16. A Cup of Builders Tea won’t do any Harm
Chapter 16
A Cup of Builders Tea won’t do any Harm
‘ W ait a minute!’ Matt said. ‘Amy was offering you wardrobe space, not her bedroom.’
Diane looked from Amy to Matt, and simpered.
‘Oh. Oh, I see. I didn’t realise. I just thought it would be easier if I didn’t have to disturb you every time I wanted to get something from the wardrobe. I didn’t think you’d want this big room until James gets here.’
Amy felt guilty. ‘Perhaps if I –’ she began.
‘You did agree to have the smaller bedroom when we first discussed you coming with us,’ Matt said firmly to Diane, who wrinkled her nose in response.
‘It’ll be nice and warm, above the kitchen and the AGA. This bedroom’s cold and draughty.’ Amy hoped to placate her.
‘Indeed,’ she said with a sigh. ‘And I suppose it doesn’t make sense to move again when James arrives – whenever that may be.’
‘We warned you it wasn’t the most luxurious cottage,’ Matt said.
‘I wasn’t expecting luxury. But I wasn’t expecting it to be this rustic. And another thing – I didn’t notice a TV downstairs. I was so looking forward to the King’s speech on Christmas Day. It’s quite a tradition in our family. Stella would have wanted to watch it, wouldn’t she, Matt?’ Though she spoke to Matt, she looked at Amy as if she was holding her personally responsible for the lack of a television.
‘The holiday cottage company the Thompsons are registered with specialises in get away from it all properties. They discourage things like televisions and wi-fi,’ she explained.
‘I’m not sure I realised I’d be this far away from it all.’ Diane sniffed. ‘What if I run out of something important?’
‘I made sure I brought plenty of everything. It always pays to have spares when Harry’s around.’ Amy tried to sound jovial. ‘I can always lend you anything you’ve forgotten – plasters, toothpaste, shampoo, anything like that.’
Diane looked Amy up and down.
‘That’s very kind of you, Annie, but I couldn’t expect that. I use a very particular brand of shampoo. I can’t use just whatever you’ve picked up from Sainsbury’s.’
‘Amy,’ said Matt. ‘Harry’s mum is called Amy.’
‘Oh yes, of course, how silly of me. Amy. Such a popular name. I’m sure half the Saturday girls at my hairdressers are called Amy.’ She laughed a tinkling laugh which made Amy think of icicles. ‘That’s why I chose more unusual names for my girls. Veronica and Stella are quite distinctive, don’t you think?’
‘Why don’t you go and unpack your things?’ Matt said.
‘Then perhaps we can all have a chat while the boys are playing,’ Amy suggested.
‘Do you think it could wait until later? I thought I might have a little rest after I unpack, it’s been a tiring drive. In fact I might try and make myself another cup of tea, to drink while I unpack. The one you made earlier will be cold by now, we’ve been chatting up here for so long. I’m not used to all this chit-chat, I’m more used to peace and quiet. Where will I find the tea caddy?’
‘There’s a box of teabags in the cupboard opposite the door. There’s a stovetop kettle and an electric one, whichever you prefer,’ Amy told her.
‘Isn’t there any Earl Grey?’
‘No. Just ordinary Yorkshire tea.’ Matt’s reply was sharp, and it was Amy’s turn to give his arm a warning squeeze when Diane wasn’t looking. It wasn’t like him to be irritated by little things.
‘Never mind. Stella would’ve known I usually drink Earl Grey, but it can’t be helped. I’m sure the odd cup of builder’s tea won’t do any harm.’
She moved past them, like an elegant grey liner gliding into port, her bow-wave floating all the other boats out of the way. She walked carefully down the stairs, and tutted at something as she opened the kitchen door.
They could quite clearly hear Diane moving about in the kitchen, so it stood to reason that she could hear them too. Although the floorboards were solid oak and very thick, there were substantial gaps between them and this bedroom was directly over the hall and utility room, just outside the kitchen. If the kitchen door was left open it sounded like they were in the same room. This was not a house for keeping secrets.
‘I knew she’d be difficult, but I didn’t realise she’d be this bad,’ Matt whispered.
‘I don’t think she likes it here,’ said Amy.
‘I know.’ Matt ran a hand through his hair, a gesture Amy recognised as one Matt only used when he was feeling under pressure.
‘The sooner we can tell her everything the better,’ Amy whispered, as the kettle in the kitchen came to a whistling climax.
‘We’ll talk to her tonight when the boys are settled in bed. But while she’s downstairs and the boys aren’t here to complain, come here.’ He pulled her towards him, and gave her a quick kiss. She placed her hands on his shoulders and felt the tension in his body relax slightly beneath her hands.
‘Sneaking a kiss when no-one’s looking. I feel like I’m a naughty teenager again,’ Matt whispered.
