A Perfect Cornish Christmas

by Phillipa Ashley

  ‘Me too,’ Scarlett said.

  ‘Ellie did warn me you were moving down here.’ He sucked in a breath. ‘Brave.’

  ‘Really?’ Scarlett asked. ‘Why’s that?’

  ‘The locals.’

  She smiled. ‘Are they that scary?’

  ‘Some …’ he laughed. ‘I was born and brought up in Porthmellow myself until I joined the army. I’m a vehicle engineer.’

  ‘Ah. So you’ve been helping Ellie with her car,’ Scarlett said innocently.

  ‘Trying to. It’s been in a mate’s lock-up in town for almost two weeks but I finally got the part last night. Should have it back on the road tomorrow.’

  ‘That will save you from giving me a lift into town,’ said Ellie.

  ‘It’s been no trouble. I have to go up and down to town most days anyway – which reminds me, will you be going to the festival planning meeting next week?’

  Ellie nodded.

  ‘Mum and Dad have roped me in to help with the Solstice Festival,’ Aaron said, exchanging a glance with her. ‘They’ve been on the main committee from the start so I can’t say no.’

  ‘What’s the Solstice Festival?’ Scarlett asked.

  ‘It’s a Christmas festival mashed up with old Cornish pagan traditions. First time we’ve had one in Porthmellow,’ Ellie explained.

  ‘Sounds like fun,’ said Scarlett.

  ‘It should be. It’s meant to be a quirky celebration of the passing of the shortest day. The sailing trust did tours of our new boat at the summer food festival and it went so well, we’re going to repeat it at the solstice event and decorate it with fairy lights and dress up as pirates. You’ll have to come aboard and have a tour.’ She directed this at Aaron.

  He held Ellie’s gaze a millisecond too long. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

  Scarlett narrowly avoided blurting out that they should get a room. Ellie was transfixed, her eyes lighting up, and Aaron seemed equally mesmerised. Wow, so Scarlett had walked in on a blossoming romance between her sister and this admittedly sexy hunk of a bloke. Ellie wouldn’t be thanking her for cramping her style. Maybe they were already sleeping together and now she’d be in hearing distance of it all. Ouch.

  He turned his attention to Scarlett, perhaps realising that he’d been ignoring her in favour of Ellie. ‘Do you know my mum and dad? They’re Porthmellow stalwarts. Born and brought up here; lived here all their lives. My dad, Troy, still helps out the harbour commission and he always wears a fisherman’s cap. My mum, Evie, has recently had her knee replaced so she has a pink walking stick.’

  ‘Scarlett hasn’t been down to Porthmellow since last Christmas,’ Ellie put in hastily.

  ‘OK. Sorry, I tend to assume everyone knows my mum and dad.’

  But the penny was dropping for Scarlett. The elderly man in the fisherman’s hat and the lady leaning on a stick. Troy and Evie. Of course. Even though Scarlett had been in a terrible state and half-frozen, the names of the people at the Smuggler’s Christmas lunch were imprinted on her mind. She realised she’d have to see them sooner or later. Everyone, especially the Carmans, had been so kind to her. Once she’d warmed up, the pub landlady had called Ellie who’d arrived with a coat and warm clothes to escort her home. Scarlett had apologised profusely and said there had been a bit of family tension, which combined with too much fizz on an empty stomach had led to her needing some space.

  ‘Actually, I think I might have come across them,’ she replied.

  ‘I doubt you’d forget them. They’re a real pair of characters.’

  Scarlett smiled politely. ‘I’m sure I’ll get to know them better now I’ve moved in here.’

  ‘Do you plan on staying long?’

  ‘As long as Ellie will have me.’ Scarlett didn’t want to commit Ellie to anything in front of Aaron. If her hunch was right, Ellie fancied him like mad, but that might be as far as the attraction went. Ellie could only have known him for two weeks anyway. ‘What about you?’ she asked, figuring this was a good opportunity to ask about his plans on her sister’s behalf.

  ‘A few months at least. More, possibly. I’m trying to see if I can set up a security business with a friend from the army. We have a couple of private clients down here and a contract for several events already, starting with the festival.’

