Chapter Eighteen

 

It sounded like a herd of reindeer galloping down the stairs but it was merely some of the new guests eager to make their way to the lounge for some much-needed refreshments. John and Roland had set up a couple of trestle tables earlier in the day and Molly had covered them with white table cloths. Evie and Raven had a lot of fun, listening to Christmas songs on the radio whilst setting up various picturesque ‘scenes’ on the tables. They used ceramic Christmas ornaments including polar bears, snowmen, reindeers, elves and miniature snow-covered houses before adding little plastic people. They sprinkled the whole thing with glitter and used fine, bleached sheep’s wool to look like piles of snow. Fairy lights with tiny bulbs were entwined throughout and they, together with two table lamps, the Christmas tree lights, and the glow from the blazing log fire, roaring in the hearth, were the only illumination. The room was warm, cosy and welcoming, even if the table decorations were a little ‘tacky’. They added to the ambience and made it seem all the more magical – and fun.

On the tables were plates piled high with mince pies, warm from the oven, shortbread, and gingerbread reindeers. The reindeers were Evie’s speciality. She had seen them on a Christmas baking show and had made some right away. Today she had shown Raven how to make them. She turned freshly baked gingerbread men upside down so that the arms and legs formed antlers and the head formed a large, reindeer face. Using tubes of coloured icing, she drew huge eyes and a long, shallow ‘W’ for the mouth. She popped a glacé cherry just above the mouth to make the reindeer’s nose. Jessie told them they were behaving like toddlers, before joining in and decorating some herself. The reindeers took pride of place on the tables.

The Starrs didn’t want the guests to eat too much a mere few hours before dinner, but in addition to the sweet treats, there were some miniature sausage rolls and cocktail sausages. Guests could choose between tea, coffee and hot chocolate, or if they preferred, another glass or two of mulled wine. The two guests, Tracy and Trevor Bright, who had been staying at the inn for the past week, were invited to partake. It gave them an opportunity to meet their fellow diners before dinner was served at eight p.m. Although, as they were leaving the following day, this was more a case of the Starr family not wanting anyone to feel excluded from this ‘happy hour’ than everyone getting to know one another.

Evie saw Zachary stroll into the lounge with his parents and his granddad, followed closely by Felicia, who in turn was followed by her boyfriend, Pete. The poor man looked as miserable as the harpy with two names.

 Evie wanted to attract Zachary’s attention. She knew that Zachary and her dad were going to discuss the TV show later, or so her dad had said, but she still wanted to know why Zachary had shown her photo to his team. It had not been her intention to actually appear on camera, she merely wanted a shot or two of the inn and if Zachary would agree to be in those shots, all the better, so why his team would need to see her photo was slightly troubling. If he did want someone from the inn, on screen, then it should be her mum or her dad.

Ignoring her attempts to catch his eye, either deliberately or because he genuinely hadn’t seen her, Zachary headed straight for the gingerbread reindeer. He picked one up and showed it to his family, before passing one to each of them. They were all grinning as they bit into the soft, gooey mixture but the delight as the ginger and spices hit their taste buds, was clear from their expressions – and the fact that each of them took another reindeer. Zachary even took two. Perhaps Evie should have made some more.

She, together with the rest of her family, mingled with the guests, except for Jessie, who was noticeable by her absence. Evie went back to the kitchen to check on her but she was nowhere to be seen. That in itself was a worry. Jessie had already taken her afternoon nap; it was unlike her to miss any sort of get-together with the guests and she had seemed full of the joys of Christmas when Logan arrived. The only thing she had not been happy about was the fact that Joshua Thorn was staying in the inn. Evie had never known Jessie to take a true dislike to anyone. She could often be rude about someone – to the person’s face, not just behind their back – but that was simply her way and she didn’t mean anything nasty by it. Jessie Starr merely spoke her mind. The fact that she now appeared to be avoiding Joshua Thorn made Evie determined to find out why.

She went upstairs and knocked on her gran’s closed door.

‘I’m taking a nap.’

Evie grinned. ‘You’ve already taken your nap. I’m coming in so I hope you’re decent.’

