It was an impressive imitation; the colour fade and wear and tear were perfectly aged. But I didn’t know much about such things, other than what I’d seen and read, so I’d take my aunt’s word for it and as Merry had plonked herself down in the middle of it, it was too late to worry about it now.
Elsie beamed at me and shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe I was there.
‘Let me take your coat. Would you like a mug of hot chocolate? I was just about to make some.’
‘Thanks. That would be lovely.’
I shrugged off my coat and handed it to her, together with my hat, scarf and gloves.
‘Make yourself at home. I’ll be back in a jiffy.’
She reached out a hand and gently squeezed my arm and an odd sensation swept over me. I had an overwhelming urge to hug her – and I had no idea where that feeling had come from. I didn’t though and in a moment she was gone.
I caught my breath as I dropped onto the sofa facing the fire and strewn with Christmas cushions of all colours, shapes and sizes. Merry rolled over on the rug, and lay on her back, her paws bent in the air, her tongue flopping to one side and made a contented muffled bark before closing her eyes. She’d clearly made herself at home.
I perched on the edge of the sofa, my boots flat on the floor, knees tense, and hands twisting nervously in my lap. I could hear Aunt Elsie in the kitchen and Christmas carols playing in the background. What must she be thinking? Was she pleased to see me, or not? Did she have plans for today that my arrival had screwed up? I hadn’t thought to ask.
The room was warm and cosy and other than the Christmas cushions on the matching, red sofas there were multi-coloured, Christmassy throws. In addition to the sofas was a glass coffee table, a large dark wood sideboard, and a tall and skinny, purple Christmas tree, every branch of which was hung with a coloured or sparkly bauble or small ornament, and piles of beautifully wrapped presents in a variety of festive paper tumbled beneath. It was garish and yet equally stunning.
At the other end of the long room was a glass dining table and eight sleek and modern, chrome and rainbow-coloured chairs. Near the folding, glass doors to the garden sat a small, real pine Christmas tree, on a table with a reindeer cloth on it. Rows of fairy lights were strung along the walls and around the windows and there were more lights in several hurricane glasses near the hearth.
‘Here we are,’ Elsie said, returning to the room a few minutes later and placing a tray with two mugs of hot chocolate topped with cream and covered in grated chocolate, on the glass coffee table. There was also a plate of delicious-looking mince pies, some running with icing, some not. ‘Help yourself. They’re still warm from the oven.’
She sat on the sofa opposite me, kicked off a pair of Christmassy mules, and curled her legs and feet beneath her, looking at me over the rim of her mug and the mountain of cream on top.
‘Thanks.’ I took an iced mince pie and one bite told me it was as scrumptious as it looked. And that it contained more than a drop of brandy. I washed it down with a swig of hot chocolate which warmed my throat in more ways than one. ‘Is there alcohol in the hot chocolate too?’
‘Of course,’ she said, as if I were crazy to ask. ‘Festive hot chocolate has to be laced with either brandy or rum. We’re having brandy today.’
‘It’s a good thing I won’t be driving.’ I smiled and took another swig. It really was divine hot chocolate. ‘Er. I hope you don’t mind my turning up on your doorstep. I’m staying at the Sunrise B&B in Rock Road for a few days. I was going to call but, well, I wasn’t certain of my plans and it was a bit of a last-minute decision. And then I thought it might be a nice surprise. I hope I haven’t upset any plans you might’ve had for today.’
‘It’s a wonderful surprise! And now I understand what Lilith meant at the funeral yesterday. You haven’t upset any plans, so don’t give that another thought. But why are you staying at the B&B? There’s plenty of room for you here and you must know that I’d love to have you stay.’
‘I didn’t want to impose. And it’s not just me, it’s Merry too. I didn’t know if you had a cat, or anything. And some people don’t like dogs in their homes.’
She waved a hand in the air and several rows of bangles jingled on her wrist.
‘I have no pets. But I’m happy to have other people’s come to stay. Merry is more than welcome. How long are you staying? A few days, I believe you said. Does that mean you’ll be leaving before the Big Day or will you be here for that?’
‘I’ve booked my room until the day after Boxing Day.’
‘Excellent! We’ll tell Lilith today that you’re coming to stay with me.’
‘No! I mean... I don’t want to be any trouble. And I can’t cancel the rest of my stay at the B&B. I only got the room due to a previous cancellation. I couldn’t do that to Lilith. She’s been so kind. And we’ve settled in, so it seems silly to move just for the sake of a few days. But … I was hoping Merry and I could spend some time with you, if that’s okay?’
She looked disappointed and even a little sad and I could see what Mum had meant when she’d said that my emotions were written on my face. I could see Elsie’s in her eyes.
‘Of course, it is. It’s more than okay. But you wouldn’t be any trouble if you moved in here. And Lilith will understand. Besides, I can pay her for the room so she won’t be out of pocket.’
‘No. I really couldn’t ask you to do that.’
‘You didn’t ask. I offered.’ She met my look and smiled tenderly. ‘You don’t have to decide right now. I can understand that you might want your privacy. We’ve only met a few times, haven’t we? It’s quite all right for you to be a bit wary. Let’s see how today goes, shall we? And why don’t we agree on this? I won’t pester you to come and stay here, but I want you to know that nothing would make me happier. You’re family, Lottie. And people should be with their family at Christmas.’
The doorbell, and Merry barking, cut our conversation short. Elsie put her mug on the coffee table and got up to answer the door. A little reluctantly, I thought. As if she cursed the intrusion from whoever was ringing her bell. But she sounded delighted when she opened the front door.
‘Honey bee!’ I heard her shout gleefully. ‘You’re just the person I need right now.’
Eight
Having never met Josephine Parnell I knew nothing much about her, but I seemed to recall being told that she and her twin sister, Diana were just over a year older than me, so when Elsie introduced the really pretty, woman she’d just brought into the room as Josie, the first thing I wondered was, would we become friends? She had her arm linked through Elsie’s and a beaming smile on her face.
The second thing I wondered was why Josie’s hair was chestnut brown on top with fiery red waves tumbling over her shoulders. Did everyone on Elsie’s side of the family have their hair dyed in a variety of colours? Or was it just Elsie and Josie?
I noticed Josie had an hour-glass figure as she took off her coat and threw it on the back of one of the dining chairs, and she was just an inch or so shorter than me by the looks of it.