by Heidi Swain
‘Molly,’ I said, realising an introduction was in order, ‘this is Elise. I’m guessing the two of you haven’t met?’
‘No,’ said Molly with an open smile, while Elise shot me a look that could have curdled cream on the bleakest winter day.
Clearly she had absolutely no desire to be introduced to any woman who didn’t pluck her eyebrows into submission on a regular basis.
‘She’s Archie’s other half,’ I elaborated to Molly, thinking I could hardly abandon the introduction having only just got the ball rolling.
‘Is Archie here?’ Molly asked excitedly whilst ignoring Elise’s snub with admirable aplomb. ‘I haven’t seen him for ages.’
‘He’s outside,’ I began.
Without another word she rushed off back through the kitchen door and into the winter wonderland. Her reaction to his presence suggested that she had no idea that Archie was currently in everyone’s bad books or that had he been given his own way she would have found herself without a roof over her head in no time at all.
‘I wonder what that was all about?’ Elise was shocked into saying.
When she realised she had unwittingly spoken to ‘the help’ she went back to her silent scowling.
‘Perhaps,’ I said teasingly, enjoying my role as devil’s advocate, ‘Archie’s an old flame.’ Elise looked suitably shocked. ‘I mean,’ I added, ‘you wouldn’t rush off like that for just anyone, would you?’
I was only winding her up, of course, but the way Molly and Archie reappeared wrapped in each other’s arms I couldn’t help but wonder whether there was a nugget of truth in my suggestion and a quick look at Elise’s face told me she was mulling over the exact same thing.
‘Oh come on,’ we heard Archie say, ‘it’s my only vice.’
‘Well, it’s a disgusting one,’ said Molly. ‘You’ve come home to enjoy Christmas with your family and drink in the fresh Fenland air and you pollute it with your foul fags. You stink, Archie Connelly. How can I possibly kiss you under the mistletoe now?’
I felt my own face go red on Archie’s behalf as he stumbled into the light, his arms still flung casually around Molly’s shoulders, with clearly no idea his heart’s desire had made her way out of bed. I remembered what Jamie and Catherine had said a couple of weeks before about Molly being the token girl, and the daughter they never had at the Wynthorpe table, but this pair looked more cosy and familiar than any siblings I’d ever come across.
Archie spotted Elise and dropped poor Molly like a hot potato.
‘Have you been smoking?’ asked Elise through clenched teeth.
‘It was just the one,’ said Archie. ‘I was desperate.’
Molly slunk further into the shadows, evidently aware of the argument she had unleashed but probably so concerned for Archie’s health she thought it was worth it. However, a sudden furore around the back door let the nicotine addict off the hook as his nephews came trotting through, still wearing their snow-encrusted boots.
‘You have to come and see!’ they said as one. ‘Come and see what Granddad’s had delivered.’
The sound of a reversing beeper met my ears and I knew that whatever it was, it was going to be big.
‘Here,’ I said, passing Elise a jacket from the many hung up next to the back door. ‘Slip this on and we’ll go and see.’
For a moment I thought she was going to refuse, but the jacket in question was my own, relatively new and still very smart Barbour and clearly its status and style wasn’t lost on Elise, who allowed me to help her into it while she continued to clutch Suki to her chest. I was beginning to wonder if the little dog actually had legs of her own. I’d certainly never seen her use them.
‘Come on!’ called Archie, who had already rushed back outside with Molly. ‘Come and look.’
Given that it had been mentioned before, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see the beautiful glossy red sleigh being eased off the back of a low loader, but the fact that it was accompanied by four ponies that had arrived in a massive horse box was something of a shock.
The majority of the Connelly clan stood around with their mouths open, but Angus and Mick were right in the thick of it, shouting commands about positioning the sleigh and guiding the ponies down the ramp, before passing them on to anyone who found themselves near enough to take the reins. Fortunately the stocky little steeds seemed to be docile creatures, well used to the fuss their arrival anywhere caused, and took what was happening around them in their stride.
