Page 53 of A Not So Quiet Christmas
Chapter 31
Ifelt Oliver slip his palm in mine as we followed the line of a tall red-brick wall that led round to the back of the building. Usually when a man did that, I’d pull away. But with Oliver, I didn’t feel the need. Holding his hand as we walked felt natural. Right, even.
He drew me to a standstill when we reached a two-storey folly that sat mid-point in the wall’s rear aspect. It had a wide archway cut through it, signalling what looked like the only entrance into what I assumed would be a courtyard.
“After you,” Oliver said, with a wide grin on his face.
As we stepped through, my eyes widened. Not only was I right about there being an enclosure it was vast, consisting of a huge circular lawn surrounded by a wide gravel path. Outbuildings sat both left and right. With their glass roofs, I deemed them far too grand to be stables or workshops. “This is gorgeous,” I said. I couldn’t wait to find out what we were doing there.
The house’s rear entrance might have had a bigger than average doorway, but it was nowhere near as spectacular as the one at the front. However, if what I’d seen so far was anything to go by, I knew what lay behind it had to be magnificent.
“You ready?” Oliver asked, ready to enter.
“I certainly am,” I replied, giggling. I continued to beam as he swung the door open, but as we crossed the threshold, my smile froze. There was no splendour before us, just a wide whitewashed corridor reminiscent of those found in a Victorian hospital. I turned to Oliver, hoping he’d tell me we’d taken a wrong turn. But he didn’t seem fazed.
“This is going to be so much fun,” he said, instead.
A woman, wearing a welcoming smile and brightly coloured elf costume, appeared at the far end of the passage. “Would you like to come this way, please,” she said, indicating we follow her.
Taking in her green dress with its red star collar and matching hat, I wondered what Santa’s little helper could possibly want with us. More to the point, what Oliver had got me into. But as I, again, looked to him for an explanation, he simply chuckled, his lips remaining sealed on that front.
“Don’t worry,” he said, nudging me forward. “You’re going to love it.”
Shaking my head at the woman’s red and green striped tights and felted boots, I doubted that very much.
Elf woman directed us into a room full of people and as mums, dads, and their children all clamoured over each other trying to be heard, the resulting noise bounced off the walls. Colouring books and felt-tip pens sat on tables for the younger attendees and a box of toys had been placed in the corner. As I continued to glance around, my confusion reigned.
A male member of Santa’s entourage came to the door. “Danny Malone,” he called out.
A little boy raised his hand, stretching his arm as high as he could.
“Would you like to come this way?”
The boy jumped to his feet and headed for the door, leaving his parents no choice but to hasten after him and again, I looked to Oliver. However, he simply smiled and shrugged in response.
“Oliver Chase,” Elf woman said, reappearing in the doorway.
“Here!” Oliver replied. Hand up, he certainly gave Danny Malone a run for his money.
The woman gestured us forward. “This way, please.”
Oliver guided me back out into the corridor but as we followed the woman around the corner, our route didn’t seem to go anywhere. There were no doors leading off the passageway, just a huge wardrobe at the far end. My bewilderment grew as the three of us approached the strangely placed hunk of furniture.
Elf woman opened the wardrobe doors to reveal a line of thick fur coats.
I looked from her to Oliver, wondering if I was supposed to put one on.
“In you go,” the woman said, gesturing for me to climb in.
I scoffed. “Where are we off to? Narnia?”
Oliver nodded, also indicating I get in. “Time to find out,” he said.
With nothing else for it, I decided to play along, and with Oliver close behind, I pushed the coats out of the way and made my way through. My eyes widened as I stepped out of the other side. “It’s like we’re in another world,” I said, struggling to believe what I was seeing.
“Didn’t I tell you you’d love it,” Oliver said.
I stared at the giant fir trees surrounding me, the Christmas trolls peeking out from their hiding places, and the fake snow covering the ground. Blue lighting created a real Winter Wonderland feel. I stretched up and kissed Oliver’s cheek. “And you were right,” I said.
