Page 64 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘I’m sure she won’t.’ The smile slips from my face.
Our last day.
It’s been fun, and I hope Marjery has been pleased overallwith the food we’ve delivered. Apart from smashing her antique crystal plate,the week seems to have gone off reasonably smoothly.
But there are people I’ve met who I’ll definitely miss.
One in particular…one who raced to our rescue last night andsaved Tavie and me from being out in that snowy field all night…
‘You okay?’ asks Flo.
I sigh and smile across at her. ‘You’ll never believe whathappened to Tavie and me last night…’
*****
We work away all day, creating the array of ten perfecthors d’oeuvres – some savoury, some sweet – making dozens of each one. They’requite fiddly to make but the end result is gorgeous.
Flo finishes putting the icing on the very last mini mince pie,and we both sigh and step back to admire our handiwork.
‘I think we’ve smashed it,’ she says.
‘We said we wouldn’t talk about Marjery’s crystal dish.’
‘Oh, ha ha.’
‘We still have to put the finishing touches to the chilli,rice and garnishes. And the sticky toffee pudding, for those folks who’vedanced their feet off and are starving come midnight.’
‘We can leave once the food’s all done though, can’t we?’asks Flo. ‘It’s not as if we’re serving the food tonight.’
‘That’s true.’
Marjery has organised for three cheerful youngsters – twogirls and a boy, all students at the local catering college, wanting to earnextra money – to walk around with the large platters of finger food, and servethe chilli and sticky toffee pudding around midnight.
By seven, the glamorously-dressed guests are starting toarrive, braving the snow and ice and trundling along the winding drive, eagerto experience Marjery and William’s wonderfully elegant Cinderella Ball. I keeprecalling that night I danced with Bob, while Rhoda taught Noah the waltz…howgood it felt to be whirled around the floor by an expert…and how my one chanceto dance with Noah was stolen away by Melanie…
They’re sure to be dancing together tonight. Noah andMelanie.
I can’t bear to watch them, but at the same time, I have thisweird compulsion to go and look.
By eight-thirty, the waiting staff are ferrying out ourplatters of finger food at an alarming rate.
‘Do you think we’ve made enough?’ I murmur, worried.
‘Definitely. There’s all the food in the pantry as well,remember? Just in case we need extra.’
‘True.’ I breathe a little more easily.
The young waiters, rushing in and out, are dressed simply inblack. The girls have tied up their ponytails with gold tinsel and are wearingsparkling, Christmas bauble earrings. They seem to be doing a very professionaljob of ferrying out the platters, with a sparkle in their eye for the guests. Ijust wish I could go in with them and savour the atmosphere of the ballroom formyself.
‘I’m sure Marjery wouldn’t mind us having a little look.From the door, of course,’ I say to Flo, my heart beating a little faster atthe thought.
‘Do you think?’
‘Come on. Let’s have a peek.’
The ballroom door is wide open and the sight that greets mealmost takes my breath away.
The guests have really gone to town with their costumes.The men in their breeches and tail coats look so stately and handsome, butit’s the women’s gowns that really draw the eye. From purple silks and scarletsatins to the pretty pinks, mint greens and patterned cream muslins, theireffect is wonderfully colourful and evocative of a bygone era.
