‘Yes, you’ve nailed it,’ he said. ‘It’s all arriving tomorrow, with the trees, so I hope you’re all flexing your fingers to help put it up. Good of them to deliver on a Saturday.’
‘Try and stop us,’ said Angela. ‘I love Christmas decorations. Did you remember to get hooks, tack and tape as well?’
We looked at each other again, but this was more of a damp squib than fireworks.
‘We didn’t even think about it, I’m afraid,’ I said. ‘I can pop out in the morning and get some?’
‘No need,’ said Greg, grinning. ‘In our experience, those are always forgotten, so I stocked up. Ange and I figured that if we didn’t need them, then they’d come in useful for something else.’
That little drama dealt with, we chatted over the girls’ week at school. Sofia seemed to have settled in remarkably well. Her summary was that ‘the teachers are kind and there are chickens’, which struck me as high praise. They were both involved in the end of term show, and it appeared that all teaching had been abandoned in place of rehearsals. Sofia was pleased to have been cast as a snowflake, and India seemed to be having the time of her life sneaking sweets to her little charges and reading horse magazines while she was waiting to rehearse her bit.
‘Honestly, it’s not that difficult – all I have to do is look a bit scared when Felicity Duckrington-Gamble pops up as the angel Gabriel, then say, “Let us go to Bethlehem now” and herd the younger ones off. I could do it without any rehearsal at all and spend all that time with Firefly.’
‘I expect it’s good for you,’ said Astrid glumly. ‘Things you don’t want to do often are.’
‘Now, who would like something sweet?’ chimed in Angela. ‘I’ve got some mince pie flavoured ice cream I thought might be interesting.’
Through the intrigued mutters, Sofia’s voice came through, quiet but clear.
‘I’ve never eaten a mince pie.’
Every head in the room swivelled towards her. It was Angela who got her act together first.
‘Never had a mince pie? Why on earth not?’
‘Mummy doesn’t like them, she says they’re “pointless calories”, whatever that means.’
‘My sister has a lot of living to do,’ said Nick, rolling his eyes. ‘There’s nothing pointless about a mince pie. Do we have any, Angela, that she could try?’
‘Sorry, no. I have everything ready to make them, but I haven’t got around to it yet.’
‘Then the ice cream will have to do – for now. They’re even better hot andwithice cream,’ Nick continued.
‘Brandy butter for me,’ said Astrid, and Greg nodded.
‘What about custard?’ said India, her eyes shining. ‘Yum!’
‘No, no,’ said Marilise. ‘They are perfect with the slight tang of crème fraîche.’
Sofia laughed.
‘I can’t wait to try them in all the different ways.’
‘Not all at once, I hope,’ said Nick. ‘Although if you’re going for that challenge, I might have to join you.’
After supper and before taking Marilise up, I hung around the kitchen and helped Angela tidy up. Nick was fiddling with the coffee machine.
‘Go next door,’ she insisted. ‘You work hard enough.’
‘Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you. Seeing as Sofia has never had a mince pie, I thought it would be the perfect thing to put in the next advent calendar window. If you don’t mind me doing it, I’ll knock some up tonight so we can do it in the morning.’
‘Oh, you are a lovely, kind girl,’ said Angela. ‘But I don’t mind doing it, it won’t take long.’
‘I’d like to,’ I said. Now I’d started on Christmas I didn’t want to stop, and Christmas baking is only just below music on my list of festive favourites. ‘And anyway,’ I echoed her words. ‘You work hard enough.’
‘Laura’s right,’ said Nick, smirking in satisfaction when the coffee machine finally obeyed him. ‘I’ll give her a hand.’
My stomach leapt. He was going to stay and help me? My mind flew back to the kiss and I got flustered, nearly dropping the bowl I was drying. I hoped my voice would sound normal.