‘Again? Speak for yourself. I was a very well-behaved teenager.’
‘I can believe it.’ Matt grinned. ‘Perhaps I’ll have to introduce you to the excitement of misbehaving!’ He put his hands on her waist. ‘Smooching behind the bike sheds.’ He kissed her more deeply and slid his hands down from her waist to her hips.
‘I wouldn’t know.’ She smiled as he pulled her closer into his body. ‘I had a very sheltered childhood, but I’m prepared to believe you.’
‘You may have had a sheltered childhood, but you’re catching on quickly,’ Matt murmured. Even as she was about to kiss him again, there was a shriek from the kitchen below them, and their romantic moment was shattered. They raced downstairs, followed by the boys, to find Diane in the kitchen, staring up at the kissing bunch on the ceiling above her.
‘Is there a ghost?’ Harry demanded. ‘Did you see one?’
‘No. Something fell out of that monstrosity, right onto my head.’ She pointed accusingly at the kissing bunch.
‘It was probably one of the holly berries, a couple of them have dropped off.’ Amy found a berry which had rolled across the slate flagstones and ended up under the table. ‘Look, here.’ She held it out to Diane. ‘I’ll just put it in the bin.’
‘It’s hardly sensible to have something like that in the kitchen. I’m sure half those plants are poisonous. What if a berry fell into the food? No, I think it would be safer outside.’
‘Nothing’s going to fall in the food. It’s a long way from the table,’ Amy said.
‘I’m sure you think I’m being ridiculous, but you can’t be too careful. Not with rambunctious boys around.’
Matt and Amy looked at each other.
‘If you’d be happier,’ Matt said. ‘Come on boys, you can help me. We’ll hang it up on the hedge outside, then the birds might eat the berries.’
Amy picked up a box of matches and went into the living room to check the fire and light the candles she’d placed in the window, tiny lights as if to guide a wandering shepherd home. The world outside was cold and dark, all she could see was her own face reflected in the window glass, lit from below by the warm glow of candlelight. She hardly recognised herself. The face that looked back at her seemed quieter, more cautious, more enigmatic than her usual self, and she gazed into her own eyes, trying to read her secrets.
Something moved outside the window, a branch in the wind or a bird, perhaps, and her reverie was broken. She peered out and realised that it was Matt and the boys hanging the kissing bunch in the hedge behind the cars. The sight of Diane’s little red Fiat reminded her that the food for Christmas dinner must still be in her boot as nobody had brought it in – and though it was cold as a fridge outside, it would still be better to bring the food into the house.
She went back through to the kitchen as Matt opened the door.
‘Matt,’ she called, ‘while you’ve got your boots on, why don’t you bring in the food. Perhaps the boys can help?’
‘I think we might be too busy, don’t you Harry?’ said Oliver, and they disappeared into the utility room to take off their boots.
‘It’s fine, I’m sure I can manage. If you give me your keys I’ll get it – I didn’t see the food when I brought your cases, whereabouts is it? Matt asked Diane.
‘Food?’ Diane said, as if he’d used a dirty word. The boys headed up the stairs to their bedroom.
‘Yes, the food for Christmas dinner. It must still be in your car,’ said Matt.
‘In the car? Good heavens, no! I said I would cook the Christmas dinner for you. I know how Oliver likes everything, you see, I can cook it like Stella did – I taught her how to cook after all. I didn’t expect to provide the food as well. Nobody mentioned that to me.’
‘We both assumed when you said you’d do the Christmas dinner you were offering to bring the food as well,’ Matt said.
‘ Bring the Christmas dinner? All the way from Saddleton? In my tiny car? I could never do that. I realise I have to cook it, but I could have sworn someone mentioned that you were ordering the food to be delivered.’ She said someone but she looked directly at Amy.
‘I didn’t include the food for Christmas dinner, because I thought you’d offered to bring it,’ Amy said. Matt gripped the arm of the sofa, his knuckles visibly whitening .
‘You mean we don’t have anything to eat for Christmas dinner?’ he said.
‘So it would appear. Never mind, we can get a Waitrose delivery tomorrow. I shall pay for it, if that’s the issue,’ Diane said with a supercilious air.
‘It isn’t the cost that’s the issue, exactly,’ Amy said. ‘I doubt there’ll be any delivery slots left for Christmas Eve, and turkeys need to be ordered well in advance.’
'What about James? Couldn’t he bring some food with him when he comes?’ Diane suggested, looking pointedly at Amy.
Amy had almost forgotten that James was still meant to be joining them, as far as Diane was concerned. She felt herself flush. ‘I’m … I’m not sure that I could trust James to do the food shopping.’ She glanced at Matt. It wasn’t untrue. When they were married James had a nasty habit of going to the shops for bread and milk and coming back with an avocado and a jar of pickled gherkins.
‘Then we’ll have to go shopping tomorrow in that case. Isn’t it a good job I came early?’ Diane said.
