What Happens At Christmas... Page 21

  ‘Hello, Howard, it’s Holly. Is everything ready for tonight?’

  ‘My dear, how wonderful to hear from you. Tell me, what are you wearing tonight.’

  She gave him a brief description of the long black dress and then got to the point of her phone call. She mentioned Justin and Amanda and soon discovered that the old man was well aware, like the rest of Brookford, that they had broken up. She went on to outline the plan she had come up with and she was delighted to hear him immediately offer to help.

  ‘How brilliantly Machiavellian, Holly. That’s sheer genius. Leave it to me. I’ll get right onto it.’

  Holly put the phone down, well pleased. The plan wasn’t that complicated. Howard would call each of them in turn, telling them the other was coming to the ball and wanted to meet up. To avoid them having their meeting in public, he would put one of the hotel rooms at their disposal for a quiet talk. Holly crossed her fingers and hoped for the best.

  Getting ready for the Christmas Ball took the best part of two hours. Julia very firmly insisted that Holly needed false nails for an event like this. Nails had always been a bone of contention between the two of them. Holly’s hobby of pottering around with mechanical things had resulted in her keeping her nails short. Julia was a strong advocate of long nails for girls, short nails for men. Now, reluctantly, Holly submitted to Julia gluing on artificial nails. On the packet it said five minutes, but it took the best part of half an hour before all ten were secured and straight. Then there was the question of hair. Both of them had long hair and both decided to wear their hair up for the ball. This, too, took an inordinate length of time before both were satisfied with their appearance.

  Before putting on her long dress, Holly took Stirling for a quick walk around the village and then gave him his food. As she washed her hands at the kitchen sink around seven-thirty, she glanced over into Jack’s garden. There was still no sign of the Land Rover. She mentioned this to Julia who wasn’t surprised.

  ‘You know how it’ll be. They’ll all be lolling around talking about the one that got away.’

  ‘Isn’t that fishing?’

  ‘Or whatever surfers talk about – spray, foam, waves, that sort of stuff. Suddenly he’ll look at his watch, do a double-take and head back here in a hurry. Unlike us, he’ll probably just jump in the shower and be ready to go five minutes later.’

  As she changed out of her dog-walking gear into her fancy ball gear, Holly spent a happy time thinking about Jack jumping into the shower. The thought of joining him in there also crossed her mind.

  Howard Redgrave’s driver, Geoffrey, arrived to pick them up just before eight o’clock. This time, instead of the Rolls Royce, he was driving a beautiful white Range Rover. He was quick to apologise for the second rate transport. ‘I’m afraid it’s just starting to snow, so Mr Redgrave though it wiser to come in something with four wheel drive.’ He watched as Holly and Julia came out of the house, Holly turning to hand the dog a biscuit before closing the door. Geoffrey was impressed by their appearance. ‘Would it be terribly rude if I said how amazing you ladies look tonight?’

  ‘Most certainly not.’ Holly smiled at him. ‘When you’ve spent hours getting ready, it’s always good to hear that the results were worthwhile. Besides, you’re looking very smart yourself, Geoffrey.’ And he was. He was wearing a dinner jacket and his hair was freshly combed and oiled. Holly turned to Julia and added in a whisper. ‘Just make sure you don’t fall out of your dress as you get in and out.’ Julia’s décolletage was so remarkable, Holly had insisted upon taking a photograph and sending it to Scott to show him what he was missing. His reply had been immediate; a single long, Wowwwwwwwwwwwww!, followed by a number of very smiley faces.

  They picked their way slowly down the slippery path to the gate, both of them treading carefully in their high heels. As Geoffrey had said, light snowflakes were beginning to fall and the road surface was already brushed with white. They climbed into the spacious interior of the luxury car. Although they had both brought coats, neither chose to wear one on the way there, for fear of spoiling their carefully-prepared outfits, and they were pleased to find the interior of the car lovely and warm. Holly’s tight, slinky dress made stepping up into the high vehicle a bit tricky, but she remembered Justin’s advice and managed it without incident. As they drove through the village and past the golf course, the snow started to fall more heavily, the car’s powerful headlights creating a magical white curtain ahead of them, through which they sliced. The main road had been freshly salted and remained clear for now, although the Castle grounds were already covered by the time they got there. Tyre tracks along the drive indicated that a good number of guests had already arrived.

