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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

Without waiting to see what he wanted, she headed to the bar, ordered and then returned with two glasses of a medium brown oaky colour liquid that looked suspiciously like doubles.

‘Dare I ask what this is?’ Charlie took the glass and sniffed it cautiously. ‘Smells good, whatever it is.’

‘It’s Somerset cider brandy,’ Holly said. ‘Produced a few miles away from here. This is the ten-year-old version, but there’s a five and a twenty, too. It was the only spirit served at Harry and Meghan’s wedding breakfast, so I suspect it’s good enough for us.’

‘Well, if it’s good enough for HRH,’ Charlie said wryly.

Holly took a sip from her glass and let out an appreciative breath as the warming liquid slipped over her tongue and down her throat. Rich and complex, it had a spicy bouquet and a smooth finish. She wasn’t a great brandy drinker, but she’d made an exception for Somerset cider brandy since she’d become a permanent resident in the county.

‘Wow,’ Charlie said as he set his glass down on the table, half of it gone already. ‘That’s quite something.’

‘Isn’t it?’ Holly agreed. ‘Slightly Christmas puddingy, I think.’

‘Yes, that’s definitely it.’ Charlie drained his glass. ‘Another?’

‘Oh, go on then,’ Holly laughed. ‘But be careful – this stuff is stronger than you think.’

‘It’s at least eight hours until I have to catch the train,’ Charlie said. ‘I’m sure I can have another one.’

‘If you’re sure, then yes please,’ Holly replied. She’d developed a tolerance for brandy over the years she’d been living in Willowbury, but something told her, from the sudden sparkle in his eyes, that Charlie had yet to build his own. It was a wonderful-tasting spirit, but, like a lot of apple brandies, the effects crept up on you. She was glad neither of them had to drive home.

As Charlie brought over the second round of doubles, Holly smiled. It had been a wonderful weekend, and even if both of them were going to feel the effects of the booze in the morning, it had definitely been worth it.

33

‘Ugh… what time is it?’ Holly rubbed a hand over her eyes and reached across to her phone to turn off the alarm, which she’d set last night alongside Charlie’s to ensure that he would make the 6 a.m. Willowbury to Bristol Temple Meads service, and not miss his 6.45 connection from Bristol to London Paddington.

‘About five o’clock,’ Charlie murmured sleepily. He turned over and tapped his phone to turn off the cacophony of his own alarm and chucked it back on the bedside table. ‘This seemed like such a good idea last night.’