Once Upon a Winter: A totally perfect festive romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  ‘I’d better stay outside in case I’m needed,’ Hannah said.

  ‘I’ll stay outside too,’ Gina added, ‘in case I’m needed for… well, you never know.’

  Jess shook her head but didn’t say a word.

  ‘That’s fine,’ said George, ‘teas all round. I’ll be back in a tick.’

  Jess hoisted herself onto George’s garden wall, her legs dangling as she stuck a pair of earphones in and turned her iPod on. Gina folded her arms as she watched Ross work.

  ‘You’ll probably miss your train,’ Hannah said.

  ‘Probably,’ Gina replied, her gaze still trained on Ross’s bum.

  ‘Will there be a later one?’ Hannah asked.

  Gina shrugged. ‘I expect so.’

  ‘You don’t seem too worried.’

  ‘No point now, is there?’

  Hannah sighed. ‘I’m sorry this hasn’t been the Christmas I hoped it would be for you. Everything keeps going wrong, even today when I’m trying to get you home. I think I’m jinxed or something.’

  Gina turned to her now, eyebrows raised in vague disbelief. ‘Are you kidding? It’s been the best Christmas I’ve had in ages!’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Compared to the dull round of cooking, eating too much and then falling asleep in front of the telly…’

  ‘We did quite a lot of that,’ Hannah cut in.

  ‘We did,’ Gina laughed, ‘but I couldn’t have asked for better company. Not to mention the added bits of excitement that I definitely never had with Howard at Christmas.’ She gave an impish grin as her gaze returned to Ross. ‘And we’ve met some very interesting new people too.’

  Hannah smiled. Her mind also went back to an interesting new acquaintance, but it wasn’t Ross. Hers was a man whose real name she didn’t know, and whose whereabouts now were just as much of a mystery. And yet, she couldn’t get him out of her thoughts.

  ‘Could you turn the engine over for me?’ Ross called, breaking in on her reverie. Hannah gave silent thanks for the distraction; one place she really didn’t need to go right now was Tom – or whatever his name was. He was out of reach and out of her life and dwelling on anything other than that was not healthy.

  She took herself behind the steering wheel and turned the key. The engine wheezed and clunked but it didn’t start.

  ‘Again?’ Hannah called.

  ‘Not yet,’ Ross shouted back. ‘I think I’ll need to get some more tools.’ He appeared at the driver’s window and leaned in. ‘You might want to take it easy for a minute or two, take George up on his offer of a warm kitchen.’

  ‘I hate to sound ungrateful, but do you have any idea how long you might be? Only I’m worried about Gina and Jess getting home.’

  Ross mussed his hair before clamping his cap back on. ‘I could take them to the station and then come back to look at your car.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Hannah said quickly, ‘I didn’t mean it like that! You’ve already done far too much for us, I don’t want to turn you into a taxi service as well.’

  ‘I don’t mind at all. In fact, it would be my pleasure.’

  Gina spoke up from behind him. ‘I think it sounds like a great idea. I’d be ever so grateful and I’d really rather not wait for the next train home.’

  Hannah raised her eyebrows as they both turned to look at Gina. She hadn’t been that bothered about missing her train only moments before.

  ‘Great,’ Ross said. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that we can go in the Land Rover this time, so you won’t have to rattle around in the cab of a tractor.’

  ‘Oh, I would have quite liked the tractor again,’ Gina smiled.

  George returned with a tray of tea. Risking third degree burns, they gulped it down as quickly as they could while explaining that they had now decided to try and catch Gina’s train, and so had to rush off. George had looked disappointed at first when they said they were going, but rallied at the idea that Ross and Hannah would be back to finish fixing her car later.

  Even Jess managed to look impressed as Ross opened the door of his swish Land Rover Discovery for them some moments later.

  ‘Just got it last month,’ he said, and he looked almost as proud as he did whenever he mentioned Bess, his tractor. ‘It’s brand new too, the first time I’ve ever been able to afford that.’

  ‘What’s this one called?’ Gina asked as she climbed in.

  Ross coloured and gave her a sheepish grin. ‘Sally.’

  Jess burst out laughing, quickly followed by everyone else, even Ross.