Jessie was sitting in the armchair in front of her window which overlooked the wide, bowl-like sweep of water in Michaelmas Bay and the marina. Beyond was the town of Michaelmas Bay, the harbour walls and the sea.

‘I love this view,’ she said, staring out into the darkness.

‘It’s virtually pitch-black. You can’t see the view. Are you OK, Gran?’

Jessie shot Evie a quick smile. ‘I don’t need to. It’s embedded in my memory. But I’m not simply staring into the dark. Look.’ She pointed towards the window pane.

Evie walked over to her and looked out. Little islands of fairy lights, some white, some multi-coloured, bobbed up and down, obviously decorations on the boats in the small marina within the natural harbour. In the town of Michaelmas Bay itself, row upon row of lights twinkled and sparkled; street lamps and lights within the houses and businesses mixed with fairy lights and other Christmas decorations. The moon was fairly new, so the sky above the bay was black, but studded with myriad stars.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Evie said, taking in the scene.

‘Only a little better than your table decorations.’ Jessie smiled up at her. ‘How’s it going down there?’

‘Why don’t you come down and see for yourself?’

‘I’m fine where I am, thank you.’

Evie bent down to be eye level and took one of Jessie’s spidery-looking hands in hers.

‘No you’re not, Gran. I don’t know why you don’t want to see Joshua Thorn but you clearly don’t. You can’t avoid him forever though. Not unless you plan to stay in your room for the duration of his stay. Do you want to talk about it? Is there anything I can do to help?’

Jessie laid her other hand on top of Evie’s and squeezed it. ‘No, sweetheart. There’s nothing you, or anyone else can do. I know I’ll have to face him. I thought I could, tonight. But when it came down to it, I’m just not ready.’

‘Ready?’

‘To lay the ghosts of the past.’

‘You and Joshua have a history? You said the other day that you knew him, and the fact that Zachary is here and going to include the inn in his Christmas Special is due to that. But that Joshua himself is here means a whole lot more, doesn’t it? How well did you know him in the past? Does this … does this have anything to do with Grandad?’

Jessie narrowed her eyes. ‘It has everything to do with him.’

Evie waited but her gran fell silent and resumed her study of the view.

‘Gran? Did you … did you and Joshua … have a fling or something after you were married to Grandad?’

Jessie slowly turned her gaze on Evie and their eyes locked. ‘No.’

‘Then … when you were engaged, or dating Grandad? I know you came here when you were fifteen, and never left, so nothing much could have happened between you and Joshua before then. Or could it? Did it?’

Jessie reached out and brushed Evie’s hair with her hand. ‘No. I have never had a fling – or anything else – with Joshua Thorn.’

Evie didn’t understand and said so. ‘But something must have happened, Gran. Were you just good friends? And if so, why do you apparently hate him so much now? And if you do hate him, why did you get his grandson to come here? And how did you do that?’

‘You’re just full of questions, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. And I would like some answers. I’ve never known you to behave like this. The man must have done something to you, or meant something to you, for him to have such an effect on you. Please won’t you tell me?’

Jessie shook her head. ‘No. Not before I’ve stood face to face with the man and looked him in the eye. And I’m not doing that this evening. So stop asking questions. Go back downstairs and have some fun. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I’m sitting here remembering the wonderful life I had with your grandad. That’s more than enough to make me happy. Now go. Please, sweetheart.’

Evie kissed Jessie on the cheek and stood upright. ‘Are you coming down for dinner?’

‘We’ll see.’

‘I’ll pop back later then and check.’

Jessie didn’t answer. It was as if she were in a different world. Or perhaps a different time.

Evie left the room and closed the door behind her. She was dying to know what had happened between her gran and Joshua Thorn, but Jessie Starr was famously stubborn. If she didn’t want you to know something, you wouldn’t. And yet she loved to gossip. She was always the first to know what was going on in Snowflake Cove and Michaelmas Bay and always eager to tell. But when it came to her own life, she was more guarded, only sharing what she was happy to and keeping hidden what she would rather people didn’t find out. Just like Severine. That was obviously where Evie’s sister got it from; she took after her gran.

