Page 137 of One More Christmas at the Castle
‘Asa’s younger sister, Ariadne. She was such an invalid, wasn’t she, poor girl?’ Nancy said gently. ‘I only met her once, when Stephen and I came out to stay with you for our honeymoon and I believe she died soon after.’
I stared at the photograph speechlessly. Ariadne had half turned towards her brother and there was no mistaking that perfect, Grecian profile.
‘The moment I saw it, I realized why Dido looked so familiar,’ Nancy said.
‘I hadn’t made the connection with Ariadne, but it was such a shock when I first saw how very tall and fair Dido was … and her eyes are green, even if not the same shade as Asa’s. And then, of course, I checked and discovered that she didn’t take after either of her parents – nor Faye, of course.’
‘And these suspicions made you feel even more bitterly towards Dido?’
‘Yes. I knew Asa had had his little flings, but to think he and Faye …’
‘Yes, it was very bad of him indeed, but I’m sure he must always have had it on his conscience.’
‘The horrible suspicion first crossed my mind when I heard that Faye had come back with a child in tow … but then, when I saw a photograph of the boy, so small and nondescript, I felt ashamed that I’d even thought of it!’
I took another hasty pace or two around the room.
‘And now Xan, who has always been more like a son to me than a godson, wants to marry Dido, and I feel totally confused about what I should do.’
‘There is nothing youcando about Dido and Xan, because they love each other. But I do think, dearest Sabine, that it’s time for you to be brave and let the old wounds finally heal, no matter how deep they run.’
‘It’s not that easy, Nancy!’
‘It might be, if you could look at it in the right way: that Xan, whom you love like a son and who is a very distant family connection of your mother’s, and Dido, who is both related to your father’s family and, as I’m sure we’re both now convinced, to your beloved husband, should unite and go on together into a happy future, would be a most wonderful outcome.’
I looked at her speechlessly, but she was smiling lovingly at me.
‘I don’t think I can do it, Nancy! I’m not that brave – or generous!’
‘You can if I help you. And once you’ve readjusted your mindset and accepted it,’ she went on, as if I was a faulty television, ‘everything will becomemuchsimpler.’
She got up. ‘Now I’ll go and pray that your heart will be filled with love and forgiveness, and that, in the coming days, we’ll all experience the true spirit of Christmas.’
‘I thinkyou’rethe true spirit of Christmas, Nancy!’ I told her, and she kissed me and went out, taking the old photograph album with her.
38
Broken Ice
The rest of the afternoon had flown by as I cooked for the days ahead and then prepared the dinner, all accompanied by the steady dripping of water from the gutters as the snow melted. It was looking unlikely that we’d have any left for Christmas Day.
Henry and Dom, who now appeared to have become a double act, laid the tea trolley and wheeled it off at the usual time, but when Henry collected it later, he said the sitting room was now like theMary Celesteand he thought everyone must have gone upstairs.
‘To change, or sulk, or whatever takes their fancy. I’ve lit the dining-room fire and Dom and I got the table lookinglovelybefore he went upstairs, too.’
‘What’s tonight’s starter?’ I asked.
‘Some of the little savoury tartlets I whipped up earlier. They’re light little morsels, which is all they’ll need, before tackling the full Roast Beef Dinner Experience à la Dido.’
‘Just right – and everything seems to be on track,’ I said, glancing at the clock. ‘Let’s have a break and you can tell me all about love’s young dream.’
‘Dido, I think this is the real thing!’ he said earnestly. ‘It was instant, for both of us!’
‘I noticed! And he’s so nice, too. Just don’t rush things!’
‘You’re a fine one to talk!’
‘In my case,Iwasn’t the one rushing things!’ I said with dignity.
