Chapter 13
By the time we set off the next morning, having checked that Catherine really didn’t mind that I was disappearing, there were a few flakes of snow in the air and the weather report on the local radio station was suggesting we could be in for quite a bit more. Jamie warmed up the Land Rover while I fetched my wellingtons from the boot of my car, along with my thicker Barbour.
‘An outfit for every occasion,’ he teased, when I jumped into the passenger seat.
‘Naturally,’ I said, refusing to take the bait or tease him about the size of the holes in the cuffs of his jumper.
The better I got to know Jamie, the more he surprised me. In some ways he seemed to be just a more attractive version of his father, and I hoped he didn’t have anything too extreme lined up for my reintroduction to Christmas.
‘The library doesn’t open until eleven today, so I thought we’d have a look around the town first,’ he announced as he pulled out of the stable yard. ‘Check out the trees in the market square and a couple of the festive stalls that Mum said have popped up.’
I swallowed hard and looked out of the window. His suggestion sounded a lot like Christmas shopping to me.
‘As long as that’s OK with you,’ he added, a crease wrinkling his otherwise beautiful brow.
‘Of course,’ I nodded. ‘It’ll be fun.’
The snow began to fall a little thicker as we crossed the bridge into town, but it was still bordering on the right side of romantic and it did make the market look very festive – not that a couple of the stallholders looked as if they were particularly enthralled by its arrival.
‘So,’ said Jamie, pointing up at one of the ginormous trees that I had tried to blank out on the night of the switch-on. ‘What do you think?’
‘They’re actually rather lovely,’ I said, because they really were. ‘And so big for such a small town.’
The primary-coloured bulbs were twinkling prettily, their impact made all the more effective by the dark skies and dusting of snow. In fact, looking around, the whole town looked pretty. I was amazed that I had allowed myself to think so and vowed there and then to keep my eyes off the pavement from now on and just try to enjoy myself.
I knew my acquiescence was making Jamie’s task even easier, but then he hadn’t exactly been reluctant to take my suggestions to heart or given me too much of a tough time. I mean, it wasn’t exactly a hardship that I’d had to barge my way into his bedroom when he was half dressed to cajole him into going for a run, was it?
‘Better than any you saw last year?’ Jamie asked.
‘What?’ I snapped, panicking that my illicit thoughts had been written across my face.
‘Earth to Anna,’ he tutted. ‘I was talking about the trees. Are they better than any you saw last year?’
‘Better than any I’ve seen in a lot of years,’ I told him, feeling relieved that nothing worse than me zoning out for a second or two had occurred. ‘To tell you the truth, I do my utmost to avoid shopping between early November and late January. If I need anything, I order online. I certainly don’t head to the city or town centre.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Seriously,’ I said. ‘It isn’t just the big day I’ve been avoiding, but everything that goes with it as well.’
‘Crikey,’ he said, thrusting his hands in his jeans pockets. ‘Then this might be more of a challenge than I realised.’
I had no intention of letting him know that it might actually turn out to be far easier than he was expecting because I was so determined to make an effort.
‘If you want to concede defeat already—’ I began.
‘Not on your life,’ he cut in. ‘I haven’t even started yet.’
‘Jamie!’
I didn’t have time to mull over what he might have lined up.
‘Ruby!’ he called back, waving, before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards one of the stalls.
He let go to embrace his friend and I told my keenly thumping heart that the unexpected action had been instinctive, nothing more.
‘And Anna,’ Ruby gushed, bestowing a hug upon me as well. ‘How lovely to see you again.’
‘You two know each other?’ Jamie frowned, looking confused.
‘Your mum introduced us the night of the switch-on,’ I explained, trying not to remember that she had also witnessed my little meltdown. ‘And Steve was there too,’ I added, just to remind Ruby, who was gazing admiringly at my companion, that she had already found the love of her life.
‘So,’ she said, not really taking the hint, ‘you’re finally back.’
‘Looks like it,’ Jamie shrugged.
‘And just in time for Christmas,’ she said, stepping aside to show off the attractive stall she was manning.
‘Is this all yours?’ asked Jamie.
‘No,’ she said, straightening some bags of gingerbread families and iced buns. ‘This is all the hard work of Jemma and Lizzie.’