  Geoffrey pulled up at the base of the steps and accompanied them to the Castle’s door with a large umbrella held over them, to shelter them from the snow. Even so, as they came into the light, Holly saw that her black dress was flecked with fluffy white crystals that dissolved before her eyes in the warm interior. They surrendered their coats to Geoffrey who took them to the cloakroom, returning a few seconds later with tickets. Holly and Julia exchanged glances. Being waited on hand and foot like this was a shock to the system, but a rather nice shock. Geoffrey gave them a respectful bow. ‘Mr Redgrave’s in the dining room, greeting guests. It’s through that way. Please excuse me; I have to go and pick up some other guests. Have a good evening.’

  ‘Thank you, Geoffrey. Very much.’ Holly took Julia’s arm and led her into the dining room. As they passed through the double doors, the volume of background noise rose considerably. Clearly, a lot of the guests had got there before them. The room was already crowded with people and Howard Redgrave was standing just inside the door, shaking hands and receiving kisses. His eyes lit up when he saw the two girls.

  ‘Good evening, good evening. Welcome to you both. Thank you so much for coming.’ He came over to greet them and kissed Julia’s hand formally, his eyes passing appraisingly over her daring neckline. Then he turned toward Holly and took a step backwards.

  ‘Enchanting, quite enchanting.’ He nodded approvingly as he subjected her to a detailed examination. ‘You look stunning, Holly.’ He sounded as if he really meant it. Then a cheeky glint appeared in his eye.

  ‘And your handsome neighbour? I was expecting to see you on his arm.’

  That came as a surprise. How on earth could Howard know that she and Jack were getting close? Then it occurred to her that Jack and he were good friends. Maybe Jack had said something to Howard. And, she thought to herself, if Jack was telling Howard he and she were seeing each other, then maybe this was a sign that Jack’s reluctance to commit was disappearing. She reached over and kissed the old man on both cheeks.

  ‘I’m expecting him, and his arm, any minute now. He’s up at Saunton for a surfing competition.’ Howard was looking very elegant, his Légion d’Honneur ribbon proudly attached to his lapel. ‘And I must say, you are exceptionally well informed.’

  ‘Brookford’s a small village, Holly, and the bush telegraph works remarkably swiftly. Anyway, I must say you both look truly lovely and I’m delighted you have graced my ball with your presence.’

  Julia also went over and kissed him on the cheeks, surprising him. ‘Thank you very much indeed for letting me come along. Holly told me about this very handsome older man and I thought it only right that I should come along as chaperone.’

  Howard gave her a big smile, then glanced round and leant towards Holly. He lowered his voice. ‘It worked. They’ve both agreed to come and there’s a room at their disposal. I’ve taken the liberty of having a bottle of champagne put in there as well.’

  ‘Excellent. Let’s hope it works.’ Holly gave him another kiss and then led Julia onwards into the magnificent dining-room. Through the windows there was a fine view over the garden, now illuminated by floodlights. The snow was falling very heavily now and the trees and bushes already had a covering of several inches. It was a delightful scene.

  A li
veried waiter came past with a tray full of glasses of champagne. The girls helped themselves and Julia raised her glass in Holly’s direction. ‘Cheers and a happy Christmas, and thanks for getting me an invite to this amazing party. It’s so terribly posh and I’ve already seen several famous faces.’

  Holly took a big mouthful and let her eyes roam around the room, ostensibly just as a casual observer, but in reality looking for Jack. She checked her watch. It was half past eight and there was still no sign of him. She had a sudden thought that he might have had an accident on the snowy roads, but she knew he was driving a vehicle specifically designed for these conditions, so she took heart and tried to relax. Gradually she became aware of the sound of music, coming from double doors at the far end of the room. She tapped Julia on the elbow. ‘Shall we head that way?’

