Page 55 of One More Christmas at the Castle
‘When I rang her to see if she wanted me to get her any shopping yesterday, when I was going into Hexham.’
‘That was kind of you, Henry, and to suggest taking over the newspaper pickup for Lucy, too,’ Xan said, looking slightly guilty. ‘I’d never thought of offering to do either.’
‘Why should you? You’re here to do your own work and this is more ours,’ Henry said cheerfully. ‘But I’d better be careful not to betookind to Lucy, because I’m sure now she’s switched her affections to me instead of you, Xan.’
As if on cue, Lucy’s mousy brown head appeared around the edge of the baize door, her beady dark eyes homing in on Henry as if Xan and I weren’t there.
‘I’ve finished breakfast now, Henry, and I’m off to the village, but it’s such a relief to know I won’t have to do the early run again after today!’ Then her eyes finally fell on Xan. ‘Oh – good morning, Xan! I didn’t see you there.’
Since he was sitting right next to Henry, it was obvious his star had now waned.Ididn’t seem to register at all.
‘I could fetch the papers for you today, if you’d rather?’ Henry offered kindly.
‘Oh, so lovely of you!’ she twittered. ‘But it doesn’t look too bad out there at the moment, does it? And I don’t need to make a second trip to the village today unless I feel like taking a little run down later to see my friend Daphne. She runs the village committee and the church flower group, as well as the folk museum and library.’
The head vanished and the sound of her feet pattered off down the passage. I’d swear she was the reincarnation of a small rodent … possibly one of the ones making up Mrs Powys’s fur coat.
‘Yes, you’re definitely the favourite now, Henry,’ Xan said, grinning.
‘Oh, well, if she gets too much, I’ll just tell her I’m gay and then she’ll probably switch back to you,’ he threatened.
‘Areyou gay?’ asked Xan with mild interest.
‘Is the Pope Catholic?’ replied Henry, with one of his seraphic smiles. ‘You should see me dance the Gay Gordons!’
‘I have,’ I reminded him, ‘but I think you lack the insane exuberance of your cousin Hector.’
‘You’re only saying that because Hector asked you to marry him.’
‘That was hardly flattering, since he only asked me because he saw an endless vista of his favourite steamed sponge puddings and custard,’ I said. ‘I blame public schools for this passion for stodgy puds. You know you’d eat jam roly-poly until it came out of your ears, if you got the chance, Henry.’
‘You might have something there,’ Xan said. ‘If I’m dining out anywhere serving sponge pudding and custard, I always order it. What’syourfavourite pudding, Dido?’
‘Believe it or not, it’s a ripe mango. Best eaten in private, standing over a sink and with your sleeves rolled up.’
‘Spare ribs are a bit like that, too,’ said Henry. ‘You can’treallyindulge in them with full gluttony unless you go completely caveman.’
Then he grinned wickedly at me and said, confidentially to Xan, ‘I’ll let you into Dido’s secret vice – she has a passion for Jaffa Cakes.’
‘My vice doesn’t seem to be a secret any more,’ I said, and went to clear the morning-room table.
Miss Mouse – or possibly Miss Mink – had scattered crumbs all over it.
16
Soft Centred
I passed Xan in the doorway when I got back, as he left for the study, carrying another mug of coffee and accompanied by Plum.
Henry, declining my offer of help with his round of morning tasks, soon followed.
He’d already cleared up after himself and Xan, but I tidied the kitchen, lifted a couple of things out of the freezer and then prepped some vegetables, ready to make soup for lunch.
Checking the time, I decided I could fit in a walk before the supermarket delivery arrived, which would take me ages to put away.
I dressed warmly, which was just as well, because when I went out my breath hung in the air like white ectoplasm and I could feel the ghostly brushing of snowflakes against my cheek. I didn’t think the snow would amount to much today, though, because the sky didn’t have that pinkish-grey leaden look that so often precedes it.
I went down the steps from the front lawn and then walked fairly briskly along the paths that descended the terraces, intending to spend a few minutes in the Winter Garden on my way back.
