Home for Christmas

Chapter 4

Jeanie hadn’t been at all impressed when I’d messaged her and said I wouldn’t make our brunch date that Monday. She didn’t get much time to socialize thanks to the opening hours of the pub, and therefore our hours enjoying a laid-back brunch with Holly were considered sacrosanct. However, given all the extra things I now had to do, the only sensible option I had was to miss it.

‘Don’t tell me you said yes, Bella!’ Jeanie groaned, when she called later in the day to get to the bottom of why I’d not met her and an equally curious Holly; I had by then explained about Jude’s predicament.

‘Of course I said yes,’ I tutted. ‘How could I say no when Catherine and Angus have always been so kind to me and so supportive? I’ve never given them anything in return, not that they expect me to, but nonetheless this feels like an ideal opportunity for me to do something genuinely helpful for them.’

‘Well, when you put it like that,’ Jeanie reluctantly relented. ‘Jamie was a godsend when that pipe burst last winter and your plumber couldn’t come out, wasn’t he?’

‘Exactly,’ I said, shuddering at the memory and thinking that if it hadn’t been for Jamie’s help, the carnage could have been much worse. ‘The kitchen would have been unsalvageable if he hadn’t rushed to help.’

‘You would have been able to canoe around your kitchen,’ Jeanie joked.

‘Literally,’ I agreed seriously. ‘So you can see now why I agreed to letting this guy move in, can’t you?’

‘Of course,’ she responded. ‘You’ve done the right thing, even if the timing is a bit of a nuisance for you.’ I considered it more than that but had no intention of refuelling her fire by admitting as much. ‘Though I suppose with him staying in the apartment, there isn’t enough room for him to make that much of a mess or cause you too much inconvenience, is there?’

I grimaced but didn’t comment.

‘Bella?’

I’d put her on speakerphone so I could carry on going through my supplies while we talked. With Jude set to arrive the following evening, I was keen to make the most of the space in the sitting room to plan out and organize everything I was going to potentially need for the two fairies Molly had commissioned, as well as all the things for the fairies I needed to make for the fairs and the supplies now required for the workshops.

Lizzie had sent me a text earlier telling me that six people had immediately signed up for Friday and ten for Saturday, and I’d messaged her straight back asking her not to book anyone else. Sixteen people to tutor in two days was more than enough for my first post-fairy fallout attempt, especially if I had to convince any of the attendees to truly feel the fairy love.

‘Bella?’ Jeanie said again, her sharp tone filling the room and making Tink cock her head. ‘Are you still there?’

‘Yes,’ I said, reaching for one of the smaller plastic crates. ‘I’m still here.’

‘So,’ Jeanie demanded, with all the intuition of a life-long friend, ‘what aren’t you telling me?’

I let out a breath.

‘It’s nothing, really,’ I tried to say convincingly, ‘just that Jude isn’t going to be staying in the apartment. He’s moving into the house.’

‘You’re kidding?’ Jeanie gasped.

‘It’s the only way,’ I sighed. ‘Because he needs the space in the house to spread out all the archive papers he’ll be bringing with him from the hall.’

‘But you need the space for your fairy factory,’ Jeanie countered.

‘It’s not a factory,’ I tutted.

‘You know what I mean,’ she huffed.

‘I’ll manage,’ I told her. ‘I’m getting organized already, hence the brunch cancellation, and it’s only for a month. A little less than a month, actually. He’ll be going right at the beginning of December, so I’ll be able to get straight back into the house and start decorating as I usually would on the first of the month.’

The thought of getting out the boxes filled with decorations, many of which I’d loved for as long as I could remember, gave my festive spirit a timely nudge.

‘You can’t tell me you’re as happy about that as you’re trying to sound,’ Jeanie said astutely, and I inwardly cursed her ability to read my mind and knock the edge off my festive excitement in one fell swoop.

‘Perhaps not,’ I admitted, just as someone hammered on the front door, making me jump and Tink woof, ‘but it’s all arranged now and I’m not reneging on my promise.’

‘You’re too kind, Bella,’ Jeanie sighed, as if that was a genuine fault. ‘You should put yourself first every once in a while.’

