Page 7 of The Christmas Fayre on Holly Field

‘Not if I can help it.’

‘So that’s a yes, then?’ Her tone was triumphant, as though she had caught him out in a lie.

‘I haven’t bought anything new for over a year,’ he replied mildly. ‘I bet you couldn’t manage a week.’

‘I bet I could.’ Her expression was challenging.

‘If you’re just planning on delaying your purchase of a casserole dish for a week, that doesn’t count. And neither does not taking your daughter shopping for seven days,’ he added hastily.

She pursed her lips and his gaze settled on her mouth for a moment, before returning to her eyes.

‘I’ll go one better,’ she declared. ‘I won’t buy anything new for a month.’

He pulled a face. As soon as the month was up, she’d shop like crazy –ifshe kept to her promise at all.

‘Whatever. Can I have the bill, please?’ He was tired of trying to change the world one person at a time. It was like trying to push a ten-tonne boulder uphill with his bare hands. The phrasefighting a losing battlecame to mind.

‘You don’t believe me, do you?’ Harriet got up and walked over to the counter.

Owen sighed. ‘No.’ He followed her to the till point and took out his wallet.

‘OK,’ she said, her hands on her hips and a defiant look in her eye. ‘I won’t buy anything new between now and Christmas.’

His smile was sad. He’d heard it all before.

‘You will,’ he replied. ‘How much do I owe you?’

She handed him a slip of paper. He squinted at it, then pulled out a ten-pound note. ‘Keep the change.’

‘I don’t want a tip.’ The till popped open and her fingers scrabbled for some coins. There was a spot of colour on both her cheeks and he guessed he’d made her cross.

She slapped his change down on the counter.

Pointedly, Owen picked up the coins and dropped them into a charity collection box which was sitting on the counter. Ironically, it was a Friends of the Earth one.

‘I mean it,’ she said. ‘About not buying anything new until Christmas.’

‘You won’t stick to it. As soon as I leave Foxmore, you’ll be back to your wasteful ways.’

Harriet straightened and her nostrils flared.

Ooh, he’d hit a nerve and had made her angry. Good. Angry people were what this planet needed. Complacent, contented people did nothing to change the status quo.

‘I’ll prove it to you,’ she snapped. ‘Don’t leave. You could always stay here and keep tabs on me.’

Owen barked out a laugh. She thought she was winning the argument and that he had somewhere else he needed to be, so he’d have no choice other than to leave.

He decided to call her bluff. ‘OK.’

‘OK, what?’

‘I’ll stay in Foxmore. Where’s the best place to park my van?’

‘Oh, I… er, um. I’m not sure.’

There, that had her! Owen felt quite smug and wondered how soon she would back down.

‘There’s a campsite about one mile up the road, you could give them a try,’ she said, and his smugness faded. She was serious.

---