Page 58 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure
Christmas was approaching. The water-pipe drama was sorted out satisfactorily for both sides, and Louis had finally managed to get the fountain running again. Bruno turned the soil at the back of the grounds for a future vegetable garden, and Louis promised to bring seedlings from his friend the local farmer. Ellie hesitated about sending a Christmas card to Lionel to let him know she was doing well. She sent greetings to both the boys, giving them her news and hoping she had the correct address for both of them. She had received a brief note from both boys expressing dismay at the way their father had behaved and hoping she had a good holiday in France. But they were the sort of notes you wrote to an acquaintance, written out of politeness. She took out the photograph album she had brought with her and turned back to the childhood pictures: Colin and Richard on the beach, Colin grinning and showing a missing front tooth, Richard clutching a teddy as Colin read to him. What sweet little boys they had been. And then boarding school, and it was as if they shut off all feelings.I’ll never forgive myself that I let Lionel do that to them,she thought.
Mavis lamented that she couldn’t get the right supplies for a Christmas pudding in the village shop and that it needed to be made on Stir-up Sunday. But then they received more than one invitation, meaning Mavis would not have to cook: Tommy and Clive invited them for Christmas lunch. They were going to kill a chicken, they said. And then Henri invited them for the late supper after MidnightMass. Ellie had not intended to go to Midnight Mass, but Father André stopped her in the street and said he hoped most sincerely that the ladies would be joining the rest of the inhabitants of Saint-Benet for the most solemn occasion. After that it would have been rude to refuse. So at eleven thirty they drove down the hill, dressed warmly as the night was chilly. Ellie wore Jeannette’s fur stole again while Dora had one of her own. They had given the opera singer’s long wool cape to Yvette, who had no warm clothing with her, and a smart wool jacket to Mavis. The sound of church bells floated towards them, echoing back from the valley sides in the still night air. The church was already filling up when they arrived. The smell of incense hung in the air, and the candlelight flickered from the altar and the window ledges. On one side was a large nativity scene with a thatched roof, and not just Mary and Joseph but shepherds and villagers of all sorts, local people as might have been seen in Saint-Benet.
The Mass began with a hymn the whole congregation knew and sang lustily so that the sound reverberated around the small building. The Mass itself was confusing to Ellie. She recognized the structure of it, the readings, the consecration of the host, the Communion, but there was a lot of murmuring in Latin, a lot of kneeling and rising, that she did not understand. It ended with another rousing carol, “Les anges de nos campagnes.” The angels from our fields. And everyone hugging, kissing, wishing a happy Noël as they came out.
They joined the crowd, processing down the street until they came to Henri’s bar. There tables awaited, covered in white cloths, decorated with candles and greenery. They were embraced like old friends and invited to sit with about twenty others. Ellie found herself sitting opposite Nico. Wine had already been poured, and he raised a glass to her.
“I wish you a ’appy Christmas,” he said in English.
“And you too,” she replied. “You still remember some English, then?”
He shrugged. “I learn in school, but it was many years ago. Now the words do not come easily. But then, your French is good. I donot need to try.” He smiled. Then he introduced a tiny old woman as his mother. Ellie looked at her with interest. She was small, wizened, shrunken and nothing like her robust son, but she smiled politely when introduced. Ellie asked of his father and was told that he died years ago. A fisherman. Lost at sea. His mother spoke with a tiny, croaking voice that matched her appearance. She had been a widow for many years, but thanks to her wonderful son, she lacked nothing, and he took good care of her. Ellie wondered if his smuggling activities helped to fund the good life she led. He didn’t seem to go out fishing with the other men too often. Anyway, it was none of her business.
They ate a wonderful meal—a bean soup, and then a large whole fish, roasted with herbs around it. So that was how they were supposed to cook the fish that Nico had left them! And last there was applause as Henri produced a chocolate log, decorated with berries. “The bûche de Noël,” someone said, and Ellie realized it was their equivalent of the Christmas pudding. Only it was much richer—lots of cream and liquor in it. It was almost three o’clock in the morning when they retrieved the Bentley and Ellie drove them back to the villa. She noted that the viscount had not been amongst the churchgoers. Perhaps he had gone back to Paris for Christmas.
