‘It was a way of being connected to them both.’ She shrugged, the name of her restaurant having taken on such a more powerful meaning than it had when Blake had still been alive. ‘Blake was the one who encouraged me to buy the restaurant, when I would have been content just to work in the kitchen at the estate.’ She smiled at the memories.

Henry frowned. ‘How did you …’

‘Afford it?’ Lily guessed, almost seeing his brain trying to work out the financials. ‘I wouldn’t have been able to in a million years had it not been for Mr Hailsworth. Rich DFLs have been buying up land in Hawke’s Cove for years.’

‘DFLs?’

‘Down From Londons,’ she clarified. ‘Mr Hailsworth used to run the butcher’s and really didn’t like the way things were going. In order to keep the property in local hands, he gave me a price that I still can’t quite believe,’ she said, shaking her head in wonder. ‘He only wanted enough to relocate to Australia to be with his family, so I got it for a song, as they say.’

A waitress came over to take their food order and then retreated.

‘Blake helped a little, which I have paid back,’ she insisted, even as he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘And quite a few people in the town helped. More than I could have imagined. Much of the building and renovations were done for free or with the help of people chipping in, in their spare time. Mrs Whittaker actually paid for the flooring.’

‘Really?’ Henry said, clearly surprised.

‘Really. It shocked me too. So in return, she gets a free meal once a week. Though she does pay for her wine,’ Lily added, taking a sip of her drink. ‘And I love the fact that it feels as if it’s really part of the town.’ And she really did. Loved that wherever she looked in her restaurant, she could name the people who helped with that particular part. Each little bit having a story to tell of an act of kindness, generosity and healing. It had gone a huge way to helping the hurt that had been done by Alistair’s selfish actions.

‘Did you ever track him down?’

‘No. I’m pretty sure he went up to Scotland. But … it wasn’t a criminal case, because we’d had a joint bank account. And a civil case would have cost more than I ever would have recovered. And besides, I just wanted to put the whole thing behind me. It was embarrassing enough as it was.’

‘But if that’s what he was relying on—’

‘Then he got what he wanted and that’s fine. He might have stolen my money, but look at me. I have a successful restaurant and a wonderful home and I’m happy.’