Chapter Thirty-four
The medieval Christmas evening at Ravendale – another of Lara’s ideas – was fully booked. Eighty guests were packed into the banqueting hall to enjoy a concert of traditional seasonal music against a backdrop of flickering candlelight.
The sound was so pure and lilting and just so Christmassy that Lara had to fight back tears as the choir’s voices seemed to lift the ceiling.
Combined with the tang of evergreen from the tree and the lingering scent of woodsmoke, she didn’t think she’d ever experienced such a perfect seasonal combination.
People were dabbing their eyes with tissues as the singers and musicians performed versions of the ‘Coventry Carol’, ‘In dulci jubilo’ and ‘Gaudete’.
The ancient hymns reminded her that the season was about the birth of a baby and Esme came into her mind – followed by the one she’d lost at such an early stage. Her eyes stung, though she tried to tell herself it was probably the smoke from the flickering candles.
The previous Christmas had been emotional enough – for all the wrong reasons – and she’d been looking forward to this one being at least calmer and less draining. Then Flynn had roared into her life and she’d begun to think her Christmas would be joyful …
Now, their paths had diverged again.
The choir finished with a rendition of ‘Deck the Halls’, which the presenter explained was based on an old Welsh song.
The guests joined in and the applause raised the roof.
The moment the concert ended, waiting staff moved in with mulled wine and festive canapés.
Lara forced herself to smile and chat with the guests and, soon, Fiona found her way over to Lara.
Her eyes sparkled with happiness. ‘My dear, this is a triumph. What a superb idea.’
‘Thank you,’ Lara said, genuinely delighted with her boss’s warm approval. ‘I hoped it would be a hit. The singers are amazing.’
‘They’re brilliant.’ Fiona looked around her. ‘It really reminds you that Christmas is around the corner.’
‘It’s easy to become jaded and cynical and forget to celebrate when you’re so caught up in the day-to-day business of the season,’ Lara said.
‘Hmm. Everyone’s starting to get a bit weary and look frazzled by this stage.
We’re like the proverbial swans paddling away for all we’re worth tonight, making it seem that an event like this goes on serenely and seemingly with no effort.
However, I know how much work has gone into it by you and Jazz and the whole team. ’
Lara agreed. Amid her own problems, there was still a job to be done.
Tempers had been fraying. Jazz had had a set-to with her head chef over some curdled brandy butter, of all things.
The housekeeping manager, Rebecca, had what Henry had called a ‘ding dong’ with Fiona and threatened to walk out.
Lara had tried to pour oil on troubled waters and found herself patiently listening to Jazz moaning about the chef ‘making a drama over trivia’.
‘Thank you for speaking to Rebecca on my behalf,’ Fiona said to Lara. ‘It was all a misunderstanding. I really do appreciate all she does and I know she’ll always go the extra mile for us.’
‘I’m just glad that things are back on track,’ said Lara.
‘Talking of irreplaceable people, how is Flynn? I’ve barely had a chance to speak with him. He always seems to be flying here and there.’
‘I think the poor man looks completely frazzled,’ Henry remarked. ‘I hope we’re not working him too hard. Lara, you must remind him to take some time for himself.’
‘I don’t think he’d listen to me,’ Lara said.
‘Oh, I think he would,’ Henry said, with a knowing smile.
Fiona piped up. ‘Oh, I almost forgot! Tessa’s bringing your ball costume round tomorrow. And she’s altered Flynn’s outfit too. I’m sure he’ll look terribly dashing in it.’
‘I’m sure he will,’ said Lara, gritting her teeth yet again. She’d grind them right down at this rate. ‘I’ll pop in to collect them, shall I?’
On Saturday afternoon, after she’d collected their costumes, Lara saw Flynn in the topiary garden sitting on a bench, gazing out over the view as if seeking solace or answers in the snow-topped hills. She thought of avoiding him and then took pity. He looked so alone and at a loss.
She walked up to him and said, ‘Hi. I just picked up your costume from Fiona.’ She handed over the suit carrier, glad to have it off her hands. The two together were surprisingly heavy.
‘Oh, shit,’ Flynn said, before looking skywards. ‘Sorry, ignore me. Dressing as Dick Turpin at a ball is the last thing on my mind right now.’
‘I’m sure,’ Lara murmured, thinking that she wasn’t in the party mood either.
‘I appreciate it. Really.’ Finally, he smiled, and her pulse sped up.
‘You’re welcome. How’s it going? If I dare ask.’ She sat beside him and rested her own costume on her lap.
‘Work or the other stuff?’
‘Both, although you seem to have the work stuff under control.’
‘It might look like it, but I lost it a bit with Carlos the other day.’
‘He can be a difficult character to deal with.’
‘Yeah, but it was unprofessional of me.’ He scuffed the gravel with his boot. ‘How about you?’
‘OK. It’s the final day of the guided tours, thank goodness. We have a guide down with flu and we’re trying to spread ourselves way too thin. Tempers are fraying all round. People are tired and trying to juggle work and getting ready for Christmas.’
‘And I’m worried that I’m turning into the kind of grumpy sod I always resolved never to be,’ Flynn said, with a wry smile that made her stomach do an annoying flip. ‘Actually, I’m glad I bumped into you. I have a favour to ask and it’s probably bloody cheeky considering, but …’
‘Unless you ask, you won’t know,’ Lara replied.
‘OK. I, um, wondered if you’d help me choose a Christmas present for Molly and for Esme?
I agonised over whether to get them anything, but it seems weird not to and I want to …
but I’ve no idea what to get them. Now I’ve said that out loud, I realise that it’s probably an incredibly cheeky thing to do and I shouldn’t have asked.
’ He banged his forehead with his palm. ‘Argh. I expect you’re far too busy, and shopping for Molly and Esme is hardly top of your agenda. ’
‘Hold on.’ Lara thought it was quite satisfying to see him in a state of flustered confusion.
Was this the man who’d strolled into her life with such cool self-confidence?
She wasn’t sure she was qualified to help him shop for his new family, or quite how she felt about it, but he looked so desperate and he was reaching out to her by asking for her help.
‘I am busy, we all are, but … I could spare some time on Sunday, if you really think I could help? In fact, I had fancied going to Keswick Christmas market on Sunday. The Landy is in for a service from Friday until Monday, though, and I daren’t cancel it now in case it fails its MOT.’
‘Oh.’ He seemed stunned she hadn’t said no. ‘If you really were thinking of going anyway, I could give you a lift.’
‘In one of the castle vans?’
‘Um. I was thinking of on my bike.’
Lara snorted unattractively. ‘You’re joking.’
‘No, actually I was deadly serious.’
‘But – but what about the presents? How will they all fit on the bike?’
‘As long as we’re not thinking of buying a table and chairs, you’d be surprised how much the lockers and panniers hold.’
‘I – don’t think I can.’
‘I promise I won’t go too fast. And the roads to Keswick are pretty good.’
‘What about—’ she started. About my safety? My sanity? My life? ‘I – I don’t have any leathers for a start.’
‘I could nip round to Harv’s tonight. His wife rides a bike. I’m sure he’ll lend me a spare set.’
‘I think it would be much easier to borrow a van.’
He grinned and, for the first time in ages, she glimpsed the old Flynn. ‘But not as much fun. Go on, I dare you.’