Page 4 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘You look pale. Are you sure you’re all right after our…collision?’
I take a breath. ‘Yes. Yes, I’m fine.’ I point upwards.‘Melanie’s getting ready to come down again.’
‘Earplugs at the ready, then.’ He grins, his gaze remainingon me, and we both move to the side. ‘Hang on. You’ve got a leaf…’ He reachesover and I feel his fingers brush my hair at the temple, a sensation that doesodd things to my legs.
‘Thank you.’ I smile up at him, transfixed by the deep bluedepths of his eyes and the faint, deliciously manly scent of his shower gel orcologne, and the world seems to stand still just for a moment.
Then Melanie yells, ‘Here I come!’ And we both turn to watchas she flies along the wire, screaming her head off in pure delight.
Stumbling over at the bottom, she gasps, ‘Oh, my God, thatthing isamazing!’ She smiles at me. ‘Hi, there. I’m Melanie.’
‘Jenny.’ I smile back. She has a joyful energy about her, abit like a child’s, and I warm to her immediately.
‘Jenny’s providing the food this week,’ says Noah, by way ofexplanation.
‘Ooh, lovely. This week issucha lovely treat.Lovely food, lovely people and the fact that it’s the festive season as welljust makes it super-extra…’ She shakes her head, fumbling for the best word…
‘Lovely?’ says Noah with a straight face, and she laughs andplayfully punches his arm.
‘It’s just like old times, isn’t it? Me making a plonker ofmyself and you constantly taking the Michael.’
He grins. ‘But you like it really.’
She smiles at him, her eyes sparkling, and their affectionfor each other is clear.
Noah suddenly looks at his watch. ‘Don’t you have a meeting,Jenny?’
Panic surges up.
I’m going to be so late!
‘Thank goodness you reminded me. Right. I’m off.’
Did I bang my head when Noah Jackson knocked me to theground? How else to explain forgetting my meeting with Marjery?
I give Noah and Melanie an awkward little wave and stumbleoff in my heels, returning the way I came.
I’m almost back at the manor when my mobile rings. It’sTavie.
‘Can I borrow your cream top? The one with the sequins roundthe neckline?’
‘Erm, maybe. Why? Are you going out?’
‘Yes. I’m going out.’ Her reply is terse. ‘In about fiveminutes. So could you just give me an answer?’
‘Where are you going, love?’
There’s a brief pause and I picture her impatient eye flick.‘To Amy’s?’
I stifle a sigh. Trying to get the facts can be like wadingthrough treacle. ‘And where are you going later?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, you wouldn’t normally be wearing sequins to go overto Amy’s at ten in the morning. So I’m assuming you’re planning to go somewhereelse tonight –withAmy?’
Another revealing pause. ‘Mal’s having a thing at hislater.’
A thing?