‘A minute ago, you were agreeing that I’d done the right thing,’ I reminded her.

‘You know what I mean.’

‘Like you, you mean,’ I said rather unkindly as I levered myself to my feet and winced because I’d got pins and needles. ‘You could be putting yourself first by giving Tim a second chance, couldn’t you? He’s still the perfect guy for you and he’s still available…’

‘That’s different,’ Jeanie cut in, sounding hurt and making me feel bad. ‘You know I’m committed to staying in Wynbridge now, and Tim and his mates are all pub regulars, so if anything went wrong…’

‘Why would anything go wrong?’

‘You know exactly what I’m getting at,’ she shot back, cutting me off, just like I had her. ‘If we split up again, it would make life really awkward.’

‘Look,’ I said as the door was assaulted again, ‘I have to go. There’s someone at the door and they sound as if they’re about to take a sledgehammer to it.’

I ended the call and promised myself I’d ring her back later and smooth things over between us. I hoped I hadn’t just reinforced the defences she’d put up against Tim. Especially given that he was so patiently and gently trying to dismantle them. What I’d just said wasn’t the worst it could have been, but it was completely out of character for me to be so blunt and I didn’t like myself for it.

‘I’m coming, I’m coming,’ I huffed, feeling rankled as I almost tripped over Tink in my struggle to rush to the door while wearing my huge, fluffy Hallowe’en slippers as my feet slowly came back to life.

Shaped like giant pumpkins, the slippers weren’t the safest form of footwear, and I decided it was time they were put away again, especially as I was now going to have to negotiate the narrower staircase in the apartment every day until December.

It was Bonfire Night the next day, so Christmas slippers were just about justified. My favourites had sleigh bells and antlers attached. They were hardly more streamlined than the pumpkins, but maybe I’d risk it. I always reasoned that if you left wearing, reading and watching everything associated with the festive season until December itself, then you’d struggle to fit it all in. Well, I would, anyway, because I had so much to get through!

The door received another blow just as I wrenched it open and before my festive meter spiked again, and I found myself faced with a huge cardboard box and three very full lever arch files precariously balanced on the top of it.

‘Did you kick my door?’ was the first thing I crossly said, because there really could have been no other knocking option given what was now in front of me. And that supposition would explain the din.

‘I knocked on your door with my foot,’ barked the cardboard box. ‘I didn’t think you’d take so long to answer. I assume I’ve got the right house and you’re Bella?’

The cheeky sod. He’d done more than knock. I stood on tiptoe but still couldn’t see over the top of the pile to find out who had made the impertinent remark.

‘Well, please don’t knock like that again,’ I said haughtily, then instantly regretted that I’d made it sound like a request rather than a command.

‘I’m hoping I won’t have to,’ groaned the box. ‘Can I come in? This lot is really heavy, and I’d rather not have to put it all down and pick it back up again.’

‘You can’t come in until you’ve told me who you are,’ I said, frowning. ‘And possibly not even then,’ I added in a mutter.

With a heavy sigh, the box and files were lowered onto the porch step, and the man standing behind them straightened. I was somewhat taken aback by the sight of him.

‘I’m Jude,’ he said, his dark hair falling forward as he looked down at me. ‘From Wynthorpe Hall.’ His eyes tracked down to my slippers, and he frowned. ‘Catherine said you would be expecting me.’

So this was the architectural historian, Jude. He made a lot of noise for someone who was looking for peace and quiet in which to work. And he was at least thirty years younger than I’d unjustifiably presumed he would be, too.

‘Not until tomorrow,’ I said, feeling my face flush as his blue eyes met mine. ‘When I spoke with the family yesterday, we agreed that you could come tomorrow evening.’

Tink, bored of waiting to find out who had been hammering, pushed around me and started sniffing the box.

‘He’d better not cock his leg against that,’ Jude frowned. ‘There’s important Connelly history in that box.’

‘I’m sure she has better manners than that,’ I said with emphasis. ‘Doubtless she can smell her canine friends from the hall, can’t you, Tink?’

Jude and I seemed to have reach an impasse, and I resisted the urge to fold my arms and stick out my chin.