‘The Cherry Tree ladies,’ I nodded.
‘That’s right,’ she confirmed. ‘I’m just running it for them again until I begin looking for a job in the New Year. I need to replenish the travel fund pot.’
‘And what about Steve?’ asked Jamie, with a nod towards the neighbouring fruit and veg stall. ‘Is he back working with his dad?’
‘Of course,’ Ruby laughed, ‘and happily so. We’re already planning our next trip, but we’re happy to be home for now and you know Steve loves working with his dad.’
Jamie looked thoughtful and I knew he was wondering if working and living in such close proximity to his own parents was going to be something he could happily settle for.
‘So,’ said Ruby, with a nod to the stall. ‘What can I tempt you with? Have you started your Christmas shopping yet, Jamie?’
‘God no,’ he said, rolling his eyes. ‘You know me, typical bloke. It’ll be the usual mad rush before the shops shut on Christmas Eve.’
‘You need to take a leaf out of Anna’s book,’ she shocked me by saying.
‘Oh?’ questioned Jamie.
‘You’re all done, aren’t you?’ she praised. ‘And wrapped up as well I’ll bet.’
‘Absolutely,’ I played along, remembering how Catherine had come to my rescue and it had been assumed that I’d finished my present-buying already.
‘Well in that case,’ Jamie said, looking quizzically from me to the stall, ‘perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to make a start.’
I looked along with him and had to admit that everything was beautiful. Practically all of it, Ruby explained, had been handmade or baked by either Jemma or Lizzie. There were more strings of the bunting Dorothy had found and stockings and biscuits and one little trinket in particular that caught my eye. I was almost tempted to pick it up but Jamie reached for it first.
‘You have a fondness for silver bells, don’t you, Anna?’ he said, holding up the slim sliver of dark red leather with tiny bells, which tinkled gently, attached along its length.
‘Yes,’ I croaked, before clearing my throat. I was pleased he had remembered that I had mentioned Mum’s love of the song. ‘Yes, I do,’ I said again, a little louder.
‘In that case,’ he said, picking up a bag of gingerbread men to go with it, ‘we’ll take it, and these.’
Ruby looked at me and smiled and I could feel myself blushing.
‘Don’t worry about wrapping it,’ he said, taking my hand again and this time pushing my sleeve back far enough to reveal my wrist.
‘I thought it was a Christmas present,’ said Ruby.
‘No,’ said Jamie, carefully fastening it. ‘This is a sweetener.’
‘A sweetener?’
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘a sweetener. I need to keep Anna sweet if she’s going to see out Christmas with my mad lot, so it’s my intention to keep her plied with gifts up until the big day.’
‘Lucky Anna,’ smiled Ruby, taking the note Jamie gave her and rifling through her apron pockets for change.
‘You didn’t have to do that,’ I said when we were out of earshot, ‘but thank you. It really is very lovely.’
I could hear the bells gently tinkling as we walked.
‘It really is my intention to ply you with little tokens,’ he said playfully, ‘and break down your resistance to all things festive. It’s part of my plan.’
‘Well, in that case,’ I said, feeling even happier to play along, ‘I really am in for a fun few weeks, aren’t I?’
‘And of course,’ he added, ‘you have to wear it at all times.’
‘Of course.’
‘Because that way,’ he grinned, ‘I’ll be able to keep tabs on exactly where you are!’
I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that but I was grateful that he had been distracted enough not to start quizzing me about my fantasy festive shopping.
It was cosy, warm and soothingly quiet inside the library.
‘Perhaps we should find you a couple of Christmas novels to read while we’re here,’ Jamie suggested, pointing to a large display of books with glossy, sparkling covers. ‘I still have my library card in here somewhere,’ he said, rifling through his wallet.
‘I’m not sure I’m going to have much time to read,’ I said doubtfully.
‘Of course you are,’ he said, reaching for the latest from Trisha Ashley. ‘I’m sure you can manage just a few minutes before you go to sleep. There’s no better way to end the day.’
I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. I didn’t have him down as a reader.
‘Miss Woodruff,’ he said primly, no doubt misinterpreting my surprise on purpose, ‘are you being rude?’
