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Brother and sister scowled at one another. ‘Mothers!’ they chorused and giggled.
‘I liked the Majorettes; thought they were very skilled twirling their batons as they danced along. And I loved the snowmen,’ Avril said, ignoring her offspring. ‘And all that fake snow being sprayed into the air. Made me feel very Christmassy. And the choir perched on the back of that low loader or whatever they call it. They looked fantastic all dressed up in their Victorian gear and belting out “O Come All Ye Faithful”.’
‘Personally, I’m very glad Father Christmas paid us a return visit,’ Jago added. ‘Even if he was on the back of a lorry this time and not pulled by reindeer.’
Merryn elbowed him in the hip. ‘You just like the girls dressed up as elves,’ she accused. ‘Sexy!’
‘Sexy!’ they repeated as one.
Avril tutted. ‘It would be nice if sometimes, Jago, Merryn rose to your age and you didn’t revert to an eight-year-old.’ The only response was more laughter. She addressed the dog. ‘Thank goodness I’ve got you, Ivy. At least I can have a sensible conversation sometimes.’
‘And you talk to Chestnut,’ Merryn spluttered. ‘I’ve heard you.’
‘Is it any surprise when I live with you two?’ Avril said with asperity. They reached the end of the promenade where the huge Christmas tree stood. ‘Hello, Honor,’ she exclaimed as they bumped into her.
‘Who’s Honor?’ Merryn asked, bewildered.
‘It’s your teacher, Miss Martin,’ Jago explained. ‘Teachers have first names you know.’
Honor smiled at them. ‘How lovely to see you all as a family together, and Ivy too. Hope you enjoyed the Christmas carnival parade.’ She addressed Merryn. ‘I’m definitely Honor tonight. Term’s over, it’s Saturday night and it’s nearly Christmas.’ She held out her hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, Miss Merryn Pengethley. I’m Miss Honor Martin.’ She made a curtsey.
Merryn took her hand, grinning broadly, and copied the curtsey.‘Methinks it were an easy leap to pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon,’she murmured, looking pleased at their stunned response. ‘Daddy gave me a book of quotations and I remember I liked that one,’ she added as explanation. ‘It’s Shakespeare you know.’
There was a frozen pause then Jago broke it by joking, ‘What can I say,’ he spread his hands. ‘I think she was left by the fairies. A changeling. I couldn’t spout Shakespeare if you held me to ransom.’
Honor took Merryn’s arm. ‘You, young lady, are always surprising me. Are you all headed into the German Market? May I join you? Tamara and Chris have joined the choir in the pub so I’m all alone.’
‘Please do,’ Avril said. ‘Maybe, Shakespeare quotes notwithstanding, you can save me from what passes as conversation in this family.’
Honor smiled at them all. She glanced at the roaring sea, gleaming inky in the night. ‘Come on then, before the high tide washes us away. I need frites with mayo and maybe someflammkuchen. That’s a sort of a German pizza,’ she said to an entranced Merryn.
CHAPTER17
‘STILLE NACHT’ – GERMAN TRAD.
The German Market had been set up in Lullbury Bay’s cobbled square. Usually a car park, with the entrance through an arch, it was walled on three sides but open to the sea on the fourth. Pretty white lights had been hung along the walls and on the charming wooden cabins, each of which was a lit oasis enticing people in with intoxicating aromas of food and hot spiced wine. The steep roofs had fake snow sprayed on them and dripped with golden lights shimmering against the cold night. Christmas carols played in the background, drowning out the surge of a wild sea out in the bay and the odd squawk of an alarmed gull. In one corner the magnificent tree stood, smothered in white lights and boasting an enormous golden star at its top.
After Jago had treated them all towurstserved in paper serviettes and an overexcited Ivy had jumped up and snatched the end of the sausage out of Merryn’s roll, making the girl cry, Avril decided to take both home. Leaving Honor and Jago who were standing close together chatting, she dragged a tired but protesting daughter away.
‘Can we buy churros first?’ Merryn was heard to plead as they disappeared into the night.
Jago smiled after them, then turned to Honor, chewing the last of hiswurst.‘That was good. What was mine called?’
‘RostbratwurstI think the guy said.’ Honor frowned. ‘I only know a few words of German.’
‘Well, whatever it was, it was good. What do you fancy next?’ Jago took the serviette off her, their fingers touching briefly, and crumpled the paper up, throwing it in a bin. ‘Something sweet? Shall we have a wander around and see what draws us in?’
‘Yes let’s.’ Honor nodded eagerly. He was in his Barbour and had a Beanie squashing his dark curls down. A shadow of stubble decorated his square jaw, making him look even more piratical than usual. She gazed up at him and felt her heart give a treacherous wobble. She was in danger, real danger, of falling for this man. Not only was he amazingly good-looking, funny and intelligent, he was kind and more empathetic than any man she’d ever met before. The way he’d handled the children at the workshop had been heart-warming. It was ridiculous, but her fingers, even at the casual touch when he’d taken the serviette, tingled. Fixing the happy scene of Avril, Merryn and him laughing together when she’d bumped into them on the prom firmly in her mind, she tried to put all thoughts of how lovely Jago was to one side. It was not to be. It couldn’t be. Ignoring the siren call to push her hand into his, she walked to the next cabin.
They watched as a woman, dressed in an elaborate pinafore with her hair plaited around her head, slathered hot cheese onto bread, adding onions and pickles. ‘It’sraclette,’ she said, in heavily accented but perfect English. ‘Would you like to try some?’ She put a couple of morsels on a plate and held it out.
Honor took some and groaned. ‘So good. Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ The woman smiled and turned to serve another customer.
The scent of spices drew them to another cabin. A man ladledgluhweininto little white porcelain mugs. He dropped a sugar cube into one and lit it, the flames bursting into a blue flame in the cold. ‘It isfeuerzangenbowle,’ he explained. ‘The sugar is soaked in rum. It is very good,’ he added, unnecessarily.
Jago turned to Honor and raised his brows in query.
