Christmas Trees

by Poppy Blake

  “Your turn!”

  She relegated her swirling nerves to the back of her mind and launched herself forward, clearing the hurdles without too much effort. However, when she stood on the barrels they rotated swiftly and she was tipped forward and fell flat on her face.

  “You just have to go for it!”

  She clutched at the ropes on either side of her, struggling to maintain her balance, then took Matt’s advice. With a burst of confidence and a smile stretching her lips, she sprinted as fast as she could to the end, sending the barrels into a spin behind her as she leapt from each. Unfortunately, she was unable to slow down in time, lost her footing on the final barrel, and slammed into a puddle of sludge.

  “Euwh! It’s freezing!”

  “Ready for the next one?” laughed Matt as Rosie collected her reward from the box.

  “Of course!”

  With every minute that passed, Rosie’s confidence mounted. She ignored the fact that twigs and dry leaves nestled in her curls, that sweat trickled from her temples and her fringe stuck to her forehead beneath her helmet. Her palms were not only raw from the continuous friction, but blisters threatened too. Yet, she could feel the intensity of Matt’s reassurance vibrate through the air which galvanised her to press on.

  “Okay, so the next challenge is the maze. I know I said we weren’t timing the course today, but if you’re not on the other side in five minutes, I’ll come and get you. The box containing the discs is at the centre. Ready? Go!”

  Rosie dashed into the arboreal labyrinth, switching left and right as she plunged deeper into its heart. Shards of shredded bark flicked in her wake as her heart pounded with determination to complete the challenge before the time was up. She wanted to prove to Matt that she could do this without needing him to rescue her. For the first time since she had arrived at Ultimate Adventures, she was actually enjoying herself. She hadn’t thought of the drama caused by Theo’s accident once since she’d set foot in the woodland - and she realised that was precisely the point.

  A few second later she reached the middle of the maze and collected her yellow disc from the chest, then swivelled round to find the exit to the tangle of trees before Matt had chance to seek her. She faced a dead-end only twice before emerging triumphant, her cheeks glowing with heat and pride.

  “You’re a natural!”

  “I don’t know about that,” Rosie laughed, trying to rub a splodge of mud from her sleeve. The dirt should have freaked her out, but there was a distinct absence of her hygiene pixies lurking in the woodland that day. The ember of anxiety that burned in her abdomen whenever she was faced with even a smidgeon of a germ was no longer an issue as she surged forward to the next challenge – one which under normal circumstances she would never contemplate attempting.

  “You’ve probably seen this before,” said Matt, indicating a vast expanse of heavy rope mesh attached to the ground with wooden pegs beneath which she was expected to slither on her stomach. If she wasn’t already covered in a coating of mud, dust, bark and leaves then she would be when she’d completed this challenge.

  It was a lot harder than it looked and she was grateful for her protective clothing, especially her knee and elbow pads. When she emerged at the other side, her muscles were screaming in objection to the physical exertion that baking scones and cupcakes did not require. She was out of breath and craving a drink, but there was only one challenge remaining.

  “Okay, I know this is the hardest bit, but I’ll be right behind you.”

  Matt escorted Rosie to a rope ladder dangling at the bottom of a tree as tall as a telegraph pole. She squinted into the treetops and groaned as she realised what the finale was going to entail. She could just about make out a wooden platform in the canopy overhead, along with a cat’s cradle of steel cables and ropes. A twist of terror invaded her body and she gulped down her rising panic.

  “Matt—”

  “When you arrived here, did you think you would complete any of the obstacles?”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “So you’ll ace this one too. Just one piece of advice – don’t look down.”

  Rosie stepped forward, panic ricocheting around her brain, all ancillary thoughts extinguished save for the trial ahead of her. She gritted her teeth, summoned up her courage and began her ascent towards the clouds. She counted every rung, focusing her attention on each one separately until, eventually, her throat dry and a cacophony of alarm pounding through her ears, she emerged onto the creaky platform.

