Page 127 of A Christmas Celebration
‘I can’t wait,’ he said, punctuating each word with a tender, soft kiss. ‘I know that whatever you’re planning in that clever and kind-hearted head of yours will be amazing and I hope we’ll be able to take it forward together.’
I was beginning to feel certain that if I ever managed to grab five minutes to puzzle it out, I’d get the finer details straight in my head and knowing then that Brodie would be waiting to help me take it further, was wonderful. I’d listened to Alice, Ed and Will all talk about life enhancing collaborations and it was time to participate in a few of my own.
‘I haven’t mentioned anything to anyone else yet,’ I told Brodie as I kissed him back. ‘Not even that I’m thinking about staying for good, so let’s keep it between ourselves for now, okay?’
‘That’s fine by me,’ he sighed. ‘Whatever you want.’
‘Great.’ I smiled, all the while thinking that if I couldfurther develop my idea ahead of the Christmas celebration, I might be able to announce it then and that might sweeten Angus’s upset should I fail to get Albert to share his paintings at the party. ‘That’s exactly what I want.’
Chapter 30
Having shared my decision that I would be staying in Wynbridge after Christmas with a very happy Brodie, it felt like there was nothing I couldn’t do and in the spirit of embracing togetherness, I was awake with the lark Monday morning and went to find Dorothy in her private sitting room, with a view to bringing her up to speed about the celebration and to ask if she would be happy to help.
‘Well, now,’ she said, taking both my explanation and request in her stride, ‘I’ve been waiting for this.’
‘You have?’ I frowned.
‘Of course,’ she laughed. ‘There was no way Angus was going to pass up on the opportunity for a party once everyone was together, was there?’
‘No,’ I said, scratching my head, ‘I suppose not.’
‘You didn’t see it coming?’ she asked.
‘No,’ I told her. ‘With everything else going on, it didn’t even enter my head.’
‘You’ve been away from here for too long.’ She smiled.‘But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you won’t be in a rush to get off again once Christmas is over. I don’t think you’re quite topped up with enough Wynthorpe spirit yet.’
‘Well,’ I said vaguely, cursing the colour which I knew was creeping into my cheeks. ‘Nothing’s decided. I just want to enjoy Christmas and I’ll think more about what I’m going to do next after Boxing Day.’
‘If I had a man like Brodie hanging on my every word,’ Dorothy confided, with a mischievous wink, ‘wild horses wouldn’t drag me away.’
‘Oh, Dorothy,’ I said, blushing brighter.
‘Now,’ she said, reaching for a notebook which looked similar to my own. ‘Let’s have a think about what we’re going to need for this Christmas celebration.’
It didn’t take long to go through the arrangements for the catering as Dorothy was an old hand and more than capable of providing a feast in a trice. It also helped that she had been filling the freezers with festive snacks for weeks and the savoury and sweet treats she’d already prepared merely needed defrosting and reheating. She wasn’t at all concerned that I couldn’t yet give her guest numbers and was willing to wing it.
As I later whizzed through the cleaning, I realized that were it not for the exhibition element of the event, I wouldn’t have had anything to worry about. The hall was already decorated, the food and drink was sorted and the majority of guests would be in situ by Friday so even issuing invitations wasn’t that big a deal. However, there was the exhibition element to fret over – and worry about it, I did.
By the time I’d completed my hall duties, which that day included making up extra rooms, the Winter Wonderland was almost dismantled and thoughts were turning to everyone’s arrival the next day. Anna and Jamie were already en route back to England and Hayley and Gabe and eldest son Christopher, his wife Cass and their two sons would be setting off for the hall soon, too.
‘I can’t believe your time doing Anna and Hayley’s work is almost up,’ Molly said as we shared an early lunch ahead of me going to Albert’s to explain what Angus had in mind for him and Brodie. ‘It only feels like five minutes since you walked in and saved the day.’
‘I know,’ I agreed. ‘It’s gone every bit as fast for me too.’
‘And we never did properly discuss what it was that sent you flying here, beyond your contract coming to an end, did we?’ She wryly smiled.
‘No,’ I said tentatively, ‘we didn’t.’
‘Don’t worry,’ she quickly added. ‘I’m not going to try and force it out of you now.’
‘You’re not?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I can tell you’ve worked through it and accepted it,’ she stated rather than asked, accompanying her pronouncement with one of her trademark all-seeing stares. ‘You haven’t forgotten it,’ she further said. ‘But it hasn’t got a hold on you anymore.’
