‘Remind me, how will this help?’ Grace asked, before she put the full glass to her lips.
‘Medicinal purposes,’ Annabel replied assuredly, and took a great gulp of her own drink.
By the time they went to bed they had both drunk far too much. For Grace this normally meant that she would sleep solidly until morning, but tonight her rest was fitful, with blurry visions running into one another: strange shadows on hilltops; indistinct figures walking towards and then away from her; Adam’s face close to her own; an empty bed; a stone bridge; a stream; then finding herself standing alone in a glade of trees, a voice calling her name. Chasing it, only to hear it echoing behind her. Twisting and turning trying to find its source, but never catching up. She woke with a start numerous times, settling down when she heard Annabel’s soothing snores beside her, but each time she fell asleep again her dreams only tormented her more. In the morning she woke up groggy and disorientated, and when she moved to the window, she saw that overnight the landscape had been transformed by a pure white covering of snow.
16
‘I’ve got a surprise for you!’ Annabel said. She had disappeared briefly mid-morning, but Grace had been too busy with Millie to notice where she’d gone.
‘And what would that be?’ Grace asked, helping Millie with her drink.
‘I’ve just seen Emma next door, and she says she’ll be happy to babysit on Christmas Eve – so we can go to the ball Meredith was on about!’
Grace swung to face Annabel, hand on hip. ‘I can’t believe you did that without asking me first.’
Annabel glared at her. ‘Oh lighten up, Grace. They live NEXT DOOR! Emma’s the most convenient babysitter you’ll ever find. She’s even coming round here so you can put Millie down in her own bed. The most she might do is use a tea bag or eat a packet of crisps. Could you please live with that, and stop being such a wuss?’
But Grace wasn’t going to be talked down. ‘No, Annabel, that’s not the point. Where Millie’s concerned, I make the decisions. I’m going round to apologise, right now.’
She picked up Millie and went outside, stomping down the garden path before heading up next door’s. She rapped hard on the door and waited.
Moments later, a teenage boy answered. His face was so white that if Grace hadn’t heard Emma and Carl mention a son, she would have suspected that this was the resident ghost of next-door’s cottage. His blue eyes and ruby mouth looked strangely artificial against the rest of his flesh, like they had been coloured in – and she was sure his eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner.
‘Is your mum in?’ she asked politely.
He left the door open and skulked off, his shoulders hunched.
Emma came to the door a moment later, tea towel in hand. ‘Grace! Come in!’ she said cheerily. ‘Don’t worry about Jake – he’s going through his Goth phase! And hello little lass.’ She reached out and took Millie from Grace. ‘Now, you,’ she said to Millie, ‘are just in time to sample some of Auntie Emma’s cupcakes – they’re still warm!’ And she carried Millie down the hallway.
Grace followed her through to the kitchen and launched straight into her apology. ‘I gather Annabel asked you about babysitting Millie – I’m sorry, she got a bit ahead of herself, and I hope it didn’t look rude. She spoke to you before consulting me. You’ll surely have other plans on Christmas Eve.’
‘Oh, don’t be daft,’ Emma said. ‘I’m happy to, I told you at the pub. We’re staying home this year so I’ll get everything sorted in the afternoon. Then Carl can stay in with our bairn and I’ll come round a little early so you can tell me where everything is. I’ll be glad to leave this place for a while; truth be told, it’s all moody silences from the lad and bursts of irritation from Carl at the moment. If it’s just me and the baby it’s like a little holiday, so I won’t know what to do with a few hours to myself! I’m quite excited about it!’ She stroked Millie’s hair, and as Millie put her fingers towards Emma’s mouth, she pretended to bite them. Millie let out a joyous squeal, making both women laugh.
Emma went across to a tray of cakes, then looked back at Grace. ‘Is she allowed?’
‘Yes, that’s fine.’
Millie took one eagerly, then Emma turned the kettle on and came and sat down with the little girl on her lap. Millie looked at her treat happily, before biting into it with satisfaction.
‘So, what time do you want me then?’ Emma asked.
Grace recalled Annabel’s excitement, and considered how contented Millie appeared to be with Emma. She reminded herself how long it had been since she’d had a night out, and made her decision. ‘About seven, if you’re sure.’
‘Grace – relax, it’s absolutely fine,’ Emma insisted. ‘Now, you must stay for a cup of tea and tell me what you’ve been up to since I last saw you. I gather you’ve been busy, what with all the banging this week?’
‘Oh no, I hope the noise hasn’t been bothering you…’ Grace said contritely. ‘I’ve had the wall knocked down between the kitchen and the lounge – I’m trying to make it a bit less poky downstairs.’
‘Don’t worry about the noise, it hasn’t been bad,’ Emma reassured her. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve done. I’m sorry I haven’t invited you round sooner – I’ve been so busy with the kids and getting ready for Christmas. I hope you haven’t been lonely?’
Grace shook her head. ‘I’m fine. Annabel’s staying till after Christmas now, and I’ve had a couple of meals at Meredith’s.’
‘Really?’ Emma looked intrigued as she handed Millie back to Grace and went to pour the tea. ‘How did that come about?’
‘She invited me.’
‘Well, I’m amazed. We’ve lived here for five years and we’ve never been invited over once, let alone twice. What did you do to deserve Meredith Blakeney’s hospitality?’
‘I think it might have been because she’s interested in renting the cottage,’ Grace admitted.
‘Is that right?’ Emma put two mugs on the table, along with a carton of milk and a pot of sugar. ‘What would Meredith want with your little cottage when she fancies herself the lady of the manor in that big old house up there?’
Grace didn’t know how to reply, since she was asking herself the same question.
Emma mulled it over, then she sat back. ‘Don’t be bullied by that family, Grace.’
‘Why do you say that?’ Grace asked uneasily as she poured milk into her tea.
‘Oh, I’ve heard a few rumours… they sound like a mixed-up lot.’
‘Really? What have you heard?’
Emma shook her head. ‘Perhaps that’s a bit unfair of me. They’ve been through a hard time lately, what with Ted passing away like he did…’
But Grace was too curious to let it go. ‘Still, is there anything I should be aware of?’
Emma took a sip of her tea. ‘Oh, I don’t have that much to tell. I only know Meredith in passing, but I’ve caught a bit of gossip about her – usually people saying that she interferes with her daughters’ lives too much. She’s caused some mighty spats between her children, so I’m told, and one of her son-in-laws, Dan, seems to dislike her intensely – often bad-mouths her if you come across him in any of the local pubs. Mind you, he’s not exactly a saint – he used to be a policeman but there was a big scandal last year, something to do with him turning a blind eye to a mate dealing drugs. He got kicked out of the force, and apparently it was Meredith who found him another job in Leeds, something to do with security. Just as well since his wife’s expecting a little’un shortly. From what I gather, if Meredith’s daughters have a problem they run straight to their mother and she sorts it out for them. You know that one of them is staying there right now…’
‘Yes,’ Grace said. ‘I’ve met her. Claire – she seems really nice. Says it’s just a stopgap.’
Emma looked surprised, then chuckled. ‘Grace, you probably know more about them than I do. Now, tell me what you’ve got planned for the rest of your cottage…’
Grace began to fill Emma in on the renovations. After a while, Emma noticed that Grace’s mug was empty. ‘Another cuppa?’
Grace checked her watch. ‘I’d better not. I should be getting back. Annabel will be waiting for us.’
