Page 42 of New Beginnings at the Little Christmas Inn
‘Oh yes.’
‘Maybe I’ll put a silver swingers’ afternoon on? Brings a whole new meaning to community spirit.’ She giggled again. ‘I didn’t think anything would surprise me but Lullbury Bay constantly does.’
Mark laughed, his eyes brimming with mirth. ‘It’s a unique sort of place,’ he agreed. The band stopped playing and, over the sound system rigged up especially, came the blare of Slade. ‘It’s Christmaaaaaasssssss!’
‘Finished your wine?’ he asked. ‘Here, pass me your cup and I’ll pop it in the bin. Just about enough time to get hot chocolate and find a good place to stand. The lantern parade’s about to start.’ Mark joined a queue at a nearby stall, bought a couple of drinks from a vender dressed as Elsa fromFrozenand nudged Livvy to some steps outside an imposing building. ‘It’s the solicitors. I’ve learned from experience that their top step is sheltered from the worst of the wind and gives a good view.’
‘Brilliant.’ Livvy took her hot chocolate from him, grateful for its heat. She tucked herself against the Beer stone wall which jutted out. He was right. They were out of the wind and sheinstantly felt, if not warmer, then no colder. Slade gave way to a jaunty rendition of ‘Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer’ and Livvy watched in amazement as two reindeer pulled Father Christmas down the hill on a sleigh. ‘It’s a proper sleigh. And real reindeer!’ she exclaimed. They were led by a tall, well-built man dressed in jodhpurs and a jerkin, topped with a fur hat. ‘And who’s that? Kristoff?’
Mark leaned in to explain, over the noise of the music. ‘It’s Tom Catesby and his reindeers, Elsie and Morag.’
‘Of course they are.’ Livvy turned to grin at him, aware that he was very near. ‘I like their red tartan coats with the flashing lights.’ She followed his gaze as it lifted to the stone lintel above them. His eyes crinkled in humour. Someone had hung greenery, dangling with fluttering red ribbons, above the sombre glossy black door of the solicitors. ‘Mistletoe. How seasonal.’
Mark waited, brows lifting. ‘Well?’ He threw a casual arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
She reached up and kissed him quickly on his cheek. It was cold but he smelled heavenly; something woody, cedar maybe with underlying amber, all mixed up with chocolate and mulled wine. She longed to taste his lips, but he simply grinned and backed away.
Turning her gently back to the parade, he asked, ‘Can you guess who Father Christmas is?’
Livvy squinted as the sleigh went past in a cacophony of ‘Let it Snow’ and flashing lights which clashed with ‘Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer’ which was still playing. ‘It’s not!’
‘It is. He’s taken over this year after a rather traumatic experience retired his predecessor. Elsie and Morag did a runner and ruined the bowling green. Think it’s only just recovered.’
Darrell, despite the white beard and padding, was instantly recognisable. He waved and chucked a bag of sweets in their direction, which Mark caught with aplomb.
In the sleigh’s wake came a procession of children holding handmade lanterns hooked onto long poles. Each lantern was lit and lent the dark skies a warm glow. They inched along in a wiggly line to the soundtrack of ‘Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel’. The children’s excited gleaming faces coupled with the poignant carol made Livvy choke up. She hadn’t anticipated being so moved.
‘That’s Honor at the front,’ Mark explained. ‘She runs a lantern-making workshop every year for the procession and this year has gone big. She got adults to make one too. See, here they come.’
Livvy gasped. The adults had gone all out. Fantastical creations, some so enormous they had to be held up by a team of four, paraded past. Tropical fish, exotic birds, strange mythical creatures all bobbed and swayed their way down the street to the promenade at the bottom. ‘Magical,’ she whispered, stamping her feet again to get some blood flowing.
‘Hasn’t finished yet,’ Mark said, putting his arms around her hugging her to him for warmth. ‘Here come the floats. Now the fun really begins.’
They’d given in. The freezing weather had driven them into The Ship along with everyone else. Mark squeezed through, leading Livvy by the hand, found them a table in a back room, then went to buy drinks. He returned with a tray laden with two coffees, two mulled wines and two whiskies. Putting them down, he began to take off his coat. Unwinding a striped scarf and hanging his beanie on the corner of his chair, he eventually sat down. ‘I make no apology for the purchases. The bar is rammed five deep. Thought I’d stock up. Hang on, is that the choir gearing up?’
‘Choir?’
‘Community choir.’
‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’ floated through.
They listened for a moment. ‘You know,’ Livvy began slowly, ‘I’ve never really thought of myself as a Christmas person. I mean, I like it and everything, but I’ve never seen why some people go mad about it. With the family being in hospitality, it was always a working holiday, putting the guests first, squeezing in any celebration where we could. But tonight, with the lanterns and the brass band and now this, I totally get it. And this Christmas really isn’t turning out as I expected. I thought I’d be working all the time and have a few days off on my own.’ She bit her lip, worried about how much she’d exposed. ‘I suppose I thought I’d be lonely.’
Mark reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘I hear you on the being lonely part. Why do you think I’m in The George so much?’
‘Just as well we’ve got our friendship then,’ she said brightly, removing her hand because it made her want to kiss him. ‘And, by the way,’ she nodded to the tray, ‘right choice with the drinks.’ She picked up her coffee and sipped. ‘It’s been such a good night, Mark. Thank you.’
He swallowed his whisky down in one. ‘Whatever for?’
‘For showing me the best place to stand to see the parade. I can’t believe some of those floats.’
He grinned. ‘They were really good this year.’
Livvy relaxed. Conversation about the Christmas carnival parade was a whole lot safer than revealing how vulnerable she sometimes felt. ‘That Van Helsing one with the moving horses! And the Fab Four float! I can’t get over how loud the music was.’ She shrugged, mystified. ‘Not entirely sure how Christmassy some of them were but they were still extraordinary.’
‘I take your point. Think I mentioned before, Carnival is huge down here. The same floats get displayed all around the localcarnival circuit and that usually begins in September. Suppose they thought they may as well trot them out for Christmas. The Polar Express one was good.’
‘It wasamazing.Those little boys in dressing gowns and slippers and hanging off the sides. And the front made to look like a steam train, all lit up and blowing steam. How are they made?’