‘No, I am not,’ I hissed back, blushing profusely. ‘And please, keep your voice down.’
Grinning, he thrust the book into my hands and strode off towards the counter, leaving me to mouth apologies to those trying to enjoy a little peace and quiet.
‘Well now, that’s wonderful news,’ the rosy-cheeked librarian was already saying by the time I had fiddled about with the digital card reader and reached them. ‘The book group will be delighted.’
‘And the ramblers are welcome to walk through the gardens again as well, of course,’ Jamie added. ‘And you never know, Dorothy might even put on some refreshments like she used to.’
The woman’s smile faltered at this suggestion.
‘But only if the group would like to come back, of course,’ Jamie added, sounding a little uncertain.
‘I’ll have to ask them,’ she said, looking about her. ‘Are you sure your mother was in agreement to that?’
Jamie looked at me, his expression suggesting he was just as surprised by her reaction as I was.
‘After the letter, I mean . . .’ she began, then stopped.
‘What letter?’
‘The letter from your brother, Archie,’ she swallowed, turning puce, but no longer from pleasure.
‘I had no idea he’d written to you,’ Jamie frowned. ‘What did he say?’
The librarian swallowed and fiddled with the pendant on her necklace.
‘Well, I don’t want to cause any trouble.’
I felt Jamie begin to bristle and placed my hand on his arm.
‘There’s no trouble,’ I smiled, looking down at her name badge. ‘We just want to know if there were any problems, Rosemary, so we can sort them out.’
‘He said,’ she began, her eyes darting nervously between Jamie and me, ‘that we had upset Mrs Connelly by littering. That she wasn’t well and didn’t want to be contacted under any circumstances. That she felt the mess we left was a slur on her hospitality and that if we wished to communicate with the hall again it had to be through him.’
Jamie let out a long, slow breath.
‘And we did write back to him, via the address on the letter, because we were certain we hadn’t left any rubbish.’
‘Of course you hadn’t,’ Jamie rumbled.
‘And we even sent a card,’ Rosemary continued in a rush, ‘but we never heard anything back. Not a word.’
‘Bloody Archie,’ said Jamie, loud enough to make those closest turn and stare.
‘Jamie,’ I said quietly, shaking my head.
He took a moment before speaking again.
‘I can only apologise,’ he said sincerely to Rosemary. ‘Clearly there has been some misunderstanding. I know that you and the group would never litter and Mum knows that too. Please ask the group organiser to call the hall, or even better pop in, and we’ll have this whole situation sorted in a heartbeat.’
Rosemary looked as if she was about to burst into tears and Jamie into flames. What a meddlesome man Archie was. I daresay banning the ramblers was all a part of his mad scheme to smooth his selfish way when he took over but to draw Catherine into it was beyond contempt.
‘We’ll just take this for today,’ said Jamie, taking the Trisha Ashley book and his library card from me.
‘It’s all right,’ I said, keen to get him out of the building. ‘I’ve already scanned it out.’
Once outside I suggested we go to the Cherry Tree straightaway on the pretext of having coffee, but really because I wanted him to cool off a bit before his meeting with Henry.
‘Good idea,’ he said, taking me by the elbow and steering me in the right direction. ‘I could do with some caffeine.’
I couldn’t help thinking that chamomile tea would have been a better choice.
Thankfully it didn’t take many minutes for him to calm down, outwardly at least, especially as he was flavour of the month as far as Angela, one of the waitresses, was concerned.
‘When Dorothy phoned to say the WI could come back to the hall,’ she gushed, ‘I thought Christmas had come early. I can’t tell you how much it means to us to be welcomed back. The hall is such a wonderful venue and we can always attract really interesting speakers when they know the audience is going to be bigger than those we can squeeze into the town hall.’
‘Well, I’m pleased it’s going to make such a difference,’ said Jamie graciously.
‘It will, my dear,’ Angela smiled. ‘It really will. Now, what can I get the pair of you?’
She took our order and Jamie turned his attention back to me.
‘Fucking Archie,’ he hissed, his eyes blazing again. ‘Can you believe it?’
‘Given what you told me about him that night in the pub, I’m afraid I can,’ I said honestly. ‘Although I have to admit, I’m rather taken aback by your reaction.’
