Page 87 of Christmas for the Village Midwife
She let him go to join the polite queue that had formed at a long table where members of the WI were serving and went to find Corrine and Victor to give them their gifts. Ottilie waved at her as she crossed the floor but seemed to be keeping a distance from where the owners of Daffodil Farm were talking to the vicar. Wisely, probably, Zoe thought, because Melanie and Penny were at their side.
‘Hello, my love.’ Corrine gave Zoe a brief hug. ‘Did you enjoy the service?’
‘I did, very much.’
The vicar smiled at Zoe. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced yet, have we? I’ve meant to call at Kestrel Cottage to say hello, but with one thing and another…Well, never mind. Here we are. It’s good to meet you at long last, Zoe.’
‘You too,’ Zoe said. It was probably just as well he hadn’t turned up at Kestrel Cottage, not during the last few weeks, at least. There had been a lot going on there, and not much of it holy when Alex was involved. ‘The church looks pretty. Did you decorate it?’
‘Oh no, I have a team of able assistants who help me with all that. My lovely ladies – I don’t know what I’d do without them. I’ll pass on your praise. Have you had some refreshments?’
‘Not yet, but there’s some on the way to me.’
‘Good, good…wouldn’t want anyone to miss out. If you’ll excuse me’ – he nodded at them all – ‘I have some more meeting and greeting to do.’
‘No rest for the wicked, eh, Vicar?’ Victor said.
‘Indeed. It would be lovely to see you all at one of our regular services. Everyone is always welcome. Merry Christmas.’
‘And to you,’ Corrine said. ‘We’ll do our best to come down in the new year.’
He left them all with a gracious smile.
‘Can’t be all that long till he retires,’ Victor said, watching him go. ‘Seems like the village is getting old all at once, what with Dr Cheadle going.’
‘I won’t be retiring for a long time,’ Zoe said. ‘I doubt any of the rest of the team will be.’ She smiled at Melanie. ‘Hello…I’m Zoe. The new midwife. I just moved here a few months ago. I live in?—’
‘My old house. Yes, I know. You like it?’
‘It’s lovely.’
‘I was happy there. I used to love the view when it rained hard. Clouds over the hills, you know, so you couldn’t see the tops. Still…’ she sniffed, ‘I’m glad someone is enjoying it now I’ve gone.’
Zoe didn’t know how to reply and suddenly felt very guilty for living in what would have been Melanie’s house. She supposed, in a way, it still was. It didn’t belong to Zoe at any rate, being only a tenant, though it had started to feel like home. She shook the impending melancholy before it took hold.
‘By the way,’ she said, turning to Corrine and Victor, ‘I wanted to give you these before I forget.’ She handed them a gift each. ‘To thank you for being so lovely.’
‘Oh, love, we haven’t—’ Corrine began, but Zoe shook her head.
‘They’re only small. You do so much for me. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it.’
Corrine smiled. ‘Aww, thank you, my love. You’ll come over on Boxing Day, won’t you? I’ll be doing a bit of food, and you’d be welcome. Alex and Billie too, of course.’
‘I’m not sure what we’re planning but I’ll mention it to them.’
‘Tell him we always have too much food,’ Victor said. ‘If you came, you’d be doing us a favour.’
‘Thank you. I will.’
‘Look!’ Corrine nudged Victor. ‘There’s Ann! We’d better go and have a word. I don’t expect she’ll stay long if she’s left Darryl at home. Sorry, Zoe love…we’ll just have to…’
‘Of course! By the way,’ Zoe added, scanning the room, ‘you haven’t seen Georgia and Brett since the service, have you?’
‘They slipped out near the end,’ Corrine said. ‘Perhaps they decided not to come back.’
‘Slipped out?’
‘Stomped out, more like,’ Victor said, but Corrine shot him a look.