  ‘I have to ask,’ Gina said as the laughter died down, ‘why Sally?’

  ‘Sally Cinnamon…’ Gina looked at him blankly. ‘Like the song?’ Ross added, trying but failing to enlighten her.

  ‘Sally Cinnamon you’re my world…’ Jess cut in. ‘The Stone Roses?’

  Ross turned to her, looking pleased that at least someone could place his reference. ‘You know it?’

  Jess shrugged. ‘A bit before my time but, yeah, I’ve heard it.’

  ‘Not that I’m an expert, but I’d say that’s before your time too, isn’t it Ross?’ Hannah asked.

  ‘A little,’ he grinned. ‘But only just.’

  ‘Right… so now we’ve got that sorted, shall we go?’ Jess suggested, looking rather bored with the proceedings already.

  ‘Yes milady,’ Gina said, throwing Hannah a knowing smile. ‘Right away.’

  Ross took back roads and shortcuts that Hannah had no idea even existed, and got them to the station in half the time it would have taken her. Not that her little car would have made it down most of the dirt tracks that counted as roads for Ross and his Land Rover, even if she had known about them.

  As they said goodbye in the carpark, Hannah couldn’t help but notice the spark between Gina and Ross, with a look so loaded passing between them that had Hannah not known Gina’s whereabouts at all times during the last week, she would have sworn they were already embroiled in an affair. They left him waiting for Hannah in the car, while she accompanied Gina and Jess to wait on the platform for the train. It wasn’t long before it arrived, and although they said the same goodbyes they had said a hundred times before, Hannah was still left bereft as she watched the train pull away. They were hardly a world away from her, but tears stung her eyes like they never had before at their departure, and she felt properly lonely in her little universe for the first time since Jason had left. She was all too glad to see Ross’s broad smile as she hurriedly rubbed away the tears.

  ‘Did they get off alright?’ he asked cheerfully as he opened the passenger door for her.

  ‘Yes. Thank you so much for coming to our rescue again.’

  ‘It’s really nothing. Hopefully I’ll be able to get your car running when we get back. Do you mind if I pick up my tools on the way through?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Hannah said as they pulled out of the carpark.

  ‘You could pop in and say hello to my mum if you like,’ he said. ‘Only the other day she mentioned that she hadn’t seen you around in ages.’

  Hannah wondered how she had become the topic of conversation between Ross and his mum, and for reasons she couldn’t explain hoped it had nothing to do with the last time Ross had literally dug her out of a hole and taken her to the hospital to look for a man she barely knew. She wondered what else Ross’s mum would have said about that particular scenario; she felt more than a little daft when she thought about it now. Not for the first time, she also wished that Gina hadn’t been quite as chatty with Ross about it. She had no issue being involved in the Holly Way community, she just didn’t want to be their entertainment.

  ‘That’d be nice,’ she said vaguely as these ideas, quickly followed by unwanted thoughts of Tom, raced around her head.

  ‘That reminds me,’ Ross added as he navigated a tight bend with such ease that Hannah wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that he drove rally cars in his spare time. ‘Did you lose a watch?’

  ‘No. But I might kno
w someone who has.’

  ‘It was in the snow the other day when I ploughed the lane. An expensive looking beast, actually, and it’s lucky I didn’t crush it underneath Bess’s wheels.’

  ‘That is a bit of luck,’ Hannah agreed. ‘I think it might belong to one of the paramedics who came to our house on Christmas day. He came back later saying he’d lost one and left his phone number in case we found it. I’ll call him.’

  ‘I’ll dig it out when we stop off at the farm and you can take a photo to text him.’

  ‘Brilliant idea!’ Hannah smiled. It certainly was a stroke of luck that Ross had come across the lost watch, if it was the right one, of course. Some would call it a coincidence; just another one in a set of coincidences that seemed to get stranger and stranger.

