Page 2

She slung them over a nearby chair and moved toward the roaring fire to warm up. One eye stayed on her dad, his face still full of disbelief. He sank into a chair at a nearby table. After ten years away, it would likely take him a moment to process this sudden news.

“The organisation I’d been working for lost a major funder and shut down. I immediately lost my job and, with it, my visa.”

“I’m sorry, love,” her dad said softly. “I know how much your work meant to you.”

She gave him a soft smile; he very likely did. On their fortnightly WhatsApp calls, she regaled him with stories of her activities, and he listened diligently. Still, she could always see the worry on his face. No matter how much she reassured him over the years that Namibia, then later, Botswana, were relatively safe countries for her to live in, he never seemed convinced. The compound that housed her and her colleagues had a security fence and a night watchman. They never walked alone after dark, and in rural areas, strict animal-safe protocols were in place to protect them.

“What are your plans?” Mandy asked.

“I’m not sure,” Lucie replied as her dad’s hopeful eyes bored into her. “I thought I’d hang around here, work behind the bar for a bit until I decide what I’m going to do next.”

“I have Mandy and enough staff,” her dad said. “You’re welcome to help out, but I can't afford to pay anyone else.”

“That’s okay. I’ll find something to do, I’m sure,” Lucie replied with a shrug. She’d known she couldn’t expect to slot right back into life at The Royal Oak.

“You could get a job up at the hall,” Mandy suggested, pulling her phone from her pocket. “They were advertising for seasonal staff.”

Imagining herself standing at a counter selling Christmas trinkets, Lucie replied, “I’m not sure I’m cut out for retail.”

“Look — they need Christmas Elves. You could do that,” Mandy said, shoving her phone at her. “You know a thing or two about acting.”

Lucie scanned the advert. It was one option, the only one she had, and local. She handed the phone back to Mandy.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think about it too long; the closing date is today. The hall shuts tomorrow to switch over from Halloween to Christmas. They have a one-mile illuminated light trail this year, and an ice-skating rink. I’ll give that a miss, though; I’m not sure I’ve got the right stature for it.” Mandy smirked, resting her hands on her wide hips.

Lucie flashed her a smile, then turned to her dad, catching the way his gaze swept over Mandy’s figure with a twinkle.

Mandy had a heart of gold and had been a mother figure to Lucie since she’d started work at the pub. By then, Lucie was nine, and given that she’d never really known her mum, Mandy had taken on the role, though she was only fifteen years older. Her dad, gran, and Mandy had all ensured Lucie had wanted for nothing growing up.

“You could be a real-life Elf on the Shelf,” Mandy teased. “Assuming you haven’t found someone special since we last spoke.”

Her dad coughed loudly and stood.

“On that note, I’ll leave you two to catch up. I need to change some barrels before opening. We can talk later, Lucie. I’ll pop these in your room,” he said, picking up her bags and heading behind the bar.

“Thanks, Dad,” Lucie called, catching a glimmer of moisture in his eyes as he paused in the doorframe to look back at her.

“It’s good to have you home, love,” he said softly.

“It’s good to be home,” she said, the words catching in her throat.

Video calls had shown his hair greying, his beard thickening, and the skin around his eyes settling into deeper lines. Seeing him now, in person, the difference was stark. His posture had shifted. Movements were slower, as if each one was weighed and considered.

Mandy’s eyes followed him until he disappeared from sight. Once he did, she turned her full attention to Lucie. “Sooo,” Mandy said, grinning at her expectantly.

“We only spoke a few weeks ago, sooo no. Still no interest in that department. Like I’ve said before on the phone, it’s not exactly the right environment to find love.”

That wasn’t completely true; she’d had the odd fling, but Botswana wasn’t the UK. Despite the country decriminalising same-sex relationships in 2019, social attitudes were still conservative. Finding women willing to let their guard down enough to show you they might be interested was one hurdle; openly, or even privately, dating them was another.

Her work environment was a little more accepting, even though you were still expected to keep your private life to yourself. People assumed she was heterosexual unless she corrected them, which she usually didn’t. In that one respect, it was a relief to be back in the UK, where she could be herself.

Mandy scrunched her face. “Well, now you are home, who knows, you might have more luck finding someone. Espresso?”

“Please,” Lucie replied.

She perched herself on a bar stool and wondered if she would ever find someone to settle down with? A nearby newspaper caught her eye. Picking it up she noticed the back featured a full-page advertisement for the Christmas festivities at Winterbourne Hall.