Page 66 of A Winter Kiss on Rochester Mews
‘… the last thing anyone needs on a day when the A&Es are full to overflowing because it’s the middle of flu season is you taking up a bed because you wouldn’t listen to the advice of your GP, your midwife, your obstetrician and a woman who worked as an A&E nurse for forty years. Have you worked as an A&E nurse for forty years?’
Posy, eyes wide, shook her head.
‘So, this handsome husband of yours and young Sam are going to walk you to your car and when you get home, you’re going to go to bed and you’re going to stay there for the duration of your pregnancy, do you hear me?’
Posy nodded.
‘I’m going to need a verbal answer,’ Cynthia said.
‘Yes!’ Posy flung her head back in frustration. ‘But it’s only nine days until Christmas! Who will manage the shop without Verity here?’
‘You are ridiculous,’ Verity told her crossly. ‘As if I’m going to take two days off now. I’ll tell my parents about the you-know-what after Christmas. It can wait.’
‘But love shouldn’t wait!’ Posy said tearfully. ‘I won’t stand for it.’
‘Of course you won’t because you’re going to be on bed rest,’ Verity said in a quiet but resolute tone of voice that ordinarily brooked no denial.
‘You’re not the boss of me, I’m the boss of me,’ Posy insisted, her face getting redder as she once again struggled to her feet. ‘I’m the boss and I say that you’re taking those two days off from tomorrow and oooh! Oh! Goodness.’ Posy sank back down on the sofa with a little gasp, hands clutched round her bump. ‘It’s all right. Just another funny turn.’
Sebastian dropped to his knees again, his hands in the prayer position. ‘Vicar’s daughter,’ he began, his eyes fixed imploringly on Verity who sniffed.
‘I have a name, you know.’
‘Verity,’ Sebastian amended. ‘Dear, sweet Verity. Will you please take the agreed two days off from this shop during the busiest time of the year so I can get my beloved wife and unborn child safely home? Please? Will you do that for me?’
‘But who will look after the shop?’ Verity asked with a desperate look around at the assembled company as if she doubted that there was a designated adult among them.
‘Me! I will!’ Nina’s hand shot up. ‘I can do it. I’llaceit. I’m always keen to take on new responsibility.’
Verity looked doubtful. ‘Are you?’
‘Unfair and also unkind,’ Nina admonished, wagging her finger at her colleague. ‘Look at how I’ve revolutionised the marketing and social media side of the business.’
‘I do the Twitter,’ Tom reminded everyone. ‘My Twelve Days of Christmas tweets are going down a storm.’
‘Well done you,’ Nina said in a very patronising tone. ‘Look Very, I am ready and able to assume the reins of power.’
Mattie shot Tom a sympathetic smile but luckily she had no skin in this fight.
‘Well, if you’re sure,’ Verity said.
‘Tattoo Girl will be fine,’ Sebastian said. ‘And Tom has several degrees – that has to count for something, and Sam has bookselling in his blood. What can go wrong?’
‘Well, when you put it like that …’ Posy considered what would be left of her motley workforce. ‘You will keep an eye on them, won’t you, Mattie? I mean, from one successful businesswoman to another, I’m counting on you.’
As if Mattie didn’t have enough to do! ‘I’m happy to check in but I’m sure they won’t need me.’
‘Too right we won’t,’ Nina agreed rather crushingly.
‘I’m going to leave you with a very detailed troubleshooting guide,’ Verity told Nina grimly, as if she wished that she’d never become engaged to the love of her life and was now forced to take two days off work. ‘And you’re to call me if you need to.’
‘But we won’t,’ Nina said with an airy little flap of her hands as if she was already waving them off. ‘Right, Tom?’
‘Right,’ Tom agreed with a beleaguered sigh. ‘I have worked here for the last five years. Longer than Nina, in case you’ve forgotten, and I’m certain that whatever curveballs fate might throw at us, we’ll be able to catch them.’
‘If you say so.’ Posy didn’t sound convinced but her face was its normal colour once more. ‘Very well. Sebastian, you can take me home now.’
‘I love the way you make it seem like you had a choice, Morland,’ Sebastian noted, but his expression was tender as he helped Posy up from the sofa.
