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Back A Place to Call Home Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. Epilogue
  58. Author’s Note
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. More from Fay Keenan
  61. About the Author
  62. About Boldwood Books

‘Should be,’ Isabella replied. ‘Of course, Mum’s about as enthusiastic about me doing another year as you’d expect, but at least she’s letting me live at home.’

‘Well, if you need a few more shifts here to get you through, give me a shout and I’ll see what I can do,’ Holly replied. It would be nice to be able to have more than the odd half-day and Sunday off from time to time, she thought. Especially if it meant spending a few more daylight hours with Charlie. ‘So, you know the drill,’ Holly said. ‘And I’ll be at the end of my mobile if you need me.’

‘No worries,’ Isabella said breezily. ‘Are you taking bookings for massages at the moment?’

‘Yup,’ Holly replied. ‘The book’s under the counter. But don’t book anyone in for next Thursday evening. I’ve got a… regular client who likes that spot.’ She glanced at Charlie and felt her cheeks colouring.

‘Understood,’ Isabella replied, giving Holly a conspiratorial smile.

‘So, I’ll pop in at lunchtime and make sure everything’s OK,’ Holly said. ‘And as I said, call me if you need me.’

‘Will do,’ Isabella replied. ‘Now, get out there and have some fun.’

‘See you in a bit,’ Holly replied. She turned back to Charlie. ‘Are you ready for the full Willowfest experience?’

‘As ready as I’ll ever be,’ Charlie laughed. ‘Just promise me you’ll rescue me if any of the more eccentric practitioners try anything odd on me? I don’t think Westminster will look too kindly on it if I go back on Monday with green hair or a misplaced aura!’

27

Charlie couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt happier, and in such a pleasingly strange context, too. Who’d have thought that he’d be wandering the High Street with his arm slung around the most beautiful redhead in the world, listening to crumhorns in one ear and pan pipes in the other as the residents of Willowbury celebrated their musical and spiritual origins long through the day and into the night? Everywhere he looked, there were people in fairy wings, face paint and fantastical costumes; he’d even caught a glimpse of someone dressed in a full suit of chainmail, bearing a remarkably authentic-looking longsword, purporting to be the spirit of King Arthur reincarnated. Tellingly, he didn’t seem to have a Guinevere with him, but Charlie was sure he’d find one among the many attendees. He’d already seen a couple of Lancelots, too.

Looking down at Holly, who kept breaking away from him to embrace friends who were passing, he felt utterly relaxed and strangely exhilarated. This was living, this was life, he thought. And it was as far away from the corridors of Westminster as could be imagined.