She fell into bed, exhausted, and was awoken by the sound of more church bells announcing the day. Light streamed in, and it was almost ten o’clock. They ate a light breakfast, knowing they were due at Tommy and Clive’s house for lunch. Mavis had not managed to find mincemeat to make mince pies, but Ellie had made sausage rolls. They didn’t taste exactly like English sausage meat, but close enough.
They had agreed not to give presents to each other, but Dora handed a little box to Ellie and one to Mavis. Ellie’s contained a lovely square-cut emerald ring, Mavis’s a blue enamel watch in the shape of a bluebird.
“Dora, I couldn’t possibly,” Ellie began. “I couldn’t take one of your treasures.”
Dora smiled. “I don’t wear it anymore. It was my mother’s, and I plan to leave you my jewellery when I die anyway. So enjoy them. It will give me pleasure to see them worn.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Mavis said. “I ain’t ever had anything as lovely. When I was young, I used to dream of owning a watch some day.”
“You’re very welcome, Mavis,” Dora said. “And if you want to do something for me in return, then please stop saying ‘ain’t.’ I’m going to work on your vocabulary so you sound like an educated woman.” She paused. “I hope that doesn’t offend you, but I want the best for your future.”
“I think it’s kind of you to care about me,” Mavis said.
Dora turned to Yvette. “I have not forgotten you, Yvette,” she said in French, “but I wanted to give you something practical. I have sent off for white knitting wool and patterns so that we can all knit outfits for the baby. And we have agreed to pay for a doctor to keep an eye on you and to deliver the child when the time comes.”
“Merci, madame. You are good.” Yvette’s eyes were still on the emerald ring, and she did not sound thrilled.
“And I do have a little something for all of you,” Mavis said. She retrieved three packages wrapped in brown paper. Dora’s were two cushions to match the curtains in her room. “So that you can sit outside in the wicker chair when the weather is nice,” Mavis said.
Yvette opened her parcel. “It’s a proper maternity dress,” Mavis said. “Hide the bump, eh?” And she chuckled. Ellie translated. Yvette nodded again. “Thank you.”
Then Ellie opened hers and gasped. It was an elegant black dress with white panels at the side and a white collar. “But this is lovely, Mavis. How did you manage it?”
Mavis gave an embarrassed grin. “I used one of her dresses, the opera singer’s, and I knew it was too small, so I used silk from one of her petticoats to make the panels.”
“You’re so talented,” Ellie exclaimed. “You could be a dress designer.”
“Go on with you!” Mavis giggled, blushing. “I’m used to doing alterations to keep old clothing going. I had to do it all the time when I was at home and my younger sisters grew out of things. I couldn’t design nothing, though.”
“Well, I think it’s incredible,” Ellie said. “And I feel terrible now because I thought we weren’t giving presents.”
“But you’ve given us the present,” Dora said. “You brought us here. You fought to get this villa, and you’ve given us a new home. I am enjoying myself, something that hasn’t happened in years.”
Ellie turned away, tears in her eyes. “I feel the same way,” she said. “You have all given me a new life, too. I can’t tell you how abandoned and depressed I felt a few months ago, and now look at us. Dora is healthy. Mavis has turned into a dress designer, and I am friends with a viscount.”
“You should work on that,” Mavis said. “Maybe he’s looking for a wife.”
Ellie laughed. “Oh no, Mavis. I’ve no interest in finding a new husband at my age, and I’m certain he’s not seeing me in that way.”
“Go on, you’re only as young as you feel,” Mavis said. Then her face became pensive. “I wonder how Reggie’s doing without me. Knowing him, I bet he’s found someone to take my place. He always did have an eye for the ladies.”
“Let’s not think of anything unhappy today,” Ellie said. “We’re going for a lovely lunch, and look at the weather. It’s perfect.”
