Page 3 of A Christmas Celebration
‘I’ll walk,’ I confirmed. ‘I know where I’m going.’
As soon as I had climbed out, he made a near perfect three-point turn and slowly headed back to the road and I setoff along the winding drive, with my rucksack on my back, excited to catch my first glimpse of the hall and its chimneys which towered above the trees.
The moment I rounded the last corner and spotted it my face broke into a smile. I fixed my gaze on the manor house which had been my idyllic childhood playground and knew Dad had been right; it was a good idea to come and I couldn’t wait to see everyone. I only hoped they liked the idea of me turning up unannounced to help out and hadn’t managed to make alternative arrangements since Dad had last been in touch.
With the cold really starting to bite, I rushed the final few steps through the courtyard and then rapped on the back door, which was ajar. When no one answered, I pulled off my shabby woolly hat, shook out my hair, which was far longer than I usually grew it and stepped inside, expecting Floss, the family spaniel, to come bowling through from the kitchen to greet me, but she didn’t.
‘We’ll manage,’ I heard someone insistently say. ‘You know we always do, somehow.’
That had to be Angus.
‘That’s as maybe,’ said someone else, most likely Archie. ‘But we haven’t so far, Dad, and I can’t imagine the situation’s going to change anytime soon, can you?’
He sounded thoroughly fed up, but I was relieved. It sounded as though my arrival couldn’t have been better timed and alternative arrangements hadn’t been made, assuming they were talking about the gaps Anna and Hayley had left.
‘We’re going to have to get that bog-standard cleaning firm in at the very least,’ Archie’s voice came again, confirming that I was right.
‘But Hayley said…’ countered Angus.
‘Hayley said she’d have our guts for garters if we did,’ Archie shot back. ‘I know, but we really have no other choice, do we? She drilled me about what to do in minute detail before she left, so I can relay all of that to whoever comes to take over and we’ll just have to hope for the best. It’s our only option. I can’t do it all myself and there’s no one else.’
‘Not necessarily,’ a third voice then piped up. This one didn’t sound at all perturbed by the stressful situation and I knew instantly who the soft, dreamy tone belonged to. ‘I think the universe has just sent us a solution.’ They then happily continued, ‘And it’s going to manifest any second now.’
A spontaneous cacophony of barking suddenly broke out and rather than find myself welcomed by just one hound skipping around my ankles, I was surrounded by three. Floss was one of them, though she looked much older than I remembered, and there was also a tiny Chihuahua and a colossal wolfhound. What a distinctive doggy pack!
‘What’s all this?’ Angus boomed as he rushed in after the dogs. ‘My goodness, Paige!’ he cried, pushing through them and pulling me into a swift and all-encompassing hug. ‘Is it really you?’
‘It is,’ I croaked, swallowing over the second lump to form in my throat since arriving back in the country. ‘My contract finally came to an end, so I thought I’d come home for a bit.’
It wasn’t the moment to worry about the mortifying specifics or go into the details of my earlier than planned departure. Angus squeezed me tighter and then took a step away to take me in properly.
‘Paige!’ Archie laughed, as he swiftly joined us. ‘I can’t believe it! What are you doing here?’
‘She’s come to stay for Christmas,’ said Angus, relieving me of my rucksack and struggling under its weight. ‘Isn’t that wonderful?’
Not one word had been uttered about Christmas, which was still weeks away, but my godfather was clearly convinced I would be in situ for it. There was little point in suggesting that might not be the case. I was fully aware of how ‘festive-focused’ he could be and like the complications behind my return, I knew it could all wait.
‘I’m actually the cavalry,’ I told the smiling pair. ‘I spoke to Dad almost as soon as my plane landed and he suggested that you might need an extra pair of hands here at the moment.’
Angus positively beamed when I said that.
‘I have no idea if I’ll be any good at any of it,’ I hastily added, before I got his hopes up too high, ‘but I’m willing to try – if you’re willing to show me the ropes.’
Archie was already untying the apron he was wearing. The capacious front pocket had not one, but three different types of dusters, or cleaning cloths, stuffed inside.
‘You’ll pick it all up in no time.’ He grinned. ‘It’s so good to see you. Come on through.’
I followed father and son further inside, just as Catherine came into the kitchen from the other end of the room.
‘Paige!’ she cried, also rushing to pull me into a hug. ‘How wonderful to see you after all this time. What on earth are you doing here?’
I took a moment to catch my breath as Angus filled her in, adding to and embellishing the little I had already told him so I really did sound like the all-conquering hero. I took a moment to look around and further gather my thoughts. Having not visited for so many years, I had forgotten how full-on the kind hearted Connellys could be.
I hoped I was going to be able to cope with their exuberance and enthusiasm. The hall was the complete opposite of the silent, empty space I would have found at my parents’ house. But then, perhaps that was no bad thing. Time to dwell could be as much of a curse as a blessing and at least throwing myself into helping do whatever was needed at Wynthorpe Hall would ensure I didn’t have too much of it.
‘Well, this is wonderful news,’ said Catherine, when Angus eventually drew breath. ‘And so kind of your dear father to suggest that you should come here or even be thinking of us and our dilemma while he and your mother are away on their holiday. We’re honoured to welcome you back into the country.’
‘It is you!’ came another voice, before I could respond. ‘Well, I never.’
