Page 46 of A Cosy Christmas with the Village Vet

‘Looking forward to it, Brogan lovey. Now, mind you both have a grand day.’

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Startingfrom the top end of the village, Brogan and Wilf worked their way along one side of the main street, while Nick and Maudie took the other, diligently delivering the notes through letter boxes. It took longer than expected, thanks to the icy pathways that led to some of the cottages, rendering them extremely slippery underfoot. Frozen fingers didn’t help either, nor did gloves, especially when it came to separating the pieces of paper. But, eventually they got the job done, re-grouping beside the vintage telephone box just outside Oak Tree Farm where Kitty and Ollie and their family lived. The sound of children, shrieking and laughing in the playground at the village primary school on the hill floated down on the frosty air, mingling with the inharmonious squawks of Jimby’s cantankerous cockerel, Reg. He was notorious for terrorising strangers – as well as the occasional local – and had an intense dislike of walkers, particularly those sporting a backpack. If one dared to stray onto his “territory”, he’d hurl himself at them, spurs brandished, his sharp beak delivering spiteful pecks. And though he was getting on a bit, the bird showed no sign of mellowing.

‘Which street next?’ asked Nick, his face glowing red with the cold.

‘Church Street, I reckon’d be best,’ said Brogan. ‘Then we can work our way along the shorter ones.’

‘Okay.’ He glanced up at the sky, his brow furrowing. The broad splash of blue had shrunk and the rest of the sky had taken on a strange purple hue where it was being encroached upon by clouds that slumped low in the sky. ‘Looks like the weather’s about to change. If those clouds are anything to go by, I reckon we’re going to have a load of snow dumped on us before long.’

Brogan followed his gaze. ‘Aye, we’ll have to work quick.’

‘Yep, let’s get cracking.’

Just as they were setting off down the trod a Range Rover pulled up beside them and Lady Carolyn Hammondely climbed out, smiling cheerily. She was sporting a sheepskin duffle coat with matching hat and a friendly smile.

‘Morning, Lady Caro,’ Brogan and Nick said together.

‘Morning you, two,’ Lady Caro said in her cut-glass accent. ‘I spoke to Jimby this morning, just to see what I’d missed at last night’s meeting, and I have to say I think his idea is fantastic. He explained that you’d volunteered to drop notes through all the doors in the village. It’s jolly decent of you, especially in this biting cold. Anyway, I spoke to my father and Sim and we’re in agreement that we’d like to offer a place for a couple of people to spend Christmas Day up at the castle.’ She beamed at them.

In recent years, Lady Carolyn had been tasked with the job of turning Danskelfe Castle – the family seat of the Hammondely family – into a viable business. It was something she’d done with flair and to great success. Along with converting the estate’s old office buildings and renting them out to local businesses – like Danskelfe Vets – she’d organised the opening of several of the castle’s rooms to the public, hosting weddings, arranging music events in the woods on the Danskelfe estate, as well as having the luxury lodges built. Business was booming, and it was having a positive knock-on effect for the local economy.

‘That’s really kind of you,’ said Nick. He knew her from having previously treated her horses and Labradors when he worked at the surgery in Middleton-le-Moors.

‘It is,’ said Brogan, though she noted how Caro hadn’t mentioned her mother being involved in the conversation. It didn’t surprise her though; Lady Davinia could be a sour faced old boot. Brogan could imagine she wouldn’t be keen on doing much festive hosting.

‘Oh, darling, I’m absolutely positive. The thought of people we know being on their own for Christmas is simply too dreadful to contemplate. And besides, there’ll only be a handful of us up at the castle; we’ll be rattling around the place by ourselves. I can assure you, having some guests join us at the old pile would be far more exciting than watching Mummy getting squiffy on the gin before passing out in front of the telly.’ She leaned towards them. ‘But please don’t tell her or anyone else I said that.’ She gave a mischievous giggle.

‘I promise I won’t.’ Brogan couldn’t help but laugh too as an image of a sloshed Lady Davinia, sprawled out on a sofa sprang into her mind, her stiffly coiffed hair all skew-whiff, her trademark bright pink lipstick smeared.

‘That’s something interesting to add to the pot, Caro. I’m sure folk would be thrilled to spend Christmas Day at the castle,’ said Nick.

‘Just let me know when the next meeting is, and I’ll do my best to be there. But for now, I need to pop into Ollie’s workshop and have a chat about my next project, which istopsecret.’ She tapped the side of her nose and hitched her eyebrows mysteriously.

‘Sounds intriguing,’ said Brogan.

‘Oh, it is, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.’

‘No one could ever accuse you of sitting back on your laurels, Caro,’ Nick said as she headed to her car.

‘No time to sit down, Nick! There’s far too much to do, which is just the way I like it.’ Caro grinned as she opened her car door. ‘Oh, and before I forget, I saw that bloody van this morning.’ Her smile dropped and she rolled her eyes. ‘You know the one that’s been arousing everyone’s suspicion? It was lurking on the rigg road opposite Camplin Hall Farm. There was a scruffy looking man, dressed all in black, standing on the roadside, and I’d swear he was looking through binoculars. He put them down as soon as he saw my car. I slowed down to get a better look at him, but his hood was pulled too far over his face to see anything, same with his equally dodgy-looking pal.’

Adrenalin surged through Brogan’s veins as she recalled being disturbed the other night and the tyre tracks on their lane. She couldn’t shake the feeling it had something to do with the dark-grey van. ‘I don’t like the way they’re just creeping around. That sense of waiting for something to happen is really unnerving.’

‘Yes, it’s got me on high alert too, but according to PC Snaith, there’s nothing we can do. They haven’t done anything illegal,yet. He says we’re to just keep a look out and not be as complacent about locking our cars and outbuildings as we usually are.’ Caro shook her head. ‘I wish they’d just bugger off and leave us alone.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ Brogan breathed out a heavy sigh.

‘I assume you’ve posted all this on the local social media pages?’ said Nick.

‘Not yet, but I’ll do it on my phone now.’

It crossed Brogan’s mind how glad she was to have Nick staying with her. And the reasons why were increasing by the day.

30

NICK

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