‘I thought this would be just the thing to liven up the Fair,’ said Angus, who appeared so giddy with excitement I was amazed he hadn’t required smelling salts to keep him on his feet. ‘Mick and I are going to offer rides up and down the drive and around the paddock,’ he rushed on enthusiastically.
I watched Mick for a moment or two. The way he was handling the little ponies, a bridle in each hand, suggested this wasn’t his first time dealing with all things equine and I guessed that his time serving in the Army had more than likely revolved around horses.
‘That’s an outright lie, Angus Connelly,’ said Catherine with a shake of her head. She didn’t sound cross or exasperated and I could see she was almost as excited by the unexpected arrival as her husband. ‘You didn’t even know the Fair was happening until a few hours ago. None of us did for certain. You’ve had this planned for weeks, haven’t you?’
Angus kicked at the gravel with the toe of his boot as Jamie caught my eye and winked. He was another one who seemed more than happy with the situation and I remembered how he had mentioned the sleigh and his father in the same breath on the day of the tree auction and bake sale back in town.
‘Yes,’ Angus admitted, with a grin he simply couldn’t wipe away. ‘I thought it would be a nice surprise and I had planned to ask the locals to come and have rides, but now the Fair is coming it’s just all worked out even better. Mick has already helped set the stables up. You aren’t annoyed, are you?’
‘It’s a bit late to ask that, Dad!’ shouted Christopher, who was helping position the sleigh next to the tree by the main door to create the perfect photo opportunity.
‘No,’ said Catherine, ‘I’m not annoyed.’
As the sleigh was pulled into its final position I caught the gentle sound of the little silver bells that were studded all the way along the length of each of its reins. I took a moment to think of Mum and thanked her for pulling me in the Connelly family direction this Christmas. I also spared a thought for Sarah Goodall, and hoped that wherever she was celebrating this year she was happy and content.
‘We’re going to have sleigh rides and silver bells at the Christmas Fair here at Wynthorpe Hall this year,’ Catherine laughed. ‘What could be more perfect than that?’
By the time the traders began to arrive to set up for the Fair that afternoon the ponies were happily bedded down in the stables and there was an even deeper dusting of snow, which lent itself beautifully to the occasion. Everyone present was falling over themselves to thank both Catherine and Angus for so generously saving the day, and Dorothy, Cass and I wove our way amongst the throng offering top-ups of tea and biscuits, all the while having a sneaky look at the pretty things that were being unwrapped and displayed.
As well as traders selling antiques and vintage finds, there were lots of local artists and crafters, and as I looked around I knew I wasn’t going to have to go any further if I really wanted to bite the bullet and do some Christmas shopping of my own this year. I might not have known the people at the hall for all that long, but I knew them well enough to have worked out that the Fair was going to offer something for everyone I wanted to buy for and I hoped I would be able to slip away to town at some point to get some cash.
Fortunately, that evening Angus offered me the perfect opportunity.
‘You should have put the angel on first,’ tutted Hayley, who had decided that as Elise was such fun to wind up she was going to stay the night, but on the pretext that no one would have to risk a journey in the
snow on her behalf and that she would be on hand to help out from first thing the next day. ‘We’ll never get it up there now.’
We were all spending the evening together in the sitting room, decorating the last of the trees. This one, in the family’s private space, was definitely my favourite. The box of decorations reserved for it was full of treasures that spanned decades and included some less than artistic angels which the three Connelly boys had themselves created in their youth.
‘Can anyone remember whose turn it is to go on top?’ shouted Christopher above the sound of the Christmas CD and the crackle of the fire, next to which Floss had curled herself up.
She was in a bit of a grump having given up worrying at Elise to let Suki use her legs.
‘I think Jamie should go on top this year,’ said Cass.
The man himself looked at me and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. I ignored the innuendo and carried on helping the boys polish the dozens of baubles that were waiting to be awarded their coveted spot.
‘Good idea,’ Jamie heartily agreed with his sister-in-law. ‘Come on, Anna,’ he added, pulling me unceremoniously to my feet. ‘You can help me get it up.’
