Page 73 of The Christmas Invitation
Clara came in after a while to have a look.
‘So different from my portrait … and yet, so distinctly your work,’ she said, examining it. ‘Henry’s a typical Doome – straight nose, high cheekbones and fair hair.’
‘Well, itwasfair; it’s white now,’ he said.
‘George was the bigger, cruder, glossier version of Henry,’ Clara told me. ‘Brassy gold hair, slightly popping blue eyes, tall, rugged, dim.’
‘Sums him up pretty well,’ agreed Henry. ‘He felt sorry for me for being such a runt.’
‘Ha!’ said Clara.
Henry got up to join her and they scrutinized the portrait together, then turned as one and looked intently at me.
‘Is there something wrong?’ I asked anxiously.
‘Not in the least. We’re just amazed at your brilliance, my dear,’ Henry assured me.
‘I’m certain I could finish it tomorrow, if you could give me one last sitting, Henry?’
‘I’m not sure there’ll be time tomorrow. It might have to be Sunday morning.’
‘Why, what’s happening tomorrow?’ I asked.
‘We always take Teddy to the old Friendship Mill near Great Mumming to see Father Christmas and to choose our box of Christmas crackers. It’s what they’ve always made there. The cracker making is only in part of the mill now, though, and the rest is a little museum and some interesting shops, including the Christmas one I told you about.’
‘Oh, yes, I remember.’
‘They have a very good wholefood café, so we always have lunch. Clara, Lex and I take him, but this year he wants you to come too, Meg,’ Henry said.
‘He’s taken a real shine to you,’ said Clara.
‘Lex takes Teddy in to see Santa, which gives us time to get a few last-minute additions for his Christmas stocking,’ explained Henry. ‘Then we meet in the café.’
‘But I’m sure Teddy doesn’t really needmeto go too. I—’
‘Do relax, my dear. You’ve almost finished the second portrait and deserve a day out,’ urged Clara. ‘We’re so glad you aren’t going to rush off after the Solstice.’
Teddy appeared to want to include me in everything, even though I was sure Lex didn’t … But then again, the old factory reallydidsound fun.
We all squeezed into the Range Rover and set off for the Pike with Two Heads, with Den driving. Clara would take thewheel when we left the pub for the school afterwards, so Den could have a pint or two of Gillyflower’s Old Brown Ale.
Tottie’s family name lived on, even though the brewery had been sold years ago.
It was a very old pub with modern extensions: a glass-roofed dining area had been added at one side, and a wing of motel rooms at the other. The old part was quite dark, but we detoured through it so I could see the famous mutant pike, proudly exhibited by the landlord, Fred Golightly.
It was in a glass case in the snug, with a light over it to illuminate the creature, which wore a severely pissed-off expression on both its faces.
‘Fed up to the gills,’ I commented.
‘He does look a bit cheesed,’ Lex’s deep voice agreed from right behind me, and I jumped.
‘There you are, Lex,’ said Clara. ‘Come along, let’s go and have lunch. I’m starving!’
Den was going to eat his (probably non-vegetarian) lunch with the landlord and would join us for coffee later, but the rest of us followed Clara as she led the way into the large and light dining area, which was furnished with rattan chairs and glass-topped tables, and had been tastefully decorated with fake fan palms in large plastic urns and murals of camels plodding across deserts. I shouldn’t think you’d see a lot of those round here.
I looked critically at the nearest camel as I sat down. ‘I think they could rename the pub the Camel with Two Heads.’
‘Reminds me of the horse in that School of Stubbs painting at Underhill,’ Lex said, taking the chair next to me.
