Page 95 of The Christmas Invitation
‘That should liven things up a bit,’ I said. ‘Just don’t stop at a pub on the way down for lunch.’
We opened the door to check the progress of Mary’s Pop-ins and found they’d finished Henry and Clara’s studies and Tottie’s hide-out in the library, and were now in the drawing room, so Henry took River off to show him his Christmas ornament collection.
They roped in Teddy to assist and I went to look for Tottie, who was in the kitchen. When I explained that I wanted to paint her portrait – and in the conservatory, where I’d drawn her – she stared at me for a long moment.
‘I suppose Icould,’ she said at length, with seeming reluctance, though I could tell she was secretly dying to be painted!
‘I’ve promised to show River the hens, hives and garden after breakfast tomorrow – not that there’s a lot to see at this time of year – and then the conservatory. Perhaps you could start it after that, before lunch?’
‘Perfect! I’ll set everything up in there ready,’ I agreed. ‘I’d like you to be holding some kind of basket of fruit and vegetables too, if you have anything that would do? In my head, I see it as a cornucopia, though you’re not likely to have one of those!’
‘I’ve got a big wicker cone-shaped container that might do. It’s left over from when I made dried flower arrangements.’
‘That sounds perfect!’
‘I’ll dig it out for you. It’s in the library somewhere.’
The cleaners departed, leaving the scent of furniture spray to fight it out with the fir tree. The house settled down to await Christmas, now only a few days away.
During the course of that afternoon and evening, River seemed to engage with every member of the household, from Clara, who took him off to her study after tea to show him some interesting bit of inscription, to Den, with whom he discussed cars and cooking in the kitchen. I even found him laughing uproariously at something on children’s TV with Teddy later.
Seamlessly transitioning from visitor to family member is his secret power …
After dinner, the drawing-room curtains were all drawn and a crackling log fire made it look cosy. The fairy lights on the tree in the bay window twinkled on and off, like little glow-worms catching the strange shapes of the antique baubles and making them sparkle.
Henry drew back one of the curtains and looked out.
‘I noticed the barometer in the hall was dropping rapidly as we came through, so the roads will freeze again overnight. I hope we don’t have more snow on top of it, or driving conditions will be bad tomorrow.’
‘Perhaps it will thaw out again during the day,’ suggested Clara. ‘But I’ll be happier when Lex arrives safely tomorrow.’
Then she explained to River, ‘My nephew, Lex, always stays here for Christmas. He’s a very talented potter.’
‘Yes, Meg has told me a lot about him,’ he said. ‘I look forward to meeting him.’
‘Let’s hope the conditions aren’t too bad tomorrow for the Solstice ceremony,’ Henry said. ‘We’ve held them despite the snow before now, but I’m not so young as I was for ploughing about in drifts.’
‘None of us is,’ said Tottie. ‘But if it’s like today the farmers will be able to grit the road all the way from here to Underhill.’
‘It’s not so bad once we’ve climbed the hill,’ said Clara. ‘The bonfire keeps the audience warm and the ceremony itself is brief, so the performers soon come down again.’
‘I’m afraid Old Winter goes up with whoever is lighting the fire and torches, so he can get into the cave before the audience arrive,’ Henry told River. ‘Though if the track up the hill is clear enough, they can drive almost to the top on the quad bike.’
‘That will be an interesting experience,’ River said. ‘And Tottie tells me that all the performers foregather at Underhill, where the costumes are stored, to get ready.’
‘Yes, they’ve always been kept in a big cupboard in the tack room; then they’re moved into the house in time to be handy for the ceremony.’
‘I’m glad Mark has come round to the idea of taking his part in the ceremony and hosting the Gathering as usual,’ said Clara. ‘Sybil’s so pleased.’
‘The Gathering?’ enquired River.
‘Everyone goes back to Underhill for hot toddy and treacle cake afterwards – that’s the Gathering,’ Clara explained. ‘In the past, before Starstone was drowned, so many people went that the courtyard as well as the great hall was full.’
‘I’m surprised that Mark agreed to host the Gathering this year, what with his economy drive,’ said Henry.
‘He caved in.’ Tottie grinned. ‘Mrs Gidney just carried on and made the huge cake as usual – it’s like a giant sticky ginger parkin, River – and Gidney ordered the ingredients for the hot toddy.’
‘And since Mark’s playing his role in the ceremony this year,youcan be a spectator,’ said Clara to her husband. ‘And if Fred can get over from the pub, Lex can, too.’
