Page 7 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘Of course. I believe there’s another friend, Constance,arriving the day after tomorrow. Hopefully in time for dinner, although shewasn’t sure.’ Her mouth rises at one corner. ‘From what I remember of her,’ shesays dryly, ‘Constance rather enjoys making an entrance.’
I nod, not knowing quite what to say to this. Constancesounds intriguing.
Marjery beams at me. ‘Right. Lots to do. Better get on.’ Shepicks up a basket containing mini toiletries and whisks out of the kitchen, andwhen I follow her out, she turns.
‘Oh, Jenny? I forgot to mention. I’ve invited our next-doorneighbours over tonight. So there’ll be four more for dinner. That won’t be aproblem, will it?’
My heart sinks. ‘Er, no…no, of course not.’
‘Splendid. Thank you.’ She hurries up the grand staircasewith her basket, as my mind goes into feverish overdrive.
Four more for dinner?
There’s enough of the hot-smoked salmon starter, and dessertwill stretch to twelve if I add fresh berries and possibly a black cherryice-cream. But I’ll have to pick up a larger fillet of beef.
I drive back to Sunnybrook, taking slow breaths tocounteract the panic that’s threatening to overwhelm me. I only hope the localbutcher will come up trumps. Because with the mortgage company on my back overtwo missed payments, I really need this week to be a success…
CHAPTER THREE
Menu – Day 1
Hot-smoked salmon, with apple and lemon pickle, servedwith toasted sourdough bread
***
Roast fillet of beef, stuffed with wild mushrooms,shallots and herbs
Fresh horseradish sauce
Mini Yorkshire puddings & crispy roast potatoes
Green beans and maple-glazed carrots
***
Cherry and white chocolate meringue roulade
Black cherry ice-cream
***
‘Are you nervous about the dinner tonight?’ asks Flo,when I arrive at her house to pick her up that afternoon.
I look across at her and laugh, a little hysterically. ‘Isthe sky blue?’
She glances out, stifling a yawn. ‘Well, no, actually. Thosesnow clouds look pretty grey.’
‘Another heavy night?’ I raise an eyebrow, grinning. ‘I hopeyou don’t mind me saying it, but you look like you’ve had no sleep at all.’
She grimaces at the dashboard. ‘I was out with an old friend.We should have left the pub way earlier than we did, but it was such a greatfestive atmosphere.’
‘Sounds lovely. Is that the old college friend who just gotback in touch with you? Carole, was it?’
Flo told me about Carole the other morning when I picked herup. They’d been out the night before, she said, for ‘one or two lemonades’. Iwent into the house because she wasn’t quite ready. (I had a suspicion she’dactually just rolled out of bed when I knocked.) But after drinking the tap inthe kitchen dry, she was ready in ten minutes.
She grins. ‘Proper party animal is Carole. Hates stayingin.’
‘Well, good for you. You deserve some fun. You’re young,free and single.’