  Scarlett laughed. ‘Expecting trouble, are you?’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure the seagulls can kick off big style.’ He grinned. ‘But security is something the organisers have to take very seriously, even though it’s not usually a problem. Mum and Dad have said that they’re not expecting it to be anywhere near as big as the summer food festival so my team probably won’t have much to do.’

  ‘Even so, it might be more work than you think,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Yes, and my parents will make sure I don’t slack.’ He glanced at his watch, a chunky rubber affair with a tonne of dials. ‘I’d better go. I’ve got a meeting with a potential client this evening. Maybe we’ll see you both down the Tinners’ tomorrow? A bunch of us are meeting up there for a few drinks. Could be a great way for Scarlett to meet the locals?’

  ‘Sounds good,’ Ellie said, adding, ‘if it’s OK with Scarlett?’

  Scarlett nodded. Even though she wasn’t hugely looking forward to meeting the Christmas Day lunch gang again, she didn’t want Ellie to miss out on the chance of seeing Aaron, even if it was in a group. ‘Sure. I’ll drive if you like, Ellie.’

  ‘If you don’t mind.’

  ‘No problem.’

  ‘Great. Sorted.’ Aaron got up and Scarlett decided to make herself scarce while they said goodbye.

  ‘I ought to finish my unpacking. Nice to meet you, Aaron. See you tomorrow night.’ With a smile, she headed for the stairs, intent on leaving Ellie to see him off the premises. She caught a snatch of Aaron saying something she couldn’t quite make out and Ellie replying, ‘Oh, I promise to let you know if either of us need you.’

  Scarlett closed her bedroom door to give them some privacy. Nevertheless, while she unpacked her clothes, she could still hear laughter and the rise and fall of animated voices for a few minutes until the front door shut again.

  Ellie obviously had a tank-sized crush on the guy and Scarlett didn’t blame her. But even if her sister hadn’t fancied him, she wouldn’t have dreamed of going after Aaron. She had enough on her plate looking after her new customers, and trying to build up the business.

  She had another moment of misgiving, wondering if she should have come to Seaholly at all. The vanishing postcard and arrival of Aaron had been a sobering wake-up call. She’d been so wrapped up in her own insecurities since last Christmas, it had blinded her to her family’s worries. She should have thought more carefully before landing on Ellie, but now she was here, she had to make the best of things while trying not to disrupt her sister’s life. Scarlett was sure that the clue to her heritage lay in Porthmellow and she could still look for her father without the postcard, though it was going to be a whole lot harder. It could have been thrown out, of course, or her mum might have moved it.

  On the upside, perhaps some of the older locals who’d known Joan might remember her parents visiting – particularly her mother. The pub might be a great place to start her quest to find out more about her father.

  Chapter Five

  The Tinners’ Arms was the newer of Porthmellow’s two pubs; new being only two hundred years old rather than four. The solid granite tavern, built for workers in the nearby mines, was situated on the opposite side of the harbour to the whitewashed Smuggler’s Tavern, the scene of Scarlett’s Christmas Day meltdown. Like its ‘rival’, it was one of the main social hubs of the town and even on a dark October evening, was surprisingly busy with locals.

  ‘Oh, look. The festival committee is in here. You can meet everyone all at once,’ Ellie said as they walked inside.

  ‘What?’ Scarlett followed Ellie’s gaze with a sinking feeling. The group of people squashed around tables by the fire turned their coll
ective gaze on her and an unpleasant memory flooded back. ‘Oh my God, no. Aaron didn’t mention they’d all be in here. There’s loads of them.’

  She tried to turn around, but Ellie was right behind her.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she soothed, ushering Scarlett further into the dim interior. ‘It’s only Sam Lovell and her sister, Zennor, and her fiancé, Ben. They’re all lovely. So’s Drew, my boss, and his partner, Chloe.’

  ‘Oh, so not many people then!’ Scarlett whispered as they queued at the bar. ‘And you forgot the elf man!’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘That guy. The tall one with the surf-dude hair. He was in the pub when I rocked up on Christmas Day, along with Sam and Evie and her husband. They all were.’

  Ellie gave their drinks order before replying. ‘So?’

  ‘So? Have you forgotten I was wearing a pair of bunny slippers and acting like a crazed escapee from a maximum-security institution? This is a terrible idea. The elf man covered me in his fleece … like a pensioner or a poorly hamster.’ Scarlett stifled a groan of shame.

