Page 62 of The Cotswolds Christmas Fair

Michelle’s house was a welcoming haven of chaos – Lottie was running around in her pyjamas and she immediately grabbed Jen by the hand.

‘Come and see our Christmas tree, Train Lady!’

Jen found herself pulled into a snug living room where an open fire crackled behind a guard and a large tree stood in the corner. She recognised some of the same decorations that Amy had made at school and now hung on the tree at Railway Cottages – cardboard angels and salt-dough baubles.

Michelle provided tea and biscuits while her nephew, Harry, walked up and down holding the sleepy Max. He spoke with enthusiasm to Jen about the ‘gig’, as he called it. He was young, polite and cheerful, and she felt pretty confident that he could be relied upon.

‘You know it’s for a primary school, right?’ she asked. ‘Like – this age.’ She smiled, nodding to Lottie, who was lying on her belly on the carpet, playing with some farm animals.

‘Oh yeah, don’t worry. I’ve explained to the guys.’ He grinned. ‘It’ll all be U-rated.’

‘Perfect.’

She soon had Harry and his band, The Purple Pygmies, booked in. He was going to email her the set when they’d planned it.

She couldn’t wait to tell Ted. And, as she kissed Michelle on the cheek and thanked her, as she hugged Lottie and promised to see her in the café soon, she realised she was developing a firm faith that, whatever was needed in life, Babblebrook would find a way to provide it.

If only, she thought, as she checked her phone, it could somehow magic up a message from Anthony.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ted smiled when she told him at the school gate the next day, the creases in his brow relaxing a little.

‘Thanks,’ he said, as he waved goodbye to some of the children in his class. ‘I’ve got the catering sorted and you’ve done the decorations, can you bring them to the tree decorating at the weekend?’ Jen nodded, biting her cheek as she realised she still hadn’t collected them. She would do it later. ‘Just need the living nativity sorted now,’ he said, biting his nail, the forehead creases back.

Jen wrinkled her nose. ‘Do you? Isn’t all this enough?’

He sighed. ‘I don’t know. Not really.’

He sounded glum, and a little distracted as he ran his hand through his hair, frowning as he gazed off at some spot in the distance. It wasn’t quite the response she’d been hoping for.

At Railway Cottages, excitement was building for the school nativity play. Amy talked about it non-stop, practising the carols and showing Jen how she had to hold her arms up as though they were wings, and making her promise over and over again that she would be at the play and the celebratory dinner afterwards, and the village tree decorating the following morning.

When the day came, just as she and Julia were leaving the house, a black Mazda MX-5 pulled up outside, and Anthony stepped out of it.

‘Hey,’ he said. ‘I’m so glad I caught you!’ He looked her up and down, a slow smile spreading over his lips. ‘You look gorgeous.’

‘Oh,’ she said, glancing down at the jeans and jumper that she definitely wouldn’t have worn if she’d known she was going to see him. ‘I – uh, thanks. But – what are you doing here? I mean, it’s great to see you.’ She felt her smile widen as she took in his chiselled face and the stark blue of his eyes against his dark hair. It really was good to see him. But she was finding it hard to adjust to his sudden arrival, and in a flashy car, no less. She’d imagined him, struggling artist that he was, driving some battered second-hand Skoda. ‘I just wasn’t expecting . . .’

He nodded at Julia, who was gaping at him with her mouth open.

‘Hey,’ he said, raising a hand.

Julia closed her mouth with a snap and waved back half-heartedly, as though she was in a daze.

‘Hi, little man,’ he said, twiddling his fingers in front of George, who laughed and tried to catch them as he sat in his buggy. ‘I thought I’d surprise you,’ Anthony said, turning his attention back to Jen. ‘Is that OK? I just wanted to see you.’

‘I – yes, of course! It’s great, it’s just that, we’re about to go out. To – just to the school, actually, it’s the nativity play and my niece is in it, so . . . we kind of need to leave. Sorry.’

‘Ah.’ He gave a little laugh. ‘Stupid of me, sorry – I don’t know why I thought you’d be at a loose end.’ He shook his head.

‘No, it’s great, it’s a lovely surprise. It’s just that, I promised Amy I’d go, so . . .’

‘I could come,’ he said, shrugging. ‘I mean, if that’s not too . . .’

‘Oh – you sure? It’s just a—’

‘Yeah, it’ll be cute.’ He dipped his head, caught her eye. Spoke softly. ‘And you’ll be there. And I want to be where you are.’