Chapter Forty-Two
The Plough was, as Gillian had predicted, packed with villagers.
Everyone had helped with the clean-up in the school hall and then made their cheerful way to the pub.
The ‘reindeer’ were safely back in their barn, Reverend Pauline’s karaoke machine returned to her car – though she had threatened to bring it to the pub to ‘liven things up’ – and Andrew back to his usual persona.
There were no leftovers for Marnie to take to the café.
Jen quickly had to learn the art of refusing drinks – not a skill she’d had much use for in her previous life.
It seemed that every person in the village now considered her some kind of hero, and the table she sat at with Julia and Dan was soon overflowing with every kind of beverage imaginable: prosecco, Guinness, Babycham, Bloody Marys, rum and Coke.
Dan chuckled. ‘I think this is Babblebrook’s way of saying you’re part of the village. There’s no escape, now.’
Jen reached for the prosecco and gave a half-hearted laugh.
If she’d been concentrating, she might have told Dan that she had no intention of escaping.
She might have said that she was no longer the person who had arrived at the beginning of the month, who had considered herself too sophisticated by far for Babblebrook.
She might have confessed that everything she wanted was in that very room.
But Jen was not concentrating. She was watching Ted as he chatted to Marnie, Andrew and Lauren. As he smiled and laughed, as his hair remained unruffled by constant raking. He was more relaxed than he’d been for weeks.
A little spark lit inside her. This was, in part at least, because of her. She had helped him, she’d made a difference. Not just to Ted but, as the constant arrival of fresh drinks attested, to the whole village. A warm flush of contentment swept through her.
Ted turned, catching her staring at him.
He smiled and Jen found she couldn’t stop looking at him.
She didn’t want to. Her grip tightened on the glass she held.
Her mouth was dry and suddenly all she wanted was to be alone with Ted.
Away from the friendly hubbub and the kindly pats on the shoulder and the smiling faces of people telling her she had saved the day.
She wanted to be alone, with her best friend.
He held her gaze across the room filled with their friends.
‘. . . sure what you wanted, so I just got Barbara’s favourite.’
Blinking, Jen forced herself to turn away from Ted. Alan Wood was standing in front of her, holding out what looked suspiciously like a glass of sweet sherry. He still wore the Santa hat and wellies.
‘Just a little thank you,’ he said, flushing and fidgeting with the hem of his jumper. ‘The little ’uns all loved the cows—’ He glanced at Amy, sipping on a glass of orange juice. ‘Reindeer. They were so happy and good and gentle, and I just – you made everyone happy. So here you go.’
‘Thank you.’ Jen took the glass, smiling. ‘That’s really kind of you. And thank you for bringing the uh, reindeer. I couldn’t have done it without you!’
He nodded, hitching up his trousers, and made his way over to Pat and Matt, who sat by the fire.
‘How sweet of him,’ Julia said. She surveyed the drinks that covered the table. ‘I think it’s safe to say that you’ve been accepted as part of the village!’
Dan laughed. ‘That must be a record. We’ve been here – what, eight years? And Anne Walker still calls me “that new fella”.’
Julia grinned. ‘Well, time we got these rascals home to bed. Shall we leave you to your new friends?’ She nodded to the drinks.
Jen grimaced. ‘I think that might be beyond even my capacity.’ She glanced across the room to where Ted was now talking to the dad of one of his pupils. ‘But I’ll stay a little while.’
George was asleep in his buggy, and Dan had already started wheeling him towards the door. ‘OK, see you later.’ Julia kissed Jen’s cheek. ‘Well done for today. You’re a star!’
She bundled Amy, who was too tired to protest, into her coat and led her away.
Jen looked at the heaving table. Perhaps she would have one of those drinks after all.
She took a gulp of the nearest one – the Bloody Mary. Different, but not bad. When she looked up, Ted was making his way towards her.
Suddenly there was a slam as the door crashed open, and everyone turned to see who it was that had burst in.
Anthony. Looking both haunted and beautiful.
He scanned the room, his expression desperate, until his eyes fell on Jen. And then he too began walking towards her.