  Ellie glanced again at the elf man. ‘Oh, you must mean Jude Penberth? He’s not a surfer, as far as I know, but it’s just like him to help you out. He’s lovely, and as I’ve said before a dozen times, there’s no shame in having asked for help. They know you were very upset. They won’t judge you. Sam’s had problems of her own.’

  ‘Really? Like finding out her father isn’t her dad after all and running off to a bunch of strangers in her slippers?’

  ‘Much worse,’ Ellie said quietly. ‘Sam’s father left the family when she was little. Then her mother died, leaving Sam to look after Zen and her brother, Ryan. Ryan tried to rob some of the villagers and did a runner for over a decade. He’s back now, though, and if he can come home to Porthmellow, I’m sure you can. It’s not as if you did anything wrong.’

  Scarlett looked at Sam and winced. ‘Well, I suppose if you put it like that … mind you, I feel even worse now for making such a fuss.’

  ‘It was a shock.’

  Ellie’s eyes widened. ‘Oh my, Gabe Mathias is here too. We’re definitely not leaving.’

  ‘Gabe Mathias? What? The Gabe Mathias, the TV chef?’

  ‘Yes, he’s Sam’s partner.’

  Scarlett saw a tall, tanned and very handsome man rejoin the group of committee members.

  Ellie handed her a glass of Pinot Grigio. ‘Come on, you know you’d love to meet him. He’s a sweetheart, too.’

  ‘Everybody seems to be in this town.’ Scarlett sipped her wine sedately, determined to show she could be restrained around alcohol.

  ‘Er, not quite. But this bunch are all right. All you need to do is smile and say hello. Everyone knows you’re sane normally.’

  Scarlett almost choked on her wine. ‘Thanks!’

  Despite her misgivings, she decided that she’d better get the introductions over with. Fixing a smile on her face, she followed Ellie. This was going to be like taking a plunge into an unheated pool and Scarlett decided it was best to dive straight in, live with the pain and get used to it. It was better than bumping into each person individually over the next few weeks and having to go through the whole excruciating, ‘Yes, it was me,’ ‘Yes, I’m fine now,’ ‘Thanks for being so kind,’ over and over again. More importantly, if she wanted to have a chance of discovering some clues to her biological father’s identity, she was going to have to bite the bullet and swallow her pride.

  The gang around the table was an eclectic mix. Sitting next to Troy and Evie Carman were Ben and Zennor, a gawky young couple in goth make-up, matching purple hair and biker leathers who were intertwined like vines. You couldn’t slot a beer mat between the festival chairperson Sam Lovell and Gabriel Mathias, whose arm was draped around her shoulder. At the end of the booth, Scarlett recognised a ponytailed older guy as Drew, Ellie’s boss from the sailing trust, and his partner, Chloe, whom Ellie had said was a London events organiser. Apparently, she was over fifty, but Scarlett thought she looked at least ten years younger.

  Then there was the elf man, perched on a barstool, minus his hat of course, his tousled blond hair brushing his shoulders. She was determined to act naturally and do everything she could to prove she wasn’t always as weird as this lot must think she was.

  ‘Oh look, there’s Aaron.’ She pointed to the man carrying a tray of drinks from the bar to the committee table. Ellie’s eyes lit up. Aaron mouthed hello and nodded to the group, signalling that she and Ellie should join everyone.

  ‘Come on.’ Ellie led the way and all heads turned in their direction.

  Aaron put the tray on the table. ‘I’ve invited Ellie and her sister to meet everyone. If we’re nice to Scarlett, I thought we might have another new recruit for the festival team.’

  ‘Um. I’m not sure I’d be of any use …’ Scarlett began, trying not to live up to her name as she came face to face with her rescuers.

  People smiled and nods were exchanged. ‘Hello, Ellie. Hi, Scarlett.’ The chorus of greetings was warm and friendly.

  Troy, wearing his cap minus the tinsel, peered at her. ‘Eh. You’re the maid who wandered into the pub on Christmas Day. We were proper worried about you until Ellie came to take you home.’

  His wife nudged him. ‘Troy. That was ages ago, she won’t want to be reminded of that tonight. She was just having one of those days. We all do.’

