Christmas at Snowflake Lodge

by CP Ward

  ‘I think you can.’

  James smiled. ‘Takes one to know one. You know, we’re not so different. We’re both trying to prove something, aren’t we?’

  ‘I’m trying to prove I’m not like my parents, and you’re trying to prove you’re … not….’

  ‘Not like the man who killed my wife.’ James shrugged. ‘I don’t hate phones, I just don’t like them.’

  ‘I’ve barely thought about mine since I dropped it into the hot spring.’

  ‘That must have been frustrating.’

  ‘I’m not addicted to it, you know. It might come across that way sometimes, and it might sound like a cliché, but I need my phone. It’s how I contact my customers, how I keep in touch with my family, and it’s how I find out whether I’ll still have a house to go back to when I leave the lodge.’

  ‘I wasn’t trying to be judgmental.’

  ‘I can understand your feelings. I hope you can understand mine.’

  They walked on in silence for a couple of minutes, and Jessica wondered if she’d been a little too forthright. She was tired of it, that was all. Tired of people getting the wrong impression.

  ‘Well, we’re here,’ James said, as a single light up ahead illuminated a little wooden shed beside the snow-covered arc of the main road. They went inside, glad to be out of the snow still falling heavily around them. The wind had died down, but the snow was too heavy to see more than fifty feet ahead of them.

  ‘She’s not here,’ Jessica said, then tapped a sign on the wall, which announced that all buses would be cancelled in the event of heavy snow. ‘Now we have a real problem.’

  ‘She was here a while, though,’ James said. ‘She sheltered for a bit.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  James pointed. ‘Because those tracks leading up the road are a lot more prominent than the ones we followed down here. The snow hasn’t had as long to cover them up.’

  ‘Why would she have gone that way and not back to the lodge?’

  ‘She’s a stubborn one, I think. The nearest village is that way, although it’s a hilly five-mile walk in the best of conditions. She must be out of her mind to attempt it in this weather.’

  ‘She’s a city girl. She’s also a bit of a fantasist.’

  ‘We’d better get after her before she freezes to death. Are you okay? If you’d rather go back, I can go on alone. I imagine I’m a lot more used to these conditions than you.’

  While the thought of a hot chocolate laced with brandy and a plate of mince pies was extremely appealing, Jessica shook her head. Despite the circumstances, she was quite enjoying their time together. ‘Actually, once you get used to the cold, it’s kind of fun.’

  James laughed. ‘There’s a bit of country in you, then,’ he said.

  ‘It must be my grandfather’s adventurous spirit.’

  James laughed again. ‘You couldn’t go wrong with that. I don’t know where that old man gets his energy. He’s an inspiration to us all. Even if I do have to carry him about.’

  ‘You must be quite … strong.’

  ‘It’s good exercise.’ James looked at her, and Jessica felt a blush coming on, so she looked quickly away.

  ‘Come on, we’d better get after Kirsten before the tracks fill in.’

  They headed back out. The rage of the blizzard had passed, with the moon beginning to appear through the clouds as the snow fell lighter than before. Behind the crunch of their boots through the fresh snow was a light pitter-patter of the settling flakes. Occasional streetlights illuminated sections of the road, giving them pools of light to aim for as they trudged up a gentle slope, trees to their right with moorland on their left beyond a low stone wall.

  ‘Are you hungry?’ James asked as they crested the hill and saw the road dipping away ahead of them until it was lost in the snowy gloom. ‘I bagged a handful of mince pies before we headed back out.’

  They found a sheltered spot underneath an overhang of trees where the road widened into a passing lay-by. James pulled off his gloves and handed Jessica a mince pie wrapped in foil.

  ‘It’s warm,’ she said.

  ‘Ah, that’s because of the flask,’ he said, pulling out a little flask and holding it up. ‘Hot chocolate. Don’t worry, it’s not laced, just in case I have to drive the sleigh later.’

  Jessica, unsure if he was making a joke or not, gave a nervous laugh. ‘You’re well prepared,’ she said.

  ‘Your grandfather and me were going to have a moonlit picnic on the mountain top,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately the snow closed in before we could make it. I think tomorrow night might be better. As long as you keep an eye on the weather, it’s worth taking the risk. You can see for miles. You can see the lights of all the local towns. You should come.’

