Page 52 of Winter Wishes at Pennycress Inn

‘What does it say?’ Leaning closer, Scarlett squinted.

‘Sorry, it’s covered in snow.’ Nicola wiped the phone down the front of her coat before holding it out again, but the snow was falling heavier with every minute and the screen was covered just as soon as she’d wiped it clean. Giving up, Nicola shoved the mobile in her pocket. ‘The food delivery has been cancelled. Apparently, it’s due to the snow but it’s only just started so I don’t understand. Although I guess it might be worse further that way and might have started earlier?’

‘Ah.’ Scarlett chewed on her bottom lip. Most of the items for their Christmas dinner tomorrow had been coming in that order. What were they going to serve if it didn’t arrive? If she hadn’t just had that conversation with Rowan, then she was sure she’d be feeling the panic rising but right now she just felt numb. ‘What on earth are we going to do?’

‘I don’t know.’ Nicola pulled her hood further down as she waved Charlie across. ‘Have we got any meat we can use for Christmas dinner tomorrow? The food delivery has been cancelled.’

Wiping the snowflakes from his hair, Charlie shrugged. ‘We’ve probably got a few sausages and things like that. Not a joint or anything but I’m sure we can cobble something together.’

‘Okay, that’s better than nothing.’ Nicola sighed. ‘It will be what it will be, I guess.’

‘Yep, and I bet Aunt Ruth will be able to bring something too. She’s always super organised and will likely be able to make a whole Christmas dinner and all the trimmings with stuff she’s already got at home.’ Scarlett looked across to the group of people gathered in front of the bandstand. Why hadn’t they started singing again?

‘This is crazy. It’s coming down so fast and look, it’s already settling.’ Nicola waved her hands in front of her in an attempt to bat away the falling snow.

‘It is.’ Scarlett nodded. She fixed her eyes on Rowan who was slumped against the back wall of his coffee cart seemingly oblivious to the excitement going on around him.

‘It looks as though people are beginning to leave. I bet they’re worried about not being able to use the road out of Meadowfield.’ Nicola grimaced.

Scarlett turned towards Nicola and Charlie. ‘Why don’t you two get off now? By the looks of it the carol singing is coming to a natural early ending anyway and you’ve got to get back to Little Mead.’

‘We can’t leave you with all this to clear up on your own.’ Charlie shook his head.

‘Of course you can. There’s not much to take back to Pennycress anyway and I’m sure someone will be around to help if I need it.’ Reaching down, Scarlett picked up Nicola’s handbag from beneath the stall and handed it to her. ‘Go on, before you end up getting stuck in the village.’

Looking across the green towards the road which was now covered in a layer of snow, Nicola frowned. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, of course. Plus, I couldn’t bear to think of poor little Thelma waking up on Christmas Day on her own.’ Walking towards them, Scarlett ushered them out from behind the stall. The green had all but emptied now, only Miss Cooke and the brass band members left to pack away. She glanced across towards Rowan who was still standing there, his arms crossed, lost in his own world.

‘Okay, okay, we’re going. Thank you. And Merry Christmas.’ Turning, Nicola pulled Scarlett into a hug.

‘Merry Christmas,’ Scarlett murmured.

‘Yes, Merry Christmas and we’ll see you tomorrow.’ Charlie grinned as he hugged her.

‘Yes, see you.’ After waving them goodbye, Scarlett turned and began packing away the trays. Was it awful to feel relieved she was now alone? After the conversation with Rowan, she just didn’t have the strength to put on a cheerful front for any longer. The sooner she was behind closed doors and in the privacy of the owner’s suite where she could let her smile slip, the better.

33

Rolling over, Scarlett pulled the duvet up higher in an attempt to keep some of the warmth inside her cocoon. Yawning, she reluctantly opened her eyes and blinked. The atmosphere in the room felt strange, silent. The type of silence only one thing could bring to the world – snow.

She turned the bedside lamp on, the warm glow illuminating the room before she slipped out of bed. She winced as she felt the cold and turned to drag the duvet from the bed and wrap it around herself. Why was it so damn cold?

Shuffling towards the window with the duvet dragging behind her, Scarlett pulled the curtain open, blinking against the brilliant white of the garden below. It was still nighttime, but the moon illuminated the snow scene, and she realised it must have been snowing all through the night and still was. The powdery snow clung to the lead windowpanes and she reached out, wiping away the condensation from the glass as she peered outside. It was all white. The grass was covered, snow clung to the branches of the willow and the hedges and plants were almost invisible.

She touched the radiator below the window. The metal was cold to the touch which was odd as the heating was on a timer. Plus, it shouldn’t have even allowed the temperature to drop below a certain point.

Scarlett frowned. Maybe the O’Sullivan boys had been playing around with the thermostat and somehow turned the timer off at the same time. She glanced back towards the bed, every part of her willing herself to sink onto the mattress again, to feel the warmth again, but she couldn’t; she had to go and turn the thermostat up. She couldn’t have the guests waking up on Christmas Day like this.

In one quick motion, she dropped the duvet back to the bed and grabbed her dressing gown, pulling the belt tight around her. She’d run down the hallway, turn up the thermostat and then jump straight back in bed.

Pulling the door open, Scarlett hit the light switch and made her way towards the top of the stairs. The landing was empty and the inn quiet, which meant at least she could sort the heating out before anyone else woke up.

Huh, ‘woke up’. She was surprised she’d managed to sleep at all. After packing everything away last night, she’d spent the evening curled up beneath the duvet, willing for sleep to come, willing to just spend a little time in the confines of her dreams so she didn’t have to face the reality of her and Rowan being over.

Yes, she’d known they were that night after Tyler had turned up, but after speaking to Laura yesterday she’d felt the spark of hope ignite inside her and she’d let herself believe there was a chance, however small, that once Rowan had listened to her, heard her side of the story, he’d understand.

How stupid had she been? And this was going to follow her around forever, wasn’t it? She’d never be able to have a relationship again. Who was going to give her the time to explain, and if they did, would understand?