‘I’m sure they’ll be only too glad to see the back of you, but from what that man said to me you won’t be planning anything. You’ll be home soon but that leg will be in a splint and it will be crutches for a while.’ She gave a tut. ‘And who ever heard of Father Christmas with crutches? Then they’ll be sorting out some physiotherapy sessions.’ Lucy thought Elsie sounded very well informed for somebody who’d made a casual enquiry by the coffee machine. ‘I’ve told Timothy they’ll have to manage without you this year.’
‘But I always …’
‘Jill had a chat to Matt,’ Lucy thought it was time to chip in, as Elsie’s chin had set at a stubborn angle, and Jim was about to point an angry finger. ‘He’s really excited about being Father Christmas just this once. He wants to talk to you, for advice, as soon as you’re home.’
Jim shook his head. ‘And what am I supposed to do with myself?’
‘You will be looking after the mulled wine,’ Elsie said with a note of finality. ‘It’s about time we all made it through the evening without the bootleggers’ version. You are one of the few people I’d trust in this village.’
Jim looked slightly mollified.
‘If you’re heading back, I could do with a lift my dear.’ Elsie picked her handbag up, as though to say her job here was done.
Lucy nodded. ‘Of course, Elsie. As long as you’re sure you’re ready to go? I can go and grab a coffee and wait a while if you want to chat to Jim for longer?’
‘No, no. I think Jim is ready for a rest now, and I know you need to get back and do your marking, or whatever you teachers have to do.’
Lucy tried not to let the smile show. ‘I’ve not got much marking at this time of year, just a few things to sort for the nativity. I was going to pick your brains actually about the best place for the crib. Matt told me one thing, and then Timothy said something quite different.’
‘Splendid. We can pop into the church before I go home, and then you can see the photographs I have.’
‘And you can both leave a man in peace, there’s a programme on the TV I need to watch, thought you’d never go.’ Jim winked to soften the blow of the words, and Elsie tutted at him, but Lucy was pretty sure that she was missing him. He was a regular visitor to Elsie’s home, taking her dog Molly out and generally keeping an eye on her. They made an unlikely couple, but the more Lucy saw them together the more she saw how compatible they were. ‘And don’t you be forgetting to go and see Maisie’s tree with her, Lucy. It was important to her that, takin’ you there.’
‘I will go Jim, definitely. Maybe you can take us, when you’re up to it?’
‘Mebbe. Though I don’t think I’ll be skipping across fields for a while, best you get Charlie to take you.’ He peered at her. ‘Soon.’
‘And I,’ Elsie stood up, and patted Jim on the shoulder in a rare intimate gesture, ‘will be back tomorrow to talk to that consultant of yours, we can’t have you lolling around here on your backside when there is so much work to be done. I’m sure they’ll be ready to see the back of you by tomorrow.’
Jim gave Lucy a thumbs up behind Elsie’s back, and she stifled a giggle. She was pretty sure Elsie hadn’t missed a thing, but was choosing to ignore both of them.
‘I need to talk to you, my dear.’ Elsie slipped her hand through Lucy’s arm as they reached the door of the ward, and ushered her through it.
‘About the nativity? Are we doing something wrong?’
‘Oh no, not about that my dear. This is a personal matter. We will talk when we get home. Right, where is your car parked?’
Much as Lucy loved the changing seasons, and the crisp clean air of winter, she had to admit that she preferred the warm hues and mellow evenings of autumn, to the dark nights and December chill. Winter was about cold mornings that were gloomy when she got up to get ready for school and afternoons when it was already dark by the time she left the village primary school.
The cold air bit into her bones as they made their way across the car park and she wrapped her arms round her body. All she wanted was to get the fire lit, and curl up in her favourite armchair with a mug of hot chocolate and bowl of pasta.
But Elsie was obviously missing Jim, and more upset about his accident than she was letting on. The least she could do was take the old lady home and stop for a short chat.
***
‘I think we will leave the church visit until tomorrow, my bones are creaking.’ Elsie struggled out of the car, then made her way slowly up the garden path. ‘You will stay for a quick chat?’
