Later that afternoon, Anna stood by the front window watching Horatio playing with the twins outside. He had spent the morning chopping wood and fixing the broken chicken hut, barely stopping for a coffee as he threw all his energy into the tasks at hand.
‘Is he perfect or is he perfect?’ Diane purred behind Anna’s shoulder. ‘The kids love him.’
‘Yeah,’ she nodded. ‘They really do.’ Horatio was leading them in a game of tag and Antonia’s shrieks of laughter, as he pretended to chase full-pelt at her, rang out around the garden. Freddie leapt on Horatio’s back and Horatio grabbed his legs, carrying him piggy-back around and around the good-as-new chicken hut.
‘His mother’s got a lot to answer for,’ Diane said. ‘I mean, what kind of mother disinherits their son because he chooses to be with someone he loves?’
‘It’s because I am who I am.’
‘What? Sodding marvellous?’ Diane said. ‘Yeah, that’s a tough decision.’
‘Divorced, no money to my name,’ she frowned, ‘I don’t exactly exude class.’
Diane put her arm around Anna. ‘You exude more class than the Queen and Lady Spencerville put together.’
Anna smiled. ‘I don’t think so.’
Diane dropped her arm. ‘Oh God. Look.’
Anna had already spotted Lady Spencerville’s car coming up the drive and her heart plummeted. She opened the door and joined Horatio outside. The twins had fallen silent and stood watching the car, with its tinted windows, approach the house. Diane took Freddie and Antonia by the hand and waited behind Horatio and Anna.
Alfred emerged first, smiled at Anna and helped Lady Spencerville out of the car. She steadied herself on her walking stick and came over, her footsteps small and sure. Anna wasn’t certain if it was her imagination but it was as if she had aged significantly overnight.
Lady Spencerville stood in front of Horatio and Anna, her lips tight, her face drawn.
‘Mother,’ Horatio greeted.
‘Son, I wish to speak to you about the events of the last twenty-four hours.’
‘I have nothing to say about it.’ Horatio grabbed Anna’s hand. ‘I have made my choice, as I told you yesterday.’
‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘I know, and that is why I’m here.’ She turned to Anna. ‘Firstly, I want to tell you that I thought long and hard about what you said yesterday and I think you’re right.’
Anna squeezed Horatio’s hand.
‘When you said,’ Lady Spencerville continued, ‘that history would be repeating itself, I didn’t want to hear it.’ She lowered her head momentarily before meeting Anna’s gaze once again. ‘I didn’t want to hear it because it would be true. Frank was forced to marry me and I believe, in the end, he loved me in his own funny way. But,’ she said, delivering a taut smile, ‘he was never settled with me.’
‘Mother, he loved you,’ Horatio spoke up.
‘Yes, I know, but in a different way to what he felt for Florence.’ Lady Spencerville cleared her throat. ‘Richard came to see me yesterday and told me of his plans to contest the will, Anna. I saw then that I have made this mess.’
Horatio spoke, his voice barely audible. ‘Mess?’
‘Richard showed me how greed has taken over what, I imagine, would be his good nature. I had to ask myself why he would take the cottage from Anna and, simply, the answer is resentment. He is hurting, having grown up living away from his birth parents and he is taking it out on you.’ She swallowed and looked at Horatio. ‘I want you to understand that it is my duty to look after Richard, after what I did all those years ago, so when he came up to the house yesterday asking if he might run the accounts and look after Ridley Manor, I had to consider his proposal.’
Horatio’s shoulders tightened. ‘You’re going to give the man who’s threatening to take away what Anna rightfully owns the run of Ridley Manor and your accounts?’ He shook his head. ‘This is outrageous.’
‘Son, I said I had to consider his proposal, but I did not say I had accepted it.’ She paused. ‘Richard has the farm and, in the last couple of years, he has accrued much wealth because of the money I have given him.’ She nodded. ‘So, I want you to come and live at Ridley Manor and I’d like you to look after the accounts again.’
Horatio put his arm around Anna. ‘I will be going nowhere. Not without Anna.’
Lady Spencerville glanced at Anna and, for the first time, a genuine smile escaped her lips. ‘I know, which is why I want you to know that I will stand by your choice to be with Anna and that you both must live up at Ridley Manor.’ She looked at Horatio. ‘Plus, as you know, your father put most of our wealth in trust funds to be given to you as and when I see fit.’ She nodded. ‘I will sign tomorrow and you can do with the money as you wish.’
Horatio dropped his arm from around Anna’s shoulders and hugged his mother tight. She patted him awkwardly on his back and Anna smiled at her.
‘Thank you,’ Anna said.
Once Horatio had let go of his mother, she smiled at Anna. ‘No, thank you, for speaking so honestly and for opening up my eyes.’ She turned on her heels and walked slowly back to the car. Minutes later, the car drove back down the hill and Horatio looked at Anna.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Anna said.
Diane and the twins came over and took Anna in a group hug.
‘Bloody hell,’ Diane said. ‘Don’t let this go to your head, missy. I still want you to remember me when you’re drinking sherry before dinner and listening to violin quartets in the study.’
Horatio laughed. ‘Ridley Manor’s like any other house.’
Diane playfully punched his arm. ‘You reckon? You clearly never saw the hellhole I grew up in in south London.’ She looked at Anna. ‘What about our nights out drinking Flaming Sambucas and putting the world to rights?’
Anna smiled. ‘One day at a time. You might remember I haven’t actually agreed to anything yet.’
Horatio nodded, hugging Anna. ‘One day at a time.’
‘Anyway,’ Anna said, pointing at Diane’s stomach. ‘Your life’s going to change when that little one is here.’
‘Oh God, does that mean I’m going to start wearing trousers with elastic in the waistband and falling asleep in front of the TV, drooling?’
‘You’re becoming a parent, not old,’ Anna said, laughing. ‘Anyway, who’s to say you don’t do that now?’ Anna spotted her mother walking up the drive with Tony.
‘Hello, darling,’ Linda called to them, waving her hand like royalty.
‘Lady S has just been around and has had a total change of heart,’ said Diane as Linda drew nearer.
‘Change of heart?’ her mother said.
‘She wants Anna and myself to move to Ridley Manor,’ Horatio explained.
‘What?’ her mother said, slapping her thigh. ‘Do you hear that, Tony, my daughter up at Ridley Manor? I never had any doubt she would go far.’
‘Really?’ Anna said.
‘OK, that was a complete lie, but look, it’s worked out all right in the end, hasn’t it?’ She smiled at Tony. ‘She takes after me, you see.’
Tony nodded and beamed a gappy-tooth smile. ‘Arrr.’ He brought Linda in for a hug and plopped a wet kiss on her cheek.
Anna’s mother smiled with glee. ‘We should celebrate.’
Tony nodded. ‘Arrr.’
‘You know, you really are a little bit country,’ Diane said, smiling at Tony.
‘Arrr.’ He nodded and then, out of nowhere, in a broad Gloucester accent, he said, ‘And you, Diane, are most definitely a little bit rock ‘n’ roll.’