Christmas Weddings

by Georgia Hill

  ‘I’ll buy you another, or get that one repaired. It’s the very least I can do.’

  Eleri slipped it back into his pocket with a smile. ‘No, don’t do that, cariad bach. You keep it. Don’t you know? If you take a mermaid’s most prized possession, she has to stay with you.’

  ‘Is that why you came back? Because I had your bangle?’ Alex’s brow furrowed, trying to make the leap. ‘None of this makes the slightest sense to me.’

  Eleri shook her head and regarded his confusion fondly. ‘I came back to tell you I love you and wanted to find out if you’ll have me. Oh Alex, I’ve given my body to many men, but I never let go of my heart. Not until I met you. And it’s yours, Alex. My heart will always be yours.’

  He put his arms around her, bringing her close and they kissed again, this time passionately. ‘Does that answer your question?’ he asked, desire making his voice hoarse.

  ‘Nearly.’ She put her head on one side.

  Alex raised his eyebrows. ‘I think I might know what you mean,’ he said, deliberately slowly. ‘Well, it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good bed. And there’s a rather nice one just behind you. Shall we try it out?’

  ‘Only fair, I think.’ She led him to it, giggling in relief. It was going to be alright. Everything would be alright.

  Later, much later, two thoughts crossed her mind. One, that it was always a shock when nice boys made love so expertly. Two, and just before she let herself be swept away by the waves of pleasure, that being in this sumptuous bed with Alex was as good as swimming. She sank down onto him, surrounding him, loving his ecstatic groans and corrected herself. No, it was better. Far better.

  Chapter 47

  ‘Jed. I fail to understand you or your actions.’ Vanessa drew herself up to her full height. They were in the blue sitting room and had been arguing for an hour.

  ‘Well, not for the first time.’ Jed scowled.

  She blew out a frustrated breath. ‘I don’t understand you. I never have.’ She deflated a little. ‘I only want you to be happy, darling.’

  Jed shook his head slowly. ‘No, you want me to be happy doing what you think I ought to do. It’s not the same.’

  ‘Your father and I have given you every privilege,’ Vanessa snapped.

  They’d been going round and round in circles. Jed shoved a frustrated hand through his hair and then winced as he’d used his injured arm.

  ‘Darling, do sit down. You’ve gone awfully pale.’

  He sank onto the sofa. Arguing with his mother was taking it out of him. He almost preferred facing irate, gun-toting coffee growers, He was relieved when Vanessa sat next to him. At least he wouldn’t have her hovering over him, accusingly.

  She put a tentative hand on her youngest son’s hand. ‘I only want you to be happy, Jeremy, I really do,’ she said, sounding more conciliatory. ‘Why did you have to go off to God knows where and get into so much trouble? Your poor arm.’

  Jed thought for a second. ‘Ma, what did your parents think when you went to modelling school?’

  Vanessa looked askance at the change of subject and then answered. ‘They thought I was mad.’ She laughed slightly.

  ‘Why?’

  She sat back. ‘I expect they thought modelling wasn’t a suitable career for the likes of us. Or rather them.’ She touched off a flake of lipstick and concentrated on the stain of red on her fingertip. ‘They were the sort who believed in the class system, Jeremy.’ She corrected herself. ‘Actually, it wasn’t that. They didn’t think people like us should aim any higher than we were entitled to. That we shouldn’t stick our heads above the parapet.’ She made quotation marks with her fingers. ‘We were the sort who became bank clerks and secretaries.’

  ‘Can’t see you as a secretary, Ma.’

  ‘Quite.’

  ‘How did you persuade them to let you go? You were very young when you began, weren’t you?’

  ‘I used the example of Twiggy.’

  ‘Twiggy?’

  ‘Yes. She came from quite ordinary beginnings and became a global icon. I thought I could do the same. And was on my way until I fell in love with your father.’

  ‘You don’t regret marrying Dad?’

  ‘Of course not. He’s the love of my life. And he gave me you and Alexander.’ She patted his hand. ‘But that’s not what this is all about.’ She plucked a fleck of tinsel off his shirt. ‘We ought to get back to decorating the tree. This place really isn’t looking nearly Christmassy enough. We could have one in here too. Blue and silver to match the decor.’