  Ross pulled up on the wide gravel drive of a ramshackle farmhouse. Despite its chaotic appearance, Holly Farm was well maintained and obviously loved. The full majesty of the summer gardens weren’t in evidence, but the grounds were still vibrant with evergreens; brightly coloured furniture and ornaments cheering the winter scene. Neat outbuildings flanked the main house. The farm building itself was sixteenth century, but over the years there had been many additions and much rebuilding, so that some parts were higgledy piggledy, and others had the straight, clean lines of modern buildings. At the far left was an annexe that looked to be the newest bit of all. Ross was quick to announce that this was his alone, built by his parents when he turned twenty-five in exchange for a promise that he’d stay with them rather than move out, and that he’d take on the farm when they’d both gone. It was a promise he had been only too happy to make, he said, as he wouldn’t have moved very far even if he’d gone, and he loved the farm and his life on it so much that he couldn’t imagine doing anything else for a living anyway. In preparation, he now had his own flock of sheep and sections of the business that his dad had parcelled up and gifted to him so that he could make some money of his own. It was a scheme that made everyone happy and, from what Hannah could see of Ross, she had to conclude that he was doing a pretty good job with his dad’s gift.

  Hannah followed Ross into what looked like the oldest part of the building, and found herself in a low-ceilinged kitchen. The floor was flagged in ancient stones, worn with centuries of footfall, and the wooden beams that supported the ceiling, though varnished, told the tale of an age-old battle with woodworm. Nowadays, the ceiling also sported modern spotlights, and the kitchen was well-equipped with gadgets and labour-saving devices that the original inhabitants of the house could never have dreamt of. A brick red Aga filled the room with welcome warmth and made a handsome focal point. The room was currently deserted, though Hannah could smell something sweet baking.

  ‘Take a seat,’ Ross said. ‘Mum must be in the house somewhere.’

  Hannah hovered at the vast wooden table. She didn’t really want to make herself at home in a house when the owners didn’t know she was there. But Ross didn’t seem concerned about whether Hannah accepted his invitation or not, and merely strode towards a connecting door that led to the rest of the house. He stuck his head through the doorway and bellowed into the space beyond.

  ‘MUM! Where are you? I’ve got one of those visitors you’re always moaning you don’t get!’ He turned back and gave Hannah a broad grin. ‘Don’t worry; if she had a houseful every day she’d still moan. She loves visitors, does Mum. Before you know it she’ll have you promising to make jam for the next WI meeting.’

  Hannah prayed to the gods of anything she could think of that Briony Hunter did no such thing. It sounded pretty close to Hannah’s idea of hell.

  A moment later there was a series of thuds from the floor above, and then Ross’s mother hurried into the kitchen. She was slightly out of breath, and smoothed down a bob that would have been the exact shade of blonde as Ross’s had it not been generously threaded with silver. ‘Oooh!’ she squeaked as she set eyes on Hannah, ‘how lovely to see you! I’m so sorry about the mess, I’ve been cleaning upstairs. If I’d known I was going to get a visitor I’d have cleaned downstairs first.’

  Hannah smiled. She couldn’t help but notice that downstairs was already spotless – at least the kitchen was – and a lot cleaner than her own place right now. ‘Ross is very kindly helping me with my car. I hope I won’t be in your way for long.’

  Briony shook her head at her son, but she wore a fond smile. ‘Any excuse to tinker with an engine, eh?’ She turned to Hannah. ‘You’ll stay for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, won’t you? I have a lovely sponge just out of the oven, or some fruit cake left from Christmas. Ross can manage by himself, can’t you?’

  ‘I thought you’d say that,’ Ross said. ‘But I’ve only come to get some tools; the car is at George Maynard’s place.’

  ‘Take your time so we can have a little gossip,’ Briony said. ‘There’s no rush.’

  Hannah couldn’t decide if she felt pleased or aggrieved that she wasn’t being offered a choice about whether she stayed for tea or not. She half wondered how many other ‘visitors’ were still being held, perhaps in a cellar or under-stairs cupboard, dressed in rags and being force-fed sponge cake and WI jam every day.