  They made their way through the throng of people down towards the end of the room, the music becoming increasingly loud as they did so. Just inside the double doors they stopped and took stock. This was quite clearly the ballroom. It was a big room, bigger even than the dining room, and the ceiling was double height. Chandeliers reflected light around the room and coloured spotlights at the far end illuminated the band. It was a large band, including a brass section as well as the more normal guitars, keyboards and drums. They had been playing a mixture of music, and they were very good. As Holly and Julia arrived, they just finished a creditable interpretation of Madonna’s Like a Virgin and embarked upon Wake Me Up Before You Go Go. A few dozen couples were already dancing, among them a couple of faces Holly recognised from Melissa’s coffee morning who were old enough to know better. Holly felt a touch on her arm and looked up.

  ‘You’re looking very bonnie tonight, Holly. Aye, very bonnie indeed.’ Holly had the distinct impression that Fergal’s Scottish accent appeared to increase in intensity as soon as he changed into his kilt. He nodded towards Julia, tried and failed to pretend he wasn’t awed by her cleavage, before finally raising his eyes to her face and greeting her. Holly found herself desperately trying to stifle a fit of the giggles. She took a deep breath and controlled herself.

  ‘Good evening, Fergal. You’re looking very smart this evening.’ He was wearing his formal highland attire once again which, while very elegant, still reminded her of something from one of the Austin Powers movies. She kissed him on the cheek and saw his already flushed complexion redden even more.

  ‘And you are both looking quite ravishing. Aye, absolutely delightful.’ His eyes glanced down and noticed that both their glasses were almost empty by this time. ‘Drink up, I’ll go and get you a refill. Might have another one myself as well.’ He waited while they finished their drinks and then relieved them of their glasses. As he disappeared, Julia leant a little closer to Holly’s ear.

  ‘Do you think he might be one of the famous Gay Gordons?’

  ‘From the way his eyes were glued to your cleavage, I hardly think so. I’m just hoping he doesn’t ask me to dance. I’ve never danced with a man in a skirt before.’

  Fergal returned with their drinks and they walked back through to the dining room with him, stopping to chat to people along the way. He made a point of introducing Holly to some more Brookford residents, among them a number of people around her own age. This further reinforced the impression she had gained from the carol singers the previous night that there was indeed a younger element in the village.

  As the evening wore on, the music coming from the ballroom became more melodious and both girls found themselves dancing. Howard came along once most of his guests had arrived and demanded a dance with each of them. Holly found herself having to remember the quickstep – not easy after the best part of twenty years. Mercifully, she managed to avoid spearing him with her vicious heels. He was a charming man and he clearly enjoyed her company. When he relinquished her hand and took Julia onto the floor, Holly checked her watch yet again. It was almost ten o’clock now and there was still no sign of Jack. By now, she had started to get a sinking feeling that whatever it was that was troubling him had caused him to stay away. Maybe he had decided that he didn’t want to take things any further with her and he preferred to keep his distance. She began to feel more and more depressed, in spite of the best efforts of those around her, particularly Julia when she returned from the dance floor.

  ‘There’s probably a perfectly obvious explanation like, for instance, maybe he’s got stuck in the snow. Have you looked outside recently?’ Holly followed her over to the window and was quite stunned at the depth of snow that had fallen in the space of a couple of hours. And it was still falling, covering everything in the garden. The meticulously-trimmed box hedges now resembled huge snowballs and the fountain a giant pyramid. Julia pointed. ‘See. He probably left it late setting off from the coast and got caught up in all this.’ She gave Holly an encouraging smile. ‘Just as well his thermostat setting’s different from ours. I wouldn’t want to be caught in a snowdrift.’ Then she had an idea. ‘He’s probably been texting you. Did you bring your phone?’

  Holly shook her head. She had realised that some time ago. Her phone was lying on the kitchen table in the sparkly clutch bag she had been going to bring with her, but had forgotten.