  ‘Ma, it is what this is about, in a way,’ Jed said, in an attempt to stop her avoiding the subject. ‘If you’d become a secretary your parents would have been happy.’

  ‘Oh darling, they would have been ecstatic. Would have put all my grammar school education to good use. What’s your point, Jeremy?’

  ‘Don’t live your expectations through me.’ Vanessa chewed her lip and remained silent, so he continued. ‘Ma, I fully appreciate all you and Dad have done for me, I really do. Money is a huge luxury and it’s enabled me to do so much.’ He thought for a moment of how the lack of it had restricted Millie and what she’d hoped to do. He would have helped her, if she’d let him. ‘But I don’t want to end up being money’s slave. This last year has made me realise how powerful money is. What it can do when it’s used well instead of being frittered away. It can help rebuild a theatre roof, or provide windows in an art studio. Or provide an education for child workers. That’s the sort of life I want. To use my money to do good.’

  ‘Charity, you mean,’ his mother bit out.

  ‘If you like. I prefer the term investment.’

  Vanessa looked around at the blue sitting room. She wasn’t ready to concede quite yet. ‘And just what is your brother thinking in taking this pile on? It’s going to eat cash.’

  ‘You could be right there. He knows what he’s doing, though.’

  ‘And he’s given up on a promising career in the city.’

  ‘A promising career that was destroying him.’

  Vanessa humphed.

  ‘Mum, I think you should be proud of having raised two sons who have the confidence to take on the world and win it their way.’

  ‘With your father’s money.’

  ‘I can’t argue with that. You’ve both enabled us to be the men we are.’

  ‘Even if it’s not what I want for you both?’

  ‘Even that.’

  Vanessa was silent again. She stroked the velvet on the arm of the sofa. ‘I’m not going to win this, am I?’

  ‘No, Ma. Although I don’t like to think of this as a battle.’ He reclaimed her hand and squeezed it. ‘And, as far as Alex’s hotel goes, at least it means you’ll have somewhere nice to stay when you come to see us.’

  Chapter 48

  Coral brought in the inevitable tray of tea. She was unusually subdued, having learned to be wary of Jed and Alex’s fierce mother. ‘Now don’t be tiring yourself, Jed.’

  ‘I won’t. Thank you, Coral.’

  ‘Would you carry on with decorating the tree, Carol?’ Vanessa demanded casually. ‘We seem to have got rather waylaid.’

  ‘Ma, she’s here to nurse and not do odd jobs. And the name’s Coral.’

  ‘Whatever,’ Vanessa continued, unabashed. ‘Could you see to it? I hate to see the entrance hall looking quite so untidy. After all, you’re not doing any nursing at this minute, are you?’

  ‘Well now, wouldn’t I be glad to, Mrs Fitzroy-Henville?’ Coral’s eyes were amused when she met Jed’s embarrassed look. ‘As long as you promise me to get the patient upstairs for his afternoon rest at three o’clock. Sharp now, mind. I’ll not be happy to have his routine upset.’

  Vanessa, unused to being answered back by those she considered staff, bridled.

  Once Coral had left the sitting room, Jed let out a guffaw. ‘She got you there, Ma.’

  ‘Well, really.’

  ‘You’ll have to be mother, Mother
.’ Jed gestured to the teapot. ‘One arm in a sling makes me impossibly clumsy.’

  Vanessa concentrated on pouring tea. She handed him a cup. ‘You do seem to insist on surrounding yourself with the most extraordinary women, Jeremy.’

  ‘You haven’t met Eleri yet.’

  ‘Who’s she?’ Vanessa looked startled. ‘Not another one of your charity cases?’

  ‘Nothing to do with me. Eleri belongs to Alex.’

  Vanessa sank gracefully back onto the blue velvet. She sipped her tea. ‘I simply don’t understand where I went wrong,’ she cried. ‘All those perfectly suitable girls you both knew and you end up stuck in the West Country with two women with the most bizarre names.’

  ‘I wouldn’t insult Eleri, if I were you. She’ll put a curse on you.’

  Vanessa regarded her son over the bone china. ‘You are talking in jest. Aren’t you?’

  ‘Not entirely sure. There’s definitely something magical about her. Alex is crazy about her. And she’s been brilliant at getting this place sorted. I think she has some interior- design training.’

