Page 82 of The Cosy Travelling Christmas Shop

‘She’s working. We’re going out to dinner this evening.’

‘You don’t sound very happy about it,’ his grandad said, astutely.

‘Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind.’ Daniel didn’t feel like confiding in either his grandad or his mum, although knowing how he felt about Amelia, they were probably the only people who would truly understand where he was coming from.

‘Like what?’ his grandad asked.

‘I’ll tell you over lunch.’ Ever since he’d moved out of Gina’s house and into the one he was currently renting, he’d made a point of having Sunday lunch with his mum and Edwin. Now that Edwin had gone to live in the care home, it seemed even more important the three of them continued to have at least one meal together.

How long that could continue once he’d told them his news about Highfields was another matter.

‘Our Daniel has got something on his mind,’ Edwin said to Linda, taking his usual seat at the small dining room table.

‘Oh?’ Linda turned her attention away from the green beans she was ladling onto Edwin’s plate and looked at Daniel.

‘I might have a job,’ he said. ‘Miss Carruthers has put in a good word for me with the head gardener at Highfields House.’

‘What kind of a job?’ His mother was surveying him intently.

‘A permanent, salaried job.’

‘Is that what you want?’

‘It beats playing Santa Claus every Christmas. A place that big needs attention all year round,’ Daniel said.

‘Have you heard of Highfields House?’ Linda asked Edwin, and Edwin shook his head.

‘It’s a stately home with one of the most impressive gardens in Britain,’ Daniel explained. ‘It would be an honour to work there. I haven’t spoken to them yet though, so they might not give it to me. They’ve only got Miss Carruthers’ word to go on.’

‘Don’t underestimate her. She’s as formidable as Phoebe. They know each other from boarding school and their families go way back. Phoebe was telling me that Minty Carruthers was rumoured to have had an affair with one of the royals.’

‘Really? Which one?’

‘She wouldn’t say, but all you need to know is that very often when it comes to getting positions in those types of places it’s not what you know, butwhoyou know. And Minty is well connected.’

‘What kind of a name is Minty?’ Edwin asked, helping himself to a fluffy Yorkshire pudding.

‘Apparently, it’s short for Arimenta,’ Linda said.

‘Good Lord, fancy saddling a child with that,’ Edwin said, tucking into his lunch. ‘I suppose shortening it to Minty is better than shortening it to Ari – sounds like Harry with the “h” missing.’

Daniel’s thoughts flew to Amelia, and he wondered whether she or her friends would shorten her name in the future and if so what they would shorten it to, and it sent an ache through his chest to think he’d never know.

‘What’s the catch?’ his mum asked, sitting down to enjoy her own plate of food.

‘It’s two hundred miles away,’ Daniel said.

His mother put her fork down with a clatter. ‘I see.’ She looked downcast for the briefest of moments before her expression cleared, and he knew she was trying to be pleased for him.

Daniel continued brightly, ‘The head gardener, a guy called Mr John, is going to phone me tomorrow, so hopefully he’ll invite me down for an interview before Christmas. If I get it, it’ll be nice to know I have a job to go to in the new year. I love being my own boss, but I can’t be dealing with the lack of work during the winter months.’

‘That’s a shame. You’ve worked so hard to get your business off the ground,’ Linda said.

‘It’s not enough, Mum.’

‘I can see that. But you don’t have to be Santa next year – I’m sure there are plenty of other seasonal jobs around in the run-up to Christmas.’

‘Let him make his own mind up, Linda,’ Edwin said. ‘He’s got to do what feels right for him, same as I had to. You didn’t want me to move into the care home, but I’m happy there; so you have to let him sort his own life out.’ His grandfather had one more thing to say, though. ‘What about your young lady? I thought you were sweet on her, especially after the other night.’

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