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I was extra thankful for having grabbed every tin of soup we had in the pantry

It was needed far more here

I greeted everyone as serving until I got to Mr Ronald Huws Ronnie had been randfather’s best friend and had actually worked on the estate for randpa had been the Duke of Bath

Well, I say worked

If you askedelse At least that hat I remembered

“Gabi!” He wrapped , and I sank into his erandfather always had—like whiskey and autumn and freshwater lakes, and Ronnie had always insisted it was because randfather had copied hiirls

I hugged him back “Hi, Ronnie Where do you want me?”

“Down there on the toet most of the kids, and at least three have asked us if you’re co with a tiara yet”

Laughing, I stepped back “I can e that Are you sure that’s all you need?”

“Yes, sweetheart It’s nice of you to come anyway”

“Like you weren’t expecting e pot that had the tomato soup in

“Shh,” he whispered, pressing a finger to his mouth conspiratorially “Don’t tell anyone”

I slipped in front of the huge pot I didn’t kno the church got all this together as quickly as they did every time, but I suspected a lot of the ladies in the Woroup had a lot to do with it They mobilised in the blink of an eye, and honestly, they intimidated me a little bit

As it was, Ronnie was completely correct Most of the people I saere kids ere disgusted by chicken and mushroom soup The two I asked about their choice said mushrooms were yucky, and a third said they didn’t want their soup to cluck

It was quite hard to argue with the third kid

“Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs Carhtly to the couple who approached lish teacher at school, and she beamed when she saw me

“Gabriella!” She clasped her hands together “How lovely to see you here helping out”

“Of course Tomato for you both?”

“Yes, dear, please” She looked around “I don’t see your father Is Catherine not here?”

I shook my head as I spooned the soup into bowls “No, they were at a wedding this weekend and didn’t h they’re stuck in Bath right now”

“How terrible” Mr Carmichael chuckled “I can think of worse places to be stuck”

“Indeed,” my old teacher replied “I’ll say I’d like to be stranded there They have a spa that just opened in one of the old hotels that is simply divine What’s the name of it, dear?” she asked her husband