  Vanessa sniffed. ‘Well, I have to say this sitting room is looking marvellous. I look forward to meeting her.’ She gave an enormous sigh. ‘And what’s happening with this Millie person? I suppose, if I have to have some kind of witch around, I can tolerate a café owner as your girlfriend. Just. If this is really the sort of life you want.’

  Jed put down his cup, all levity gone. ‘Ah, as far as I know, she’s about to be whisked off to Tuscany in a Maserati.’ His face closed. ‘She didn’t want me, Mum. Millie doesn’t want anything to do with me and especially not my money.’

  Chapter 49

  In the little flat above Millie Vanilla’s, the local evening news blared out of the television in the corner. Millie, with a blanket over her to keep warm, patiently watched the news items about the Santa Special on the local steam train line, about the magnificent tree going up in Plymouth and something about a traditional nine lessons and carol concert happening in Exeter cathedral. Her own tree twinkled in the corner. Despite having next to no money, Millie couldn’t bear the idea of Christmas without a tree. She’d pleaded with Les in the Berecombe garden centre and he’d given her the top of one that he’d just trimmed.

  The item she was waiting for came on. It was the same journalist as before. Chloe something or other. Millie turned up the volume and concentrated.

  ‘I’m standing in Berecombe’s high street, outside the Blue Elephant café, which is at the heart of the recent controversy. I have with me Dennis Hall, leader of the town council and chair of the trading committee.’

  The camera panned out to include a self-conscious Dennis. He was pink-nosed with cold.

  ‘Mr Hall, can I ask you what the latest development is? Is the café likely to reopen?’

  Dennis puffed himself up to answer. It came out in a rush. ‘I can confirm that, as of this week, Blue Elephant is pulling out of Berecombe. What’s more, having received hard evidence that the company’s trading procedures do not meet the very stringent standards laid down by our trading committee, we will not renew the lease of the building to it or to any company not adhering to the Fair Trade status, which has just been awarded to our town.’ He grinned.

  ‘A shock development, Dennis.’

  ‘It is indeed, Chloe.’

  ‘So Christmas shoppers will have to look elsewhere for a coffee to warm themselves up with?’

  ‘They will indeed.’ Dennis looked straight into the camera. ‘But can I reassure any shoppers or visitors to our town that they are most welcome and that we have a wide range of places in which to eat and drink. We also have a wonderful selection of independent little shops in which to do your last minute Christmas shopping.’

  Millie grinned. ‘Doing a great job of bigging-up Berecombe there, Dennis.’

  ‘Thank you, Dennis. And many congratulations on achieving Fair Trade status.’ Chloe turned to camera and Dennis faded from shot. ‘And I have to say the town of Berecombe is looking really lovely this Christmas. The lights are up in the high street here and looking splendid and the tree is in its usual spot on the prom. There’s still a lot to welcome the shopper in.’ She smiled through chattering teeth. ‘But I have to say, a hot coffee would be great right at this minute. Can I come back to the studio now?’

  Millie hugged Trevor to her, not quite believing what she had just seen. Jed had been right. The story had made Blue Elephant too hot to handle and they’d simply shut up shop and gone. She supposed they might open in another town in the South West but Berecombe – and Millie Vanilla’s – was safe.

  ‘Oh Trev,’ she said, into his fur. ‘I think it might all be over.’

  Chapter 50

  Jed, watching the same news bulletin on the portable television in his room, sat back against his bed head. Gavin had done an excellent job. Blue Elephant was finished in Berecombe and maybe in the whole of the South West.

  Looking around at the shabby, yet to be re-decorated, walls of his room, he wondered if he had any future in Berecombe, or whether he was finished in the town too.

  Chapter 51

  Dora, her feet on Mike’s lap, as they lounged on the sofa in their Islington townhouse, sat up with a jerk. She’d been idly scanning the Devon news on her iPad.

  ‘Mike, darling, you’ll never believe what’s happened.’ She gave him an edited version. ‘Could we nip back home, do you think?’

  He ruffled her hair fondly. ‘Don’t see why not. Need to measure up the new house anyway. Maybe we could pop in and see your folks?’

  ‘Do we have to?’

