Page 34 of It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square
‘Ooh,’ Angela coos, immediately going over to the tree. ‘Now that is brave.’
‘Dangerous, more like,’ Ben says, following her. ‘It’ll go up in flames if one of them catches.’
‘That is what they did in Victorian times,’ Estelle says calmly. ‘All will be fine I’m sure on this occasion.’
‘On this occasion?’ I ask, picking up on her choice of words. ‘There were fires then?’
‘Sadly, yes – too many, until the invention of electricity. Angela, come away from the mantelpiece now – our hostess is here.’
I follow Estelle’s gaze and see a small, pretty, fair-haired woman enter the room. She’s wearing a long, tiered, forest-green gown edged with white lace that shows off her slim shoulders, and her hair is braided into two complex, but artistic displays either side of her head.
‘It’s the woman from the Victorian photo in your hall,’ I whisper to Estelle.
Estelle just nods.
The woman looks around the room giving it the once over, then she runs her finger over one of the sideboards to check for dust. Satisfied it’s clean, she goes over to the window and peeks out through the branches of the Christmas tree.
‘Do not worry, my dear,’ a commanding male voice says, as a middle-aged, dark-haired man with a moustache appears in the doorway of the room. He’s wearing full evening dress – a dark suit, high-collared white shirt, a waistcoat and a flouncy bow tie. Again, it’s the same man from the sepia photo in Estelle’s hall. ‘Our guests will be here shortly. Now, where are my children before they arrive? Nanny Avery!’ he calls up the stairs. ‘Will you bring the children down, please.’
‘They can’t be here long, Robin,’ the woman says with a strong German accent. ‘The guests must not see them.’
‘Is it not the want of every father to spend a little time with his children?’ Robin says. ‘Even you, Carola, must wish to see them sometimes?’
‘Of course. But what is it you English say, though? Children should be seen and not heard? Surely it is not right having the children here when our guests arrive?
Robin smiles. ‘That silly phrase means that children should not be noisy in polite company. It doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be here at all. Anyway, I love to hear our children happy and enjoying themselves. Don’t you, my dear?’
‘Robin, I am simply trying to fit in with your English society. You have so many rules and traditions I do not yet understand. I do not want to be seen to be doing the wrong thing.’
‘And yet you insist on a lit tree in our parlour, my dear.’ Robin smiles, looking over at the tree.
‘And this is the German way,’ Carola says proudly, admiring the tree. ‘I am sure it will soon be the way of the English now that Prince Albert is in the royal court. You will see.’
Robin walks over towards Carola and takes hold of her hand, kissing the back of it. ‘It looks beautiful, my dear, as do you this evening. Tonight, our dinner guests we will be incredibly happy and most contented with everything we provide for them, I am sure of it.’
‘I do hope so,’ Carola says, glancing at the clock. ‘We have more time than I thought. Perhaps enough time to see the children after all.’
A knock at the sitting-room door announces the arrival of Nanny Avery and the two children.
‘Come, come!’ Robin sits down in a chair by the fire and pats his legs.
The children run immediately to their father. ‘Now,’ he says, lifting one then the other onto his lap. ‘Tell me all about your day?’
‘We went to the pantomime!’ Belle says excitedly, while Nanny Avery silently enters the room and stands by the door with her hands folded neatly in front of her.
‘Did you now? And what did you see?’
‘Spinderelda,’ Belle says, looking up adoringly at her father.
Robin looks questioningly at Nanny Avery.
‘She means Cinderella, sir.’
‘Cinderella! A classic, and it sounds like you enjoyed it?’
Belle excitedly recounts her afternoon at the theatre.
‘And did you not enjoy the pantomime?’ Robin asks Timothy, who has sat silently on his lap while Belle does all the talking.