‘Of course I will.’ Lucy watched her with concern, Elsie admitting she still felt under the weather was worrying to say the least. The old lady was smiling though when Molly greeted them at the door, her tail swishing from side to side with delight.
It was Lucy who put the kettle on, and laid the tea cups and cake out on the tray, and when she went into the living room Elsie was settled in her normal chair by the roaring fire.
‘None of us are getting any younger, are we?’
The words took her by surprise.
‘When you are young like Maisie, you take life for granted, but the older you get the more uncertain things are. The more you try and value each day.’ She lifted the tea cup, and eyed Lucy over the rim with an unwavering gaze. ‘The more you realise that there are no guarantees.’
‘Well no, I mean yesterday did shake us all up. Charlie was so upset, I think it’s made him more determined than ever to make sure he does the right thing.’
‘And it had made me more determined as well, my dear. A shock helps clarify the situation, the important things are magnified, and the little worries fade into insignificance.’
‘And the important thing?’
‘Is to do the right thing for my,’ she hesitated over the word, ‘son. If he missed out on seeing tomorrow, and I never had the opportunity to explain. Or if anything happened to me before I had a chance to explain …’ Her hand trembled. ‘You do understand?’
‘I do Elsie.’ Lucy felt the heat of tears in her eyes. She put out a hand to cover Elsie’s frail one. ‘I really do.’ Elsie rarely let her guard down, and it was easy to forget just how old she was sometimes.
Elsie sniffed and straightened. ‘Splendid.’ Her normal brisk tone resumed. ‘I will resolve the issue as soon as possible, in the meantime I want to talk to you about your mother.’
‘My mother?’
‘She is lonely where she is.’
‘She is?’ Lucy blinked in surprise. That was news to her, and she’d only seen her a short time ago. She’d insisted on staying a week to make sure Lucy was okay, and to deliver soup to Elsie and keep her company until she was sure there was no risk of pneumonia. Then she’d headed back home, promising to return to watch the nativity.
‘She is. That place never suited her, and her job is far too demanding.’ Elsie poured more tea, and picked up a biscuit. ‘You know I spoke to her after she’d visited you to see Jasmine Cottage?’ She tipped her head on one side. ‘She’s very much like you, sensible and caring. We had quite a chat and swapped phone numbers, then of course she popped in when she came to visit you again the other week.’
‘Ahh.’ Lucy had been quite surprised at just how much time her mother had spent with Elsie when she’d visited last time, but she didn’t know whether to be cross or pleased to discover that she’d told the old lady more than she’d told her daughter. ‘She never said she wasn’t happy.’
‘Well why would she?’ Elsie’s voice had a tart edge. ‘You’re her daughter! She did tell you how much she liked your cottage though?’
‘She did.’
‘And the village? She told me you seemed happy here.’ She paused. ‘And settled.’
‘I am, to both. The solicitors and estate agents all seem to think that the sale will go through just before Christmas.’ She smiled. ‘I can’t wait to start work on the cottage, it feels,’ she paused, ‘it feels like I belong there.’
‘Your mother told me
she thought you’d finally found the place you belong, your home. She never did like where you were before.’
Lucy drew a sharp breath, and Elsie raised an eyebrow. ‘Not that she isn’t very proud with what you have achieved, but she didn’t feel that it was the right place for you. More of a stepping stone.’
‘Well, I’d not thought of it like that, but yes.’ She’d never seen her mother quite as emotional as she’d been when she’d shown her the cottage, and it was only now, with Elsie’s words that she realised why. Mum was right; she finally felt like she was where she should be. Home.
‘Which I think is why it has dawned on your mother that maybe now is the right time to start thinking about herself, to question where she belongs.’
‘Oh.’
‘And she tells me that Langtry Meadows is very much like the place she’d dreamed of when she was younger, that she’d hoped for when you moved to Stoneyvale.’ Elsie put her cup down carefully. ‘I am not getting any younger, my dear, and I’m turning into rather a selfish old lady. I need a companion, someone to live in and help me, and I rather think your mother could fit that bill.’
