Page 118 of One More Christmas at the Castle
‘Ithinkof them as family,’ she said, and smiled blandly. I had a feeling she was enjoying winding Nigel up.
Henry, returning later after collecting used plates, said that Nigel had tried to ingratiate himself with Mrs Powys by employing a kind of playful badinage, but this hadn’t gone down too well.
‘Then he suggested that as the last male head of the family, he’d be glad to act as co-host with her, if she felt in need of his support.’
‘I bet that went down like a lead balloon,’ I said.
‘Yes, she told him that if she had any need of male support, which she didn’t, then she could rely on her dear godson, Xan, to provide it. Xan looked uncomfortable. I don’t think he wants to be dragged into any family disputes.’
‘No, I’m sure he doesn’t. But he is genuinely fond of Mrs Powys and vice versa.’
‘The fun has started already!’ said Henry with a grin, and went out with a fine Stilton and a lordly bunch of grapes.
After lunch, without waiting for coffee, Nigel and Lucy set out for the village. Henry took the tray through to the sitting room for Nancy, Xan and Mrs Powys, and was away sometime, returning with a mischievous expression on his cherubic face.
‘We’ve hatched a plan for when the Mellings arrive,’ he said. ‘I’m going to open the door to them wearing my full Jeeves outfit! Mrs Powys says Frank Melling is a complete stuffed shirt and, since she hasn’t told them she’s got some help over Christmas, he’ll be totally gobsmacked! They’re probably expecting Maria’s pot-luck for dinner, too.’
‘Lamb and rice,’ I corrected. ‘Maria’s meals seemed to lean heavily in that direction. So, yes, surprises all round!’
‘Nancy thought it would be a great joke, too,’ he said. ‘But Xan told me he wasn’t going to give me a tip, however much like Jeeves I looked.’
‘Well, enjoy yourself,’ I told him. ‘I know you love dressing up.’
‘It’s only for an hour or so, then I’ll resume the Henry the house elf look.’
‘We’ll do an extra lavish tea, shall we?’ I suggested. ‘Lucy and Nigel should be back for it, too. That will be almost all the guests, with only the solicitor and his granddaughter to come, and they aren’t due till after lunch tomorrow.’
‘Perhaps they’ll help to dilute the family tensions that Mrs Powys seems to be determined to stir up,’ he said optimistically. ‘But I’ll make my special Rudge Cocktail tonight, anyway. It’s been known to oil the wheels of the stickiest parties.’
I’d taken the large container of chicken in white wine from the freezer to defrost overnight and was already scrubbing potatoes and prepping vegetables, so there would be little to do later.
A trifle in a cut-glass bowl reposed in the fridge, a thick layer of cold custard rich with sherry on top, ready for whipped cream to be added before serving.
Henry laid the dining-room table early, too. It’s so much easier if we’re ahead of the game.
‘Eight for dinner,’ he said, coming back, ‘and the table looks like an illustration fromCountry House Living.’
‘Then we’ve done everything in advance that we can, Henry.’
‘Oh, we’resogood at this!’ he said. ‘Now, just for fun, I’m going to go and move the cars around in the outbuildings, so I can fit in two more. I’ll put our van in that open-sided barn thing round the back, with the Land Rover – there’s plenty of room in there. I think the Mellings and their son are coming separately, and then, I suppose the solicitor and this Mrs Martin will come together, so one more car tomorrow.’
‘Don’t forget to leave space for Lucy’s hatchback.’
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ he said. ‘It’ll be like a giant metal jigsaw puzzle.’
‘Have fun,’ I told him.
He cut some more bay leaves on the way back, to make a new crown for the denuded diving helmet, but first went to check on the fires and see if anything was wanted.
He said he’d found Nancy in the library, wrapping Christmas presents – presumably all those packets of home-made fudge – and Xan was back in the study, with Plum.
‘Mrs Powys has gone for a lie-down before tea – or to recharge her batteries, ready for the next onslaught of family members.’
‘All quiet on the Western Front, then,’ I commented.
‘Probably only a temporary lull. Right,’ he added briskly, ‘I’m going to make that new wreath for the diving helmet. The poor thing looks very left out. Just as well it is quick-drying gold paint!’
‘And, I hope, non-toxic? Though I don’t think Plum actuallyateany of the last one, he just pulled it to pieces.’
