Page 75 of The Secret Christmas Library
But actually, the thick layer of ice that had formed on the snow was both fairly straightforward to walk on – certainly easier than the thigh-deep snow – and oddly satisfying, as it crunched beneath their heavy boots.
The sun made all the difference, though it was now straight in front of them, blinding them. Theo reached into a pocket and brought out a pair of sunglasses, which made the girls laugh. And suddenly, in the very far distance, they heard something.
‘Sshh, listen!’
It was very faint – and not their church – but the bells were ringing, and the day was so still that the sound had carried all across the valley.
‘That must meansomepeople have made it to church,’ said Esme.
‘Don’t make me feel guilty,’ said Theo.
‘No, it means some roads must be passable! If they’re ringing the bells. I mean, ours won’t, but other people can’t be in such desperate straits.’
‘Are they real bells?’ said Mirren. ‘Not just recordings?’
‘Recordings?’ sniffed Esme, as if she’d never heard anything more ridiculous.
‘Well, if it were recordings,’ said Jamie, comfortingly, ‘that would mean their power was back on. Which would be great too.’
It was rather lovely, to hear the sound of the pealing bells bouncing off the crackling white world as they began to scrunch their way across the lawn, in a direction Mirren and Theo hadn’t been before. With the sea behind them, the forest ahead, they bore far to the right. Again Mirren turned back, trying to imprint the house, outlined in ice and sun, into her memory, in case she never came here again . . . Well, of course she would never come here again, she remonstrated with herself. Why would she? She should consider herself happy that she found it, and saw it. And met . . . him. She looked at Jamie, marching out, in his element on the difficult ground, perfectly at home.
They passed the low settling of outhouses on the side, with smoke coming out of one chimney.
‘What are those?’ asked Theo.
‘Oh, the farm cottages – abandoned now,’ said Esme, airily.
‘That one isn’t abandoned.’
Jamie tutted. ‘It’s Bonnie’s, obviously.’
‘Oh, yeah, of course,’ said Esme.
‘Didn’t you know?’ said Theo.
‘I’ve never been in those buildings,’ said Esme.
‘You have buildings on your own property you’ve never been in?’
Esme shrugged. ‘Do we have to go through the whole “raised in a castle” thing again?’
‘Haveyoubeen in them?’ Mirren asked Jamie, not sure she wanted to know what the answer was.
‘Oh, yes,’ said Jamie. ‘When I was small. Bonnie’s gran, Mrs Airdrie, lived there. She was really kind to us. Bonnie’s mum worked up in Aberdeen – still does – so old Mrs Airdrie raised Bonnie, really. Her dad was a ghillie, moved on . . . ’ His face twisted. ‘Bit of a theme.’
‘Isn’t it?’ said Mirren, with some feeling. ‘So, you guys played together?’
He nodded. ‘Yeah. Mrs Airdrie was an amazing baker too. Bonnie got it all from her.’
Mirren frowned, crunching on. ‘When . . . when did you and Bonnie realise, though. That you would own the house, and she would work in it?’
Jamie smiled at the memory. Theo and Esme were hanging behind; Esme had conjured up a vape from somewhere and they were sharing it.
‘When we were about nine or so? She wentmental. I can see that wee face now.’
‘So what did you do? What did people say?’
‘Oh, my mum didn’t care, didn’t know why I was hanging around with her in the first place, and of course everyone – we all – assumed Bonnie would leave, go to college, so it didn’t matter. Nobody thought she’d grow up to work in the house; that was a ridiculous idea in this day and age. But Mrs Airdrie was very good. She pointed out that they own their house outright – they do, and it’s all stipulated to Bonnie. And that she could go to college too if she wanted. And we had a stupid big cold house, and they had a small cosy house and Pot Noodlesand a big telly.’ Jamie smiled ruefully. ‘I think we both knew she had the better end of the bargain. I practically lived in there.’