Evie wandered down, via the main hallway and stairs. She tidied the reception and secured several baubles on the tree which were in imminent danger of sliding to the floor and shattering to pieces. Laughter and Christmas songs filled the air and the fire in reception crackled and spit like a backing-singer to a rap artiste.

‘It’s even better than I’d imagined.’ The male voice made her jump.

 Evie recognised it immediately and turned to face Zachary who gave her a devastating smile. It literally took her breath away and for a moment, she couldn’t speak. Finally, she managed, ‘Oh? Why did you need to imagine it? You saw it on the website, didn’t you? Apparently you were showing your entire team my photo.’

He seemed slightly taken aback but a second later, the smile returned. ‘Brandon’s been talking, I see.’

‘Brandon? What makes you think he was the one who told me?’

‘Because he’s the only one who would.’

‘Is it some big secret then?’

He laughed as he walked towards her and the silver bells on the Christmas tree tinkled as if they were joining in.

Evie pulled herself up to her full height of five foot three, but she had to crane her neck to look up at him when he stopped just a foot or two in front of her. Why did he have to come so close? She couldn’t back away any further because she would be against the wood-panelled wall if she did.

The fire reflected in his hazel eyes as he looked at her and as her gaze travelled to his mouth, all she could think about was kissing those luscious lips.

‘It was.’ His voice was soft and sensual. ‘But it isn’t now.’

‘What?’

Her eyes met his and he held her gaze. For the briefest of moments, Evie thought he was actually going to kiss her. He leant forward, his lips parted and the heat in his eyes wasn’t simply a reflection from the fire, she was sure of that. But instead of kissing her, he reached out and pulled a piece of shimmering silver ‘angel hair’ tinsel from her hair. It glistened a rainbow of colours as he dangled it in front of her, twisting it to and fro between agile fingers.

‘Isn’t it amazing that something so delicate-looking can be so beautiful?’

She let out the breath she had been holding and took the tinsel by the end farthest from his hand, so as not to touch his fingers. They could twist her, she was sure, like they had the tinsel.

She gave a little cough and, keeping her voice as cool as possible said, ‘Amazing. Excuse me. I’ll put it back on the tree.’

‘I could have done that.’

‘Yes. You could. But I think you preferred toying with it. I’m sorry but I need you to move. You’ve rather hemmed me in here.’ She glanced to the console table to her right and the chair to her left.

‘I think you did that yourself when you backed away from me.’

Her bottom lip dropped. ‘I didn’t back away from you.’

He nodded. ‘You did. I was trained to notice these things. You also flinched when I touched your hair.’

‘I … I thought you were going to pull it.’

‘Your hair?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why would I do that … Evie?’

Why did he have to make every syllable sound so damn sexy? And why had he said her name as if he were caressing it?

‘I have no idea. Are you going to move? … Please.’

He grinned and stepped aside but a shiver ran up and down Evie’s spine as she put the tinsel back in place. With her back turned to him she asked: ‘So are you going to tell me why you were showing my photo to everyone?’

‘I didn’t show it to everyone. Just my team.’

She sighed loud enough so that he would hear. ‘OK. Why did you show it to your team? This is like drawing blood from a stone. Why can’t you answer a simple question?’ She spun on her toes to face him.

He grinned. ‘Blood can’t be drawn from a stone. And it isn’t a simple question. I think it’s rather complicated.’

She glowered at him. ‘Are you trying to be difficult? Are you deriving some weird form of pleasure from this conversation? I have better things to do than stand here listening to this.’

‘I’m not being difficult,’ he replied, as she turned to walk away. ‘I’m being me.’

She turned back. ‘OK, fine. Look. I understand you’re thinking of including Snowflake Inn in your Christmas Special. If so, I would like to thank you because that would be a dream come true. But if you’re worried that I’m not photogenic – and I know I’m not – you needn’t be. I don’t want to appear on TV. I just want the inn to. I don’t know how any of this came about. One minute Gran was telling us all that your show was coming to Michaelmas Bay, the next, you’re all staying at our inn. I know Gran had something to do with that but I don’t know what, how or why. I’m merely trying to get my head around exactly what is – and isn’t – going on. Is that too much to ask?’

His brows knit together. ‘So … you have no idea why I’m here? Why we’re all here?’

