‘Ice cream for you both tonight,’ I said, to cheers, and we pulled away.
We spent a very relaxing morning with Lavinia. Her stresses over the flood were over and a smart new carpet had been installed and lavish Christmas decorations put up. Tobyhad acres of toys and games, not to mention the run of the wonderful old house and gardens, so he and the twins were blissfully occupied while we sat down for a coffee and some dangerously moreish stollen bites. I filled Lavinia in on Timothy’s reappearance last night.
‘Gosh, it does sound rather romantic. A grand gesture. Nothing like that has ever happened to me. Giles and I sort of knew for years we’d end up getting married and one day he mumbled, “What about it, old girl? Time to make things official”, and that was that. Mind you,’ she added, taking another stollen bite, ‘I’ve never felt any the less loved because of it. Giles has always been there for me, always, very stolid. It may not be the stuff that romantic heroes are made of, but it’s meant the world to me.’
Her words gave me pause for thought. Timothy’s appearance, though on the one hand unsettling, had rather impressed me. I wasn’t silly enough to believe that his deep passion for me had driven him to it, and there was still no actual ring, or date, but the fact he had missed me, come all that way to find me…Surely that counted for something?
We went back to the house for lunch, an event I was not greatly looking forward to. I tried my old trick of sitting between the children and busying myself with them, but Zara was not to be put off.
‘So, Penny,’ she asked in ringing tones. ‘Have you come up with an answer yet to Timothy’s proposal? Christmas romance,soexciting.’
I looked up into her beautiful face; her cold fish eyes stared back at me.
‘Not yet. But I’ll make sure that you’re the first to know.’
‘I think we all know what the answer will be, though, don’t we, Pen?’ said Timothy smugly, helping himself to far too many potatoes. ‘I’m being made to wait, but I accept my punishment.’
I didn’t reply but risked a glance at Lando as I tried to force some quiche down my poor, constricted throat. He was, very unusually for him, staring intently at his phone and taking no part in the proceedings around him at all.
‘I simpleadoreweddings,’ continued Zara, pushing aside her half-full plate and taking a sip of sparkling water. ‘I’m sure you’ll make a charming bride, Penny, and you a most handsome groom, Timothy.’
He simpered. He definitely simpered. She continued, ‘What sort of look will you go for? Maybe a sort of shepherdess vibe would suit you, it’s been in some of the magazines.’
I burst out laughing at the thought of myself trotting down the aisle towards Timothy, clad in some lacy, frothy affair with a large bonnet, maybe with a crook and a couple of desultory sheep wandering behind. Perhaps one of them could be the ring bearer? But now I had started laughing, I found I couldn’t stop, and the giggles overtook me in a way that verged on hysteria. Tears started trickling down my face and I couldn’t get a grip on myself. I was aware of everyone looking on, but every time I tried to stop, I was taken over by another, increasingly uncomfortable, wave of laughter. I saw Lando get up and, as I wiped my eyes with a sodden tissue, felt his strong, gentle hands on my shoulders, turning me to face him.
‘Look at me, into my eyes. Can you try and take a breath, Penny? Try breathing in for four, holding it, out for four, holding it. I’ll breathe with you.’
He squeezed my shoulders gently in time with his instructions and my breath slowly became less ragged and the gasps smoothed. I felt an overwhelming urge to lean against him and close my eyes.
‘Feeling better?’
I nodded, embarrassed.
‘Yes, thank you. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It was the thought of the shepherdess…’
Suddenly, it didn’t seem at all funny. Lando returned to his chair as Xander spoke up.
‘Quite the magic act there, Lando, I didn’t know you had healing powers.’
‘I don’t. It’s a technique I was taught to control panic attacks when I was ill.’
He picked up his phone again and the lunch limped along. I think everyone was grateful when pudding was finished and Bunny suggested we disperse for coffee.
‘I, for one, would like to go and speak to Pilar about the party tonight. Pixie, I need your help so Xander, would you take the children? Timothy, you won’t mind entertaining yourself for a while, will you?’
Her rapid questions did not invite answers and the two men nodded meekly as Bunny gently took my arm and steered me towards the kitchen. Daphne, offering to help with arrangements, came too. I was glad to have my mind taken off things by planning the party and soon we were all involved in different tasks. Bunny went to rally people to move furniture and get mismatched chairs from all corners of the house so that guests could sit if they wanted, Daphne organised glasses and napkins and Pilar soon had me totally focused on the repetitive but completely absorbing task of piping teeny little flourishes of differently flavoured cream cheese onto minuscule crackers. They looked rather like savoury iced gems when they were finished.
‘How many have I got to do?’ I asked, looking in dismay at the twenty I had already completed that barely filled a single plate, and then at the tin filled with a million naked little crackers.
‘Muchos,’ she replied sternly. ‘Mrs Lord says you must be kept busy – and your guests, they must be fed. Do not stop, Penélope.’
I wouldn’t have dared, and anyway, I was quite enjoying the work, piping away intently as people buzzed around but didn’t disturb me. When I did eventually finish, and stood back to admire my work, I was instantly given a new job of brushing egg onto puff pastry shapes before each tray was whisked away by the indomitable Pilar to go in the oven. So it was only when Daphne came in, calling my name, that I realised how late it had got.
‘There you are, Penny! Come on, it’s time to go and get ready. I thought it would be fun for us to get dressed together. I’ve brought my suitcase of glam, and look! William thought that some delicious champagne was in order.’
She brandished a bottle and two glasses.
‘Oh gosh, I wasn’t really expecting to go to the party, I didn’t realise I was invited. What about the twins?’
