Page 116 of The Christmas Invitation
‘Clara will, fer a start,’ Den said. ‘And they’ll be back any minute – the light’s going.’
Looking at the kitchen clock, I was surprised to see that it was almost mid-afternoon by then and the sky outside the windows looked as if it was thinking of dumping the next lot of snow.
‘Let’s go back into the drawing room and wait,’ suggested Tottie, but River said he’d help Den clear up the kitchen first and then they were going to make a kissing bough.
We always had one at the Farm, so he obviously thought it was a vital part of the proceedings.
Piers’ belongings were still stacked in a heap near the front door: Den evidently hoped for his imminent departure.
Piers seemedveryunpopular, and I can’t say I’d really taken to him either. Now he bagged one end of the sofa nearest the fire and, leaning back, closed his eyes. ‘Such a long, cold, wearisome day …’ he murmured histrionically.
Tottie switched on the Christmas tree lights and went to draw the curtains behind them.
‘There’s the car now: the others are back,’ she said, peering out into the gloom.
‘They’re going to be so surprised to see Mummy got here through the snow!’ said Teddy.
‘They’ll be even more surprised to find Piers did, too,’ Zelda said drily.
31
Baggage
‘Hello, everyone!’ said Henry cheerily as he came into the drawing room. ‘Zelda, my dear! I’m so glad you made it.’
‘Hello, Henry,’ she said, getting up and kissing him fondly, and then embracing Clara, who’d followed him in.
‘Lex’s just taking Sybil’s bags up to her room and they’ll both be down in a minute,’ Clara said. ‘And look, here’s Mark! He’s come back with us for tea, isn’t that lovely?’
‘Well, actually,’ he said, ‘I came to ask Meg if—’
But I was destined never to know what he was going to ask me, for at that moment his eyes fell on Zelda, who’d returned to sitting on the end of one of the window seats by the Christmas tree, and their gazes locked. Neither seemed able to look away. There might have been no one else in the room – or even in the world – but the two of them.
It was like all the classic moments in rom-com movies rolled into one and I felt myself grinning. I mean, they must know each other already, but now they stared into each other’s eyes as if they’d instantly been hit by a thunderbolt.
The sharp yapping of the little dogs as they rushed in ahead of Sybil finally broke the spell and Zelda and Mark blinked, dazed, then looked away.
Pansy hurtled over and threw herself on to my lap, while Wisty and Lass greeted each other in a more matronly manner.
The yapping had also awoken Piers, who had been snoring in his corner of the sofa, hidden by Tottie’s angular figure at the other end.
‘What?’ he barked, sitting bolt upright and glaring wildly around him. ‘I wasn’t asleep.’
‘You were,’ said Teddy, who was sitting on the floor, absorbed in sending tiny toy cars hurtling down some kind of vehicular helter-skelter. ‘You were snoring and your mouth was wide open.’
‘Oh God, what areyoudoing here?’ Mark exclaimed, with a heavy scowl. Turning to Sybil he added accusingly, ‘Mum, Piers is here. I thought you’d told him we couldn’t have him for Christmas?’
‘That could have been put so much better,’ said Henry critically. ‘You sound like a pair of cannibals.’
Sybil turned pale. ‘But … I did tell him it was impossible for him to visit Underhill this year! I wrote twice and left several messages on his phone.’
‘Ah, dear Sybil!’ Piers said, hauling himself to his feet and coming over to kiss her on both cheeks. ‘A little misunderstanding and some crossed wires, but I’m here now and I’m sure things can be arranged. How delightful to see you again.’
She looked totally distracted. ‘Of course, I’m pleased to see you, Uncle Piers, it’s just we weren’t expecting you. Didn’t you get my messages?’
‘He only got your first letter and thought you were putting him off because Mark didn’t want him to come,’ said Zelda.
‘He got that right,’ said Mark.
