Page 26 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘It was the chocolate cake mix for tomorrow’s yule logdessert.’ I smile and hand her the bowl. ‘Do you want to do the honours?’
Her eyes light up. ‘Ooh, yes please. Are you sure you don’tmind?’
I can’t help laughing at her enthusiasm. ‘Of course not.Enjoy!’ I make her tea, while she finds a spoon and starts scooping the creamy chocolatemixture from the sides.
I wouldn’t normally offer a bowl to be licked by a guest – Iwouldn’t dream of saying such a thing to Marjery! But Melanie is such a lovely,warm person, filled with such an enthusiasm for life that handing her the bowlseemed a perfectly natural thing to do.
‘Delicious!’ she announces when it’s scraped clean.‘Constance is going to love this dessert.’
‘Is it tomorrow she’s arriving?’ asks Flo.
‘Yes. I talked to her earlier on the phone. She’ll be herein time for dinner tomorrow. It’ll be so good to catch up after all this time.’She places the bowl in the dishwasher then wanders over to the window. ‘Isn’tit a gorgeous day?’ she murmurs. ‘I just love the snow so much.’
‘Did you have a nice walk?’ I ask, and Flo shoots me a look,her eyebrow raised.
‘Yes. We did.’ Melanie sighs. ‘It was really lovely. Except –’
‘Except?’ I frown, my heart speeding up a little.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she murmurs, still staring out, lost inthought. ‘It’s so romantic, all this snow. But telling someone how much theymean to you – especially after you’ve liked them for so long…you need realcourage for that.’
I exchange a glance with Flo.
I want to ask her what she means, but before I have a chance,she laughs and turns away from the window. ‘Listen to me, rambling on. It’sChristmas. And I still have gifts to buy.’ She heads for the door. ‘Thank youso much for letting me lick out the bowl, Jenny. That took me right back to mychildhood.’
I smile. ‘Good. I’m glad to hear it.’
‘Right. See you later!’ And she’s gone.
‘For all her cheerfulness, she sounded a bit sadunderneath,’ murmurs Flo.
I nod. ‘Do you think she’ll tell him? This person she’s inlove with?’
Flo looks at me and shrugs. ‘Love’s a bugger. Maybe she’d bebetter off not telling him at all. Just in case she’s disappointed with hisreply.’
‘But what if she confesses and it turns out he feels thesame? Perhaps he’s always felt the same but never plucked up the courage totell her.’
Flo laughs. ‘I still think she shouldn’t tell him. They saylove is a form of madness and I’m inclined to believe it. I’d much rather staythe right side of sane, thank you very much.’
We look at each other and laugh, then we get back to work.And I can’t help wondering how much pain Flo must have gone through when Ed lether down. We have quite a lot in common, really…
CHAPTER NINE
I’m more in control tonight, serving the meal.
This time, the lamb has already been plated up when it goesout to the dining room for the main course, so I don’t have to serve it at thetable. I whisk around, delivering the plates, as quickly as I can, lookingeverywhere but at Noah. I’m terrified that if I catch his eye, my composurewill be knocked again and I’ll do something stupid, like tripping over a chairor dropping a plate in Marjery’s lap!
After we’ve served dessert, I tell Flo she might as well gethome and that I’ll finish clearing up.
I wave away her protests. ‘Honestly, it’s fine. You lookshattered. Go home and get a good night’s sleep so you’re bright-eyed andbushy-tailed in the morning, okay?’
‘If you’re sure,’ she says, caving in.
‘Absolutely. I’ll only be twenty minutes behind you.’
‘Thanks, Jenny. And I promise I will be.’
I smile. ‘What?’
