Page 166 of The Sun Sister

She pushed one of the leather chairs closer to the fireplace and imagined herself sitting opposite Bill beside the fire, drinking gin and talking about their day.

‘Cecily!’ Katherine laid a firm hand on her arm. ‘You’re in no condition to push anything at the moment, let alone that heavy chair.’

‘Exercise is good for pregnant women and I’ve managed so far,’ Cecily shrugged. ‘I hope Bill will like it, though it might just be too civilised for him.’

‘I’m sure he’ll love it, darling. I certainly do, and how I envy you your indoor bathroom – Bobby has promised me that we should be able to afford the plumbing for one next spring.’

‘Come and use mine whenever you want,’ Cecily suggested.

‘I’d love to, but I’d only get hot and dusty riding back!’

A few days later, Bill returned home. The plan was for him to go to Inverness Cottage as usual, where Katherine would tell him that Cecily was up at Paradise Farm, sorting out the container. Cecily peeped through the curtains as she saw Bill’s pick-up approach and swerve to a halt in front of the house. Picking up two champagne glasses, she walked to the front door and waited for him to enter.

‘Hello?’ he called as he opened the door.

‘I’m here, Bill, right here.’

‘Thank God!’ Bill’s forehead was creased with worry. ‘I couldn’t understand what you were doing at the farm alone so late in the day.’

‘I’m absolutely fine,’ she said, handing Bill the glass of champagne. ‘Welcome home to Paradise Farm.’

‘What?’ Bill looked round the newly furnished hallway. ‘Are you saying that you’ve moved in?’

‘Wehave, yes! Come and see the living room first.’

Bill accepted the champagne and allowed Cecily to give him a guided tour of the house. She had arranged fresh flowers in vases in each of the four bedrooms and placed photographs and paintings, so that it truly felt lived in.

‘This is where Mama and Papa and my sisters can stay,’ she said to him, as they went into the two guest rooms where the beds were already made up. The main bathroom was sparkling and featured a claw-footed tub with a polished brass faucet, while the kitchen at the end of the house had already been stocked with food.

‘Goodness, this is a real home now.’ Bill seemed bemused as he followed her around. ‘I have to say that you have done the most remarkable job here. The only problem is, I’ll be scared to enter in my filthy clothes in case I spread dust on all the polished surfaces.’

‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ Cecily smiled as she led him back into the sitting room and topped up their champagne. ‘All this furniture is very old; my mother was about to throw it away before I asked them to ship it over. Now, are you hungry?’

‘You know I’m always hungry, Cecily,’ Bill said as he admired the pictures on the walls. ‘Who is that?’ he asked, glancing at a small oil painting of a young girl.

‘Why, it’s me! I think I was about four at the time. Mama had an artist come paint all her girls for posterity.’

‘It looks nothing like you at all, you’re far prettier than that. Right, are we heading back for supper at Katherine and Bobby’s?’

‘Of course not! This is our home now. And I’ve made supper for both of us. Why don’t you go wash up, and I’ll bring it through to the drawing room.’

‘Good idea,’ Bill said and Cecily smiled as she walked through to the kitchen. Bill looked mesmerised and she hoped it was a good sign.

‘No more wandering around in my long johns then,’ Bill said as she served the roast beef at the highly polished round table she’d placed in an alcove in a corner of the living room. ‘I think I’ll have to go to town and have the tailor make me some more formal clothes if we’re going to dine in here regularly. This looks awfully good, Cecily. I had no idea you could cook.’

‘There’s plenty you don’t know about me, Bill,’ she said, smiling at him coquettishly. Her euphoria at finally moving into her own home, combined with the glass of champagne, had made her brave.

‘I’m absolutely sure you’re right about that,’ he agreed. ‘And this is delicious. Here’s to you.’ Bill raised his glass. ‘You truly have created something lovely. I might be tempted to come home more often in the future.’

‘I’d like that,’ she said. ‘Oh, and I forgot to show you the study just off the hall. It’s not a big room, but I’ve put Papa’s old desk in there, along with a bookcase, so you have somewhere to go and have some peace and quiet when you’re working.’

‘I don’t think there’s anything you haven’t thought of,’ Bill said. ‘Where will the nursery be?’

Cecily blushed as she always did when Bill mentioned the baby. The nursery was a compact room just next to the master bedroom, which she had omitted to show him on purpose.

‘Really, Cecily, please don’t be embarrassed. I knew what I was doing when I asked you to marry me.’

‘I know, but...you’ve just been so darned good about it and it must be horrible for you...’