‘I guess we could go to Penrith tomorrow and try and find a supermarket.’ With a sinking heart, Amy pictured the last-minute Christmas Eve shopping chaos.
‘That is good of you,’ said Diane. ‘You can have a nice trip out to Penrith, while we get to spend some proper family time together here. Oliver would like that, wouldn’t he, Matt?’
‘I’m not asking Amy to go to the supermarket on her own. That’s not fair,’ Matt said.
‘I wasn’t intending that she should go on her own. James will surely have arrived by then, and if not, Harry will no doubt wish to go with her.’
‘Harry? In a supermarket on Christmas Eve?’ Amy said. She could already picture the stress, the queues, the fights breaking out over the last turkey, and in the middle of it all, Harry trying to rearrange the initialled candle gift sets to make rude words. It would be like last Christmas all over again.
‘I’ve got an even better idea,’ said Matt, before Diane could make any more proposals. ‘Why don’t we see if the pub has any room?’
‘A pub ?’ Diane said, as if he’d suggested fish and chips for Christmas dinner.
‘It’s a very nice pub. Old and quaint, and they do amazing food,’ Amy said. ‘But I doubt they’ll have a table at this short notice.’
‘Absolutely. Matt and Oliver and I need to spend Christmas day together as a family. It’s what Stella would’ve wanted.’
‘We could still be a family at the pub,’ Matt said. ‘It’s worth a try. Why don’t I pop down there after tea and enquire? It’d be better face-to-face.’
‘That’s an excellent idea. Better than shopping in Penrith,’ said Amy.
‘And perhaps you can come with me.’ Matt turned to Amy, who smiled. Now she understood what he was trying to achieve – a sneaky night out at the pub.
‘That sounds like a plan,’ she said.
‘After all, we might have to order our food in advance, and I wouldn’t know where to start with Harry’s likes and dislikes,’ Matt said.
‘I’m not sure that I do!’ Amy joked.
‘I suppose you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, are you?’ Diane looked pointedly at Amy.
‘No, I never have been.’
‘Oh, I assumed you were. I know you like handicrafts, Oliver told me earlier that you sell your knitting for a living, and I thought that kind of thing went hand-in-hand with vegetables.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Amy said, unsure whether to laugh or to be offended.
‘Though your husband doesn’t look like the vegetarian type.’
Amy took a deep breath. ‘Diane, there’s something about James that I –’
Diane held up a hand as she interrupted. ‘No, really, James and his eating habits are no concern of mine. Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘But that isn’t what I –’
‘Though now I do wonder now whether we should all go to the pub this evening?’
‘Not the boys,’ said Matt. ‘So one of us needs to stay with them. Of course, if you want to walk down to the pub this evening I’ll stay here and you and Amy can go.’
Amy tried to shoot him a what are you thinking look without Diane noticing, but it was very difficult to catch Matt’s eye and avoid Diane’s.
‘Walk?’ Diane said. ‘ Walk to the pub? Is it a long way?’
‘It’s only about a mile across the fields. Longer by the road, but if we take torches, it shouldn’t be too difficult in the dark. A bit muddy perhaps, and it shouldn’t be much below freezing.’
‘I’ll keep an eye on the boys for you,’ she said, quickly. ‘It would make much more sense for the two of you to go. I’ve seen a couple of books on the bookshelf in the corner, so I might as well spend a warm, quiet evening reading in front of the fire. The boys will be safely tucked up in bed by eight o’clock or so,’ she said, optimistically.
As if on cue, the boys ran down the stairs, taking the last three or four at a flying leap.
‘When’s tea, Mam?’ asked Harry ‘I’m starving!’
‘Matt’s cooking the tea tonight,’ Amy said.
‘What’s for tea, Matt?’
‘Spag Bol,’ Matt said. ‘And perhaps I’d better get on with it. Can’t have you two getting hungry.’
‘Spaghetti Bolognese? For Christmas? It’s not a very festive choice, is it?’ Diane said.
‘To be fair, Diane, we didn’t know you were going to be here,’ Matt said as he stood up and headed into the kitchen. ‘And I’m not such a good cook as Amy, but I do make a mean spag Bol.’
‘It’s one of Oliver and Harry’s favourite meals.’ Amy nodded towards the boys. ‘Are you two going to help Matt? You could lay the table.’ She crossed her fingers that they would be on their best behaviour.
‘Okay. You do the knives and forks and I’ll do the glasses of water. Come on, Harry,’ Oliver said with a smile. Best behaviour was indeed the order of the day, it seemed. They disappeared into the kitchen after Matt.
Diane watched Oliver go with a sigh. ‘He’s so like his mother. I see her in him all the time, in his smile … and the way he laughs …’ She took a deep breath and steadied her voice. ‘Well now, Annie, shall we follow the boys?’