Page 162 of One More Christmas at the Castle
But today, when I went into the morning room, I discovered that Olive, Frank and Nigel all had a tendency to stare curiously at me and then look away quickly when I caught them at it.
‘Good morning, Dido,’ said Nancy brightly. ‘What have you got there?’
‘Soft-boiled eggs. I know Mrs …Sabinelikes them and thought some of you might like a change. But if not, I’ll use them up in something.’
‘Thank you, Dido, that will be very pleasant,’ said Sabine, who was looking tired but tranquil, as if she’d arrived at the end of some long and arduous journey.
‘Toast soldiers coming up!’ said Henry, catching two slices of bread as they shot out of the toaster, and cutting them into fingers.
Frank said, with somewhat forced humour, that it seemed odd to be waited on by a member of the family.
‘Not to mention, the future wife of the Castle’s heir!’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ I said, pouring out coffee for Sabine and adding just a dash of milk, the way she liked it. ‘Mothers and wives do it all the time for their families, don’t they? And no one thinks anything of that.’
‘Very true, and I’m sure everyone will soon be used to the idea – and delighted to welcome Dido into the family,’ Nancy said.
‘I’mused to it already,’ said Dom, ‘and I think it’s great!’
‘Thanks, Dom,’ said Xan, smiling at me. ‘Consider yourself invited to the wedding!’
Xan came to the kitchen to fetch me when Sabine had finished her breakfast and summoned us to the library.
‘And after that, she’s going to see Olive and Frank together, then Nigel, and finally Lucy,’ he said. ‘The Mellings and Nigel hope to leave before lunch, but Dom and Mr Makepeace after it.’
‘It’s soup and then warm cheese-and-potato slice, with winter slaw,’ I said, ‘so it’s extendable if necessary.’
‘After today, you won’t have to cater for the multitude. It’ll just be the family and Nancy and Henry again.’
‘It feels odd to be included in the family,’ I confessed, hesitating as we reached the door to the library.
‘Come on, Sabine won’t bite!’ he urged.
To my relief, Nancy was there too and Sabine didn’t bite me – but instead formally welcomed me into the family. Then she added, slightly stiffly and prompted by a look from Nancy, that she felt a great sense of relief in knowing that Mitras Castle would be so well looked after in the future.
‘We can safely promise you we’ll do that,’ Xan assured her.
‘Of course. And I’ve been thinking,’ I added diffidently, ‘that if you will allow me to, I’ll stay on after New Year to do the cooking and housekeeping, so you don’t have to worry about that. Not as a contract,’ I added hastily, ‘just because Iwantto.’
‘That is a very generous offer, Dido,’ said Sabine, looking surprised and, for once, her pale blue eyes were not like chips of ice. ‘But don’t you have other bookings?’
‘Henry and I were going to wind up our business this year, anyway, so we’ll just have to do it sooner rather than later – and I have a feeling Henry won’t mind.’
‘No,’ said Nancy, ‘I don’t think he and Dom will be able to bear being separated from each other for long, do you? So lovely, all this romance in the air.’
‘Well, I expect you are as right about that as you have been about everything else, Nancy,’ Sabine said in her more usual tart tones.
‘I could write Asa’s biography here as well as anywhere else, if you’d like me to stay on too, Sabine?’ Xan offered.
She was silent for a moment and then she said, slowly, ‘I think what I’dreallylike is for you both to get married and make your home here as soon as it can be arranged. There’s a lot to learn about the running of the estate, not to mention the Rowenhead Fort Trust.’
Xan looked at me, one dark eyebrow raised in enquiry. ‘I’d marry Dido tomorrow if she agreed!’
‘Perhaps notquitethat soon – and only when Nancy can conduct the ceremony!’ I told him firmly.
Xan, following Sabine’s instructions, sent Frank and Olive to see her next and then rang Simon to request he come over later so he could witness the will, along with Henry.
‘And the roads should be fine by then, so you could collect Sophie’s car,’ he suggested and Simon agreed.
