Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
JESSY
I swear I am permanently cold and tonight is no exception. I tug my padded coat a little tighter around me and wish I hadn’t ever agreed to this stupid pantomime. Angie stepped up last year and her lord was Edward Cummins, the rather lecherous son of Sandra and Neil Cummins, who have lived in the village for ten years already.
“So, how did it go?” Angie asks as we huddle under a blanket while we wait for our lines and I whisper, “Surprising.”
“In a good way?”
“Yes.”
I hate that I’m smiling and I hate the knowing glint in her eye even more as she whispers, “You like him, don’t you?”
“NO!” I yell, causing a few raised eyebrows in our direction and I lower my voice, “I mean, yes, I do like him in a friendship sort of way, but not like you’re thinking.”
“Are you sure about that?” Her impish smile makes me laugh and then I sigh.
“If he wasn’t already attached to the sweetest, most glamorous woman, then I suppose he is attractive. However, he’s already taken, so I have no right being attracted to him. It’s purely business, nothing else.”
“My darling, the villagers are here. Come and welcome them with me.”
I glance up, the familiar line my cue to join them and I yell, “I am so excited. Christmas Eve is my most favourite day of the year. Come, we shall greet them together.”
I remain seated because this is merely a read through and Scott looks as interested in the proceedings as I am.
“Lady Townsend, the first guests, have arrived.”
Angie says and Scott continues, “You look amazing, my dear, and the house is a triumph.”
He pauses and then says with a sigh, “We appear to be standing under the mistletoe. Can you spare a kiss for the man who loves you more than Christmas itself?”
I take a breath because whoever wrote this script should be fired. It’s so incredibly cringe.
“Mistletoe, my favourite Christmas tradition. I wonder if any of the maidens from the parish will benefit from its magic this evening?”
“There is only one fair lady I’m interested in and I’m looking at her.”
Scott pretends to gag and I flip him off as I say with a giggle, “Oh, Barnaby, I can never resist you.”
Angie nudges me and I note the stricken expression in her brother’s eye as he attempts to say the words none of us ever want to say out loud. Our script reading is suddenly interrupted when a side door opens and an icy blast causes us to shiver under the blankets as it fills the small hall.
I gaze in surprise as Luke and Morgana enter, closely followed by the man with the camera and Mr Spalding jumps up and almost falls over himself as he rushes to greet them.
“Mr Adams and Miss–”
“Morgana, please.” She says, pulling her fur coat a little tighter around her as she visibly shivers.
“How may I help you?”
Mr Spalding is tripping over his words in his haste and the chill inside me is instantly chased away as Luke catches my eye and grins. It’s as if we are the only ones in the room as the moment suspends in time and then Morgana interrupts the silence and says loudly, “Luke told me about the pantomime and the rehearsal and we were so hoping to offer our services.”
Scott looks at Luke hopefully and my heart beats a little faster as Luke nods. “Please, let us help in a small way, the first thing being to offer you a room at the house to rehearse in. It’s much warmer than here and way too big for us alone.”
Mr Spalding looks as if he is about to drop to his knees in a reverent bow and Mrs Jameson says quickly, “Well, if you’re sure, it is a little cold in here.”
Before Luke can even reply, the villagers are rushing to gather their things and heading for the door before he can draw breath and Angie nudges me and whispers, “Wow, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
We gather our own things and follow the stampeding crowd as they follow Luke and Morgana like the Pied Piper.
“She is gorgeous.” Angie sighs beside me and I have to agree.
“She is.”
“I wouldn’t say no,” Scott adds as he falls into step beside us and Angie replies, “That’s your trouble, you never do.”
I giggle because Scott is a terrible flirt and chats to many girls on his phone, never settling on one in particular, and he gives the term playing the field a new meaning entirely. He is a serial flirt and believes one woman will never be enough, much to the disgust of his parents, who firmly believe in one at a time.
“I can’t wait to see what they’ve done with the house.” Angie adds, and I shake my head.
“They’ve only just arrived. Give them a chance.”
It doesn’t take long for us to reach the manor house and I’m conscious the man with the camera is recording every step we take and as we head through the large oak wooden front door, I stare around in surprise at the transformation.
Somehow, they have made this place feel warm and there are even some large arrangements with foliage from the garden in huge vases.
“It’s a bit different from yesterday.” Angie says in awe as she glances around, as if seeing the place in a new light.
“We can use the formal sitting room.” Morgana calls, “There is a fire going, and I made some mulled wine.”
Even I am now in love with Morgana and as we troop into the sitting room, I no longer see the tired threadbare furniture because with just a bit of kindness, they have made the formerly austere room a welcoming space that is suddenly filled with lighthearted chatter.