Page 59 of A December to Remember
“The way I see it,” Star began, “if God is supposed to have created everything, she must also have had a hand in the seasons and the sun’s position in the hemisphere and the pagans who celebrated it. So to not support the winter solstice is kind of rude to God.”
Simone and Maggie studied their sister for a long moment.
“Okay,” said Maggie. “I nominate you to go and ask Belinda. And now that I think about it, the church summer fete always has a marquee for the cake contest and largest vegetable competition. I wonder if it belongs to the church or if they rent it.” She tapped her pen on her chin. “Ask about that too.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Star saluted.
“Next on the agenda is alcohol. Dad’s scrapbook is insistent on it being wassail, and he also says that the apple trees of Rowan Thorp make the best cider, as does Betty...”
“If Bossy Betty is insistent, we’ddefinitelybetter make it happen.” Star snickered.
“I heard that!” Betty called, mid–loading a cake stand.
“Ears like a bat,” whispered Simone.
“I heard that too!”
Maggie was struck by inspiration. She turned to the front of the shop and called, “Do you think if we held a village meeting, people would come?”
Betty rolled her eyes and settled her hands on her hips. “Try and stop ’em.”
“What about if we held a meeting tomorrow night? In the village hall? Is that too short notice?” Simone was thinking out loud. “I’m not sure how we’d get the word out.”
“You leave that to me, dear,” said Betty. “I’ll spread the word. Half the town would come just to see the spectacle of the North girls working as a team.”
“Rude!” said Star.
“Jebediah at the newsagent’s has been keeping a book on how long it’ll take the ‘North nemeses’ to throw in the towel.”
Some of the locals at nearby tables became flushed and began to concentrate on newspapers and slices of cake. Maggie guessed from their guilty faces that Jebediah’s under-the-counter bookmaking business was booming.
“The North nemeses! Is that what they call us?” Simone was offended, but Maggie only laughed.
“I don’t know whyyou’reso uptight about it—Ilivehere! What are the odds that we don’t pull it off, Betty?”
“Twenty to one against.”
Maggie felt both her eyebrows rise.
“O ye of little faith!” Star retorted.
“Don’t shoot the messenger.” Betty held her hands up.
“Have you placed a bet?” Simone asked.
“I have indeed. I’ve got money on youmakinga go of it, so you’d better not let me down. I expect to be picking up a tidy sum on the longest night of the year.”
Maggie grinned. “We’d better make sure we get it done, then.”
The sounds of chairs scraping against the wooden floor and the sudden mass exodus suggested that the people of Rowan Thorp might just be hedging their bets. Jebediah was about to have an influx of customers.
“What time do you want to hold this meeting?” Betty asked.
“Seven o’clock?” Maggie suggested.
Betty nodded. “Consider it done. Make sure you come with a plan and a list of things you need. People don’t like having their time wasted. They’ll give help when it’s asked, but they won’t do it all for you.” And with that warning ringing in the sisters’ ears, Betty went back to dolloping clotted cream onto the biggest scones Maggie had ever seen.
26
