Chapter 29
At the end of the day, Lily sank onto the sofa in the lounge with a sigh of relief. After her cold water shock first thing, she had worked non-stop and was grateful to finally be resting.
She had spent the day beginning work on the lounge which had meant painting the plain walls either side of the fireplace.
The soft green worked well with the stone hearth but there was still so much to do, along with the entrance hall and dining room as well.
Then there were all the final touches to add to all the areas. The work ahead still seemed to be vast.
Thankfully Alex and Jake had helped clear the huge number of empty boxes that had built up from all the televisions that Ben was beginning to install in the bedrooms, as well as helping to fill two large skips with all of the debris from the bathroom renovations.
Lily took a sip of the cocktail that Frankie had made them after dinner. This time it was a warming concoction of rum and spices and she could feel it dulling her senses and making everything just a little bit softer and more relaxed.
Ben sat down next to her and gave her a smile before he looked at the roaring fire next to them.
‘I needed this,’ he said. ‘I’ve spent all day updating the reception desk computer and, despite my brain being ready to explode, you’ll be glad to know that we now have an online booking system as well as a website where people can book at long last!
’ He raised a glass to her and she recognised Frankie’s cocktail.
‘Careful,’ she told him. ‘It’s another strong one.’
He took a tentative sip before his eyes clicked wide open. ‘Strong but pretty tasty. Glad I’m not doing any more work tonight. I’m not sure I should be operating any machinery after one of these.’
Lily smiled and sighed, closing her eyes briefly as she leant back against the sofa. There was a short silence before she opened them again and found him watching her with his dark brown eyes completely unreadable.
‘You’ve had a busy day too,’ he told her, moving his gaze to admire the paint colour either side of the fireplace. ‘I like the colour.’
‘Well, it’s a start,’ she replied.
‘It certainly is.’ He reached out his glass for her to chink with his. ‘Cheers. To a job well started.’
They both spluttered after taking another sip of the drink before Ben took her glass and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.
‘So what next?’ he asked as he sat back.
She laughed and groaned at the same time. ‘Give me at least one night off,’ she told him. But all the same, she couldn’t help but let her eyes wander around the lounge, imagining how it would look when it was finished.
‘I would but I recognise that look in your eyes,’ he said, laughing softly. ‘So tell me, what are your plans for in here?’
‘Similar vibe to the one I want in the bedrooms,’ she told him. ‘Luxe cushions, blankets, all-round cosiness. Lots of hurricane lamps and soft lighting. Luckily the wood adds so much comfort and decoration that we won’t need to do too much painting in here.’
He nodded. ‘Sounds great.’
‘But you’re going to be needing a long ladder because I’m thinking lots of fairy lights entwined around all those lovely oak beams up there,’ she carried on.
He looked up and she heard him groan. But, to her pleasure, he didn’t protest. Finally, they were both on the same side, she thought with a smile.
She looked down at the table and idly picked up the small wicker basket that Walter had brought in earlier. Faye had turned it into a fruit bowl and it was filled with apples and pears.
‘This basket is so clever,’ she said, admiring the neatness of the entwined tiny branches.
She wanted to talk further with him but they were interrupted by the rest of the family and friends joining them in a noisy fashion.
‘That was an excellent dinner,’ announced Alex, sitting down on the opposite sofa.
‘I thought you only ate anything healthy and yet I’m sure you helped yourself to a second serving of Hannah’s chocolate cake,’ said Jake, sitting on a nearby armchair.
Alex glanced at Hannah as she sat down nearby with Frankie. ‘Well, it was too delicious to resist,’ he muttered.
As the conversation continued, Lily carried on watching Alex and saw the touch of rosiness in his cheeks.
She guessed that it had nothing to do with the welcome heat of the fire and more to do with the look that he had just given Hannah, who had completely missed it as she laughed and joked around with Jake.
Lily smiled to herself. Alex’s secret was safe with her. But she made a note to casually ask Hannah about him at some point in the future.
Walter sat down next to Alex and smiled at Lily when he saw the wicker basket in her hand.
‘Still admiring my handiwork,’ he said.
She nodded. ‘Of course,’ she told him. ‘I still can’t believe that they float.’
‘You don’t trust me?’ asked Walter, raising his grey eyebrows in good humour.
‘Of course I do,’ she told him truthfully.
Later on, as the mood became more lively after Frankie’s cocktails were all finished, a rousing game of Monopoly was taking place on the large table.
Lily took advantage of the family’s laughter to talk quietly to Ben where they were sitting by themselves on the sofa.
She hesitated before speaking. ‘Your mum told me that it’s your dad’s birthday tomorrow.’
Ben took a deep breath before blowing it out slowly and nodding. ‘We’re going to the graveyard in the morning,’ he said. ‘Put down some flowers. Don’t like it there, to be honest. It’s too cold and impersonal. This hotel is a better memorial to him, I always think.’
There was a short silence as he looked deep in thought.
‘You know, when I was growing up, my dad was stationed in Vietnam for a year. We went to H?i An one weekend,’ she told him, thinking back.
‘They have a famous lantern festival at night there. Boats and everything else is decorated. It’s so pretty.
But what they do have is some floating candles that they set off down the river.
It was supposed to pay respects to people’s ancestors.
’ She looked at Ben. ‘Perhaps we could do that tomorrow evening, if you’d like. ’
He looked started. ‘A lantern festival?’ he asked, with a confused expression.
She smiled and shook her head. ‘I mean, set off one of your grandad’s floating baskets across the lake with a candle. We could light it as a way of paying our respects to your dad.’
For a second, he looked nonplussed and she expected him to laugh at her. But instead, he nodded slowly to himself. ‘This place meant everything to him,’ he finally said. ‘And with Grandad having made the basket, I think it’s a lovely idea.’
Lily felt pleased, hoping that the small ceremony might just take away the pain of the anniversary.
So they ran the idea past Faye and Hannah when they had the opportunity, both of whom approved of the gesture.
‘I think it’ll be lovely,’ said Hannah, looking teary.
Ben brought her into a hug, enveloping her with both his arms.
‘I agree but let’s see what your grandad says,’ added Faye, looking concerned.
But she needn’t have worried. Walter was a little confused by the idea until Lily googled the lantern festival and showed him the floating candles.
‘I see,’ he said. ‘Well, we know that they float. And I think it’s quite symbolic.’
‘Like something I saw in Game of Thrones ,’ added Dotty.
‘Hopefully more poignant than that,’ said Ben, with a soft laugh.
‘You’ll probably need to head out a little way on the boat,’ Walter told him. ‘Otherwise it might just end up bobbing around on the shoreline.’
‘I agree,’ said Ben, nodding. ‘I’m happy to do that.’
‘I can help,’ said Lily quickly. After all, it had been her idea. She didn’t want it going awry and ruining what was supposed to be a poignant occasion.
She also found that she didn’t want Ben to be out there all alone. That she wanted to help him. And be there for him. As a friend.
Except she was beginning to hope that they might just be so much more.