‘What do you think?’
‘The photos you sent didn’t do it justice – it’s huge.’
‘Yup. Incredible, isn’t it? And, even better, you’re staying here.’
He turned to me.
‘What? I thought I was at the pub in the village.’
‘Not unless you’d prefer to be. When Alexander heard I’d booked you a room there, he practically insisted I cancel it and invited you here. Is that okay?’
‘Okay? You bet it’s okay! My mum won’t know what to do with herself when I send her the pictures. She never misses an episode ofEscape to the Countrynow Dad’s not there to tell her what she is and isn’t allowed to watch.’
Sam’s mother had finally kicked his abusive father out about six months previously and, according to him, she was now blissfully happy.
‘Another thing she’s enjoying, I’m glad.’
‘You won’t be when she rocks up on the doorstep.’
I laughed and opened the car door.
‘I wouldn’t mind – I like your mum.’
Once inside the house, we left Sam’s bags at the foot of the stairs and went into the Great Hall, which was empty.
‘I don’t know where everyone is,’ I said. ‘Maybe Coco will be in the kitchen. She’s lovely.’
‘Coco?’
As we continued through, I quickly explained the various relationships amongst those staying at Blakeney Hall, and when I pushed open the kitchen door, I was glad I had, for everyone had congregated there, watching Estelle give Mum her cooking lesson.
‘Sam! Darling! How gorgeous to see you! Look, I’m all floury, did you ever think you’d see the day?’
Sam went and gave my mother a kiss.
‘I didn’t, but I’m sure you’ll brush it off for cocktails later,’ he said with a wink.
I introduced him to everyone else and he was greeted with their customary warmth, especially by Alexander who said how pleased he was to have Sam at the house rather than the pub and thanked him for the help he would give with the engagement party. We were found chairs and presented with cups of tea to watch Act Two of the lesson which, with Estelle and Mum in starring roles and Coco tasked with taking photos and video clips to show everyone’s best side on their social media accounts, was more like an episode ofMayfair Mewsthan a simple class in how to make mince pies.
‘Now, Jacqueline,’ said Estelle briskly. ‘You have successfully made your pastry. Do you remember the name of the technique we used?’
‘Rubbing in!’ said Mum, with a dazzling smile, playing her role of star student to the max.
‘Good. And now we’re going to briefly work our pastry, then cut it. Ready?’
There seemed to me to be an unnecessary amount of flour now flying around, making, no doubt, for excellent photos. I noticed Mum surreptitiously dab a little on the end of her nose before turning, laughing, towards the camera. Cheesy it may have been, but I also admired her savvy. And what’s more, it did look as if they were having fun. Was she right, was coming out of your comfort zone a good thing? Or was I just beguiled by the Jacqueline Honeywood Show and would find her ordering macrobiotic smoothies for delivery again tomorrow, with nothing changed?
‘There we go, next we’re going to put the filling in and after fifteen minutes in the oven and a little cooling time they’ll be ready to eat,’ announced Estelle. ‘Now, who’s going to do the washing up?’
‘I will!’ said Theo, who had been laughing throughout the whole thing.
‘I’ll help you,’ said Constance, standing up. ‘Then hopefully we’ll be here for first tastings,’ she added, grinning at the little boy.
‘Shall we go and put together our ideas for the party?’ I said to Sam and Alexander.
‘Yes, let’s,’ said Alexander, ‘but don’t finish off those mince pies without us!’
We went through to his office and sat down. I brought up the list of ideas so far that I had on my phone, while Alexander asked Sam about his journey. I peeped over the top of my phone as they chatted, thinking how kind and warm Alexander was, welcoming this stranger into his house with open arms.Oh well, I will soon be back in London and life would go on, I thought firmly, before saying, ‘Right, here’s what we’ve got so far.’