  As Ross let himself out of the back door with a chuckle, a brief blast of cold air swirled through the warm kitchen, until the door closed behind him again. Hannah had been abandoned and now took a seat and surrendered to Briony’s well-meaning but endless chatter. Before the tea had even brewed in the pot Hannah heard all about Nicola Robinson’s IVF (she’d never met Nicola but already knew the intimate workings of her ovaries), the vicar’s pulled hamstring during the Millrise half marathon, Jean Johnson’s hysterectomy and how much the average lamb would fetch at auction. Briony was a lovely woman, and Hannah could see where Ross got his warmth and generosity from, but she wasn’t half exhausting to listen to.

  ‘So…’ Briony said as she poured Hannah’s tea. ‘Ross tells me you found a stray man on Christmas Day. Have you heard any more from him since he went off to hospital?’

  Hannah almost dropped the slice of fruit cake she was holding. She had thought that Briony not mentioning it until now meant that she didn’t know, but it seemed she’d simply had a lot of gossip to get off her chest before the interrogation on a new victim could begin. Having heard how much she was happy to reveal about other people’s affairs, Hannah decided that a policy of information economy might be wise. Before this week, she and Ross had only exchanged a few words in passing – a comment on the weather or the state of the potholes on Holly Way – so sitting here like this with Briony was new territory for her. She was sure they were a lovely family to be friends with, and would always be there to help out in a crisis, but Hannah wasn’t sure she was ready to be that fully integrated into their life; she had the feeling, however, that after today, there wouldn’t be a lot of choice in the matter.

  ‘No, I haven’t seen him,’ Hannah replied. ‘I don’t expect I will now.’

  ‘Oooh, that’s a shame. It would have been nice to find out how things turned out for him. I bet you’ve been wondering.’

  Hannah took another bite of cake, though it was more to stifle the need for a reply than because she wanted it. She’d thought of little else, and as the days went by she became more convinced that Tom had found one set of memories and lost another – the ones that contained her. She kept telling herself that it was only to be expected, but perhaps some recognition of their Christmas day together would have been nice. She supposed there would be lots of reasons why not, though, and it was silly to get worked up over it.

  ‘I’ve just had a marvellous idea!’ Briony said. ‘We’re looking for ladies to feature on next year’s calendar for the church fund. I don’t suppose you’d like to take part?’

  ‘A calendar?’ Though Hannah was relieved that the subject of Tom had been dropped, she felt even more uncomfortable at this new one. She had visions of topless women draped in vegetables, like that film she’d watched with Gina, and it was the last thing she fa
ncied… She fancied the idea of offending her host even less though.

  ‘We’ve done this year’s of course, and I’m just waiting for the vicar to bring my copy so I can’t show it to you, I’m afraid. It’s all very tasteful though, and you’d make a lovely October.’

  Hannah wondered what it was about her that said October. Perhaps it was something to do with Halloween and the fact that she was looking particularly scary today. ‘I’m not sure it’s really me…’ she began, but Briony cut her off.

  ‘Do say yes! It’s the same old faces every year and it would be lovely to have a new one.’

  ‘I’m not very photogenic…’

  ‘Everyone is photogenic by the time Rainbow gets hold of them.’

  ‘Rainbow?’

  ‘Our photographer. She’s absolutely brilliant.’

  ‘I’m sure she is but…’

  ‘You’d be great…’ Ross stood in the doorway holding a metal tool box, and with a huge grin on his face. He turned to his mum. ‘I can’t leave you alone for ten minutes without you trying to recruit.’

  ‘When you bring a lovely young lady over, what else am I going to do?’

  ‘I wouldn’t exactly say young…’ Hannah gave a self-conscious laugh. She really wanted this conversation to be over.

  ‘Come on, Hannah…’ Ross angled his head at the back door. ‘Let me rescue you.’

  ‘Back to the glamorous world of broken-down cars – yes please,’ Hannah smiled.

  Briony looked rather put out and made Hannah solemnly promise to at least consider the calendar and to make sure she called for tea at the farmhouse again whenever she had time. She grumbled good-naturedly that Ross’s dad was always out and she was forever alone, and that Ross was becoming almost as much of a workaholic as his father, and then Hannah finally managed to say goodbye before following Ross out to his Land Rover.

  ‘They’re not nudie calendars,’ Ross laughed as he opened the door for her. ‘More likely you’ll be suffocating under pumpkins and apples, so we’d hardly see that much of you at all.’