‘Like a plant you give exactly the right conditions to.’ Aaron wasn’t smiling but neither was he looking sour. He was just looking at her.

She tilted her head. ‘But plants given perfect conditions still get blight?’

‘Afraid so.’ He gave her hand a squeeze. ‘I can see what motivated you to tie Will in a financial knot. And your friends too.’ He hesitated, obviously picking his words. ‘If you don’t mind me asking – what happens if your old company goes bust?’

Her anxiety turned to snakes in her stomach. ‘Because of the financial knot?’

He shrugged. ‘For any reason. But the financial knot seems a contender.’

She was quiet for a long time then, wrestling not just with her answer but why she hadn’t thought of it before, her, the so-called pragmatist. The business world was harsh and she’d left IsVid in a situation.

‘Sometimes,’ he said, giving her hand a pat, ‘business can be emotional. Take me and my share of Roundhouse Row. It would have been a sound business decision to let the Roundhouse out and pay someone to do the part-time caretaker’s job.’

He smiled and she found herself grinning unwillingly back. ‘But you only have fifty per cent of the vote as to what happens to Roundhouse Row.’

‘Ah,’ he replied, taking back his hand and starting up the truck. ‘But I had one hundred per cent of the ability to change the locks before anyone turned up with a key. I’m glad I didn’t because when the new caretaker turned up, I realised she needed someone on her side.’

Chapter Thirteen

For the rest of June, Clancy worked at settling further into the routine of Nelson’s Bar.

With extra business brought in since she’d posted the new advertising copy, the holiday cottages were booked almost entirely until the end of September. Changeover day became a challenge, all three cottages needing service. If guests stayed until the last possible minute before check-out she could have as little as four hours. At least weekend or midweek bookings were fewer, which meant one changeover a week rather than two, and she continued to cut lawns and weed borders while holidaymakers were out during the week.

Guests turning up at the Roundhouse door became a frequent occurrence. Sometimes it was to report a maintenance issue but most often it was to request clean sheets when children wet the bed – in which case Clancy made sure they could work the washing machine in their cottage too.

She dog-sat Nelson a couple of times, depending on whether Aaron could take him to work. Lee, along with his daughter Daisy, called one day to see if Nelson wanted to go with them to Zig-zag Beach. Daisy, who was an absolute poppet with a melting gaze, peeped at Clancy from beneath her fringe of baby-soft curls and said, ‘Please would you come too?’

At least it made Lee, who had been looking uncomfortable about knocking on the door of a place that was once his home, laugh, and say, ‘Blimey, Daise, she’s only just met you!’