Page 36 of Mistletoe and Mystery

‘Well, if you’ve seen everything you need…?’

‘More than enough. In fact….’

Sven almost galloped down the staircase, calling a last instruction over his shoulder.

‘Martha, would you tell Rupert I had an urgent business call, please?’

‘It’s Millie…’

But he ignored her correction and sprinted out of the front door, down the steps and jumped into his Porsche Cayenne, shooting down the driveway like Lewis Hamilton’s older brother.

‘Was that Sven?’ asked Rupert, coming to stand next to her on the front steps, his hands shoved into his pockets as he watched the vehicle’s red taillights disappear through the stone pillars.

‘Yes. I don’t think he’s coming back, sorry.’

‘Don’t be. He was one of the most unpleasant men I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with. You should have heard his spiel as we drove over here. If my mother hadn’t brought me up with impeccable manners, I would have ditched him at the side of the road on our way out of Oxford. There’s no way I want him as the manor’s new owner, even if it does mean I’ll be foraging in the hedgerows for my own food for a while. I’ve done some crazy things in my life, but I think this has been one of the worst. How could I have forgotten how wonderful the Berryford villagers are, and how central the manor is to the local community! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some apologising to do to Claudia… but not before I challenge you to a race down the banister, Miss Harper. And by the way, I loved the idea of an annual competition,’ he smirked.

‘What… You heard?’

‘Every word! Bravo! I might hire your services when I’m in need of a PR ninja!’

‘Actually, my dream job is to be a cookery school presenter, like Claudia.’

‘You never know, there could be an opening here at the Cotswold Cookery School.’

Millie watched Rupert bound up the stairs two at a time and then turn back to face her, his eyebrows raised.

‘Scared?’

Millie giggled. ‘No way!’ She sprinted after him, cocked her leg over the banister, leaned forward, and readied herself for the thrill she hadn’t expected to repeat.

‘On three! One… two… three!’

This time Millie let go immediately and shot down the polished handrail at speed, grateful that she was wearing slinky trousers that gave her the slight edge over Rupert’s dress pants. She beat him by a couple of seconds and they both ended up in a pile on the floor, laughing like a pair of naughty toddlers.

‘Hurray! Messy Millie is the winner! Congratulations!’ Zach smirked, appearing seemingly out of nowhere to reach down to help her upright.

‘Don’t know if that’s the right description for your girlfriend, Zach. I think she should be rechristened Marvellous Millie because she’s just managed to hustle Sven from the premises without a rude word in sight!’

Chapter Sixteen

‘Okay, Tim, I think that should hold things until you’ve had chance to call out a roofer,’ said Mitch, wiping his hands on a cloth and shoving it back into his jacket pocket. The men shook hands before Tim pulled the landlord of The Flying Fox into a grateful hug. ‘Everyone’s retired to the pub for a drink. You’re welcome to join us?’

‘Thanks, Mitch, you’re a star. I’m not sure we’ll make it so would you open a tab for me and remind everyone they’re invited to the drinks party tomorrow night? Seven p.m. sharp.’

‘Sure.’

‘And I promise the place will be screaming Christmas festivities! What do you think, Claudie?’

‘Absolutely, darling! Decorations galore!’

Tim’s eyes softened as he looked at his wife, his tiredness evident from the drop of his shoulders and the smudges of grey beneath his eyes. He was covered from head-to-toe in a layer of dust and what looked like a smear of chocolate on his cheek but was probably engine oil, and Millie had to supress a giggle.

‘Bye, Claudia, thanks for the coffee and the Christmas pastries. Might see you later, Zach? Millie?’

Millie would have loved to have trotted down to the village pub for a drink, but she didn’t think she could remain upright for another minute. She had been on her feet since six a.m. that morning, had prepared and presented theFestive Feastbrunch tutorial, then dealt with the surprise arrival of Rupert and Sven, assisted in the continual supply of coffee, hot chocolate and warm mince pies, Stollen, Panettone, and slabs of Kate’s parkin to Tim’s workshop.

Next, she had got cracking with the tidying up which was desperately overdue; washing and drying the glasses and plates, wiping down the worktops and polishing the floor until it gleamed. Claudia had made a valiant effort to handle the mop but had only got a quarter of the way round when she had turned a sickly yellow colour and slumped into a waiting chair, filled with apologies.

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