  Forgetting Matt’s advice, she chanced a peek over the edge and was visited by a sharp nip of vertigo. She stepped back, hugging the tree’s trunk to her spine as a bout of uncontrollable trembling gripped her.

  Matt was at her side immediately, wrapping his arms around her, whispering calming words to ease her anxiety. His warm breath on her cheek and ear lobe caused spasms of desire to cascade through her body, and the fragrance of his citrusy cologne sent her senses into overdrive. Suddenly her trembling had nothing to do with the fear of being suspended so far from the ground. When she met Matt’s eyes and saw the way he was looking at her, his mouth scarcely a centimetre from hers, her body ignited with heat. Whilst Freddie’s safety briefing hadn’t specifically banned kissing, perhaps they weren’t standing in the best place to indulge in a passionate embrace.

  Nevertheless, this was a day of firsts and without further hesitation she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Matt’s, gentle to start with, until her emotions overtook her sensible side and she revelled in the maelstrom of pleasure being so high up in the foliage paradise produced, not to mention the feel of Matt’s muscular body pressed against hers.

  When she eventually rejoined reality, she beamed at Matt, but before she could formulate the words to explain how she felt about reconnecting with him again, she heard cries from the woodland floor below. Freddie, Josh and Grace had clearly completed the course and arrived to offer her their support on the final challenge.

  “You can do it, Rosie!”

  “Don’t look down!”

  “Just look straight ahead!”

  “Are you okay?” asked Matt his eyes scouring hers for an answer.

  “Better than ever.”

  And that was the truth. Whenever she was with Matt, she felt as though she could conquer the world. No challenge was too taxing, no decision too complex, no experience dull or boring. His presence in her life made her nerve endings zing, and not just when they were eleven metres from the ground. She understood what those feelings meant, and the realisation filled her with happiness.

  As Matt helped her into the zip wire harness and attached the carabiners, every single one of Rosie’s senses woke from their habitual slumber. Every nerve-ending tingled, every pore in her body exuded confidence and determination.

  With a whoop of joy, she leapt from the treetop platform into the air, unconcerned about the consequences. The flight carried her on an exhilarating journey, sending squirrels and blackbirds scuttling for cover, her copper hair flying in her wake from beneath her safety helmet, the whiff of damp earth floating on the breeze until she landed in an undignified heap on a mound of shredded bark at Freddie’s feet.

  “Awesome!’ she cried as Matt landed next to her.

  Rosie couldn’t help herself. She was so overwhelmed with what she had achieved that she slung her arms around Matt’s neck and hugged him in front of everyone, overjoyed when he responded by lifting her from the ground and swinging her round and round to cheers and whistles of approval from their audience.

  “Thanks, Matt. That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced and it was exactly what I needed. I feel like I can overcome any kind of challenge life throws in my direction now!”

  “Didn’t I tell you that you’d have fun? And it’s great to see the real Rosie poking through that comfort blanket you’re so determined to wrap yourself up in. You know my motto; life’s short so you have to squeeze the most out of every day, push every boundary! It’
s what my dad always taught me to do; and it’s why I built the assault course in the first place! Come on. There’s one challenge remaining.”

  Matt and Freddie lead the group to a set of eight wooden boards perched on easels in a clearing opposite the reception lodge – Rosie hadn’t realised they had travelled round in a circle. The boards were colour-co-ordinated to match the discs that each contestant had collected, and presented a mental agility test, which, if completed correctly provided a key to a metal box underneath.

  Rosie was in her element – having undertaken many similar puzzles with her father - and completed hers in minutes, whilst Josh struggled to slot his discs into the board in the correct order. She scooted to her box and removed a strange looking metal object which she held up, thinking it was a sort of trophy.

  “Now it’s all down to team work,” said Freddie, holding up his own cylindrical object. “These are the components to a mechanical canon that will shoot a coloured flare into the air at random to indicate the final winner of the competition. Okay, go!”

