‘I must get a chance to ask him about his life one day.’ She said to no one in particular.
She put the latch on, and bolted the door and went to join Gareth at the piano.
‘Thanks for tonight, too. I really appreciate it.’
He stopped playing and swung around to face her. ‘To think I almost didn’t take this job in London...’ He brushed a ringlet of hair behind her ear.
She shivered at this touch and drew closer. ‘I’m glad you did, but...’
He pressed a finger to her lips and reached in for a kiss.
Chapter Ten
‘Okay, Mr. Jones, you win. Let’s decorate for Christmas.’ She dropped the box of decorations she had bought on the table. ‘I’m hoping they’ll be in keeping with the vintage feel of the pub, but fear not, I’m off shopping later...’
He gave her a questioning look. ‘You’re a lot chirpier, that’s nice to see. Christmas was the best part of this pub. Your gran used to go all out with decorations...’
‘Mr. Jones,’ she interrupted him. ‘Would you like a cup of tea before we open?’
‘Yes, I wouldn’t mind, thank you.’
Darcy went to her kitchen and made a pot of tea. She found a sticky toffee pudding in the cupboard and put that on a tray, too. ‘Here we go,’ she set it on the table and pulled out a chair. Mr. Jones joined her. ‘You know,’ she poured the tea. ‘I’ve realised that I’ve been here three months now and we never had a proper chat about you.’
He brought the cup to his lips and then put it back down. ‘I’m not a man of many words, Darcy. ‘But ask away..’
‘You knew both of my grans and I never once asked you what your first name is or where you even lived around here. I feel terrible.’
‘Oh don’t you worry about me, but yes, I knew your grans. They treated me well, they did. Every Sunday your grandmother Lily used to serve Sunday lunches here. They were the best this side of the Thames, I tell you.’
She noticed he avoided her question and felt she didn’t want to prod any further. Some people didn’t want their pasts discussed and she respected his decision.
‘I never knew they served lunches here. Maybe it’s something I ought to start again, eh? What do you think?’ She asked, passing him a slice of cake.
‘It’s a splendid idea. Thanks for the tea and cake, it’s really kind of you.’
‘No bother.’
There was a knock at the door and she went to answer it, thinking she may as well open for the day.
‘One Christmas tree,’ said a young man, checking his clipboard.
‘Yes, could you fetch it in, thanks? Hey, Mr. Jones,’ she yelled. ‘We have a Christmas Tree. Happy now?’ She chuckled.
She moved a table and then went into the kitchen for a bucket to put it in. The delivery man called her. ‘Is there a problem?’ She asked returning to the bar, staring at the rear end of the tree that was stuck in the doorway.
‘You could say that.’
‘I guess I should’ve measured the doors first,’ she laughed, tugging the end of it. She pulled and pulled. Mr. Jones came to help and then after several seconds, the tree came loose.
‘Where do you want it?’ The delivery man asked.
Darcy pointed to the empty space by the piano. ‘Would you mind?’ She asked, helping him lift into the bucket.
WHILE SHE SERVED THE two customers that had come in, her phone pinged with a message. She handed over their change and took her phone out of her pocket. It was her mother.
‘How are things going?’ Her mother probed.
‘Good. I think I’m slowly turning things around. Why don’t you and dad come down to London for a break, see what I’ve done with the place?’
‘It’s why I’m calling, love. We’ll be there for Christmas, alright? Trudy’s mam is traveling down for the wedding so she said your father and I can go with her.’
‘Brilliant, I’ll have to make some room...’
‘Are you still renting out the flat?’
‘Yeah, on a temporary basis until I can get on my feet.’ She thought about Gareth and how he'd be leaving soon. ‘Mam, it’s getting busy here, so I’ll speak to you later.’
‘Yes, call me, Darcy. You rarely keep in touch these days.’
‘Mam, it’s been non-stop since I got here. You’ll soon see.’
She ended the call and slipped her phone into the back of her jeans.
‘Everything okay?’ Asked Jess.
