Page 107 of One More Christmas at the Castle
And Henry took his snowboard out each day and then thawed out over coffee with Simon in his cottage, though he said, since his central heating boiler was still giving problems, it wasn’t all that much warmer inside the house than out, unless you were sitting next to the small log burner in the sitting room.
It was no wonder the poor man liked to join our evening film sessions: it was probably the only time he felt really warm!
But I knew these cosy evenings must come to an end once the guests arrived – as must my enjoyable early-afternoon sessions in the study with Xan. At least I’d almost finished cleaning the long run of shelves along one wall, and I hoped that by Wednesday, I’d have arrived at the last stack, next to the door to the library. That would give me almost as much a sense of satisfaction as cooking up a very special dinner!
Nancy, Mrs Powys and Lucy went out after breakfast as usual on Wednesday, when the team of cleaners were to carry out their final visit before the Christmas break.
When they moved their activities downstairs, Henry and I made up the beds in the guest bedrooms and put out the clean towels and soap, ready.
The Melling family were still due to arrive on Friday, in time for tea, as was Lucy’s brother, Nigel, but Mrs Powys had told Henry that the solicitor, Mr Makepeace and Mrs Martin, hisgranddaughter, would not now be here until after lunch on Saturday.
After the bed making, Henry decided to go out and do a little last-minute Christmas shopping, so I gave him a list of a few small extra presents to buy for me. I’d decided to give copies of my latest book to Mrs Powys, Nancy and Xan, so it seemed mean not to get something for Lucy. And Simon, too.
‘A nice box of chocolates for Lucy … and perhaps a big pot of Gentleman’s Relish for Simon, because I know he prefers savoury things. That should do it.’
‘I’m going to get a little something for everyone, too,’ Henry agreed, though goodness knows what, because his gift ideas tend to be a bit random.
Xan, emerging from the study just before Henry left, decided to go with him. Perhaps he felt the need to buy more presents, too, or just wanted a change of scene.
It was odd that I hadn’t felt any desire to leave the estate since I got there, though I suppose I would have done if Charlotte had been able to meet me somewhere local. We’d have to make do with a long catch-up phone call, once she finally arrived to join her family near Hexham.
Xan left Plum with me, or rather, he left him fast asleep in the study, with the doors open, so if he woke he could come and find me.
It was an odd feeling when they’d gone and it was just me, other than the distant noises of the cleaners and the laundress’s radio.
But I had lots to occupy myself with, so the time flew by. Plum, with impeccable timing, arrived to share my sandwich lunch and then, as the cleaners were approaching the staff wing, I told them I was taking Plum out for a walk in the garden and wouldn’t be long.
The path across the lawn was snowy and Plum waded through it stoically, but once we’d gone down the first flight of steps, the garden was more sheltered by the rocky walls and overarching shrubs, so it was much easier going.
I stopped for a long time in the Winter Garden, lost in thought among the snowdrops, until Plum barked imperatively, waking me to the realization that my feet were frozen, my nose probably resembling an iced cherry and my fingers, even in their woolly gloves, entirely numb.
Plum wanted to be carried now and, small though he was, by the time we’d been down to the frozen lake and then all the way back up to the house again, he seemed to have doubled in weight.
I towelled him dry in the scullery as the cleaning team began to pack up their equipment and, soon after, departed.
Then, for the first time, I had the whole house entirely to myself.
Apart from Plum, of course.
Henry and Xan returned while I was still thawing out my fingers around a second mug of coffee, but vanished into the study for a mysterious wrapping session, from which I was banned, though Henry did show me the large box of pink champagne truffles for Lucy and Simon’s pot of Gentleman’s Relish, which he proposed we gave as joint presents.
I had a wrapping session of my own, with Henry’s little painting I’d brought back from California and the three books. I’d ordered something for Plum, too, but that hadn’t yet arrived.
I put our gifts under the tree in the staff sitting room and Henry, looking mysterious, came in and added one or two more.
‘Right, now I’m going to light the fire in the sitting room so it’s nice and cosy when Nancy and Mrs Powys get back.’
‘With this central heating, it’s always cosy.’
‘I know, I think it’s the warmest big house I’ve ever stayed in,’ he agreed. ‘There’s something nice about a real fire, though. I might light the one in the Great Hall again, too. And then, when I get back, I’m going to whip up some vol-au-vents and curry puffs.’
‘I love your curry puffs!’ I said.
‘I know, and I’ll make enough for us, too,’ he promised. ‘And I’m sure you’ve been working yourself to the bone while we were out gallivanting, so why don’t you treat yourself to an extra-long cleaning session in the study? Xan said he hoped you might finish the long run of bookshelves today.’
‘I’d certainly like to,’ I said, wavering. ‘And I do have everything well in hand. Dinner is just steak and chips again, which apparently is a favourite of Nancy as well as Mrs Powys, so my cordon bleu skills are not exactly going to be challenged.’
‘There you are, then. I’ll make you both coffee while you change and then you can take it through with you – and remove this silly dog, too. I’ve fallen over him twice and I haven’t even started baking yet!’