  By the process of trial and error, the team built the cannon and launched the flare.

  “Yay! It’s yellow! Rosie, you’re the winner!” Grace flung her arms around Rosie as her face flooded with warmth and tears sparkled at her lashes. “You were amazing! I had no idea you were a puzzle genius! I don’t suppose you’ve also had a sudden flash of inspiration about who attacked Theo?”

  Rosie shook her head as they made their way back to the store room to return their gear. “No, but I’m keen to get back to asking questions!”

  “Who’s still on your list?” asked Josh, stretching up to store his helmet on the top shelf.

  “We’ve spoken to Sam, Zara, and Penny, so we still need to talk to Theo, Abbi and Dylan.”

  “Well, I doubt Theo set up his own accident, and I really don’t want to think my bridesmaid or her boyfriend had anything to do with it either,” said Grace, shaking her head in resignation as they made their way back to where they had left their cars. “Good luck, anyway.”

  As Matt drove her back to the Windmill Café, Rosie had to agree with Grace. Maybe her earlier bout of confidence brought on by the kiss she had shared with Matt high in the treetops, had been misplaced.

  Chapter 11

  When they drew into the Windmill Café car park there was no sign of Mia or any of their guests, but Rosie knew they would all still be in the marquee putting the finishing touches to their trees. She was about to suggest they join them when her stomach growled its objection to her lack of consideration of breakfast. Also, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Matt yet.

  “Fancy brunch?”

  “I’d love a coffee.”

  Rosie prepared a cafétière of freshly ground coffee and a plate of pain aux raisin and set everything down on the table next to the French windows in the café. The weak December sunshine penetrated the glass with shards of golden light and a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves of the bay trees standing sentry on the threshold. The dawn chorus had moved on to the performance of a mid-morning concerto and if they hadn’t had more pressing matters to discuss, that would have been the perfect time for her to talk to Matt. But time was running out and they had to concentrate on their objective of solving the mystery of Theo’s accident.

  “I’m convinced the reasons for Theo’s accident must lie somewhere in his personal life,” mused Matt. “Did you call your Uncle Martyn to ask for his help?”

  “No, I thought we should talk to Theo first. But before we shoot over to the hospital, why don’t we have a chat with Abbi and Dylan in case either of them saw anything in the woods that morning. That way we’ll have a full picture to run past Theo.”

  “Okay.”

  “Who shall we start with?”

  “Abbi, I think.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’ve just seen her leave the marquee carrying a huge cardboard box back to the shepherd’s hut. I’ll go and ask her if she minds coming over to the café to talk to us.”

  Matt swallowed down the last of his coffee, dumped his mug in the sink, and strode from the room. Rosie remained seated, wrestling with an irresistible urge to fill the sink with soapy water. She sat on her hands and started the counting exercises her sister had taught her, but it was no use. She couldn’t ignore the clutter. She jumped up from the sofa, grabbed her Windmill Café apron and washed the crockery, dried it and returned each item to its rightful home. A surge of relief swept over her when the chore was complete and she relaxed, until she spotted a stray raisin on the bench. She grabbed the dishcloth and quickly swept away the debris just as Matt and Abbi appeared on the doorstep.

  “Hi, Abbi. How’s the Christmas tree decorating coming along?”

  “Amazing! I love how it’s coming together. It’s a fabulous way to showcase the variety of handbag designs on offer without the expense of creating each one in full-size – and I’m hoping that the quirkiness might score me and Dylan some extra points in the judging, too. But the best thing is that it’s keeping my nerves over being chief bridesmaid at bay, not to mention being interviewed by the police about what happened to Theo. Oh, by the way, he’s back.”

  “Theo’s back?”

  Rosie shot a glance in Matt’s direction. If they had known Theo had been discharged from hospital that morning, they would probably have decided to talk to him before Abbi.