  Evie was spot on. Scarlett summoned up the biggest grin she could find. ‘I’m fine now and you’ll be pleased to know I’m not wearing my bunny slippers.’

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  Troy chuckled. ‘Pleased to see you have a sense of humour, maid. It’ll stand you in good stead around here. Jude, stand up and give one of these ladies a seat.’

  ‘No need, because we have to go soon.’ Drew pulled out his chair.

  ‘It’s nothing personal. We promised to babysit my granddaughter,’ Chloe said. ‘Hopefully we’ll see you again soon, if you’ve moved into Porthmellow?’

  ‘I’m sure you will,’ Scarlett replied, keen not to wash any more of her dirty linen in public.

  Sam and Gabe began to chat to her. Sam was funny and kind, and being close to Gabe Mathias was no hardship, as he was even more gorgeous in the flesh than on the TV. Wait until her friends back in Brum heard about it … when she eventually returned there – if she did. Looking around the pub, surrounded by strangers – apart from her sister – she had a panicky moment. She hadn’t really thought of any plans beyond moving in with Ellie and hunting for her real father. It was ironic that before the momentous events of the previous Christmas, she’d been the queen of forward planning. The revelation about her parentage had changed that, and perhaps made her live for the moment more. Soon, the talk turned to the festival and Scarlett was very happy to have the focus shift away from her.

  As Aaron had briefly outlined, the event was to be a joint Christmas and solstice festival, which brought together the traditional and pagan elements of the season, celebrating the passing of the shortest day and the festivities to come. It was scheduled for the night of the twenty-first and Scarlett was surprised to hear that several thousand people were expected. She loved visiting the German Christmas market in her home city, and though this event was on a toy-town scale compared to that, it sounded charming. There would be street entertainers, a solstice parade with people in fancy dress led by fire-eaters. The town band would be playing festive music and stalls would sell gifts and seasonal food. Gabe was doing a cookery demo of festive grub.

  ‘We’re always looking for more volunteers,’ Evie said. ‘If you wanted to help.’

  Troy tutted. ‘Eh, don’t rope the girl in. We’ve only just met her.’

  ‘It’s OK. I’m not sure how I can help, but I’ll be happy to lend a hand if you like.’ Scarlett decided that this was another way to show she was prepared to be a good citizen. And probably also a good way to find out more about her father.

  ‘I’m sure we can find you somet
hing,’ Sam said. ‘When you’ve settled in, let Ellie know if you want to join in, or give one of us a call.’

  A few of the younger committee members went to the bar, and Troy vanished to the loo, leaving Scarlett next to Evie, while Aaron, Jude and Ellie chatted.

  Evie shuffled closer. ‘Are you feeling any better these days?’ she asked in a low voice. ‘Ellie’s told me that your mum and dad are still having a few problems, not that she’s shared the details – or that it’s any of my business.’

  Scarlett baulked at the open mention of their issues, however, Ellie had had to make some excuses for her behaviour the previous Christmas. Evie was so sweet and genuine that Scarlett didn’t mind too much. She was determined to be cheerful and show her festive meltdown had been a one-off, and besides, this was an opportunity to make a few enquiries of her own.

  ‘It’s OK, and you’re right, Mum and Dad are going through a difficult patch … um, do you know them well?’

  ‘Not very well. Obviously, your auntie Joan was a stalwart of the village. Such a clever lady. I loved her books.’ Evie winked. ‘She used to give me a signed copy when a new one came out, even the racy ones. Did you know about those?’

  ‘Joan didn’t think Ellie and I knew, but we found the copies hidden away even before she died.’

  ‘She was one of a kind, was Joan. So refined and ladylike but with a wicked sense of humour, and very open-minded.’

  ‘Hmm …’ Scarlett replied, wondering if it was an open secret that Joan had been having a relationship with her ‘handyman’. ‘We all loved her to bits and miss her a lot, especially my mum … she used to spend a lot of her time here, particularly when we were young.’

  ‘No wonder. Seaholly Manor is a beautiful place.’

  ‘Mum found it peaceful and soothing. With my dad working away such a lot, she liked to bring us here for holidays when we were little … and she used to come with Ellie before I was born.’ Scarlett felt like she was treading on wobbly stepping stones, not sure if she should venture any further. ‘Do you remember those days? Mum says they had a lot of fun.’