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Chapter 13
Daniel headed towards one of the catering vans, anticipating a hot coffee and a cookie, thinking it might be a good idea to make himself scarce until the drama at the rear of the house died down. He didn’t want to risk being up a ladder with so many people milling about, and it wouldn’t do to drop foliage on their heads, either. He’d finish the job off when all the fuss had died down.
He had hoped to have completed it by now, but the ivy had proved to be incredibly stubborn and he’d been forced to wrestle every single strand from the wall. It was certainly putting up a fight and he had to admire it for that, even as he cursed and cussed, and nearly fell off.
Two days had morphed into three, but there was only a small amount left to do, so he was hoping to finish by midday.
‘Daniel?’
He’d know Seren’s voice anywhere and he looked to see where it was coming from.
‘Hi,’ he said, trying to ignore the sudden leap of his pulse. At least she’d seen him when he’d been up a ladder and doing some vaguely gardening-related stuff this time, instead of wearing a silly red suit. ‘Are you here for the fayre?’ He was gratified to discover that he sounded calm and cool, especially since it had been a shock to see her staring up at him like that.
After the accident between the transit and the Twingo, he’d spotted her van as soon as he’d walked around the front of the manor house, and he wondered if his decision to take a break hadn’t had more to do with seeing her. If he was honest, he’d gone looking for her, despite his best intentions.
‘I was hoping to find you,’ she said, and his pulse leapt again. ‘Miss Carruthers wants to speak to you.’
Oh, that was why Seren was looking for him. Because Miss Carruthers wanted him. He might have guessed, he thought, wondering why the elderly lady had sent Seren to find him. Did they know each other? Was Seren some kind of relation?
‘What does she want?’ he asked.
‘She needs a Santa Claus and she thought you might be able to help.’
‘Come again?’
Seren smiled and his heart skipped a beat. ‘She wants you to dress up as Father Christmas,’ she explained.
Daniel was taken aback. That was the last thing he’d expected – clear the guttering whilst he was on the ladder, maybe repair the downpipe which he’d noticed was leaking… but not that.
‘Uh, uh.’ He shook his head. ‘No way.’
Back in the early autumn when he’d been applying for Santa jobs, he’d been disappointed not to have had anything lined up for this weekend. But after the first couple of Santa sessions, he’d been relieved, despite the lack of income. Then this ivy-clearing job had come along, and it didn’t matter that he wasn’t Santa until next Saturday because he was doing what he loved and was getting paid to do it.
Yet, now here he was, being asked to do the very thing he didn’t want to do.
‘No.Categorically not,’ he said, in case she hadn’t understood.
‘She’s desperate,’ Seren said.
So was he – desperate not to do it. Besides, he had a job to finish.
‘At least go and talk to her.’ Seren smiled winningly up at him, and his heart faltered again.
Crossly he shook his head once more. ‘There’s no point in speaking to her if I’m not going to do it.’
But even as he refused, he knew hewouldspeak to her; he owed the elderly lady the courtesy of hearing her out. He couldn’t simply ignore her. He’d have to see her tomorrow anyway when he came back for his wages.
He didn’t like being rude, and neither did he wish to upset a client, especially one he was hoping might put more work his way; the garden was in desperate need of some attention and he was itching to get his hands on it.
‘OK, I’ll speak to her. But I’m still not going to play Santa,’ he insisted.
‘That’s up to you, but one of the people involved in the accident earlier was supposed to be Father Christmas and he’s been taken to hospital.’
Daniel frowned. ‘I didn’t think it was that bad. It was only a fender-bender, wasn’t it?’
‘I thought so too, but apparently one of the drivers has got whiplash. He was rather elderly, so they’ve taken him to hospital and no one knows when he’ll be back. Certainly not in time to dandle hordes of excited children on his knee.’
Daniel shook his head. ‘I don’t dandle. No sitting on Santa’s lap.’
