Page 22 of Promise Me This Christmas
“Afraid not.You’ll have to wait until tonight for your sweets.”
“Tonight?”Carson asked.
“Didn’t I tell you?”There was a pretended look of innocence on Ethel’s face.“I’ve reserved a place for the two of you at the Copper Mountain chocolate-making event.It starts at seven.”
*
When Robin wokeat one-thirty in the afternoon, Amy changed his diaper, then took him directly to the kitchen.Her son was always hungry after his nap.In the kitchen she found Jo pulling yet another sheet of scones from the oven.On the counter were already several dozens of both her pumpkin-ginger and berry-orange.
“I can’t even describe how incredible this kitchen smells right now.What flavor is that batch, Jo?”she asked as she shifted Robin to one hip and opened the fridge with her free hand.
“Classic currant.I’m going to glaze them and then I’ll be done for the day.”
Amy pulled out a carton of yogurt and a jar of homemade applesauce.Then she strapped Robin into his high chair.“You’re going above and beyond.Our guests are sure in for a treat tomorrow.”
“Just make sure the Carrigans bring lots of clotted cream,” Jo said.“Nothing goes better with scones than a good cup of tea and some clotted cream.”
“I agree,” Shelley said, coming in from the dining room.She looked tired and her white apron was streaked with gray tarnish.“I’ve finished the last of the silver, Amy.Want me to start washing the fine china?”
“That would be so helpful.But why don’t you have a break first and try one of Jo’s freshly baked scones.”
“I’d love that.And some tea too, if that’s okay.”
“Of course.I’d love a cup as well, please.”
“Vanilla Earl Grey, okay?”When Amy nodded, Shelley said, “How about you, Jo?”
“No thanks.”Jo added a dash of salt to her glaze and then began brushing it over the currant scones.“I’m heading home right after this.”
Amy, who’d already fed Robin his yogurt and applesauce, broke off a piece of a freshly glazed currant scone and handed it to Robin.
Concentrating hard, he used his uncoordinated fingers to get a piece of the scone into his month.His eyes popped wide.“Num.”
“Want some more?”
He nodded vigorously and they all laughed.Amy tried not to feed him too much sugar, but how could she deny him scones fresh from the oven?At least these were home-baked, with none of the additives or preservatives found in packaged treats.
It was a nice relaxing moment in a busy day, and Amy felt trepidatious when she heard footsteps approaching from the hall.Please let this be Chet, home early from his work.Or maybe her brother?
Instead, Gibson Adlington entered the dining room.As always, he was dressed neatly in slacks and a button-down shirt.But his dark hair was ruffled, and his characteristic frown was deeper than usual.Arms held oddly behind his back, he crossed the room to the kitchen entrance.
“Do you have a rodent problem at Bramble House?”he asked.
“No,” Amy said quickly.“Of course not.”
“Then why did I find this in my bathtub right now?”And from behind his back, with fingers protected by a wad of tissues, he pulled out a dead mouse, which he was holding by the tail.
As luck would have it, Larkin and her grandmother picked that moment to come home from lunch, followed immediately by the Kettles.Hearing the commotion in the dining room, they came investigating, stopping short at the sight of the limp, pathetic mouse dangling from Gibson’s fingers.
“Cat!”Robin exclaimed, pointing at the dead creature.
“Not quite, sweetheart,” Amy said faintly as she delved in a drawer for a sturdy plastic bag.When she found one, she held it under the mouse and Gibson dropped it, along with the tissues.Carefully Amy secured the bag and put it outside on a mound of snow, to go in the garbage bin later.
“We’ve never had something like this happen before,” she told her guests.“Gibson, I’m so sorry.I’ll ask Ella to have your bathroom disinfected right away.”
“Ella’s left for the day,” Shelley said quietly.“But I can do it.”
“Thank you,” Amy said gratefully.“Again, Gibson, I do apologize.We’ll comp this evening’s stay.Something like this should never have happened.”