  ‘Well, they’ll have to know at some point. Oh darling, not again?’ he added, as she leaped up and dashed to the downstairs loo, her hand cupping her mouth.

  Chapter 52

  Millie Vanilla’s was looking its absolute, Christmassy, best.

  Snowy white linen cloths covered the tables and white chiffon tie-backs with ivy decorated the chairs. Most tables bore Eleri’s glass vases with masses of white lights. Others had branches painted white and hung with frosted stars and hearts. Green napkins were tied with holly twigs, with the red berries making a splash of colour. Zoe had re-dressed the tree in silver and white and on top sat an angel with fluffy white wings. Strings of white lights hung from a central point and covered the ceiling. Once the lights were dimmed, it would be magical.

  Millie hugged Zoe and Eleri to her. ‘Thank you for all your hard work,’ she said, her eyes brimming. ‘I couldn’t have done it on my own.’

  ‘Well, natch.’ Zoe put in. ‘You needed our expertise.’

  Millie hugged her closer. The girl had worked like a demon. ‘You sound a bit happier.’

  ‘Not any happier.’ Zoe shrugged. ‘Just content I’ve made the right decision. Me and Sean had a heart to heart last night. Cried a lot,’ she admitted, ‘But agreed we’d try to stay mates.’

  ‘Ah cariad. Not easy.’ Eleri reached a hand around and squeezed the girl’s shoulder.

  ‘No need to ask how you are,’ Zoe retorted. ‘You haven’t stopped grinning all week.’

  ‘Have to confess to feeling pretty pleased with life,’ Eleri giggled. ‘All thanks to matchmaker Millie.’

  ‘Least I could do.’ Millie surveyed her café with immense satisfaction. ‘Wasn’t sure at times we’d pull it off, but actually, Millie Vanilla’s makes a pretty good wedding venue.’

  Zoe snorted. ‘The best!’ She gestured outside to the line of lanterns leading to the flower-decked arch. ‘Much better decision to go with fresh flowers. Must have cost a packet, though.’

  ‘Alex’s wedding present to the happy couple,’ Eleri explained.

  Zoe peered out into the dark. ‘I’ll just go and check the chairs. That front row looks wonky and Biddy won’t stand for that.’

  Millie and Eleri watched, amused, as Zoe tweaked the chairs into exactly the right position.

  ‘Have you decided what to do with the café, Mil?’

  Millie s
hook her head. ‘About the only thing I’ve made up my mind about is to shut down over the winter. At least that will cut down on overheads.’

  ‘No other offer come in?’

  ‘No. And not likely to at this time of year. Businesses at the seaside get sold when they’re busy. I’ve picked up trade from Blue Elephant closing, but not really enough to see me through until next season gets going.’ Millie sighed. ‘This might just be my – and Millie Vanilla’s – swansong.’

  Eleri put her arm around her. ‘All will –,’ she began.

  ‘I know, I know. All will be well.’ Millie forced a grin.

  ‘Of course it will,’ said a familiar, actressy voice. ‘I’m here. Hello honeybun. Happy Christmas! I’ve come to claim the afternoon tea Mike promised me months ago. Have you missed me?’

  Chapter 53

  Dora! Millie ran to her friend and engulfed her in a hug. ‘Whatever are you doing here? And Mike too. Come in, come in and shut the door. It’s freezing out there.’

  She introduced them to Eleri who, after greeting them and whispering something in Dora’s ear, said she would go and check on the canapés.

  Dora, looking shocked, asked who she was, so Millie explained.

  ‘Astonishing eyes,’ Mike said. Noticing Dora had gone pale he added, ‘What’s wrong Dor? What did she say to you?’

  She turned to him, still looking stunned. ‘She said, good luck with the baby.’

  He frowned. ‘But we haven’t told anyone yet.’

  ‘Baby!’ Millie screeched. ‘What baby?’

  Dora pouted. ‘Yup, you’ll have the pleasure of witnessing me balloon into an enormous lactating cow.’

  Mike came to her and put his arms around her. ‘Think the lactating comes later.’

  Dora rolled her eyes. ‘Ever the expert. I’m up the duff,’ she continued to Millie. ‘Preggers. I believe the current parlance in Islington is, we are having a baby. Only three months, though, so keep it to yourself, Mil.’