Page 107 of All We Want for Christmas
By this time, people were crowding around them, muttering and staring.
‘Is anyone hurt?’ Jazz asked, pushing her way to the front of the throng. ‘I’m a trained first aider.’
‘Are you hurt, Flynn?’ Lara asked, worried about him far more than the chalice.
‘Um. I – er …’ He pushed himself up onto his elbows. ‘I think I got away with it.’
Jazz and her husband helped him to his feet and Lara offered the crutch.
There was a sudden collective murmur of relief and then a round of applause.
‘You should play for the village cricket team!’ Henry said. ‘What a catch.’
‘Flynn’s in no fit state to play any kind of game, Henry. He could have seriously injured himself!’ Fiona said. ‘Now,let’s find you a seat while security put that bloody chalice back in the safe. Honestly, sometimes I think it’s more trouble than it’s worth.’
‘You don’t mean that, dear,’ said Henry, shamefaced. ‘But thank you for catching it, Flynn.’
‘You’re welcome,’ he said, trying not to wince. ‘And I’ll be fine.’
A few minutes later, Flynn was sitting in a corner of the hall with a drink and Lara by his side.
‘I don’t know how you did that,’ she said, her pulse rate gradually returning to normal.
‘Nor me. Actually, I made the wrong decision, didn’t I? If I hadn’t been so stupid as to save it, and it was smashed to smithereens, no one would have ever known about the – you-know-what.’
Lara sighed and took his hand. ‘I had thought of that, but I can’t wish the thing to be destroyed, not even if it would save me. No, I think the time has come to face the music. The sooner the better.’
‘Not until we have that dance,’ Flynn said, cupping her cheek with a warm hand. ‘I promised you that and nothing is going to ruin it. Even if I can only hold onto you and shuffle.’
Henry and Fiona left the ball at midnight, leaving most of the revellers still dancing.
‘We should go to bed too,’ Flynn said to Lara. ‘We have a big day in the morning. We need our strength.’
Her heart sank at the thought of her confession, but shewas determined to do it. ‘You go back to the cottage. I need to say some goodbyes and thank a few people for helping to organise the ball.’
‘Promise you won’t be long?’ It was half plea, half threat.
‘I promise,’ said Lara. ‘Can you make it back to the cottage without falling over?’
He rolled his eyes. ‘I’ll try.’
She watched him hobble across the hallway where people were collecting their coats and saying their rather drunken goodbyes.
Music was still pumping out of the very un-medieval disco and a couple of dozen hardy souls, including Carlos and Neil, were throwing shapes on the dance floor. Jazz and Luke had got a taxi home an hour ago.
Lara lingered in the hall a few moments longer, heaved a sigh, and headed for the family apartments.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Fiona opened the door in her dressing gown. Her lips parted in surprise. ‘Lara! Is everything all right? Is it Flynn? Don’t say we’ve had another drama.’
Lara’s stomach tightened. ‘No, not tonight. I know it’s late, but may I come in? There’s something I have to say.’
Fiona frowned but gestured for her to come inside. ‘Of course, but couldn’t it wait until morning?’
‘Not really.’
Henry emerged from the kitchen, wearing an old-fashioned smoking jacket that would have made Lara smile in other circumstances.