‘Yeah, it was my mother. She’s coming for Christmas,’ she rolled her eyes. ‘I must make room for them somehow.’ She took a damp rag from under the bar and went to wipe an empty table that had been vacated.
‘I was going to say you shouldn’t have let out the flat, but then we wouldn’t have anyone to ogle over, would we?’
Darcy found her hilarious and went back to the bar remembering she had to order the wedding food.
While she was sitting behind the bar on her laptop, scrolling through the options the website had to offer, she realised it was a lot of work for two people. ‘I hope that’s everything,’ she hit send, confirming the order. ‘I may have to hire a few more girls for the day.’
‘I know a couple of people looking for a job.’
‘Great, get them to call me.’
That evening, after she had locked up, she went to the bar and poured herself a drink. ‘To me,’ she raised herself a toast, thinking she hadn’t seen Gareth all day. The clock struck 1.15 a.m. so she switched off the lights and went into her living room.
As she was dozing off on the sofa, she thought she heard her door knock. She got up and went to the pub. ‘Who is it?’
‘Gareth, I wondered if you wanted some company.’
She felt her stomach flutter and quickly opened the door. ‘You must be freezing?’ She said as he stepped inside.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek with his cool lips. ‘Very.’
‘Come through,’ she led the way.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t call around. I had to stay and help a few students with their end of term essays.’
At that moment, she felt a little silly for thinking he wasn’t interested anymore. She switched on the lamp on the sideboard.
Gareth took off his coat. His jumper accentuated his muscular, trim frame.
Her eyes lingered for longer than she intended. ‘Would you like a hot drink?’
‘If it’s no bother,’ he said and sat down on the sofa.
Darcy went to put the kettle on. ‘Did you find any more out about Walter?’ She enquired, spooning coffee into two mugs.
‘My mate is on it. He said we should get something soon. Doesn’t your grandmother know anything?’
‘No,’ she said carrying the mugs in the living room. ‘My gran passed away last year. As I was the only grand-daughter, I got the pub. Dad didn’t want to take it on. In fact, he wanted to sell it.’
‘You didn’t, obviously or you wouldn’t be here.’
‘At first, yes it did cross my mind about selling it. When I came here and saw what was involved I wanted to hop on the next train back home, but I think nostalgia got the best of me in the end, so that’s why I stuck it out for as long as I did.’ She reached under the coffee table for a tin of chocolates she’d been saving and offered him one.
‘And now you’re a success.’ He put the mug on the coffee table and joined her on the sofa.
‘Hardly, but I guess I’m doing better than a few weeks ago. Do you want the TV on?’ Darcy picked up the remote from the arm of the sofa.
‘Sure,’ he replied and put an arm around her.
Feeling comfortable in his presence, she slipped off her shoes and snuggled up to him.
‘Darcy.’ She felt someone shaking her. ‘Wake up, you’ve been robbed.’
She snapped her eyes open and shot up, thinking she was having a nightmare.
‘Darcy,’ said Gareth. ‘You left the door unlocked. I’m calling the police.’
She sprung off the sofa and
dashed towards the pub.
‘Don’t touch anything,’ Gareth yelled.
Standing in the bar, Darcy covered her mouth with her hands trying to take in the scene before her. Chairs and tables were overturned, glasses smashed along the bar and the floor and the till was opened with all the takings gone. ‘Why would someone do this,’ she felt Gareth’s arm wrapped around her.
‘Police are on their way,’ he sighed. ‘I don’t know why anyone would want to do something like this, but don’t worry, it’ll get sorted.’
The flashing blue lights of the police car shone through the window. Darcy took out her mobile from her pocket and texted her parents. Three police officers came into the pub asking to speak to Darcy.
She gave the officer all the information she could. It was four a.m. when the police left and she couldn’t face cleaning up. ‘I’m just going to make a cup of coffee and...’ A sob caught in her throat. Gareth pulled her in close.
‘Do you want me to sleep on the sofa?’ He whispered.
Darcy nodded. ‘Please...’
Unable to sleep, Darcy threw her duvet off and went into the kitchen. She took a sweeping brush, only to find that everything had already been cleared.