‘What do you mean?’ he scowled. ‘Surely you didn’t expect me to be pleased about what he’d done?’
‘Not pleased exactly,’ I said, having thought it through. ‘But I thought you might be able to see the benefit of his outrageous actions.’
He looked at me as if I was going mad.
‘Sorry,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You’re going to have to explain.’
I waited while Angela filled the table with cups, pots and plates.
‘The teacakes are on the house,’ she whispered. ‘Just a little thank-you.’
‘Thank you, Angela,’ Jamie smiled back.
I was amazed by how he could turn the charm on and off when he needed to.
‘Come on,’ he said, the second Angela had moved on to the next table. ‘Tell me exactly which part of Archie’s ludicrous actions are going to be of any benefit to us?’
I couldn’t believe he was still being so dense. He was completely blinded by his bad mood.
‘All of them,’ I said simply as I buttered my teacake. ‘His letter, cutting off communication between Catherine and the ramblers, just goes to prove that he has hidden motives about the hall and is a sneaky rat to boot. If you can get a copy of that letter you’ve got even more proof that he isn’t the right brother to take over the running of the hall.’
‘But we already know that.’
‘Yes,’ I said exasperatedly. ‘I know that you all know, but he doesn’t know that you know what he’s been planning, does he?’
Jamie looked thoughtful.
‘And he sounds to me like the sort of bloke who’ll deny he’s done anything wrong unless you’ve got the physical proof to show he’s lying. Archie is still harbouring the illusion that he’s going to get his hands on the hall, isn’t he?’
‘Yes, I think he is.’
‘Then start gathering the evidence to prove to him that you know exactly what he’s been up to and that he isn’t the man for the job.’
Jamie nodded and took a bite of his teacake.
‘But the thing is,’ he said sadly, ‘I can’t help thinking that none of this sounds like something my brother would do at all.’
‘What do you mean?’ I frowned. ‘You’ve described him to me as devious, money-obsessed and desperate to get his hands on the place. Surely this letter backs all that up?’
‘Oh it does,’ Jamie agreed, ‘but absolutely none of this is relatable to the Archie I grew up with. The three of us were always so close, best friends really. I guess I’m just finding it hard to believe that he could have changed this much. There’s nothing about any of this that sits right with me. Mum and Dad always kept us so grounded.’
‘Well, what about his girlfriend, Elise?’ I asked. ‘Could she perhaps be the reason he’s changed?’
‘I dunno,’ said Jamie, shaking his head. ‘Maybe. He’s certainly more materialistic now than he used to be, that’s for sure. His lifestyle is completely different to the one he grew up with and apparently so are his priorities.’
‘Look,’ I went on, ‘whatever the real reason behind all this, I can’t help thinking that it won’t do Archie any harm at all to see his devious behaviour laid out in front of him. It might be just the wake-up call he needs.’
‘Hardly going to make for a happy Christmas though, is it?’
I didn’t have a chance to answer before Jamie was on his feet welcoming a thickset man in a checked shirt.
‘Henry,’ he said, shaking the man warmly by the hand. ‘How are you? How’s Jess?’
‘I’m very well,’ he said, taking the seat Jamie offered. ‘And Jess is great. She’s got everything running like a well-oiled machine already.’
‘Of course she has,’ said Jamie, patting his friend on the back. ‘Anna, this is Henry, our estate man. Henry, this is Anna. She’s recently joined the ranks to help Mum convalesce.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Henry.’
‘Likewise,’ he replied. ‘Another Christmas recruit, eh?’ he winked at Jamie. ‘What is it with the Connelly clan and the festive season?’
Jamie ignored his question.
‘Henry’s wife had twins just a few weeks ago,’ he said instead.
‘How exciting!’ I said. ‘Congratulations.’
‘Thanks,’ said Henry, quickly pulling out his phone and proceeding to show us a collection of photos of his beautiful wife and tiny boys.
‘Anyway,’ he said, when he had eventually scrolled through what must have been his iPhone’s entire memory, ‘what’s the news at the hall? I got the impression when we spoke yesterday that some changes are afoot.’
