‘Angelica enjoys a tipple,’ Mr H boomed just as car headlights arched through the darkness and stopped on the drive. ‘Ah – now who’s this?’
Kitty had absolutely no idea. There were quite a few people she hoped it wasn’t.
‘Ah, good-oh!’ Mr H roared. ‘It’s young Connor! He probably got wind of the mulled wine, too.’
Phew, Kitty thought.
‘Not too late, am I?’ Connor appeared at the top of the porch steps.
‘Um – no, and hello,’ Kitty smiled, slightly off-kilter. ‘How nice to see you. Is there a problem?’
‘No, not at all’ Connor beamed. ‘I’ve brought you the Lovell and Lowe calendar for next year – we give them to all our customers – and – um – Jemini popped into the office and said tonight would be a good night to call. So here I am.’
‘So you are,’ Kitty managed not to laugh, ‘you’d better come in as well. The more the merrier – and we’re letting all the cold air in – and heck it really is cold tonight.’
‘Ah – I can smell snow on the air,’ Mr H bellowed. ‘I’m never wrong on smelling snow, let me tell you!’
Thinking Mr H would have got on really well with her Gran, Kitty closed the front door behind him and Connor who, both familiar with Sandcastle Cottage, had already headed for the living room.
Kitty followed more slowly, pausing in the doorway and raising her eyebrows at Jemini who was helping Connor to a beaker of wine.
Jemini winked at Kitty across the room. ‘I’ve told him it’s very potent. He may have to sleep it off here if he has too much to drive.’
Kitty laughed and shook her head.
‘Kitty,’ Apollo hissed at her. ‘The little lady from next door – Angelica - she’s outside her third beaker already.’
‘Oh, goody,’ Kitty grinned, hugging him then helping herself to a mug of wine, ‘we have a lush. You know, this isn’t quite how I thought we’d be celebrating this Christmas.’
‘Nor me,’ Apollo smiled, clinking mugs. ‘But it’s lovely. A very happy Christmas, Kitty. And here’s to health and happiness for us all.’
‘Bravo!’ roared Mr H, raising his beaker as Angelica went for a further refill.
Teddy stirred in her sleep but didn’t wake up. Neither did the dogs. Zorro snored blissfully and Honey thumped her tail.
Kitty walked to the window and thought fleetingly of Vinny the Vagrant and hoped he was somewhere as warm and cosy as they were, and feared he wasn’t.
She could see the warmly decorated room and the leaping flames of the fire and the happy faces, all reflected in the glass. It looked like something from a film set. Central casting’s idea of a proper family Christmas.
‘It is a proper Christmas, though’ she said to herself. ‘Even if we’re not a proper family. A proper old-fashioned Sandcastle Cottage Christmas. So maybe this time, my mistake wasn’t quite so monumental. Maybe this time it’s going to be ok…’ And then she stopped. And peered past the reflections… Was it…? Yes it was!
She turned back into the room. ‘Wow! Look everyone – it’s snowing! It’s actually snowing! We’re going to have a white Christmas!’
Everyone rushed to the window to look. Jemini held hands with Connor on one side and Teddy on the other.
‘Told you snow was on the way!’ Mr H roared. ‘I’m never wrong!’
Apollo and Kitty exchanged grins.
‘Who knows what the future holds,’ Kitty said, watching the snowflakes skitter and dance through the icy darkness outside. ‘We know that next summer we may have to move on, we may not be here in Sandcastle Cottage – but for now – Happy Christmas!’
‘Happy Christmas!’ everyone echoed, laughing and raising their mugs.
Everyone that was except Angelica who was smiling beatifically and waltzing happily in the middle of the room with an unseen partner.
THE END
Proudly published by Accent Press
www.accentpress.co.uk
Christmas at Sandcastle Cottage Page 6