I shook my head and tried to pull away.
‘You,’ I said in a low voice while trying not to laugh, now that everyone was looking, ‘are incorrigible.’
‘I’m talking about the angel,’ he said innocently as he lifted me up and carried me across the room. ‘You can stick her on top of the tree.’
‘Oh,’ I said, turning puce. ‘Right.’
‘Why has Anna gone all red?’ asked Oscar.
‘Because Uncle Jamie is being a little bit rude,’ said Angus.
Cass passed me the angel with a knowing smile and I let out a silly squeal as Jamie lifted me a little higher and angled me towards the tree. For a second I thought we weren’t going to make it, but one final stretch, which ended with Jamie’s face sitting level with my groin, saw the angel in situ and had everyone cheering.
‘Is there nothing you can’t do?’ Jamie whispered in my ear as he lowered me back to the floor.
‘Apparently not,’ I told him, trying to avoid his emerald eyes as I smoothed down my shirt.
I couldn’t help thinking he wasn’t being particularly fair. Yes, he’d declared his feelings for me, but we’d agreed not to talk about them, or my decision as to whether to stay or go, until the New Year, and yet here he was flirting at every opportunity. I put his behaviour down to Christmas madness; it clearly ran in the family.
‘And now I have something you can do for me,’ said Angus, stepping up and thankfully cooling the moment. ‘Come along, Anna.’
The task Angus had in mind was most convenient, given that I was hoping to have a run into town, and I gasped in shock and awe when he showed me what it was he needed my help with.
‘This,’ he explained, as he carefully opened an ancient, velvet-lined crimson box, ‘originally belonged to Catherine’s great-grandmother.’
‘Oh Angus,’ I breathed. ‘Are they real?’
‘They are,’ he chuckled. ‘Each and every one of them.’
Lovingly nestled inside the exquisite box was a delicate diamond bracelet. There were too many stones to count and I felt my breath catch in my throat as they glistened and sparkled as they caught the light.
‘I don’t usually bother much with jewellery,’ I told him, my fingers itching to touch, ‘but this is extraordinary.’
I had once had a treasured piece of jewellery of my own. As far as I knew it hadn’t held any great financial value but the sentiment attached to it was beyond measure and I still felt its loss keenly, especially at this time of year. I pushed the thought of it away, along with the memory of yet another catastrophic Christmas, lest my tears betray me.
‘It’s also broken,’ said Angus sadly. ‘Catherine has never much mentioned it before, but she saw something similar being set out on one of the stalls earlier and it reminded her of this piece.’
‘Was it genuine?’ I asked, suddenly concerned that perhaps we should have installed a little more security to look after the stallholders’ wares for the evening. ‘The piece at the Fair, was it real?’
‘No,’ he chuckled, ‘it was paste, but very pretty, and it set me to thinking about this, so I phoned my jeweller pal in town and he’s agreed to mend the clasp in time for Christmas. I thought it might make a nice present. We don’t generally buy each other anything, you see, but with all we’ve been through this year I thought this would be a suitable token.’
‘I think it’s a wonderful idea,’ I said dreamily. Angus really did have a heart of gold.
‘I’d like to see Catherine wearing it again,’ he said. ‘She always used to, on special occasions, before the clasp gave way.’
‘And I’m guessing you’d like me to take it to town?’ I asked.
The trip really couldn’t have been better timed.
‘If you don’t mind,’ he said.
‘Not at all,’ I told him, taking careful possession of the beautiful box. ‘I’ll run it in first thing in the morning.’
‘Thank you, my darling,’ Angus beamed. ‘And remember, not a word to anyone.’
I took a moment to admire the bracelet again before taking it up to my room and then heading back downstairs. I could hear an argument raging in the sitting room and rushed to investigate what had happened to spoil the evening we had all been enjoying so much.
‘But she can’t have just disappeared,’ Elise was sobbing on the sofa, with Archie looking careworn at her side.