Jamie told Henry about inviting the community back and then asked me to explain what I had suggested to get the gardens back under control. Henry thought it sounded like a wonderful idea and, as luck would have it, he happened to know one of the lecturers at the college who he thought might be interested in setting it all up.
‘I knew you were the right person to ask,’ said Jamie, leaning back in his chair so Jemma could refill our cups for what must have been the third time.
‘Leave it all with me,’ said Henry as he made some notes on his screen, ‘and I’ll see what I can do before the college finishes for Christmas. Your timing couldn’t have been better, what with spring just around the corner.’
I looked doubtfully out of the window at the falling snow. Spring still felt like a long way off to me.
‘Well, I’d better be off,’ he said. ‘I’ve got some shopping to collect before heading home.’
‘I would imagine it’s difficult for your wife to get to town with the twins,’ I sympathised.
‘Oh it’s not that,’ said Henry with a smile. ‘She’s taken the twins to the riding stables she runs today. Just an admin day, but she won’t have time to go shopping as well.’
‘She sounds like quite a woman,’ I laughed, thinking that if I had recently given birth to just one baby, never mind two, I’d still be struggling to be dressed by bedtime.
‘She is,’ said Henry proudly, ‘she really is.’
‘Right,’ said Jamie, when his friend had gone, ‘I guess we’d better head back to the hall. I don’t think we’re in any danger of being snowed in, but I’ve got lots lined up for you to be getting on with, just in case you thought you were nosing ahead.’
‘Not at all,’ I said, reaching for my coat. ‘In fact, I’m looking forward to getting on with things now.’
Jamie didn’t look as if he completely believed me.
‘I am,’ I told him again.
‘Can I add your name to the list for the auction next Saturday?’ asked Jemma, when she came over with the card machine so we could settle our bill. ‘Only many hands make light work and we’re a bit down on numbers this year.’
‘Crikey,’ said Jamie, ‘is it that time already?’
‘Sure is,’ said Jemma. ‘Tom spoke to Mick last week and he said there’s a fine crop of holly and mistletoe to harvest from your woods this year.’
‘Well that’s good,’ said Jamie, ‘and yes, put me down by all means. I’m more than happy to help out.’
‘Excellent,’ she smiled. ‘And what about you, Anna? I don’t suppose you fancy giving up a Saturday to help out, do you?’
‘With what?’ I asked.
‘Sorry,’ Jamie tutted, ‘I keep forgetting you’re such a newbie.’
‘Does it feel as if she’s been around forever already?’ asked Jemma.
‘Just a bit,’ said Jamie, making me blush, but I knew what he meant.
I’d barely been at the hall any time at all, but it was feeling more like home than anywhere else I’d lived in a very long time. If I was feeling like this already, I dreaded to think how I’d be feeling when it was time to pack up and move on in January. My body gave a little shudder at the thought.
‘Every December there’s a Christmas tree auction in Wynbridge,’ Jamie explained. ‘Trees are sold along with all sorts of greenery from local places, like the hall.’
‘We always have a good supply of holly, ivy and mistletoe to sell off,’ Jemma added, ‘and since Ruby got involved with rejuvenating the market, the tree sale is now accompanied by a community bake which takes place in the town hall.’
‘Some cakes are contributed to go into an auction,’ Jamie went on. ‘Dorothy always sends three or four.’
Why was I not surprised?
‘But in the morning people come to bake cookies and gingerbread families in the kitchens,’ Jemma butted in, ‘and that’s what we really need help with.’
I didn’t know what to say. It sounded pretty full-on on the festive front to me, but Jamie didn’t give me time to wriggle out of it.
‘She’d love to help,’ he said meaningfully. ‘Wouldn’t you?’
‘Absolutely,’ I said, taking his raised eyebrows to mean that this was just the sort of thing he was planning to immerse me in if I was ever going to find a way to reclaim Christmas. It was his idea of throwing me in at the deep end, I supposed, and I couldn’t deny that he had been willing to go along with what I had suggested so far for him.
‘You can come in with me in the morning,’ said Jamie, ‘to help set up and drop off Dorothy’s cakes and then stay to help out while I’m lugging trees about in the market.’
‘Excellent,’ said Jemma, hastily adding my name to the list. ‘Two for the price of one, courtesy of Wynthorpe Hall!’