  Jessica gave a nod that she immediately worried would make her look too keen. Luckily, James didn’t seem to notice in the dark. ‘Sure,’ she said, trying to sound less excited at the prospect than she felt. ‘Sounds fun.’

  ‘Sorry again about cancelling our snowboarding lesson tomorrow,’ he said. ‘It’s just that if I can’t get back to the farm tonight I really need to head over in the morning, just to check on the reindeer. Make sure they’ve got food and everything.’

  ‘It’s okay.’

  There was a pause. Then James said, ‘If you’re not busy, you could come and help me if you like. Everyone thinks I’m this terrible loner, but I don’t mind a bit of company.’

  If Jessica had doubted whether or not she was attracted to James, her body was telling her she most certainly was. Her heart had begun to thump so loud she was sure he could hear, and she had a lump in her throat the size of an apple.

  ‘Uh … okay,’ she muttered.

  ‘I mean, if you’re busy or you don’t want to—’

  ‘I do,’ Jessica blurted. ‘I mean, it sounds nice. I’d like to come.’

  ‘Great. It’s a … uh, cool. I’ll look for you in the morning.’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘We’d better—’

  ‘Yeah.’

  They quickly finished off their mince pies and hot chocolate, then got back on the trail. Kirsten’s footsteps were still visible, although in places they paused where she had sheltered for a while from the snow. With the pauses coming more frequently, Jessica felt certain they were getting close. She just hoped they found her safe and unharmed. While the temperature was only a couple of degrees below zero, she had no idea how well Kirsten was dressed. She wouldn’t put it past her overly dramatic friend to have rushed off in her pajamas.

  They had just reached a little junction with a road heading out across the moor when James stopped. ‘Can you hear that?’ he said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘It sounds like music.’

  ‘I can’t hear anything.’

  ‘Listen carefully.’

  They both stood in silence for a few seconds. At first all Jessica could hear was the gentle patter of the snow, but then she picked something up behind it.

  ‘You’re right,’ she said.

  ‘It’s coming from up ahead.’

  They walked on past the junction, following the angle of the main road as it arced around the hillside, heading gently uphill. As it straightened out again, they saw a light through the snow up ahead, and another sound joined the music, which was coming louder than before: the hum of an idling engine.

  ‘It’s a car,’ James said. ‘That’s a little viewing spot up there. It has good views of the river valley. Someone’s in that car.’

  It took Jessica a moment to realise why the music sounded off. Then she realised.

  ‘Someone’s singing,’ she said.

  ‘More than one person,’ James added. ‘Sounds like a proper little party.’

  The car was rocking from side to side as three voices rose in discordant unison to holler the lyrics to Wham’s Last Christmas. Jessica cringed. She’d heard better coming from the Silver Tours group’s nightly sessions.

  As they reach
ed the snow-covered car park, Jessica saw three sets of tracks. The one they had followed, with two others coming from the opposite direction. The way the snow was disturbed around the car suggested it had taken some time for these arrivals to get inside, but as Jessica came close enough to make out shapes behind the foggy windows, she wondered if her worst fears were about to come true.

  ‘Well, looks like we might have found her,’ James said. ‘Do we really want to break up the party?’

  Jessica took a deep breath. ‘We’d better make sure,’ she said, then tapped on the nearest window.

  The singing immediately stopped as the rear window began to wind down. ‘We’re sorry, officer!’ someone shouted in a Bristolian accent. ‘We’ll pay for any damage. We just needed somewhere to shelter for a bit.’

  ‘Mick?’

  The overlarge frame of Doreen’s best friend took up the entire back seat. He was dressed in just a duffel coat with an Arsenal hat pulled down over his head. Jessica leaned in to see who was sitting in the front seats, but to her relief, neither appeared to be Doreen. One was most definitely Kirsten, a guilty grin on her face as she appeared tiny wrapped in two ski jackets. The other was someone Jessica had only seen briefly at a distance, but was dressed similarly inappropriately to Mick, in a Burberry jacket over an Arsenal shirt with an Arsenal beanie hat pulled down to his eye line.