‘Other than to film your Christmas Special TV show, no. And I thought you were doing that in Michaelmas Bay, not Snowflake Cove.’

‘So did I. Pops had other ideas.’

‘But how …? Oh good heavens. Does he produce the show or something? At his age?’

Zachary laughed. ‘No. My dad produces the show – as of a month or so ago. Pops just owns the TV company. And when I say ‘just’, I mean that in the sense that he recently bought it.’

‘Really? Wow. I can see why the harpy … I mean … why Felicia says he’s one of the richest men in the UK. He needs to be to buy a TV station. Did he do that for you? Sorry. That actually isn’t any of my business.’

‘He did it for himself. A few months ago he heard we were coming to Michaelmas Bay and suddenly decided he’d like to own the company. It cost him a fortune to get it signed and sealed so fast, but he wanted it and he got it.’

‘Does he always get what he wants?’

‘I thought so. Until very recently. But to pick up on a point you made earlier, you are photogenic. Extremely so, in my opinion.’

Evie’s face flushed. ‘I’m not. My hair is too wild and my face looks as if I’ve got the measles or something. I suppose my freckles could be hidden by a barrel of make-up but I don’t want to see it on TV – ever. But thanks for the compliment.’

‘It wasn’t a compliment. It’s a fact. And why would you want to hide those freckles? You obviously don’t see what others see. You’re stunning. Your hair and freckles add to your beauty, not detract from it. Oh. And you’re apparently the spitting image of your grandma. In her younger days, that is.’

Evie blinked in embarrassment. Had Zachary Thorn really called her beautiful? It was probably a line. He was on TV, after all.

‘Wait a minute. How do you know what Gran looked like when she was younger? Does your grandad have a picture of her?’

Zachary nodded. ‘Several. But I hadn’t seen them until the other day.’

‘Do you have any idea how they know one another?’

‘Don’t you?’

‘No. Gran never mentioned your grandad until the day you and I spoke on the phone. Even than all she said was that she knew him. She didn’t give his name or say how. Did he tell you?’

Zachary shook his head. ‘Not the details. He said he knew your grandpa, William Starr and that they had started a business together “a lifetime ago” – to use his words. William had introduced him to your gran. He showed me a couple of photos of the three of them together and one of her on her own – which he carries in his wallet, so that came as a bit of a surprise. Then he said – and I’m quoting him here – “I’ve loved that woman since the day I set eyes on her and I have this photo in my wallet to keep her near my heart.” It was then that he came up with the idea that we should all come and spend Christmas here instead of at his home, as usual. And then he said it seemed ridiculous to move hotels, so we should all come and stay here for the duration, instead of spending part of it at The Grand Hotel. As I said, when he wants something, he usually gets it.’

‘He loves my gran?’ Evie couldn’t believe her ears. ‘But she hates him. Or so she says. Sorry. But I’m quoting her on that. I really want to get to the bottom of this. What else did your grandad say?’

‘Nothing much. I asked him if Grandma knew and he said she did, but other than that, all he said was that he’d tell me more about it another time.’

Raven came running into reception. ‘Evie! There you are. It’s snowing. Look!’ She dashed to the front door and yanked it open, allowing a flurry of snowflakes to land on the mat like a pile Christmas cards and a cold blast of air to race along the hall. At least the door knob no longer came off in her hand since it had been fixed.

Evie glanced at the windows. ‘I can see it through the glass, Raven. There’s no need for us to freeze to death. Close the door.’ Flakes the size of one of Jessie Starr’s famous mince pies fell in quick succession and were already covering the cobbles.

‘But I want to look at it,’ Raven said, glancing back at her. ‘Oh Evie! It’s settling. Isn’t this great? We’re gonna have a white Christmas!’

Zachary smiled at Evie. ‘That’s exactly what I’ve been dreaming of.’

‘You, me, Raven, and Bing Crosby,’ Evie said, returning the smile as the crooner’s voice floated towards them from the lounge.

Her parents had got the Christmas CDs out again, which was a little worrying because the guests hadn’t had dinner yet and six p.m. was far too early to start a party. Especially as everyone was still recovering from the one last night.