  “Yes, and guess where he is? Recuperating in his lodge? No, he’s in the marquee, working on his festive masterpiece, complaining vociferously about the time he’s lost and how the fact that his arm is in a sling will adversely affect his ‘work of art’. But do you know what the worst thing is? He’s insisted on erecting a screen around his tree so no one can see what he’s doing! And would you believe that he point-blank refused to have breakfast with Penny to talk about what the police have said to him, even accused her of trying to sabotage his entry by wasting his time. He’s a difficult man to like is Theo Morris. You know, if it wasn’t for the effect all this is having on Grace, I’d be suggesting you ditch the sleuthing – Theo doesn’t deserve your efforts. I bet you’ve not had time to work on your trees, have you?”

  “True, but I think Mia has ours under control,” giggled Rosie.

  Abbi plonked herself down on the overstuffed white leather settee, folded her ankles neatly and placed her laced fingers on her lap in the perfect ladylike pose. Rosie felt like an uncoordinated elephant when she sat next to her but she remembered that Abbi had spent three years at drama school preparing for the day her career would ascend to the dizzying heights she craved. She already looked like a star-in-waiting with her immaculately coiffed bob the colour of burnished gold, and flawless skin, her face so well made-up that it resembled a Pierrot’s mask. But what really drew Rosie’s eye was her gorgeous sunflower-yellow handbag that she’d discarded on the seat next to her. Grace’s best friend really was a woman of many talents.

  “So, what did you want to ask me?”

  “Do you have any idea at all why someone would want to harm Theo?” asked Rosie.

  “Apart from his condescending personality and insatiable desire to triumph over everyone else, you mean? No, none whatsoever.”

  “When you were waiting for us to arrive back from our cycle ride on Wednesday morning, did you see anything at all? Anything out of the ordinary?”

  “No, nothing. I was too busy wondering how Dylan was getting on with all you sports enthusiasts. That cycle race was the first time he’d ridden any real distance since his accident. All my attention was focussed on whether he would actually make it to the end. I did remind him that he could say ‘no’, but he wanted to prove to himself that he’d conquered his fears and I think he did that amazingly!”

  “So, there was no way Dylan would have considered taking a shortcut through the woodland.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  But Rosie had noticed a flicker of something behind Abbi’s bright blue eyes and again she wanted to ask about what had happen
ed to Dylan, but she decided to take a different tact to draw her out and loosen up the conversational flow.

  “Congratulations on your role in the crime drama, by the way. It must be a dream come true for you!” Abbi’s expression changed immediately and Rosie knew she had made the right decision, despite seeing Matt heave a sigh of frustration which she chose to ignore. “What else have you been in?”

  “Just a couple of walk-on parts, really. I’ve only been back from travelling for a few months so I’m still building up my CV. You might have seen me in The Friends Fiasco?”

  Rosie shook her head.

  “What about A Carousel of Creations?”

  “No.”

  “What about Waiting for William? You must have seen that?” Abbi’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows raised even higher up her smooth forehead.

  “Erm, possibly—”

  “Well, I’m sure you go to the cinema. I haven’t actually told anyone this yet, but I’ve just been offered a role in a David Bradshaw movie. Oh gosh, I’m so excited! I play a lawyer who lures the star – none other than Alex Appleby – into a deserted barber’s shop in the back streets of Manchester. I think it’s a romantic comedy. Anyway, I’ve been studying my lines for weeks because I need to be word perfect.”

  “Sounds amazing,” smiled Rosie.

  “It’s not a huge part but I’ve been assured that it’s pivotal to the plot. I need to be at the top of my game to make a good impression. Dylan isn’t much good at helping me learn my lines though and I’ve got a really awful memory because of an illness I had when I was a child.”

  “So how do you learn them?”

  “I just have to go over them again and again. Unfortunately, when I’m nervous my mind tends to go blank.”

  “I know just what you mean. I was exactly the same when I sat my exams at school.”