Return To Oakhurst Manor

Final part: Thanks to the tearoom, the manor’s future seems secure but Molly is wary both of surly Simon and cheery Chris

- Elaine Everest

I am truly shocked but in a nice way,” Molly said as she sat in the orangery with Becca and Fliss. “I’ve been away just a few days and you’ve taken this amount of money?”

Fliss grinned. “We knew you’d be thrilled. Your gran has been a star. In all the years I’ve worked on the estate, I’ve never seen her so busy. She’s completely taken over the craft shop, leaving us to run the teashop.”

“Even Chris Thomas has taken a turn in the shop and seems interested in the business,” Becca put in. “That’s when he’s not been helping my Andy work on the Green Room. At least now there won’t be any leaks. The bedrooms look good enough for any posh hotel – not that I’ve stayed in one,” she added.

“But no one’s worked harder than your gran,” Fliss added loyally.

“Gosh. Perhaps this means she’s given up on the idea to sell Oakhurst Manor to Chris Thomas?”

“Or Chris Thomas is keeping an eye on his future purchase,” Becca suggested.

Molly’s heart plummeted. Becca could have hit the nail on the head.

Every time she thought of Chris her heart skipped a beat. She only had to close her eyes and she could imagine the touch of his lips on hers, and the tingle she felt when he was near.

But then there was Simon’s warning. Should she heed his words – even after her friend, Amy, warned her he was trouble? Her life felt such a mess. Perhaps it was best not to think about her feelings at the moment?

“We could sit here all day wondering what will happen but we have a teashop to open and I see there is a coach trip arriving in an hour. Well done for organising that one, girls.” She looked up from the list of bookings to see her friends giving each other guarded looks. “Don’t tell me this was Chris’s doing?”