  ‘Are you Phil?’

  ‘All right?’

  Jessica took this to mean yes. ‘Where’s Doreen?’

  Mick glanced at Phil, then lifted a can of Carlsberg and grinned. ‘Bit of a story, that. Left the car at Edinburgh services due to the snow, but Dor found a bus heading out this way. Dropped us off in some village back there, driver said the snow was too much to go no further. We got a few pints in, but Dor picked a fight with some Celtic fans so we legged it.’

  Jessica gave a slow shake of her head. ‘Doreen started a fight?’

  ‘Celtic have the Gunners in the Europa League next week,’ Phil said, by way of explanation. ‘They started mouthing off, so Dor heaved her pint over one, then got stuck in.’

  James glanced at Jessica, one eyebrow raised. ‘This is Doreen, your lodger?’

  ‘The very same.’ Jessica turned back to Mick and Phil. ‘So you left her behind? I’m not sad, by the way. Just wondering.’

  ‘Landlord called the pigs, so we bought a pack of tinnies and legged it.’

  Jessica wondered at how realistic a timeline allowed for them to pause and purchase a pack of Carlsberg before running away into the night, but no doubt their story had distorted somehow from true events. Still, the absence of Doreen was definitely a sign that God existed, and perhaps even liked her just a little bit.

  ‘And you ended up in this car?’

  Phil grimaced. ‘Sign said five miles, but you know, Mick’s a big lad, and there’s a bit of snow around. We’ll pay for the damage, honest.’

  ‘Whose car is this?’ Jessica asked, although even as she said it, she thought she might know the answer. There had been something familiar about it from the moment it first came into sight.

  ‘No idea,’ Phil said. ‘Had to pick the lock and give it a quick hotwire. I ain’t no crim, though. Me big brother taught me. He did a couple of months once but he’s straight now. Works in Carphone Warehouse.’

  Jessica looked at Kirsten. ‘And you just came across these guys out here?’

  Kirsten smiled. ‘The car was like an oasis in a snowy desert,’ she said, then abruptly frowned. ‘I’m sorry I ran off.’

  Jessica returned her smile. ‘And I’m sorry I thought you were a thief.’

  Phil looked from one to the other. ‘Looks like you two have some issues you need to thrash out over a few pints,’ he said.

  James laughed. ‘If you guys can handle the walk, I really think we should get back to the lodge. It’s not so far. They have Carlsberg Extra Cold on tap, and by now the Silver Tours lot will have finished, so the karaoke will be open.’

  28

  The Ring

  They stumbled into the lodge, bedraggled and tired, an hour later. Mildred immediately put out the call to Barry, who was fussing about upstairs, and the staff rushed to get the returnees and new arrivals settled. Both Phil and Mick were starving, as was Kirsten, who had skipped out on dinner to make her dramatic exit, but there was plenty left over from the buffet, which Demelza set to work heating while they all stood around the fire, warming up. As Mick and Phil produced the coupons Doreen had given them, Barry fussed about, then announced that the only free room was one of the executive suites on the third floor. Both were delighted, even more so when they learned about their famous neighbour, Phil having apparently received Ernest Lemond’s latest DVD as a stocking gift last year.

  And there were more surprises in store. Jessica had warmed to both Phil and Mick on the return to the lodge, with neither sharing the ferocious destructive insanity of her now-hopefully-behind-bars lodger. Kirsten seemed to have warmed even more to Mick, laughing at all of his jokes, digging him in the ribs a couple of times, even though walking beside him she looked like an elf accompanying a sumo wrestler. Jessica wondered what kind of awkward situation they would face upon arrival, but Ben, who was fervently waiting in reception with Mildred for their return, was immediately taken to find out, when a tightly worn Arsenal hat was removed to reveal shoulder-length blonde locks, that Phil was actually Philippa.

  After dinner was over, Jessica asked Kirsten for another quiet word.

  ‘Look, I just wanted to say I’m sorry again that I didn’t trust you. Well, I couldn’t believe you were a thief, but the evidence was there, and I just didn’t stop to think. I’m so sorry.’

  Kirsten gave her a shy smile. ‘It’s okay. I kind of went off at the deep end, didn’t I?’

