Page 59 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
I glance anxiously at my messages. I phoned Tavie over halfan hour ago, just checking in, asking her to give me a call – but she hasn’treplied yet, and a little seed of worry inside me is starting to grow.
The snow stopped in the afternoon, but it started fallingheavily again a few hours ago. Since then, Flo and I have been looking out ofthe window anxiously, hoping we’ll be able to make it home without gettingstuck. Even if Amy’s party is still on – and I very much doubt it will be –even Tavie must realise there’s no way I can drive her there in theseconditions…
My little car almost gives up as I motor through the thicksnow on the drive, but once on the main road, it’s not too bad. The snowploughs have been along and there are banks of the white stuff piled up on theverges.
When I finally pull into my drive, I see the light on inTavie’s room, and I sigh with relief. Dashing inside, I find the heating onfull blast, which feels really lovely after the freezing drive home.
I shout hello up the stairs and smile ruefully to myselfwhen there’s no reply. She’s probably listening to music with her headphones on.
My mobile rings as I wander into the kitchen, and my heartleaps when I see the name that pops up.
Noah?
‘Hi, Jenny. I got your number from Fen earlier. I was justwondering if you needed a lift home from the manor? Or is your car fixed now?’
My first instinct is to wish I was still at the manor, withthe car still in the garage. Because then I’d be able to be in Noah’s companyagain. But I dismiss the thought as really rather pathetic.
‘Thank you. But yes, the car’s running again. And actually,I’m home now.’
‘Oh. Right. We’re just arriving back. Melanie and I couldhave taken you home, but it’s great that you’ve got the car again.’
Melanie and I…
So they really have spent the entire day together.
But before I have a chance to wonder what lovely thingsthey’ve been doing, I’m distracted by a note lying on the kitchen table. Howcould I have missed it when I came in? My heart beating fast, I reach for itand start reading.
A cold hand squeezes my heart.
‘Jenny? Is something wrong?’
Noah must have heard my horrified gasp.
‘It’s Tavie. There’s no public transport, so she’s decidedto walk to her friend’s party. But it’s at least a two-mile walk over toTaylors Farm.’ I clutch my abdomen, feeling sick with fear. ‘I need to go andfind her. Before the roads become completely impassable.’
I drop the phone in my bag, grab my keys and race out of thedoor, slamming it behind me. I call her but I get the recorded message.
How long has she been gone? The note didn’t say when sheleft. What route will she have taken? Along the main roads? I’m hoping andpraying that’s the way she went. Because the alternative is so scary, I don’teven want to think about it.
Please, please, please don’t let her have taken the shortcut, in the snow and the pitch darkness, across the fields at the back of ourhouse…
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I set off in the car to find her.
The snow is coming down heavily as I motor throughSunnybrook, and it’s windy, too. But thankfully, there isn’t much traffic onthe road. I’m driving slowly, concentrating on the way ahead and on-cominglights, but I’m having to take quick glances to the left and to the right,hoping to spot Tavie on the pavement.
Once out of the village, it becomes scarier. There’s astretch of about a mile where there are no street lights at all – although atleast there’s a pavement on one side – and my heart is in my mouth as I drivealong, relying on the headlights to capture the familiar figure in the darkcoat who I’m searching for. She’ll be soaked and freezing by now as she battlesthrough the driving snow…
At last, the lights of the next village appear, and a littleup ahead is the turn-off for Taylors Farm. But when I turn onto the farm track,it becomes immediately obvious that I’m not going to get very far.
Coming to a stop, I pull out my phone and call Amy’s mum, Angela.
My heart clenches. Please let her be there, at thefarmhouse, safe and warm…
She answers after a few rings, which feels like a lifetime.‘Hi, it’s Jenny here, Angela. Is Tavie there?’
‘Oh, Jenny, no. I’m afraid she isn’t. We had to cancel theparty because of the terrible weather. Could Tavie be at a friend’s house inSunnybrook?’
