Page 42 of Christmas Wishes at Pudding Hall
‘No need to shout, Seth.’ Christa had her back to him and was fiddling with a large cane basket on the bench.
‘Why not? Paul is decorating the house today and Adam and Peggy have been pulled in to assist, much to their horror.’
Christa turned to him. ‘I was wondering why Peggy hadn’t been in early.’
‘She’s in the woods with Paul and Adam scavenging for holly and ivy,’ Marc said amusing himself.
Christa did laugh. ‘I can’t imagine Peggy out in the depths of the woods getting in touch with nature. I hope Paul can handle her.’
‘Paul can handle anything. Peggy is a walk in the park compared to some of the big egos and demands he’s worked with.’
‘Don’t you mean walk in the woods?’ said Christa.
‘Touché,’ Marc said with a nod of his head.
She was clever and beautiful and talented and, he realised, she was completely unimpressed by his wealth. The comment about the vineyard in France was meant to impress her but instead she’d left the house.
For some reason Christa’s opinion of him mattered. Why did it matter when he hardly knew her? Yes he thought she was attractive and funny but there was something else. He felt he had to earn her respect, and Marc Ferrier hadn’t had to earn anything in a long time.
‘I will get my coat and gloves,’ he said. ‘Don’t leave without me.’ He wagged a finger playfully at his twins.
‘Bite ya bum, Lester,’ they said screaming at their own joke.
Sorry, Christa mouthed to him but he laughed with them and was still giggling when he came back to the kitchen all rigged up and ready to go.
‘Ready and able,’ he said to Christa, taking the basket from her hand. ‘What’s in here?’ he asked about to lift the lid.
‘No, don’t look – it’s a surprise,’ she said firmly, putting her hand on his and pushing down the lid.
He felt a physical connection to her and he wished he could kiss her for a moment. Just a quick kiss on those soft pink lips.
‘Righto,’ she said and she opened the kitchen door. ‘Let’s go.’
Outside Bill the gardener was waiting, a small black dog by his side. A mutt who looked like a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a Jack Russell.
‘A dog,’ yelled the boys.
‘Mr Ferrier, Miss Christa,’ said Bill formally.
‘Marc, please,’ he said. He had told him and Peggy many times he preferred his first name but they refused to adhere to his wishes.
‘Just Christa for me. I haven’t been a “miss” since I was in school and in trouble.’ He watched her get down on her haunches and tickle the dog under the chin. ‘Who is this lovely lady?’
‘Meredith,’ said Bill. ‘She’s my assistant. She was sleeping earlier but is ready for the fun now.’
‘Hello, Meredith,’ said Christa and the boys joined her in patting the dog.
She stood up and smiled at them all.
‘Let’s get on with it then, and if you can’t get on with it, you can bite your…’
‘Bum!’ Marc and the twins yelled in unison.
*
Marc had forgotten how beautiful Pudding Hall was. He had been thinking about selling the house after Christmas but now he wondered why he didn’t live here permanently, except that the boys wouldn’t want to stay. Their lives were in America and he still shared custody. Perhaps it was a fanciful idea. So many people wanted to live in the country but then when they stayed they became bored and restless, missing the luxuries of the city. But York wasn’t so far away and it was a gorgeous place with everything he needed. He could work anywhere if he wanted to, he wasn’t tied to a city or a country.
The boys ran ahead with Bill, peppering him with questions about the dog and the garden and whether he had ever owned a parrot. Christa and Marc walked companionably as their feet crunched on the gravel.