‘So,’ said Jude, as he looked over my shoulder into the house, apparently unaware that I wasn’t impressed with his first impression. ‘Can I come in or not? Catherine did say she’d messaged to let you know about the change of plan.’

‘Wait there,’ I said, going back inside to check my phone.

I knew there was no way Catherine would have sent Jude along without my approval. She would have asked if the change of plan was acceptable, not assumed that it was. Sure enough, there was a message, asking me if it would be all right for Jude to come along a day early. I had missed it landing while I was talking to Jeanie. I supposed it was too late to send Jude packing given that he was already here. I was tempted, though.

‘Catherine has messaged to ask if it would be all right if you moved in earlier than expected,’ I said, briefly flashing my phone at Jude as I went back to the door.

‘That’s what I said.’

‘That’s not quite how you put it,’ I shot back. ‘And I’m certain she wouldn’t think you’d have the nerve to just turn up without my having first said you can.’

I felt myself further bristle at the sight of Tink practically sitting on his feet and staring adoringly up at him. She was usually such a good judge of character, but Jude, with his blue eyes and long, dark lashes, had somehow managed to pull the wool over her eyes without so much as a treat or a fuss to make up for his bad manners. I’d have to have words with her later. Remind her what he’d said about her cocking a leg.

‘Well, no,’ Jude sighed, his shoulders dropping. ‘I don’t suppose Catherine would be expecting me to do that. I’m sorry. I just assumed you would have spoken to her in the time it took me to pack my car and get here.’

He must have been in a rush.

‘And also assumed that I would have said yes,’ I pointed out.

‘I really am sorry,’ he said again. ‘I was feeling a bit desperate.’

I supposed his confession did tally with what the others had said about his desire to get away from the hall at lunch the previous day. And if certain family members had been on form again, I further supposed that that had done nothing to temper Jude’s desire to escape.

‘Well, as you’re here now, you’d better come in,’ I relented, blocking out the sound of Jeanie’s voice telling me to stand my ground and put myself first. ‘Let’s get the door shut before the heat completely disappears, and then I’ll call Catherine and let her know you’re here and that it’s fine for you to stay.’

‘I’ve got loads more stuff in the car,’ Jude said, bending to pick the first load up again and not offering a single word of thanks. ‘Shall I bring it all in now?’

‘You might as well.’ I shrugged resignedly.

While I talked to Catherine and reassured her that Jude was fine to arrive early, I heard him heading in and out multiple times.

‘He’ll be so relieved,’ Catherine said to me as another gust of Wynbridge wind filled the hall. ‘He’s out somewhere again now, so I know he’s definitely had enough of our noise. I’ll message and let him know he can come to you today.’

I didn’t tell her that he was already with me. I thought I’d leave him to deal with the awkwardness of that. He’d have to tell her he’d expected I would say yes, because he must have already cleared his room and therefore wouldn’t be going back today. And if the current toing and froing was any indicator, he’d also removed every document relating to the lengthy and ancient history of the hall, and someone would be bound to notice that.

‘There,’ he said, putting the last carton down as I went back into the sitting room, having ended the call, ‘that’s the last of it.’

I looked around the room and wondered at the wisdom of having so recently spent so long tidying the place up again.

‘It was pretty full already,’ he said, with a nod to all of my fairy boxes, ‘but it’s almost impossible to move in here now.’

‘Don’t worry,’ I told him, ‘I’ll move as much of my stuff out again as I can, though a few crates might have to stay down here because there won’t be room for them upstairs in the apartment.’

‘So where would this lot usually be when you’re renting the house out?’ he asked, with a nod to the table.

I tried not to bristle again, despite the edge to his tone.

‘None of what I need would usually be set out like this,’ I told him, feeling defensive. ‘So it wouldn’t take up as much space. You’ve landed right at my busiest work time.’

I did obviously make stock throughout the year as well as for Christmas, but given my current extra workload, I had needed to check I had the required number of supplies. Hence the unusually large and detailed stocktake.

‘Oh, right,’ Jude said, looking around but making no apology for putting me out. Perhaps he hadn’t had the chance to process that he had. ‘So what exactly is it that you do?’

