walls and a new splash of paint won’t sort out,’ said Katy quickly.

‘The men are all going over there to help clear up the smoke damage,’ said Flora. ‘They’ve all dropped everything to help out.’

Libby blew out a long sigh. ‘Is Ethan very mad?’ she asked.

Katy looked non-plussed. ‘Ethan? No, of course not. Only with the thought of you hurting yourself. You know what he’s like. He doesn’t care about material possessions like that.’

Libby nodded thoughtfully. ‘Yes, but I don’t mean to pile more stress on him when he’s already got so much on his plate with Eddie and the Christmas train.’

‘Oh, that’s all going to be sorted out tomorrow,’ said Katy briskly. ‘Plenty of time yet if we all lend a hand.’

‘Anyway, he’ll be okay,’ said Flora. ‘It’s Ethan. If he were to be any more laid-back, he’d be horizontal most of the time.’

‘From his long list of girlfriends over the years, perhaps he has been!’ added Harriet, laughing.

But Libby didn’t join in. Ethan had had a string of dates over the years. And so had she, she reminded herself. They were equal partners in being footloose and fancy free. But the thought of him being with another woman didn’t sit well with her that morning.

It must just be because you’re so tired, she told herself, before taking a sip of her coffee.