‘You didn’t have to do that,’ she said.
‘It’s the least I could do. I feel like if I didn’t come around last night, you wouldn’t have opened the door...’
‘Don’t be silly, it was my mistake. Besides, I enjoyed your company.’ She began tying up the bin bags.
‘Darcy, I need to talk to...’
Darcy heard her phone and pulled it out of her back pocket. ‘Sorry, just a moment.’ She accepted the call. ‘Hi Mam, yes,’ she sat down on the stool. ‘All the takings are gone, but there’s not a lot of damage, thankfully.’
‘Your Dad is on the way. He got the early train this morning, so expect him about eleven.’
‘Alright Mam, I’ll speak to you later.’
‘Everything okay?’ Asked Gareth, putting an arm around her shoulders.
‘Yeah, my Dad is on the way.’
Chapter Eleven
At ten o’ clock, Darcy opened the pub door and stood on the doorstep, watching the passing traffic.
‘Penny for your thoughts,’ said Jess bounding up the pavement with a suitcase and an art folder.
Darcy exhaled. ‘You’d better come in.’
‘Has something happened?’ She put her stuff on the table and removed her coat.
‘We had a robbery last night. They took all the takings and smashed a few things...’
Jess gave Darcy a hug. ‘I can’t believe it. How did they get in?’
‘The door,’ she shook her head. ‘I more or less invited them in.’
‘What?’
Darcy pulled out a chair. ‘Gareth came around after closing so when I answered I forgot to lock it again.’
‘So you are opening today, I take it?’ Jess pulled out a chair and sat down.
‘I can’t afford not to open today. The police said they’ll be in touch later,’ she rose to her feet. ‘Oh, and my Dad is coming. He’ll be here at eleven.’
Jess jumped to her feet. ‘I know it’s not the right time then, but I have some of my designs here I’d like to run past you if you have a minute this afternoon.’
Darcy smiled. ‘Of course, and that reminds me. I’d better get out of these jeans and get my war outfit on, as they say, keep calm and carry on.’
‘Things are only sent to try us, right?’
‘Absolutely. No point dwelling right now, I’ve come too far to let a bunch of punks win.’
Darcy was down the cellar, having just changed a barrel when she heard Jess calling her.
‘There’s a guy here to see you.’
Dad.
Excited to see him, she closed the cellar door and walked into the pub to find him already behind the bar, pulling pints. He was dressed in his usual leather jacket and ripped jeans.
‘Hey, Dad.’
‘Darce, my girl, how are you?’ He came around the bar wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug.
‘I’m alright, Dad, just a bit crushed, like.’
He let her go. ‘Sorry, love. So what happened? Have they caught the buggers yet?’ he took off his jacket revealing a band t-shirt and sleeve tattoos.
Darcy shook her head. ‘Not yet. Just hope the insurance will cover it.’ She sighed. ‘Jess, this is my dad, Dylan. Dad, this is Jess and Mr. Jones who I told you about.’
‘Yes, we’ve already met. Thanks for being there for my girl,’ he shook hands with Mr. Jones sat by the bar.
‘My pleasure.’
‘Right, Darcy, if you want to take a little break, do some shopping or whatever, I can hold the fort.’
‘But you’ve only just got here, and’ she noticed the pub has become quite busy. ‘Isn’t the article in the paper today, Jess?’
‘Yes, it is. Do you want me to go next door for a few copies?’
‘Would you mind?’
‘What’s going on?’ Asked Dylan.
‘We had an article printed about us,’ she beamed. ‘Pictures and everything.’
Moments later, Jess walked into the pub clutching a pile of newspaper and set them down on the bar. ‘Here you go,’ she passed everyone a copy. ‘Page four.’
They all snatched a copy and flicked the pages. Darcy held up the paper for the customers to see. ‘Have you seen this?’ she asked, excitedly.
There was a round of applause. Darcy took a bow and went to switch on the music from her iPod.
‘No Bakelite radio, then, you know for authenticity?’ Her father laughed cheekily.
‘We have a piano player. Well, except he’s not permanent...’
