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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

‘How are you settling in?’ The barista’s voice broke into Charlie’s thoughts, bringing him back into the moment. Jack was wiping a recently vacated table near to where Charlie was sitting in the window, and Charlie turned his head slightly to reply.

‘Well, thank you. I’m sorry I haven’t popped in more officially yet, but I’ve been up to my ears in paperwork.’

‘I can imagine,’ Jack grinned. ‘Your predecessor didn’t strike me as the most organised of folks. Spent more time in the bars in Westminster than in the chamber, by all accounts!’

‘I couldn’t possibly comment,’ Charlie said wryly. ‘Although his filing did leave a lot to be desired.’

‘Happen to come across any paperwork concerning that proposed new motorway junction?’ Jack asked, ultra-casually, as he continued to clear up the table. ‘Rumour has it that Hugo Fitzgerald took rather a large cut of the profits from the farmer who sold the land it’s being built on in return for pushing it through under the new, more relaxed planning laws.’ Jack shook his head. ‘Although it’s on hold now, of course.’

Ignoring Jack’s obvious fishing for grubby specifics, Charlie raised an eyebrow. ‘On hold?’

‘Yup.’ Jack’s eyes twinkled. ‘Apparently, when the archaeological dig was scheduled, it turned up artefacts of specific historical interest to the town. Until the site can be fully excavated, there won’t be a new junction going through there.’

Charlie raised his eyes skywards. He was rapidly finding out that Willowbury was full of oddities – some good and some rather less so. ‘That seems quite a coincidence,’ he said.

‘Well, you know how it is,’ Jack said, flinging his damp towel over his shoulder. ‘It’s amazing what turns up when you least expect it. I mean, who knew there was an old Roman encampment right where the proposed junction was going to go? Not to mention possible proof that King Arthur really might have existed.’ His eyes twinkled again.

‘King Arthur as well?’ Charlie smiled into his coffee. ‘This place is full of surprises.’ Finishing up his croissant and his coffee, he glanced at his watch and realised that Tom would be waiting at the office in a few minutes. ‘Thanks for that,’ he said as he took his plate and mug back to the counter.

‘No problem. See you again soon,’ Jack replied. ‘This place is a hub for local gossip, so if you need the low-down on any of the local rumblings, feel free to ask. I’m the soul of indiscretion, as is my Twitter feed!’

Charlie laughed. ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’

Strolling back out of the coffee shop, he shook his head. Small-town living was going to take some getting used to, he thought, especially in a town as out there as Willowbury. But something told him he was going to like it.

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