Page 33 of Christmas All the Way

‘Of course,’ Grace said, getting to her feet. She hesitated, wanting to offer something more to lift the older woman’s spirits but unable to find the right words. ‘Take as long as you need. I’ll be ready when you are.’

Closing the office door with a soft click, she made her way to the staffroom again and stood with clenched fists, allowing her fury and indignation to bubble to the surface. Keeley had been right when she’d suggested Jesse Bairstow was not as charming as he seemed. As far as Grace could tell, the man was a vulture, out for what he could scavenge and ready to tarnish his father’s good name in the process. There had to be a way to spoil his plans – she simply couldn’t see what it was yet. But there was one thing she did know. She intended to do everything in her power to make life difficult for Jesse Bairstow. Whatever that took.

‘Can I ask your advice about something?’

Grace was sitting opposite Keeley at the round dining table in her kitchen, toying with a plate of spaghetti carbonara.

‘Hmm?’ Keeley looked up from her own plate, which appeared to be similarly neglected. Her gaze focused on Grace as she smothered a discreet yawn. ‘Sorry, I’m being terrible company. I was up late reading last night and I think it’s catching up with me.’

Instantly, Grace felt guilty. She’d messaged Keeley at lunchtime, asking if she minded a dinner guest that evening, and of course her friend had agreed. But now Grace could see faint bluish shadows under her eyes, contrasting with the pallor of her skin and matching her weary demeanour, and guessed Keeley must have had a very late night indeed. ‘What’s the book? Anything I’ve read?’

‘No,’ Keeley said, dropping her gaze back to her meal. ‘But you asked for my advice – is something wrong?’

Grace hesitated, remembering her promise to Ivy not to tell anyone about Jesse’s outrageous demand. ‘Let’s say I’m renting a house,’ she began, ‘and the landlord decided out of the blue to increase the rent.’

Keeley blinked. ‘But you’re not renting a house. You don’t even have a mortgage anymore – you paid it off last year.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Grace said patiently. ‘But let’s pretend I didn’t.’

‘Why?’ Keeley asked, her gaze sharpening in suspicion. ‘What’s going on? Is this something to do with Jack? I thought he was staying with Rosalina and Kev.’

‘He is – this isn’t anything to do with Jack.’ Grace ran a hand across her forehead and thought for a moment. ‘Okay. Let’s say – just hypothetically – that the trustees of Juniper Cottage decided to sell the house, and the new owner decided to drastically increase your rent.’

‘But—’

Grace held up a hand. ‘Just hypothetically. What would you do?’

‘Contact a lawyer,’ Keeley said promptly. ‘Demand to know what the hell the trustees were playing at.’ She eyed Grace across the table, eyes narrowed. ‘What’s prompted this? Are you in some kind of financial trouble?’

‘No!’ Grace cried. ‘This isn’t about me. I – I have a friend whose landlord is trying to force them out of their property by hiking up the rent.’

‘Then they need to get legal advice, and quickly,’ Keeley repeated. ‘There are laws against that kind of thing.’

Grace slumped back in her chair. It was difficult to make herself clear without betraying Ivy’s confidence. ‘I suppose so.’ She thought for a moment and decided on a different approach. ‘How are the plans for the Freezy Tye Christmas extravaganza coming along?’

This elicited another weary sigh from the other side of the table. ‘It’s a headache. The woman who usually manages the display on the village green is moving to Manchester for work, and so far no one else has stepped in to take her place. One of the food vendors is demanding we lower the charge for power because she says it will eat into her profits. And no one seems to be able to agree on a theme. Apart from that, it’s going brilliantly.’

‘Ah,’ Grace said, wincing in sympathy. ‘I bumped into Jesse Bairstow this morning. He basically implied Flaxwood’s entry in Britain’s Most Christmassy Village is going to blow Freezy Tye out of the water and asked if I’d be interested in helping them win.’

‘What?’ Keeley exclaimed in outrage. ‘I hope you said no.’

‘Of course I did,’ Grace reassured her. ‘In his defence, I don’t think he knows I have any connection to Freezy Tye so I don’t think he was trying to get inside information on your plans.’

‘We don’t have any plans,’ Keeley complained. ‘That’s part of the problem.’

Grace nodded. ‘I know. But it did get me thinking. Why don’t I join the Freezy Tye team, as an honorary resident? It’s not as though I have much else going on, apart from work and that’s only part-time.’

Keeley’s forehead crinkled. ‘But why? I mean, it’s a lovely gesture, and I’m sure the committee would bite your hand off, but what’s in it for you? Apart from a long list of jobs that aren’t really your problem.’

‘Well, I seem to be spending a lot of time here and you know how much I love a list,’ Grace said, wondering just how much the loneliness she felt every time she returned to her empty house in Upper Benbridge was influencing her sudden generosity. ‘And I really don’t like Jesse Bairstow. I’d love to help Freezy Tye wipe the floor with his Japanese pagoda.’

‘I have no idea what he’s done to make you feel so strongly but you’ll get no arguments from me,’ Keeley replied, quirking her lips. ‘Nor am I going to look a gift horse in the mouth and I don’t imagine the chair of the committee will, either. I’ll mention your offer to her and let you know what she thinks.’

Grace smiled. ‘Thank you.’

Keeley began to toy with her pasta again. ‘Can I make a suggestion? Why don’t you move into the spare room here until Christmas? It makes sense if you’re going to be working at Santa’s Secret during the day and running around for the committee in the evenings. A lot of the meetings happen at the pub and I don’t like to think of you driving home in the dark afterwards.’

She hesitated. ‘I don’t want to get in your way. You might hate having a housemate.’