‘You haven’t got a choice, Lili. You heard Elspeth, it’s what Otto wanted.’
‘Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong.’ Lili smiled. ‘Ihavegot a choice. Besides, what about what I want?’
‘But Otto wanted this house to remain in his family –yourfamily.’
Lili was still smiling. ‘And it will. Joseph and his descendants are just as much a part of Otto’s family as Alena and her descendants …’ Lili trailed off, a lump in her throat. She took a breath and continued, ‘Our families,’ She glanced around the summerhouse, ‘are inextricably linked through a kind, passionate man who saved not one, but two children all those years ago.’
Nate stared at her. ‘What are you saying?’
‘We are family, Nate. That is Otto’s legacy. I don’t need that big old house, butyoudo. You have children who need a home, and, of course, Bella – she needs a good-sized garden. And there’s still Joseph’s prize orchids that need a home too.’
Lili had been talking to Elspeth at the wake. ‘It sounds to me as though you might have a permanent house guest, too. Elspeth wants to stay on for a bit, look after Joseph’s plants and the garden.’
Lili leaned forward in her seat and moved the keys back along the coffee table in Nate’s direction. ‘I’ve already seen the solicitor. It’s done. I signed the property over to you this morning before the funeral.’
Nate sat there speechless. When he found his voice, he said, ‘Are you leaving?’
Alex had made his way down to the old cabin in the garden when he couldn’t find Lili in the house. He stopped outside the door. His heart was pounding when he overheard the conversation and realised that Lili was hesitating. Why wasn’t she telling Nate she was due to leave for Washington in the morning?
‘Stay, Lili, please. There’s going to be a vacant shop in Cobbler’s Yard.’
‘Is there?’ Lili knew Nate wasn’t talking about Joseph’s antique shop. She had found out what was happening to his shop. Before Nate said any more, Lili replied, ‘I heard what you did for Hannah.’
‘Oh, it’s nothing.’
Lili disagreed. She wasn’t the only one giving away her inheritance. Nate had signed the shop over to Hannah. She would have to do some courses when she got out of prison, learn bookkeeping for starters, but by the sound of things, she was up for it. When Hannah had served her sentence, she was going to move into the flat above the shop and share custody of Maisie, who would live with her mother part of the week in the flat. It sounded as though the antiques side of things would be wound down in favour of expanding Maisie’s budding amber jewellery empire.
Lili smiled. For the first time, Hannah would start taking responsibility for her life, and for Maisie’s future. It was going to be a big change for her and Maisie, but all in a good way. Lili had visited Hannah in prison. She hadn’t been the only visitor. Hannah’s parents had reached out to her. They had been visiting her too, building bridges, and were soon to meet Maisie. Lili was overjoyed at this unexpected outcome.
‘Will you at least think about it?’
Lili stared at Nate. ‘Think about what?’
‘The vacant shop in Cobbler’s Yard. Well, there’re two. My mum is selling The Potting Shed, and Ray is giving up his shop too.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.’
Nate shrugged. ‘Ray has too much work to do with his heir-hunting business now he has inquiries from all over the world. I think he only took on the shop because Mum was just across the yard.’
Lili had guessed that was the case. ‘Sarah is leaving too?’
‘Yes. I think she wants to retire properly, you know, have more time for other things she used to do – like painting, for one. She has two grandchildren to take up her time, and she wants to help Hannah set up Joseph’s old shop and make a success of it.’ Nate looked at her. ‘You could run The Potting Shed. I know you enjoyed working in Cobbler’s Yard.’
Lili bit her lower lip.
‘Your best friend will be just across the yard, and you’ll see Maisie all the time.’
Lili stared at Nate. She knew what he was doing – trying to persuade her to stay.
‘What about William?’ Lili asked. ‘I’d want to see him too.’
‘Oh, he won’t be able to stay away. He loves amber-hunting and helping Maisie with her necklaces.’
‘And Bella …’ Lili ventured. ‘I might need to come up to the house and take her for a walk from time-to-time …’
Their eyes locked. ‘I’m sure that could be arranged.’ Nate smiled. ‘Perhaps you could stop for dinner. Oh, and if you needed a place to live, well, I know a super little cabin overlooking a lake …’
Lili looked around the old place.