‘But she’s not …’ The word ‘carer’ was on the tip of Lucy’s tongue.
‘I only need a companion.’ It was as though Elsie read her mind. ‘Not a nurse, I am not that infirm yet.’ She huffed. ‘And of course I have to consider Molly. With Jim out of action for a few weeks, she’ll miss her strolls.’
‘She will.’ And, Lucy thought, Elsie would miss the companionship. Seeing Jim each day meant she always felt part of what was going on, even if she didn’t get any further than the village shop.
‘Your mother thought the position would suit.’
‘You’ve talked about all this? You’ve sorted it all out?’ Lucy couldn’t believe that her mum hadn’t said a word.
‘I only offered her the solution yesterday. I wanted to be sure.’ Elsie shook her head. ‘She, of course, wanted to put you first and be sure that you’d approve. She is well aware of what a small community this is.’
‘Of course I’d approve, if she wants to of course, I mean, well …’ The thought of living close to her mother again had never occurred to Lucy. Trish had her own home, her own life and was as independent as her daughter. Lucy would never have asked her to uproot herself, but both of them it seemed had been under the same misapprehension that the other would mind. ‘I’d love it if she moved to Langtry Meadows.’
‘Good. Well that’s settled then. You may pop in on your way home from school tomorrow and I will take you to the church, dear. I’m sure you want to get off now,’ she tapped her stick decisively, ‘and I’m rather tired.’
‘Jim will be okay Elsie.’
‘Of course he will. I know that.’
‘The doctor said he’s very well in himself, but the torn ligaments will take time to heal.’ She stood up. ‘You should be proud of him, he’s a real hero.’
‘Of course, of course. He’s a good man. You can show yourself out?’ The conversation was obviously closed, and Lucy didn’t want to push it.
She nodded and made her way to the door, glancing back just the once to see Elsie’s eyes were closed, but her fingers were fondling Molly’s ear.
‘I’ll go home, give Mum a call.’
There was the faintest of nods from Elsie, and the slightest satisfied lift of the corner of her mouth.
Chapter 21
‘Here, let me hold that for you, love.’
Lucy handed over the halo that she’d just removed from Sophie’s head, then paused. ‘Shouldn’t you be helping Elsie, Mum?’
‘Oh she’s fine, she’s with Jim. It’s making her feel very useful, being able to support him, even though he keeps saying he really doesn’t need any help.’
‘Make way.’ Elsie’s strident tone rang out and Lucy glanced round. She was startled to see that while she’d been concentrating on getting the children into their positions, the church had filled up. It was crammed full, but on Elsie’s orders the crowd had parted to give Jim a clear path through to the chair that she had insisted was provided for him.
Jim winked, then settled himself down with Elsie beside him. ‘Aye isn’t this splendid? Now I know what it’s like to be a VIP.’ He chuckled. ‘VIP Jim, that’s me!’ And waved a crutch which startled the cow, which up until that point had been quite happy trying to eat Ted’s hair. It took a step backwards in alarm, its big eyes wide and Jamie, who was minding it, was taken by surprise. He yelled out as it stamped on his foot before nearly pinning Timothy against a pew.
Matt laughed. ‘You daft bu—’ He stopped himself just in time. ‘Wake up you dozy idiot, Jamie.’ He had the lead rope of a very sleepy donkey in his hand. Its head was so low it was almost on the ground, and it seemed totally oblivious to what was going on around it. Which had to be a good thing. ‘Should have put you in charge of hell raiser Harriet here instead.’ He patted the head of the donkey, which blew through its nostrils, showering the nearest children with something that had to be in violation of normal health and safety rules.
‘I’m a ghost.’ Joe had spun the tea towel that was on his head round so that it covered his face, and was blowing as hard as he could trying to make it move.
‘No you’re not.’ There was a crinkle as shower curtain clad Daisy leant forward and tugged hard, nearly pulling a handful of his hair out.
‘Ouch, geroff.’
‘Well that’s two people who Father Christmas won’t have to worry about, isn’t it?’ Liz Potts gave them both the eagle eye and they slunk back into position.