‘What on earth’s happened?’ I said to Catherine.
‘It’s your father,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘He got fed up with Elise carrying that blasted dog around and when he came back in he insisted she let her have a little run around.’
I didn’t pick her up on the fact that I wasn’t actually Angus’s daughter because I was too intrigued as to what had happened next.
‘And did she?’
‘Yes,’ said Catherine, sounding surprised that Elise had done as she was told for once. ‘She put her on the sofa right next to where she was sitting, but Suki was having none of it and jumped straight down and ran over to Floss.’
‘And?’ I encouraged, hoping that Floss hadn’t made a meal of the snack-size pooch.
‘They pranced about each other for a bit and then zipped off. Elise was already having an attack of the vapours and now no one has seen hide nor hair of them and she’s inconsolable.’
We both started to giggle like a pair of schoolgirls and Elise shot me yet another of her cream-curdling stares.
Chapter 28
I think that at some point during that night practically everyone heard the naughty doggy duo tearing through the hall, but no one would have been quick enough to catch sight of them. Not that I imagined anyone beyond poor, nagged Archie would have leapt out of bed to try and get a look. I knew for a fact Jamie hadn’t, because he told me so during our run the next morning.
‘There was no way I was going to try and round them up,’ he said, as he held open the garden gate and I slipped through.
‘Me neither,’ I told him as I struggled to keep my footing in the snow. ‘I’m sure the exercise will do Suki no end of good and Floss will be loving the extra company.’
‘You’re probably right,’ said Jamie as we set off through the freshest snow, which was harder to run in than I had expected. ‘We used to have another dog, a little terrier. Mum was devastated to lose her to a tumour way before her time and none of us could muster the energy to take on another puppy.’
‘That’s so sad,’ I said sympathetically.
‘We always meant to get another dog eventually, but with everything else that’s happened since, it kind of got pushed down the list of priorities.’
That was understandable. Puppies were hard work.
‘Isn’t there a greyhound rescue place around here?’ I asked. ‘I seem to remember something in the local paper about a charity near town t
hat was expecting an influx in the New Year.’
‘Yes,’ said Jamie, ‘I think you’re right. Perhaps we could go and pick one out together, Anna.’
I knew he was pushing to see if I had made up my mind about staying but I still wasn’t prepared to make a commitment just yet. There were a lot of people milling about the hall now and I was coping with the intense family feeling pretty well, but would I feel the same way if that level of togetherness was something I would have to deal with for ever, rather than just a few weeks? Part of me thought I’d be fine, but until I was singing one hundred per cent from the same hymn sheet as everyone else I was keeping quiet.
Jamie slackened his pace a little.
‘And how are you really finding this run-up to Christmas?’ he asked.
It was uncanny how he could read my thoughts like that.
‘I’m enjoying it,’ I told him honestly. ‘It hasn’t been anywhere near as hard as I thought it would be.’
‘But you still aren’t completely convinced, are you?’
I loved and hated in equal measure the way he could read me. Being able to bluff my way through would have been so much easier.
‘I’m getting there,’ I told him. ‘I had thought the family arriving would make it harder, but actually it hasn’t. They’re all so nice.’
‘Apart from Elise.’
‘I’m sure there’s some good in her somewhere,’ I said charitably, although I didn’t really mean it. If there really was something good in her, it was buried pretty deep. ‘And Archie seems to be coming round to the idea that you’re taking over.’
Thinking about his behaviour and attitude since the night he was told what was happening, I realised he seemed barely bothered by the change in his fortune.
‘I wonder what he’ll make of the plans for the charity though,’ Jamie frowned. ‘I reckon he’s going to resent it just because it’s something else that’s connected to me.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, he’s never really understood why I wanted to work for nothing,’ Jamie explained. ‘And since Elise has been on the scene, he thinks you go abroad just to soak up the sun and spend some of the inflated salary you’ve allegedly worked for by pushing some paper about and fiddling with a few buttons for your potential father-in-law.’
