Page 84 of A Christmas Celebration
‘Which proves my point exactly,’ Molly sighed happily.
‘Do you think Albert’s the reason I came to the hall?’ I asked her.
‘I think there are lots of reasons why you came,’ she said dreamily. ‘Some still to be revealed. And don’t forget you’ve been helping more people than just that dear man since you arrived.’
‘So many more,’ Archie agreed, sounding sincere for the second time that day.
‘I do hope you appreciate the value of what you’re doing here, Paige.’ Molly frowned. ‘I know it’s very different to your former work, but it’s no less valid.’
‘I know,’ I said, but sometimes I did wonder if the little things were enough. ‘And it’s keeping me out of mischief while I’m here,’ I added, trying to lighten the moment.
‘Um,’ Molly said, ‘I’m not so sure about that.’
‘She’s still getting into mischief, you mean?’ Archie grinned.
‘No,’ said Molly. ‘I’m beginning to wonder about how long she’ll be here.’
‘Not much longer,’ I said. ‘I’ll be off after Christmas and as soon as Anna and Hayley take up their roles again and that’s only about three weeks away now, so…’
‘We’ll see,’ said Molly, with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Come on, Archie.’
It was curious that Molly had suggested I might not be leaving as soon as I had originally planned because the tiniest seed of an idea had been sown since I had met Alice and I had started to wonder if there might be scope for me to utilize, enhance and put into practice again the knowledge I had gained while working with Chadia on the women’s empowerment projects. The seed hadn’t yet germinated, but it was there, poised and waiting for the ideal conditions to burst out of its coat and put down roots.
Albert’s tour of the hall lasted until it was almost dark and with him teetering to accept Catherine’s offer of dinner, I volunteered to drive back to the cottage to check on Bella to help him make up his mind. I knew he wouldn’t be ableto relax with thoughts of her filling his head so it seemed the most practical solution.
‘Are you sure?’ He frowned, when I suggested it. ‘It feels like a huge imposition.’
‘I really don’t mind,’ I told him. ‘I’ll be no time at all and then you’ll be able to properly enjoy the evening.’
‘I can’t believe I’m doing this,’ he said, sounding amazed at his own daring. ‘I have you to thank for this, Paige.’
‘No, you don’t,’ I told him. ‘This is all down to you, Albert, and your decision to try and help save this old hall from Angus’s well-intentioned handiwork.’
‘Well,’ he said, looking quite transformed, ‘when you put it like that.’
Just as I’d known she would be, Bella was fast asleep in her basket under the radiator in lieu of the fire being lit. I refreshed her food, gave her a fuss and resisted the temptation to go and peek through the windows of the studio in the garden.
Had it still been daylight I might have succumbed and I wasn’t proud of that admission, but there were a few things I’d heard Albert say, comments of an artistic kind, which had got me wondering if I could find a way to check out the real provenance behind the many canvases tucked away in the unlikely looking studio.
However, I turned my back on the place, forced myself up the path and into Anna’s Fiat, returning to the hall, feeling slightly spooked because a large vehicle had followed me all the way. Right up the drive and into the courtyard, in fact.
‘Brodie,’ I said, breathing a sigh of relief when I realized it was him and in spite of the fact that he wasn’t flavour of the month. ‘What are you doing here?’ I asked, moving to halt his progress towards the hall.
With Albert inside, I had no intention of granting Brodie entry. I might have had the willpower to resist peeking into the studio, but I didn’t know if he would be able to resist asking about the paintings again. Given his initial reaction to them, I didn’t think it was worth the risk.
‘Don’t worry,’ he said gruffly, clearly still feeling the sting of our previous parting, ‘I’m only going to be a minute.’
I didn’t budge.
‘What are you doing?’ he frowned. ‘I need to talk to Angus.’
‘He’s in a meeting,’ I said, ‘a private, family one. That’s why I was out,’ I lied. ‘To give them a bit of space.’
‘Oh,’ he said, looking over my shoulder towards the hall. ‘I hope everything’s okay?’
‘I’m sure it is.’ I nodded. ‘I’ll tell him you stopped by.’
He ran a hand through his hair.
