Page 110 of Boomerville at Ballymegille

‘So I believe.’

‘Another pint’?’ Alf called out. He stood by the bar with Lucinda and shook an empty glass in Harry’s direction. Lucinda held a large glass of red wine.

‘I’ll catch up with you in a bit,’ Harry said to Hattie.

‘No hurry.’

Hattie looked around the room and saw that Melissa stood alone by the window. ‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Hattie said, as she joined her.

‘Oh, hello.’ Melissa smiled. ‘I was just thinking how lucky I am, to be living here in the cottage and working with you and Jo.’

‘Perhaps not for long?’ Hattie raised her eyebrows. ‘What does Finbar want you to do?’

‘We’re not sure yet; he has his mother’s estate to sort out and there’s a sister and a brother to inherit too, but in time, we’ll find a place together. I love being in Ireland.’

‘You’ll be able to form a singing and dancing duo and tour the pubs and clubs of the country, maybe go back on the cruises?’

‘Oh no, I think we’re too old for that.’ Melissa shook her head.

‘You’re as old as you feel and anything is possible.’

‘Yes, I think you may be right, being at Boomerville has taught me that.’

‘Now, what about that lovely lad of yours?’ Hattie asked. ‘What’s Patrick going to do?’

‘He’s gone back to London to sort things out, but now that we know that Malcolm is dead, he’ll carry on with his business, with my financial help to get things going again.’

‘Will you go back to Cheshire or Spain?’

‘God, no.’ Melissa shook her head. ‘I should think the police and the underworld are crawling all over Malcolm’s properties and investments; the further away I am from all that, the better.’

Melissa stared out of the window and looked over towards the lake. ‘That was a lovely send-off for Bill,’ she said. ‘Was it really his last wish to be buried at Boomerville?’

‘Where else would we bury him?’ Hattie asked. ‘I don’t think it would have been right to send him back to Creston, where his parents are interred. I got the impression from Bill that if anything happened to him, he didn’t want to be laid to rest with them.’

Hattie remembered her conversations with Bill, when his will was being prepared.

‘Well, I think there’s something I need to talk to you about.’ Melissa dug in her pocket and bought out the letter that Bill had left for her. Her fingers began to open the envelope but before she could slide the contents out, Hattie took it from her hand.

‘I shouldn’t worry about anything in there,’ Hattie said and slipped the letter in her pocket. ‘Bill probably said a few things that he didn’t mean to say.’

‘Yes, but…’

‘As his will is being processed and everything is in order,’ Hattie put her arm around Melissa, ‘I think that if I was you, I’d let the inheritance drop into your bank account, help that lad of yours and keep your memories of our friend Bill as happy as you possibly can.’

Melissa looked into Hattie’s eyes and after a few moments said, ‘Are you sure?’

‘Quite sure.’ Hattie pulled Melissa into a hug. ‘Now, look who’s coming across the room, it’s your handsome crooner.’

Finbar held a drink in each hand and gave one to Melissa. ‘Can I get something for you, Hattie?’

‘I’ll sort myself out, thanks, you two catch up with everyone.’

Hattie walked away but when she reached the fireplace, she dug into her pocket and took the letter out. As she stared into the fire, she scrunched the paper into a ball then tossed it onto the burning logs.‘God forgives you, old son,’ she whispered, as the letter flared up and white hot flames extinguished Bill’s confession.

* * *

The afternoon wore onand with the passengers on Willie’s Wheels not returning to Cumbria until the next day, and with no rush to go anywhere, the guests for Bill’s send-off settled around the fire feeling relaxed and content, as they grazed on the buffet and drank from the bar.