‘Cranberry sauce,’ said Daisy.
‘No need for that,’ Loretta called over as she finished with the window display. ‘The farm do a wonderful jar and it’ll save us the hassle.’
‘I love cranberry sauce,’ said Ginny.
‘Lucas makes it up at the farm.’ Daisy raised her eyebrows in Fern’s direction because her eldest sister’s interest was piqued atthe mention of Ginny’s former boyfriend’s name. ‘Perhaps if you ask him nicely, Ginny, he might let you try before you buy.’
Ginny flushed a distinct shade of scarlet and busied herself hooking the beginner embroidery kits onto the hooks after a couple had fallen off, most likely disturbed by whoever had moved the pine cones.
‘Stop teasing,’ Loretta warned under her breath when she came pastDaisy and went over to Fern to carry on with discussions about Christmas food.
‘How about a nice trifle,’ Loretta suggested. ‘I can make that, I’d enjoy it.’
Fern wrote it down.
Daisy pulled a face. ‘I hate trifle. Nobody likes soggy sponge. Has to be Christmas pudding,’ she told her sister. ‘Andit’s Grandad’s favourite.’
Fern wrote it down and decided, ‘We’ll have both.’
‘Are you sure itwon’t be too much?’ Ginny quizzed.
‘It sounds as though you three have the cooking sorted this year,’ Loretta smiled. ‘Your grandad will be pleased.’
Ginny broached the subject on all their minds when she said, ‘About Grandad … You are telling useverything, aren’t you?’
‘Of course.’ But the second Loretta fiddled with the neck of her jumper, running her fingers under it as though it had suddenlybegun to irritate her, the girls shared a look to say they knew she wasn’t telling them everything, far from it. Because she always did the same thing, whether it was with the neck of a jumper, the cuff of a shirt or the collar of a blouse. She fiddled with the material and then protested denial, innocence or whatever she’d been challenged with.
Daisy felt something shift between her and hersisters, a silent understanding, a camaraderie, the way it had been when they were all so much younger.
‘As I’ve told you all,’ said Loretta, ‘it would just be lovely for us to spend time together. And I appreciate you all being here. Your grandad does too.’ She did that as well, Daisy noticed, put Grandad’s name into the conversation like a full stop to put an end to any speculation. ‘I thoughtI’d bring Dad back to the house for afternoon tea today so he can see the quilted advent calendar for himself.’
‘That’s a nice idea,’ said Fern. ‘But why don’t you bring him for dinner instead. And we must remember not to mention the Christmas quilt to him.’
‘Agreed,’ said Daisy. ‘Why don’t you leave us in the shop this afternoon, Mum. Go see Grandad and then we’ll all be home to see him fordinner. He can watch us hang the ornaments on the advent calendar. We’re already well into December so we’ve got a few to catch up on.’
Loretta accepted the suggestion readily, blew kisses to each of them and went on her way.
‘She’s very cagey.’ Fern watched their mother go. ‘But let’s not worry about Grandad until we have to.’
With the list made for Christmas lunch they turned their attentionsto the Christmas quilt. They brought down a couple of boxes from upstairs and rifled through to find any scraps that might be of use and stashed them along with others they found in the shop into another box with everything they’d need to take home to make a start.
Fern headed into Butterbury to do some Christmas shopping while Ginny and Daisy were in the shop and bustled in a couple of hourslater with several bags that she took out to the back. ‘No peeking!’ she hollered over her shoulder.
Daisy tutted because as well as unidentified gifts she’d also brought in a clump of leaves and a sprinkling of dust, right on the floor she’d only swept minutes ago. She cleared up the mess again and stowed the dustpan and brush beneath the counter as Fern hung up her coat and Ginny stood at thecounter.
‘Cup of tea?’ Daisy asked Ginny who had so far turned down any offer of a break.
‘Yes, please.’ Ginny was dusting the counter and the relic till.
‘I picked up some treats from the Lantern Bakery,’ said Fern, minus the bags, coat off and cheeks still rosy from the wintry air. She opened up the paper bag to release the smell of freshly baked cookies.
‘Tea all round then.’ Daisy smiled.‘And I’ll get some plates for the cookies.’
She popped the kettle on, ran upstairs for the plates and by the time she came back she realised they had customers because she could hear voices.
In the shop Daisy came face to face with Joshua and tried to quell her pleasure at seeing him in case her sisters noticed. All her thoughts were on that kiss, how his lips had felt against hers, and by theway he was looking at her now, his gaze dipping to her mouth and back up again, he was thinking about it too.
She managed to find her voice. ‘Won’t coming in here blow your cover?’ She grinned, taking in his Father Christmas outfit.
