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‘Yes, sorry. Yes. Well, they do say good news comes in threes.’
Again a pause.
‘Tim!’ cried Millie and Zach in unison.
‘Yes, that was Claudia. She’s just had a call from Giles, her agent, about the Caribbean cookery book idea. Apparently, quite a few publishers loved his pitch yesterday and there was a very exciting auction for the rights. But the best bit is…’
Millie saw Tim’s Adam’s apple working overtime as he fought the sudden sweep of emotions.
‘Yes?’
‘The best bit is he’s also negotiated a TV show tie-in with Claudia showcasing everything the Caribbean has to offer, ably assisted by Ella of course, so with that in the pipeline, and a very decent advance for the book, it means… it means…’
Tim was unable to continue and sat down with a bump on the bottom step, a string of fairy lights looped around his neck like a Hawaiian lei.
‘…it means we’ll be able to raise the money to buy Rupert’s share of the manor. The cookery school is safe!’
Millie scooted to his side and flung her arms around his shoulders. She knew tears were glistening at her eyelashes, but when she glanced up at Zach she didn’t see the eye roll she had expected but an intense happiness scrawled across his handsome features. She hadn’t yet had the chance to tell him how she felt about him, but she had no doubt whatsoever in her mind that he felt the same way. It was as if, in that moment, there was an invisible connection that drew him to her, sending coils of hot desire through her whole body. She wondered what Tim would say if she launched herself at Zach and kissed him until she was breathless.
‘Did I hear my name?’ asked Rupert, jogging down the stairs to join them.
Tim managed to collect his thoughts, inhale a long, revitalising breath, and relay to Rupert the good news. Rupert stared at them until he succumbed to a whoosh of emotion and grabbed them one-by-one into a forceful hug.
Ten minutes later, Millie had switched on the radio and they danced to Christmas tunes while they decked the hallway with holly garlands, strings of festive bunting, and every last bauble and ornament stashed in the boxes that had been hidden from view under the stairs. Even Zach got stuck in, reigning in his grumbles about untidiness and clutter with minimum effort. When they had finished, with some additional help from Leo and Gina, the whole manor was festooned in its party best for that evening’s celebrations.
‘Okay, we’d better get started on the food,’ said Millie. ‘Tim, have you heard from Claudia? It’s two thirty and we should have started the tutorial half an hour ago.’
Millie saw a flash of something indecipherable scoot across his expression and concern spread through her chest causing her stomach to squeeze uncomfortably.
‘Was everything okay… this morning?’ She didn’t want to pry, but she needed to know that the doctor’s appointment had been routine. ‘At the doctors?’
‘All’s well!’ Tim declared, turning his back so she couldn’t see his face and all but skipping from the room towards his beloved workshop.
Millie smiled as she took up her place behind the culinary lectern to face her eager students. She proceeded to deliver one of her best presentations ever – even if she did say so herself. By the time the last tray of mini onion bajis and sweet mince samosas were removed from the oven, and they had arranged them on Claudia’s best china platters, it was after six o’clock and everyone disappeared to get ready for the celebration of the end of theFestive Feastcookery course. Knowing it would not be the last one filled Millie with a surge of elation and she couldn’t wait to change into her party dress.
It had been an eventful afternoon, but that was nothing compared to how Millie’s stay at Stonelea Manor had changed her. Six months ago, she would never have believed that she was ready to open up her heart and let someone in, and she sent up a prayer of gratitude to the director of her destiny for their skill in story development.
It had been a rocky journey with many twists and turns along the way, but one which had enabled her to grow as a person, to expand her skills as a chef, but most important of all, to fall in love.
Chapter Eighteen
Millie had never felt more glamorous. When she returned to her suite she discovered the most exquisite dress hanging on the front of her wardrobe, a pale shell-pink chiffon column, glistening with sparkles, that clung to her curves like a second skin. She had received a text from Claudia telling her it was their gift to her to express their heartfelt thanks for all her hard work and the support she had provided during the most difficult few months of Claudia’s life.
Whilst she loved the dress and appreciated the gesture, she did think it rather strange that Claudia had sent her a text rather than presenting her with the gift in person so she could thank her immediately. A niggle of concern scratched at her chest, but she shoved it away, chastising herself for always reading too much into things, and concentrated on her mounting excitement for the evening ahead.
Leo and Gina had presented her with a bottle of her favourite perfume, and Mike and Marianne had given her a gorgeous diamanté hair slide which she slotted into her curls to complete her outfit. She felt like a princess going to her first ball and she recalled her conversation with Zach earlier on in the week when she had told him that her childhood dream had been to be a princess – little had she known it would come true, which was something else she had to thank him for.
She made sure she was in the kitchen fifteen minutes before the first guests were due to arrive, ready to help with the food and drink, only to discover that Claudia and Tim had engaged Mitch’s teenage daughter, Erin, and five of her friends to perform waitressing duties that evening and all she had to do was relax and enjoy the celebrations.
The manor was at its most spectacular, with white fairy lights twinkling around every window and doorway, luxurious garlands of tinsel entwined around the banister, and a pair of Christmas trees standing guard at the front door. Outside, the snow-covered lawn glistened under the moonlight like a gem-encrusted blanket, dotted with golden spools of light from the lampposts that meandered down the driveway.
Millie sauntered towards the library where the rumble of conversation grew louder as the drinks flowed in abundance, all to the backing track of Christmas carols and the crackling of the logs on the fire. The fragrance of pine needles, mingled with expensive perfumes and colognes, suffused the air and her spirits edged up a notch.
Tim looked splendid in a burgundy velvet jacket and jaunty cravat, regaling his audience with the finer details of his newest invention, his face alight with animation and not a trace of his earlier tiredness. There was no sign of Claudia. Millie assumed that she was still getting ready and, as their hostess, wanted to make a grand entrance when everyone had arrived. Leo and theFestive Feastgang had dressed for the occasion in designer eveningwear and were busy quaffing cocktails mixed by a loose-wristed Mitch.
A waft of fresh air on the back of her neck told her that the front door had opened and she returned to the hallway to see if Zach had arrived. It wasn’t him but the last of the guests from the village, two of whom made their way into the kitchen to deliver a contribution to the food. Kate held a huge Tupperware box aloft, topped with a chocolate yule log covered in thick dark buttercream with the most incongruous stuffed robin perched on the top. She spotted Blake too, resplendent in a bright orange shirt, black tie and matching trousers, his hair teased into a trendy quiff and a smattering of designer stubble on his jaw.
‘Darling! You look a-ma-zing! That dress issogorgeous! Save a dance for me later, won’t you? If you can bear to tear yourself away from our gorgeous Zach, of course.’ Blake dragged her into a warm embrace, engulfing her in a cloud of cologne so potent that it would be enough to awake anyone’s maiden aunt from the deepest of slumbers!
