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‘How?’
As Rupert relayed the conversation in graphic detail, embroidered with a few embellishments, Millie waited for Claudia and Tim’s reaction with dread. She knew she shouldn’t have interfered in something that had nothing to do with her and she felt awful. It was her turn to grasp the apology baton.
‘I’m—’
‘Oh my God, Millie. Thank you! Thank you!’ Claudia leapt from her seat and pulled Millie into her arms, the tears glistening at her lashes golden as they reflected the firelight.
‘So, let me get this right. Are you actually telling us that Millie’s tendency to disperse disorder wherever she goes saved the manor from a fate worse than demolition?’ asked Zach, his eyes widened as he scratched his chin in disbelief.
‘That’s exactly what I’m saying, and if you don’t mind, Millie, I’d also like to offer you a hug for what you’ve done to bring me to my senses – something I should have done much sooner.’
A surge of emotion reared up in her chest as she accepted Rupert’s embrace, and then a pat on the back from Tim who had been moved to an emotional silence.
‘Oh my God! I’ll never hear the last of it!’ said Zach, dropping his face into his hands. But Millie saw the gleam of happiness in his eyes, coupled with the ubiquitous glint of mischief. ‘I don’t care what Rupert says, I’m still not letting you loose in my kitchen!’
Chapter Seventeen
Friday dawned with a wide canopy of brilliant blue sky and freezing temperatures. The sun poked its face above the treetops, the air fresh, crisp, and exhilarating. From where Millie lingered in the warmth of her duvet she had a wonderful view of Stonelea’s grounds, and she was forced to smile when she saw a robin sitting on the windowsill watching her. She took it as a good omen and wondered what the last day of theFestive Feastcookery course would have in store.
With a spurt of energy, she jumped into the shower. Memories of the previous evening rushed back at her; the declaration made by Rupert that she had single-handedly saved the manor – for the time being at least – and the warmth of Claudia and Tim’s embrace when they had eventually said good night and climbed the stairs to bed. Zach had relaxed too, knowing that his position as estate manager was secure, and she experienced a nip of pleasure as she recalled the way they had lingered at the boot room door the previous evening.
‘What a day!’ she’d declared, turning to meet Zach’s eyes with a smile.
‘You can say that again. Tell me, is every day like this in your world? Because it seems that ever since I rescued you from that puddle in St Lucia, my life has been turned into a whirlwind of confusion, calamity, and nervous expectation for the next bout of chaos.’ Then he’d leaned forward to stroke a wisp of hair from her face and his voice had softened. ‘There’s never a dull moment when you’re around, Millie Harper; every second is crammed full of adventure.’
For once, Zach’s familiar twist of mischief had been absent. The intensity of his gaze told Millie everything she needed to know, and desire had scorched around her body erasing the final kernel of doubt she’d harboured about his feelings for her since arriving at Stonelea Manor.
‘I’ve got you to thank for that, Zach,’ she’d whispered, her heart beating out a concerto of elation. ‘You’ve shown me how tobeadventurous; how to find the courage to fly through the air with abandon on a zip wire or on the back of a snowmobile; how to take the time to savour the sights, sounds and smells of the tropical rainforest or English countryside, not forgetting how to appreciate the flavours of an exotic Caribbean cocktail or a spiced Christmas punch! Being with you makes all my senses zing! But, the best thing of all is that you’ve helped me to understand how important it is to squeeze every ounce of excitement out of life!’
The tremble in her voice had matched the wild vibration of emotion that zipped through her body, but she needed to continue, to make sure that Zach understood how she felt about him, how much their relationship meant to her, that she had fallen in love with him.
‘Meeting you has transformed my view of the future from monochrome to glorious Technicolor, and I… and I…’
Words had failed her at the last minute, so she’d decided to show Zach what she meant by taking a step forward, snaking her arms around his neck, and pressing her body against his. She’d had no need of the emergency sprig of mistletoe secreted in her pocket as Pippa had recommended, because Zach had lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with such unbridled passion that her knees had weakened. She’d responded with delight, her pulse dancing the Tango as excitement coursed through her veins.
Her lips still tingled with the thought of it!
And who knew how the night might have ended had Rupert not, with spectacularly bad timing, appeared in the kitchen and steadfastly insisted on preparing himself a cup of coffee, chatting to them animatedly throughout, oblivious to the deathly glare Millie was giving him. Sadly, Rupert had not taken the hint before Leo and his friends barged in, searching for a midnight snack, singing the praises of the pantomime, even performing an impromptu rendition of the chorus much to Gina’s amusement.
As she rinsed the shampoo from her eyes, she considered her and Zach’s chequered history in the path of romance. Now that she understood why he had backed off from kissing her after their dinner at his lodge, his consideration for her wellbeing made her heart perform a delicious somersault and her feelings for him blossomed still further. Pippa had been right – he hadn’t wanted to start a new relationship when he knew he was leaving in January; it would have been too difficult for both of them after what had happened with Chloe and Luke – better they remain friends than become lovers.
Fortunately, that argument no longer held sway!
She dried her hair and ran a dollop of coconut oil from root to tip, the fragrance sending her thoughts back to the sun-filled times she and Zach had enjoyed in St Lucia. Whenever she thought of the villa perched on the hill overlooking Soufrière and the Pitons, her lips curled into a smile. She had somehow felt freer, lighter, more joyful when she was there – even during the daily deluge of liquid sunshine as her taxi driver Clavie had labelled the regular tropical rainstorms.
However, despite the natural paradise she had encountered, even the friendships of Ella and Lottie, Dylan and Henri, and the fabulous Paradise Cookery School itself, she had to admit that the icing on the cake had been Zach Barker and his quirky line in wit and sarcasm with which to jolt her from her melancholy over the ending of her relationship with Luke. She was happier than she had ever been and that was solely down to him – and now it seemed there was a possibility they could spend some time together and see where that might lead.
A colony of butterflies took up residence in her stomach as she skipped down the stairs to grab her first coffee of the day. She had expected to see Claudia there, but remembered that Tim had insisted on making a doctor’s appointment for her that morning and they must have already left. She knew it would be a couple of hours at least before Leo and Gina, Mike and Marianne surfaced because the demonstration of festive canapés wasn’t scheduled until two o’clock.
She grabbed a croissant and made a start on the ingredients required to prepare the menu for that evening’s party. Tim was in charge of the drinks and Mitch had promised a barrel of his best craft ale, a vat of spice-infused mulled wine, and his famous Christmas punch which according to Zach was like paint stripper and to be avoided at all costs. She decided to take his advice because her train back to London was booked for the following afternoon and she didn’t want to spoil her last day at Stonelea suffering from a hangover. She couldn’t believe she had only been in Berryford for a week. She felt as though she had been there for years. She had been welcomed and accepted as part of the community, and that filled her with warmth and a whole host of Christmas joy.
When at last Millie paused to survey the kitchen, a surge of satisfaction rolled through her body. Six sets of ingredients were in bowls covered in clingfilm and lined up on each workstation ready for the afternoon’s demonstration. Every work surface sparkled under the overhead lights and all the equipment she had used was back where it belonged. It was a real achievement and one which, surprisingly, she hadn’t found too onerous. Pippa would be proud of her and she took a quick snap to send to her.
She checked the time and was shocked to see it was already midday. Should she take a walk down to Zach’s lodge and confess her feelings before things got hectic, or should she wait until after the drinks reception? Or would it be better to do it the next day when they could spend the time together without interruption?
She decided that in affairs of the heart there was no time like the present. She washed her hands, tossed her apron to one side – well, tidiness was a journey not a destination! – and made for the boot room.
‘Oh, hi Tim!’
