Page 116 of One More Christmas at the Castle
When we had our final recording session before breaking over Christmas, Xan suggested what Nancy already had: that we skate briefly over the accident that led to Asa being unable to dive any more and get it over with, before beginning on the start of Asa’s important excavations at the temple site.
We are to carry on from there after Christmas, and I confess I’m glad to have moved beyond that terrible day when our lives changed.
Moving on with theforgivenesspart, as Nancy urges me to do, will be a little more difficult …
Nancy drove me to my pain clinic appointment today, wheremore pills were doled out: enough, the nurse said, to last me over the festive season.
I didn’t tell her I still had quite a store of them, even though I’m now having to take them every night, in order to sleep.
But not, until I absolutely have to, during the day, for not only do I want to enjoy the festivities, but I need a clear head to make my final decision over the future of Mitras Castle …
33
Heirs and Graces
Overnight the weather had again sneaked in and dumped another substantial fall of snow, so that everything was hidden under a thick, white blanket.
However, when Henry fetched the papers he was disappointed to find that the local farmers had already snowploughed a narrow strip of road, so he’d hardly found the journey a challenge at all.
‘And while I was putting the papers on the table in the Great Hall, I noticed the crown of gilded bay leaves had fallen off one of the diving helmets and Plum seems to have found it and ripped it to bits,’ he said, displaying the sad remains. ‘There are bits of debris all over that corner.’
‘Naughty Plum! But never mind, I’ll take the dustpan and brush through after breakfast and clean it up,’ I offered.
Lucy was rather touchingly excited over breakfast about the imminent arrival of her brother, Nigel, but also worried he wouldn’t be able to get through the snowy roads, even though Henry assured her that he would have no trouble.
And he was quite right, because he answered the door toNigel just before ten, while I was sweeping up the bits of leaves and twigs from the demolished wreath.
‘Good morning, sir,’ said Henry, in his best butler’s manner. ‘May I take your coat? And if you give me your keys, I will fetch in your luggage and garage the car.’
Nigel looked quite startled, though I’m sure Lucy must have told him about us, even if Mrs Powys hadn’t.
Lucy’s brother was a plump, rosy and cheerful version of her, and a veryshinyperson, too – his dark eyes, his rosy face and his large, white teeth all shone. His hair was pure white, though I knew he wasn’t much older than Lucy, in his early fifties.
‘Er … yes,’ he said, handing Henry a whole side of smoked salmon and a giant bottle of champagne first.
‘I’ll see these are taken through to the kitchen, sir,’ Henry said gravely, putting them on the table under the window.
Henry divested him of his overcoat and Nigel did another double take when he spotted me in the corner, dustpan and brush in hand.
Then the sitting-room door flew open and Lucy rushed out to embrace him. ‘Oh, I thought I heard your voice, Nigel! I’ve beensoworried about you, driving here in the snow!’
He thumped her on the back, in a kindly fashion. ‘The roads were fine. The snow’s only local.’
Mrs Powys followed Lucy out and greeted him with the words, ‘Well, Nigel. Fatter than ever, I see.’
‘Alas, the pounds do seem to pile on with the years,’ he said ruefully, kissing her cheek and then that of Nancy, when she joined them, too. ‘Haven’t seen you for years, Nancy,’ he said heartily.
‘No, it must have been the last Christmas party Asa and Sabine held here, over six years ago,’ she agreed.
‘It’s good you’ve arrived early, Nigel, because I want to have a nice, quiet chat with you before lunch,’ Mrs Powys told him, and his expression turned wary.
‘Perhaps you’d like to go to your room first, though?’ Nancy suggested.
‘I … yes, perhaps … just for a moment, to freshen up.’
‘I’ll take you up,’ Lucy said eagerly. ‘You’re on the top floor, in the room next to me. Henry will bring your bags up in a bit.’
Nigel indicated the salmon and champagne with a hand like a fat, pink starfish. ‘My contribution to the Christmas feast, Sabine. I feel you can never have too much smoked salmon and champagne!’
