Page 51 of A Billionaire for Christmas
‘Hey,’ said Molly. ‘Why don’t you sous-chef for me? I could really use the help.’ She held out an apron hoping it might distract Freda from daytime drinking.
Freda held up a hand. ‘Honestly, I have no clue. I wouldn’t know my way around a kitchen any more than I could make a pair of diamond-encrusted Jimmy Choos from scratch.’
Molly liked Freda. ‘Everyone has to start somewhere. Follow me.’
Freda put down her cocktail glass. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ she said, putting on the apron.
Molly noticed Lucca hovering in the doorway. He had a grateful look in his eyes as he mouthed ‘Thank you’ before disappearing outside. Moments later, out of the kitchen window, she saw him following Toby over to a covered woodpile to collect logs for the fire. As the sun set behind the mountains, both men seemed on very friendly terms. She noticed Toby sling his arm around Lucca’s shoulders as he pointed towards the sky.
How was it that some members of this family were fine when it came to treating staff like equals, and some weren’t?
* * *
Molly stepped back from the dinner table, now laden with an assortment of delicious food, to admire her handiwork.
Freda clapped her hands together excitedly. ‘I can’t believe we did this. Well, it was mostly you but, still, how do you even know how to do that kind of stuff? And the smells. It’s incredible. And the attention to detail. It’s crazy. Look at those miniscule edible flowers. It’s more like art than cooking.’
Molly rolled her eyes, but a trickle of pride glowed in her cheeks. She desperately wanted to impress Valerie, in order to make up for the ‘sausage-meat face’ incident. She also wanted Levi to know that she could be the consummate professional, no matter what low opinion he currently had of her. ‘Okay. I’ll put out the starters after Toby serves the mulled wine and everyone has finished with the hors d’oeuvres. Would you mind rounding your family up, please, while I get changed?’
‘Again, I am so sorry I spilled all of that melted chocolate down you. Thank goodness you had more.’ Freda gave Molly an apologetic grimace. ‘And the cherry glaze. I’m sure it will come out of your hair after a good wash. I just didn’t see you down there.’
If Molly thought she was accident prone around Levi, then Freda was in a whole different league. Teaching Freda how to make a basic chocolate mousse fondant from scratch had cost her a box of eggs, a bag of icing sugar, a block of dark cooking chocolate and a pan of simmering hot cherries. She had been lucky not to end up in A & E with third-degree burns.
‘Don’t worry about it. Cooking can be a messy business. As long as you enjoyed it.’
‘It’s the most fun I’ve had without a drink in my hand for a long time.’ Freda patted Molly’s arm. ‘This means a lot. I really loved learning to make it. I’m going to make one for Rooby as a surprise on Christmas Day. He’s flying in from Canada.’ She pointed to the large brown splodge in a bowl, which was her attempt at the chocolate cake.
‘I’m sure he’ll love it,’ Molly assured her. It was the worst fondant she’d ever seen. And she’d seen plenty.
It was while Molly was lighting the last of the candles that a loud banging sound plunged the whole house into darkness. Her festive table together with the roaring fire in the huge stone fireplace, however, shone brightly with twinkling lights. It looked even more magnificent in the dark. She raced over to the kitchen using the torch on her phone. She could just make out where she was going and when she opened the oven door, she saw with relief that the roasting pork joint was sizzling away cooked to perfection, as were the vegetables. She checked the sauces in the pans and quickly placed lids on them, turning the gas down to its lowest setting. She would have to serve dinner more quickly without electricity.
Toby raced into the kitchen holding a torch. ‘You okay?’ he asked. ‘There’s been a power outage. I’ll go see if I can get it back on.’
‘Toby!’ yelled a gruff voice in a heavy French accent. A man emerged from the darkness into the fading light of the kitchen. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Monsieur LeRoux. I’m just about to check the generator. We should be able to get the power back up.’
‘Good, I’m in the middle of an important game of golf.’
‘You and that bloody golf. God forbid you end up spending the evening with your wife and family. Toby, I forbid you to put the power back on.’ Valerie was click-clacking her way across the wooden floorboards towards them. ‘Dinner is ready. I say we eat. Molly, did you prepare my meal exactly as specified?’
‘Yes, Madame LeRoux.’ Molly pointed to a selection of covered dishes. ‘Even down to the sauces, entrées and desserts.’
Valerie arranged her face to look slightly impressed. While the men were discussing electrics and Toby was instructed by Armand to go check the generator regardless, Valerie leaned in. ‘Not bad,’ she said, pointing to the table display. ‘And was that spinach artichoke dip I saw?’
Molly had added crispy bacon crumbs, Valerie’s favourite. ‘And a selection of your favourite crudités.’
Valerie’s eyes widened as she clapped her hands. ‘Let’s sit down, everyone. We’ll get started on dinner. Lucca, you sit there. Freda next to me. Levi? Where’s Levi? He can’t still be working. Not in the dark.’
Molly was desperate to escape before Levi came to join them. She looked a right mess.
‘Now, Molly, talk us through this feast. Starting with that huge pile of horse dung over there. I’m sure I said no to avant-garde. Or did you drop it by accident?’
Freda cleared her throat. ‘Mother. That’s my chocolate fondant. It took me all afternoon to make.’
Valerie eyed Molly. ‘And then she threw half of it over you, did she?’
Molly wiped her cheek. ‘Freda is a very fast learner. She was brilliant.’ She had not expected to be regaling the entire family with a culinary breakdown, especially not dressed as a squashed trifle, her jogging bottoms covered in chocolate sauce, her hair in a topknot covered in cherry glaze and icing sugar on her cheeks. She’d looked better.