  ‘I deserved it. You didn’t need to run away, though.’

  ‘I got a little hot under the collar, I think.’

  ‘Maybe we both need to calm down. Anyway, I wanted to say that, when we return to Bristol after New Year, if you want a full-time position, it’s yours. You know, full salary, not any of that trainee wage rubbish I have to pay you because of government regulations.’

  Kirsten’s face lit up. ‘Really, Ms. Lemond? Do you mean it? Oh, yes!’

  As she leapt forward to embrace Jessica in a fierce hug, Jessica caught James’s eye. He was standing beside the fireplace, eating a slice of chocolate log, and gave her a bemused smile. Jessica could only do her best to shrug.

  ‘One more thing,’ Jessica said, as Kirsten finally pulled away. ‘No more of this Ms. Lemond. If you do it again, I’ll dock you a month’s wages.’

  Kirsten gave a sharp nod. ‘Certainly. I’ll try.’

  As she hurried back to where Mick was talking a bored-looking Mildred through a recent three-nil Gunners victory over Chelsea, James sauntered over.

  ‘So, disaster averted,’ he said. ‘One last question and then I’d better get outside with a shovel and do my manly duty in the car park. Have you figured out who the thief really is? I imagine Barry would like to know who’s been munching their way through the stock.’

  ‘I think so,’ Jessica said. ‘I have something I need to make sure of first.’

  Grandpa was upstairs in his suite, watching TV while Charity held a warm cloth over his knees. ‘He’s feeling a little bit arthritic,’ she said, as Jessica entered.

  ‘I can take over for a bit,’ Jessica said, giving Charity a wink.

  ‘Don’t press too hard, love,’ Grandpa said, as Jessica sat down in front of him and laid the warm cloth against his knees. ‘It aches a little, but it’ll be all right in the morning. The doctor has advised me against aspirin, unfortunately. Doesn’t think my blood should get any thinner or my heart might give out. Problem is, I want to ride the log tomorrow.’

  ‘Ride what log?’

  ‘The Yule Log. We have the big ceremonial tree cutting in the morning. Apparently, it’s a tradition that someone climbs the tree and sits at the top when it comes down,
then rides it back to the place of burning.’

  Jessica laughed. ‘You’re out of your mind.’

  ‘Oh, I went out of that years ago. How are you, dear?’

  ‘I’m fine.’ She thought about her upcoming visit to James’s reindeer farm. ‘Better than fine, actually. Very well.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much to talk to you as I’d like. It’s just the schedule, and you know, I’ve got to get things done before I sign out for the last time.’

  ‘It’s all right. I did have a question, though. Two, actually. You know, before you take the information to the grave.’

  ‘Fire away.’

  ‘Do you remember back in the fifties, you were in a movie called Double Trouble?’

  Grandpa laughed. ‘How could I forget? Wonderful time, being on a movie set. All those silly stunts we had to do. So much more fun than stand-up comedy, but you know, once you get typecast….’

  ‘Do you remember the twins you worked with?’

  Grandpa’s eyes twinkled. ‘Of course. Quite the pair of lookers, they were. Oh, those were the days….’

  ‘Well, I, um, read on an, um, trivia website that you dated both. I just, ah, wondered, which one did you think you were dating?’

  Grandpa smiled. ‘Theodora and Trixie. A wonderful pair of ladies. We had such a grand time. However, I was such a terrible player in those days. All I really wanted was a chance with their sister.’

  ‘Ellen? Really?’

  Grandpa nodded. ‘Things were different in those days, weren’t they? I dated both, hoping one of them might bring their sister along as a chaperone. Oh, I was such a rogue. But they never did, and then filming wrapped, and I was back in Europe on a concert tour. I wonder what happened to those three? Long in their graves by now, I expect. As I ought to be.’

  ‘Ah, they’re downstairs. They own this lodge.’

  Grandpa’s jaw dropped, and Jessica wondered whether she ought to lay off the shocks a little. Then he said, ‘Well, I’ll never. Nice to know an old man can still be surprised. All of them? I’d better get down there before it’s too late. I need to apologise to Theodora and Trixie, then get a ring on Ellen’s finger.’