Chapter 27
It was the day of the carol service in Cavendish Hall.
Lucy, Faith and Madeleine sat into the car and set off for the stately home.
They had been down in Inishbeg Cove earlier and every place they went, the carol service was the main topic of conversation.
It seemed as though the whole village was going.
Dusk was falling as they drove along the headland.
A soft mizzle landed on the windscreen and Lucy had to use the wipers to clear it.
They soon reached the imposing acorn-topped pillars that marked the entrance to Cavendish Hall.
They drove slowly along the avenue, which was lined with ancient oak trees.
In the half-light they saw grassy fields rolling down towards the sea.
Soon the magnificent sandstone house came into view.
‘Wow,’ Madeleine gasped. ‘This place is splendid. In all my years coming to this village, I’ve only ever seen the house in photographs. It’s even more spectacular in real life.’
Two buttermilk-coloured wings spread out on either side of the stately home, and they caught a glimpse of a stable yard around the back which had recently been refurbished into accommodation for guests.
They parked the car and made their way towards the house.
Candles inside glass lanterns flickered, lighting the path.
They climbed the limestone steps, where two stone lions kept watch.
The door was opened for them and they stepped into the magnificent entrance hall, where Grace and her father Patrick were waiting to greet their guests.
Lucy took in the dark mahogany panelling and sweeping staircase and felt as though she had stepped back in time.
‘It’s so good to see you again.’ The sisters hugged Grace warmly. ‘You’ve done an amazing job on the renovation. I feel Iike I’m in Downton Abbey,’ Faith said.
Grace laughed. ‘Thank you, Faith. It’s been stressful, but we’re so pleased with how it’s turned out.’ She turned to her father. ‘Aren’t we, Dad?’
Patrick smiled dotingly at his daughter. ‘It wouldn’t have happened without this one. She had the vision. I just did as I was told.’
They all laughed.
‘Do go inside to the drawing room,’ Patrick instructed. ‘They’re serving mulled wine and mince pies.’
They made their way into the elegant room, where portraits of the Cavendish ancestors looked down on them.
They saw some familiar faces as they mingled with the guests.
Some of the elderly villagers, like Mrs Manning, were seated on brocade armchairs, but most people stood around the room, chatting.
The schoolchildren, all wearing neat uniforms, stood at the end of the room with their teachers.
The village school was only small and had under sixty pupils.
A waiter approached them carrying a tray of mulled wine. ‘That smells heavenly!’ Madeleine said taking a glass, as did Faith and Lucy. ‘It feels so Christmassy,’ she said excitedly.
Across the room, she saw Jack was standing with his wife and their little girl. Suddenly he caught Faith’s gaze. Lucy watched as she looked away again swiftly, but undeterred, he began to make his way over to her.
‘Hi Lucy, Faith,’ he began when he had reached them, before turning his attention to Faith. ‘Look, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay the other day. You seemed a bit off?’
Faith shook her head. ‘It’s fine.’ She changed the subject quickly. ‘It’s nice of Grace and Patrick to resurrect this tradition.’
‘It is,’ he agreed. ‘Rosie is singing in the choir.’ He nodded towards the children. ‘The kids are so excited. They’ve been rehearsing for weeks.’
Just then they heard the clink of metal against glass as Grace tried to get everyone’s attention.
‘I’d better go back over to Heidi,’ he said. ‘I hope you all enjoy your evening.’
‘I have to give it to the guy,’ Lucy hissed in her sister’s ear once he was out of earshot. ‘He has balls.’
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ Grace began at the top of the room.
‘We are so pleased to welcome you all to Cavendish Hall this evening. We have a wonderful choir who I’m lucky to have heard rehearsing, and I can promise you that you’re all in for a treat.
Please welcome the children of Inishbeg Cove national school! ’
A round of clapping broke out and soon the room was filled by voices singing ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’ conducted by their teacher.
Lucy listened to the sweet, innocent voices, feeling their music move her.
As she looked around the room at the proud parents filming and taking photos, she couldn’t help wondering if she would ever get the chance to watch her child perform in a Christmas show.
Now that her marriage was in tatters, it seemed unlikely.
She blinked back tears. This was supposed to be a happy occasion, but her heart felt so heavy, like it was weighed down with an anchor, and she couldn’t imagine it ever feeling light again.
Everyone clapped when the children had finished.
The teacher counted them in and they began to sing ‘Silent Night’.
Suddenly Lucy didn’t feel well: her vision went blurry, her ears began to ring.
The singing seemed to get more distant. Her legs felt weak and she knew she needed to sit down, but she couldn’t move.
She tried to get Faith’s attention but couldn’t seem to get any words out; it was as if they were getting lost somewhere between her brain and her mouth.
She reached out to steady herself, but suddenly she found herself falling towards the floor.