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"Let me show you inside,"Charlotte offered, gesturing toward the open door. She led them into the foyer,where the scent of beeswax polish hung in the air, mingling with the saltbreeze drifting through the windows.
"Charlotte has put her heart intothis place," Roxanne's voice cut through the silence, sharp and unbidden.She stood at the foot of the staircase, arms crossed over her chest, herposture rigid. She was dressed now, but her eyes held a stormy defiance thatbelied the idyllic setting of the coastal village.
"Roxanne," Charlotte chidedgently, sensing the tension coil tighter in the room. "Henry and Liam areour guests."
"Hello," Roxanne said curtly,her greeting devoid of warmth. She did not move forward to offer a handshake,nor did she step aside to invite them further into the inn.
"Hi, honey," Henry managed,his voice strained by the palpable discomfort. Liam simply nodded again, thecorners of his mouth twitching as if unsure whether to attempt a smile.
"Right then," Charlotte saidbriskly, breaking the awkward pause. "I'll take you up to your rooms.Dinner will be ready shortly."
She led the way up the creaking stairs,brushing past Roxie, acutely aware of Roxanne's gaze burning into her back andthe heavy silence that followed them like a specter. The inn's walls, adornedwith paintings of maritime scenes and landscapes, seemed to watch theprocession with quiet anticipation.
"Here we are," Charlotte saidas they reached the top of the stairs, opening the door to reveal a cozy roombathed in the soft glow of a bedside lamp.
"Thank you, Charlotte," Henrysaid, stepping into the room and placing his suitcase on the far bed withreverence. "It's lovely."
"Make yourselves at home,"Charlotte replied, offering a reassuring smile. "I'll leave you to freshenup."
As she descended the stairs, leavingHenry and Liam to the sanctuary of their room, Charlotte felt the weight of theevening press upon her. Each step seemed to echo the uncertainty of what layahead—of new beginnings and the hope for healing in a place where the past andpresent were woven tightly together.
Back in the dining hall, Charlottebusied herself with the final touches for dinner, while outside, the seawhispered secrets to the shore, undisturbed by the human drama unfolding withinthe old stone walls of The Old Crown Inn.
Roxanne had disappeared from sight, andCharlotte worried about where she had fled to. The clinking of silverware andthe soft rustle of napkins filled the room as Charlotte arranged the diningtable with care.
"Your renovation of this place...it's quite remarkable," Henry ventured, his voice tentative as he took inthe space that had once been so familiar, yet now held the mark of hisdaughter's vision.
Charlotte paused as her father came in,followed by Liam, the corners of her mouth lifting in a modest smile."Thank you, Henry. It's been a labor of love, restoring The Crown to whatit once was—I guess you’ve seen it, how it was years ago."
Henry's eyes followed her movements, amixture of curiosity and something akin to admiration flickering within them."Tell me about the renovations. What changes have you made?"
"Where to begin?" Charlottechuckled softly, the sound mingling with the distant cry of seagulls outside."The foundation needed shoring up—age had taken its toll. And all therooms, they've been redecorated, updated but in keeping with the period style.I wanted to honor the inn's legacy."
"Sounds like a monumentaltask." Henry's gaze shifted to the window, where the last rays of sunlightdanced on the water's surface.
"It was," Charlotte agreed,allowing herself a moment of pride. "But it's been worth it. This place...it's more than just an inn."
In the corner of the room, Liam hadsat, his hands folded in his lap, his expression unreadable. His eyes dartedbetween his father and Charlotte, a silent observer caught in the crossfire ofa conversation that wove around him like threads too complex to untangle. Liamshifted in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. He looked at theornate patterns in the wood flooring, then out to the sea. The dynamics offamily—a concept both foreign and familiar—played out before him. Charlotteglanced at Liam, recognizing the discomfort that cloaked him like a heavyshawl. With a grace born of intuition, she directed her next words to includehim, an olive branch extended in the hope of bridging the gap.
"Tomorrow, I'll walk with you botharound town. Chesham Cove is quite enchanting this time of year—the cliffs, thewildflowers, the art galleries..." She trailed off, offering a glimpseinto the world she had embraced as her own.
"Sounds lovely," Liammurmured, his voice barely above the tide, a tentative step toward finding hisplace in the narrative unfolding before him. Charlotte thrilled inside at hisreply.
"Your mother would have been proudof this place," Henry blurted, and the simple sentence struck a chordwithin her, resonating with years of memories and moments lost.
"And now, here we are again. It'salmost as if the universe has its own sense of timing."
Henry met her gaze, and there was adepth there that hinted at unspoken stories, a reservoir of thoughts yet tosurface. "Life is strange in its weaving, isn't it?" His eyes held aglimmer of something akin to regret or perhaps anticipation. "Paths cross,sometimes diverge, and on occasion—they converge once more, just when we leastexpect it."
"Whatever brought us backtogether," she began, her expression thoughtful, "I hope it's for areason that mends rather than unravels."
"Me too, Charlotte. Me too,"he replied, and there was a sincerity in his voice that reached out to her.
For a moment, they stood looking at oneanother, father and daughter, united not by the past but by the presence ofpossibility. The Crown, with its storied walls and rejuvenated spirit, borewitness to their silent pact—an agreement to step forward into the unknown.
Charlotte turned toward Liam, her gazesettling on him. "What would you like for dinner?" she asked, hervoice steady, embodying the warmth and hospitality that The Old Crown Inn wasknown for.
Liam, who had been mostly silent,looked up, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes before he answered."Could we have something like... shepherd's pie?" His voice wastentative, as if unsure whether his request would be welcomed.