‘It’s her boyfriend, Mr. Tanner,’ said Jess, passing to get to the other side of the bar.
‘Dylan, please. So who is the lucky fella and I’m going to meet him, right?’
‘He’s in the picture,’ she pointed. ‘And I don’t think we’re official yet, so don’t go embarrassing me.’
Later that afternoon, Darcy and Jess sat around the table covered with drawings.
‘So this is what I plan on doing,’ said Jess. ‘It helps with my overall mark, plus it’ll bring in plenty of students.’
Darcy liked the idea very much. ‘That’s great, so we’ll just move a few tables here, so your models can walk out of the toilets, sorry changing rooms, and they walk up the runway here,’ she pointed. ‘Brilliant. So we’re sorted for Tuesday, right?’
‘Thanks, Darcy and I’ll bring Trudy’s dress around in the morning, I think she’ll love it.’
Darcy made a start on collecting the empty glasses while Vera Lynn played in the background.
‘Darcy,’ her father called. ‘You’re looking tired, love. Why don’t you go and take a break? I’m fine here.’
‘You are looking tired, your Dad’s right, take a break.’ Mr. Jones said.
Darcy couldn’t argue with them. She had only managed an hour’s kip after the break-in.
‘I wouldn’t mind,’ she put the empty glasses on the bar, feeling safer that her dad was here to oversee things.
Darcy woke to a sing-along taking place in the bar. Her dad was quite the party animal, so she wasn’t sure why she was so surprised.
She opened the door, to see everyone enjoying themselves. She saw her father and Gareth chatting at the end of the bar. Gareth saw her and waved.
‘You didn’t say your boyfriend lived upstairs.’
Gareth laughed into his drink.
‘I see you’ve been introduced, then?’
‘I have some news about our Walter,’ Gareth said. 'And Mr. Jones over there,’
‘What’s going on?’ asked Dylan.
Darcy stepped in.
‘When I came here I found postcards written by great nana, Lily to a gentleman during the war. They were supposed to meet on Christmas Eve at Piccadilly Circus but he didn’t turn up. So what did you find out about Mr. Jones?’ She asked, ea
gerly.
‘Come over here, both of you,’ he said and walked around to the quietest part of the bar.
‘Well, I found out that Walter came from the West Country, not far from where I live, actually. So I got my mate on the case for you. But what I wanted to tell you was about Mr. Jones.’
‘Well I hope it’s nothing bad,’ Darcy said and looked across the bar at him serving a customer.
‘No, quite the opposite in fact. So, I did a thorough check on the pub and its history while I was at work, and I don’t know why but I’ve been curious about him for a while. Anyway, I did a background check and Mr. Jones is actually mentioned several times. His name is Samuel and he was adopted out of the family by... your father’s mother.’
Dylan put down his pint in shock. ‘Are you sure about this? I never knew. My mother never said she had another son.’
‘It might never have been spoken about. In those days, it probably wasn’t.’ Gareth replied. ‘She was sixteen when she had him.’
‘Bloody hell!’ Darcy whispered, staring at Mr. Jones who was oblivious to the conversation taking place. ‘It’s no wonder he knows everything. Gosh... I don’t know what to say to him now.’
‘Just be your normal self,’ said Gareth. ‘If he wanted a fuss made, well, I guess he would’ve said or done something by now.’
‘That’s true,’ Dylan said.
‘What do we do, Dad? Do we go and talk to him?’
‘The sooner the better. Let me finish my pint first, I need it.’
Astounded, Darcy called over Jess and Trudy who had just walked in. She explained to them the situation and asked if they’d watch the pub for a while.
‘I’d better go and talk to the man,’ said Dylan, taking a deep breath before he tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Mr. Jones, do you mind if we have a word?’
Darcy suggested they’d go into the living room while she made a pot of coffee.
‘Am I being sacked?’ He asked, confused as he took a seat.
Darcy brought out the coffee pot and three cups and set them down on the table.
‘No,’ she said and looked at her father. ‘Do you want to tell him or shall I?’
Christmas Eve at Piccadilly Circus Page 6