‘It’s snowing.’ Billy, getting bored and upset he wasn’t the centre of attention, had started to pull small white fluffy bits off his sheep costume and was busy trying to throw them up in the air. Before Lucy had a chance to say anything, his mother had shot out of the pew and cuffed him over the head.
‘That’s my best angora sweater that is, you do that again and you’ll be the first sheep that’s ever performed shorn naked.’ With a warning scowl she headed back to her seat and the startled children fell silent. Until the cow passed wind.
‘Thank you, thank you for all coming out on this dark night.’ The vicar positioned himself centre stage, oblivious to the chicken that was burrowing its beak under his robe at the back and looked like it was about to disappear into the darkness. ‘The children will perform for us in a moment, then we will convene outside for a short carol service before George does us the honour of turning on the Christmas lights. I do hope,’ he peered over his spectacles, ‘that you will all sing along with our wonderful youngsters.’
Lucy shot Ted a warning glance as he took a step forward, his gaze fixed on something on the floor – which was no doubt a spider or some other creepy crawly. He froze, grinned and stuck his finger up his nose.
Harriet the donkey coughed and Timothy cued them in for the start of Silent Night.
Sophie Smith had been told by her mother to ‘sing up’. So she did. No night had ever been less silent. Lucy was sure her bellow could have been heard from one end of the village to the other, and beyond.
The chubby little girl fixed her gaze on her mother, took a deep breath at the start of each line and gave it her all. Unfortunately, this year the donkey was not interested in braying. It wasn’t even bothered when baby Jesus was accidentally lobbed out of the crib and landed a few inches from its nose.
Instead, with a weary sigh it sank to its knees, then dropped down before flaking out on its side.
‘Does that animal need a vet?’ Jim’s voice boomed out, and he pointed with one of his crutches.
King Daisy rustled over for a closer look and a cry went up of ‘Vet, vet’ and ‘Where the frig is Charlie when you need him?’ before Charlie, who had all his attention fixed on little shepherd Maisie realised they were calling his name.
‘It’s not dead, it’s resting its eyes.’ Bellowed Matt. ‘Aren’t you Harriet?’ He gave her a nudge with the toe of his boot and she opened one eye. So Char
lie sat back down again, just as a chicken jumped onto the donkey’s back and started tugging at its mane.
‘It finks it’s a worm.’ Announced Ted. ‘Why don’t you get slugs in the winter? You get worms except they get stuck under the ground.’
‘My cat had kittens and they looked like slugs,’ Poppy chipped in, ‘they were yuk.’
Timothy tapped his conducting stick on a pew to try and restore order, and they all burst into a rendition of Away in a Manger with Harry bellowing out ‘no crisps for a bed’ at the appropriate moments.
By the time the nativity play had finished, the donkey had been coaxed back onto its feet, the chickens had been gathered up and the cow had been put in the pen outside the church, the Right Honourable George Cambourne was impatiently tapping the microphone with a pen.
There was a distinctly chilly edge to the air, and several people were glancing heavenwards as though they expected it to start snowing any moment.
Timothy elbowed George out of the way none too gently.
‘No love lost there then.’ There was a gentle humour in Jim’s voice and Lucy smiled at him. He seemed different today, buoyed up and as happy as she’d ever seen him. Which given the fact that he was on crutches, and being relentlessly bossed around by Elsie was a bit of a surprise.
‘As the weather seems to be taking a turn for the worse I think we should complete the Christmas carols, and our little prepared twelve days of Christmas dance, in the village hall.’ Timothy glanced at his watch then looked pointedly at George. ‘Shortly. Once the lights have been turned on. I suggest you all grab a tot of our wonderful mulled wine to warm yourselves up. Over to you George.’
George took his place back at the microphone, just as most of the crowd headed towards Jim for a top up of wine.
Like the natural politician George was, he paused until order had been restored. ‘Ahem.’ The crowd waited expectantly, with a few rolled eyes.
‘You need to wait, George.’ Elsie was not to be trifled with, and for the first time Lucy had seen, George fell silent like a schoolboy. ‘Jim needs to be comfortable.’
Coming Home to Jasmine Cottage Page 22
