Chapter Six

Evie threw open the curtains in Raven’s bedroom and screwed up her eyes against the light for a second time this morning. It had been several days, if not weeks, since the sun had shone on Snowflake Cove and it was taking some getting used to. When she had opened her own curtains just before eight a.m. and watched the sun rising on the horizon, she had shielded her eyes, like a vampire exposed to sudden daylight.

Golden rays now flooded Raven’s room, painting the whitewashed walls with a pale lemon sheen.

‘Rise and shine, sleepyhead,’ Evie said, in a singsong tone. ‘We’re going to buy Christmas trees.’

Pig-like grunts emanated from beneath Raven’s duvet.

‘What was that, Raven? You’ll be downstairs in ten minutes?’

‘Go away.’

‘That’s not very festive.’

‘Whatever.’

‘Come on. It’ll be fun.’

‘Leave me alone. It’s the middle of the night.’

‘It’s nine-fifteen. Mum’s cooking breakfast. Bacon, eggs, mushrooms, the works.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘Hmmm. That’s exactly what Roland said when he arrived five minutes ago, but once he got a whiff of grilled bacon, he seemed to change his mind.’

Raven sat bolt upright, her face contorted as the sunlight hit her in the eyes. ‘Jesus! Is that the sun?’ She raised a hand in front of her face, just as Evie had done.

Evie laughed. ‘Yep. Bit of a shock, I know.’

‘Roland’s here?’

‘Yep. We were discussing Christmas trees last night and he offered to help, so Juniper’s lent him her car. We’re off to Merry’s Christmas Tree Farm and then into town to sort out the lights. He’s going to give us a hand with those too, so he’ll probably be here all day. Juniper picked him up, drove to her office then he drove here. All we’re waiting for now, is you.’

Raven yawned and stretched before tumbling out of bed and padding towards her en-suite shower. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can. Don’t go without me. I hope there’s some hot water.’

Evie ruffled Raven’s hair as she walked past. ‘We won’t. Don’t worry. And yes. There’s plenty of hot water.’

Raven took the en-suite for granted, little knowing that Evie’s granddad had gone to great expense to install bathroom facilities to all the guest bedrooms, way back in the early nineteen-fifties after the Town and Country Planning Act of 1947 came in. He had been a man of vision and had realised how popular such things would become, long before many people understood the concept. He also seemed to anticipate how difficult it would be to get permission in the future. Evie’s own dad had fought long and hard and at equally great expense to be allowed to update them even a little. If they’d tried to get permission now, they would probably have failed.

Leaving Raven to it, Evie headed back downstairs, smiling. So there was a way to get Raven out of bed before noon. Who knew?

She sauntered into the kitchen and was met by one of Roland’s piercing looks. This was going to be an interesting day. Her and two intense teenagers. What could possibly go wrong?

‘She’ll be down soon,’ Evie said, avoiding Roland’s stare and sitting at the opposite end of the large kitchen table. ‘Are the two guests down yet?’

Molly shook her head, her ginger bob swishing about her florid, freckled face. ‘No, but they’ve got until ten.’ She had been standing over a hot stove for about an hour already this morning, baking more mince pies and three batches of sausage rolls. Evie wondered if her mum knew something she didn’t. There must be a good reason why they needed so many of both. Evie had dusted and hoovered the dining room, reception area, lounge and bar whilst her mum had baked and the smells of spices and sausage meat had made Evie ravenous.

‘So what’s the plan,’ John asked, pulling out a chair between Roland and Jessie and plonking himself on the seat, a broad smile on his jovial face.

Jessie looked startled. ‘Plan? I don’t have a plan. What’re you talking about?’

John eyed her beneath furrowed brows. ‘It wasn’t an accusation, Mum. It was a question. And it was directed at Evie, not you.’ He slipped an arm around Jessie’s shoulder and grinned. ‘Why? Are you hiding something from us?’

Jessie shrugged him off. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. What is this plan of yours then, Evie?’

Evie grinned. ‘To deck the halls with boughs of holly. And all that sort of stuff. Roland’s got Juniper’s car and we’re going to select the trees before heading into town. Would you like to come?’

Jessie raised her brows. ‘I can’t think of anything I’d rather do. Oh wait a minute. Yes, I can. My armchair and the crossword are calling me. You’re on your own.’ She slathered honey on her buttered toast and hummed along with the Christmas carol playing on the radio.

John joined in and a few seconds later as Molly placed a plate of bacon, eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes in front of Evie, Molly started singing the words to ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’. Evie wasn’t going to be left out. She sang at the top of her voice. To her surprise, Roland did the same. His voice was far better than any of theirs, but he had been a soloist in The Holy Redeemer’s Church Choir in Michaelmas Bay for many years, so that was to be expected ... until he decided being a choirboy wasn’t cool.

‘What’s going on?’ Raven asked, from the kitchen doorway, causing a brief lull in the singsong. ‘I thought someone was murdering all of you. Oh! Not you, Roland. You’re ace. I mean … Your voice is ace, not you. No! Um.’ Her complexion was the colour of the tomatoes on Evie’s plate.

‘We know what you mean,’ Evie said.

Raven threw her a brief, appreciative smile before turning to Molly. ‘May I have some breakfast please, Granny M?’

Molly beamed at her. ‘Of course, darling. But you have to sing for it.’

Jessie tutted. ‘You sing for your supper, not breakfast.’

‘I’m not singing for anything, Grammie,’ Raven told Jessie.

‘Not in this kitchen,’ Molly said, still beaming.

Jessie shrugged and resumed the carol seconds before it ended.

Evie smiled and drank her coffee. This was a first. Not only were they all sitting around the kitchen table eating breakfast together, but Raven actually seemed to be in a good mood. Perhaps they should invite Roland over every day during Raven’s visit.

She glanced in his direction, meeting an intense gaze from eyes that shone like the jet in her gran’s favourite earrings. There was an odd sort of smile on his lips as she quickly looked away.

Perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea. Having Raven in a bad mood might be preferable to being the object of desire of a teenager with a crush.