‘I make fairies,’ I told him, and he looked astounded. ‘My business, Away With The Fairies, specializes mostly in keepsake commissions, which I sell online.’

‘I see,’ he said, but I could tell he didn’t.

Ordinarily, if someone specifically asked, I would have reached for one of my completed pieces and explained about them, but Jude wasn’t exactly giving off an ‘I want to know all about it’ vibe. I felt belittled as a result, but I wasn’t sure if that was the result of his reaction or my interpretation of it. Perhaps the feeling was a hangover from what had happened at school? It had been much on my mind since the workshop offer came along, so I might have been feeling more than usually sensitive, I supposed.

‘And what about all this other stuff?’ he said, looking at the ephemera I’d only just set out when I restyled the place to my taste again.

‘It’s not usually so personalized,’ I said, feeling a blush frustratingly bloom.

‘But you had just set it up to move back in yourself,’ he finally twigged, biting his lip. ‘Catherine did tell me about your living arrangements…’

I thought an apology might be in the offing, but apparently not.

‘So are you going to pack all of this lot up again, too?’ he asked, sounding hopeful. ‘The place is a bit busy for my taste.’

It was just as well he was going to be leaving before I decorated for Christmas, then. He’d never cope with the grotto aesthetic I was already looking forward to recreating.

‘If you really want me to,’ I said, shrugging. ‘I can try to squeeze it into the apartment where I’ll be staying for the next month.’

He looked relieved and not at all contrite.

‘I’m an out and out fan of maximalism,’ I therefore said, playing devil’s advocate and making him tense up again, ‘but I’m guessing you’re more…’

‘Minimalist,’ he said. ‘Definitely. I can’t see the point of all these dust attractors. Give me an empty table and a clear work surface any day. No offence,’ he added, but that didn’t take the edge off the fact that he’d now insulted both my taste and my home.

I wondered how many other ways we were going to be polar opposites. With any luck, our paths weren’t going to cross often enough for me to find out. I didn’t usually take a dislike to anyone on sight, preferring to get to know them before I made up my mind about whether we could be friends or not, but Jude’s assumptive arrival and subsequent comments hadn’t made that usual exercise necessary.

‘Plenty taken,’ I muttered.

‘Sorry?’ he asked, frowning.

‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘Some of these will have to be stacked in the hall,’ I told him, reaching for one of my boxes. ‘It’s not ideal, but there’s no other way, I’m afraid. They won’t be blocking the door, so they shouldn’t pose a risk in the case of a fire, but maybe lay off lighting any candles.’

He looked at me as though I was mad.

‘Not a candle fan, either,’ I sighed.

‘Definitely not when I’m working with documents of such historical value as these,’ he said, patting one of his own boxes. ‘What the Connelly family had packed in their loft was beyond anything I’ve had the opportunity to investigate before. It’s all fascinating.’

He was totally transformed as he described some of what he’d found, and I was relieved to discover that he was passionate about something. If he could inject even half the enthusiasm with which he talked about the paperwork into the written words of his manuscript, Catherine and Angus would be thrilled with the book he was going to create chronicling the creation of their home.

‘Sorry,’ Jude said, turning red and running his hands through his hair when he broke off. ‘I got a bit carried away there, didn’t I?’

‘It was lovely to hear,’ I told him. ‘Perhaps some of Angus’s exuberance has rubbed off on you.’

‘That man,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I’m used to living on my own and I was an only child, too, so the set-up there has felt far too full-on for me. Each to their own, of course, but it’s not an environment I can work in, let alone live and work in.’

That was a shame, really, as I felt the experience might have added to the tone of the book, but now he’d given me some context, I could better understand his desire to maintain a little distance. Perhaps he deserved the benefit of my doubt, after all.

‘I get that,’ I therefore said. ‘I’m close to the family myself, but I’m not sure I could live with Angus for any length of time.’

‘And the hall is even more cluttered than this place,’ he said, making my fledgling sympathy for him disappear again. ‘Shall we make a start on clearing all your stuff out now?’

‘Yes,’ I said, resisting the urge to storm off. ‘Let’s do that. And you won’t forget to let Catherine know you won’t be going back to the hall tonight, will you?’