  A bit later on, Holly got a boost to her morale. As she stood, staring out of the window at the relentless snowfall, increasingly concerned for Jack, a hand landed on her arm. It was Justin and he looked as if a mighty weight had been removed from his shoulders. He drew Holly away into a quiet corner and gave her the good news. ‘Holly, it’s wonderful. I’ve just spent a couple of hours talking to Amanda and we’re going to give it another go. I just wanted to give you the good news.’

  At that moment, Holly spotted Howard. He was at the dining room door, searching the room for somebody. His eyes landed on her and he hurried across to where she and Justin were standing. As he approached them, they could both see the expression on his face. He looked appalled.

  ‘What is it, Howard?’ An ice cold shaft of premonition flashed through her.

  ‘What’s wrong, Howard? What’s happened?’

  The old man caught her arm and sat her down on a sofa with her. Holly saw Julia approaching, uncertainty on her face. Howard, looking more serious than she had ever seen him, cleared his throat.

  ‘Listen, Holly, it may be nothing. It may still be all right. It’s just that I was in my apartment, having a little rest, and the local news was on the TV.’ He paused, trying to find the right form of words. ‘I’m afraid there’s been a fatality at a surfing competition up at Saunton. A man in his thirties was caught by a freak wave and smashed into the rocks. Others did their best to help him, but by the time the emergency services got there, he was pronounced dead at the scene. They aren’t releasing his name until next of kin have been informed.’

  Holly felt as if she had been stabbed with a huge frozen icicle right through her stomach. So the sense of premonition she had been feeling had been right. She raised her eyes from her hands and stared out of the window, into the snowstorm. She didn’t trust her voice so she bit her lip and did her best to keep control, but she could feel an involuntary shiver spread all over her. She was vaguely aware of Julia sitting down on the other side of her, catching hold of her hand. Howard took her by the arms and gently forced her to turn towards him.

  ‘Listen, Holly, we don’t know it’s Jack. It might be some other poor soul. There were probably loads of men in their thirties up there today. It isn’t necessarily him. Do you understand, Holly?’

  She nodded, recognising what he was trying to do and grateful to him for doing it. She cleared her throat. ‘It’s just that he was expected here two hours ago. There’s no sign of him, there’s been no word. I’m afraid it’s him, I’m so terribly afraid he’s dead.’ And, as she said that word, her eyes began to sting. Julia hugged her tighter and Holly rested against her shoulder, biting her lip, desperately trying not to burst into tears. She stayed like that for some time before Howard’s voice roused her.

  ‘Ho
lly, come with me. We can all go into my apartment. Come along. You’ll be more comfortable there.’ Justin and Howard raised her from the sofa and she found herself herded through a crowd of curious faces out into the lobby and from there into Howard’s lounge. The fire was glowing and it was very warm in there, but Holly was still shivering. Julia sat down on one side of her and the old man sat down on the other. He reached up with his hand and gently caught hold of her chin, pulling her round to face him.

  ‘Holly, Geoffrey’s been checking the internet for more news.’ Holly looked up and glimpsed the chauffeur standing in the background. ‘There’s quite a lot more detail coming through now. They still haven’t named him, but they’re saying he was a local man. Do you hear me, Holly?’ His voice was sharper and she nodded automatically. ‘Jack lives well over an hour from there. That’s not local. You’ll see. He’ll be all right. Now, we need to warm you up. Would you like a cup of tea, or a glass of cognac?’

  Holly shook her head and sat upright. Howard’s words had helped. Of course there was still a chance Jack might be all right, wherever he had got to. She turned to one side and saw Julia there, both hands still clutching her arm. Holly cleared her throat. ‘It’s all right Jules, everybody, I’m all right now. I’m sorry if I caused a scene.’ She turned back towards Howard and took a deep breath. ‘You’re right, Howard. He may still be all right.’ She ran a hand across her forehead, suddenly feeling very, very tired. She looked up. ‘I think the best thing would be for me to go home now, if you don’t mind. My phone’s at home and there might be a message on it for me. I don’t suppose somebody could give me a lift.’

  Justin’s face appeared in front of her, Amanda alongside him. ‘We’ll take you; we were just going. Come along with us and we’ll get you home.’