Christmas at Willowmere

by Abigail Gordon

  She came down again in a long black skirt, a cream silk top and a beautiful gold necklace that had been her mother’s, and was hoping that Glenn wouldn’t think it was a bit over the top for an unexpected supper. She’d given in to the urge to look beautiful for him, as at that moment all her intentions to be aloof had been put on hold.

  ‘Wow!’ he said when she appeared beside him at the cooking range. ‘Dare I hope that you’ve dressed up for me?’

  ‘It’s nice to make an effort sometimes,’ she told him lightly. ‘Apart from at the surgery, when I’m in my uniform, I spend a lot of time in jeans and a T-shirt, and it can get to be too much of a habit.’

  ‘Yes, I’m sure it can,’ he said mildly as he uncorked the wine, ‘and now, if madam would like to take a seat, sir will bring in the food.’

  As they sat facing each other across the dining table he raised his glass, and as she looked into his dark blue gaze he said, ‘To you, Anna, in all your many guises, stand-in mother, sister in a million, practice nurse…and friend. I wish you much happiness in the life you’ve chosen.’

  She put down her glass. ‘I didn’t choose it,’ she told him in a low voice. ‘It chose me, but, please, don’t let’s go into that. Can’t we talk about something else?’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ he agreed, as if it was of no consequence and said jokingly, ‘How about the surgery for a fresh topic of conversation? Do you want to hear what’s been happening there today in your absence?’

  ‘What I don’t know about I won’t be anxious about so, no,’ she told him, matching his change of mood. ‘Just as you won’t want to know what’s been happening in my day.’

  ‘How do you know I won’t?’ he said in a low voice, and it was there again in the quiet room, the chemistry between them that hadn’t gone and never would as far as she was concerned.

  To bring normality back to the atmosphere Anna reached across the table for a helping of salad to go with the steak, and as she did so the sleeve of her dress, which fanned out at the wrist, wafted towards one of the candles.

  ‘Watch out!’ he cried, and as she looked up, startled, he gripped her arm and pulled it away from the naked flame. ‘That could have been serious,’ he said, without removing his hold. Getting to his feet, he came round to her side of the table.

  As she looked up at him questioningly he raised her to her feet and when they were facing each other he said, ‘You almost set yourself on fire a moment ago, Anna. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?’

  He bent and blew out the candles, leaving the room in shadow with the only light coming from the fire burning brightly in the grate. And as their glances held he murmured, ‘I know it’s against the rules that you’ve laid down, but I feel I’m entitled to this.’

  Before she could speak she was in his arms. He was kissing her with an urgency that was setting her on fire, and as she responded to his arousal the desert that was her heart became a green and pleasant place.

  But she couldn’t let it go on, she thought frantically as he lifted his head and, looking deep into her eyes, traced his fingers across the lips that he’d just kissed.

  ‘So you do still care,’ he said softly.

  ‘Yes! No! We can’t!’ she gasped, and pointed to the table. ‘This was a mistake. I’ve told you before, Glenn, don’t complicate my life.’

  ‘Is that really how you feel?’ he asked flatly as his arms fell away.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘All right. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t leave in anger!’ she pleaded as he moved towards the door. ‘Don’t leave the village because of me!’

  He turned and observed her unsmilingly. ‘I’m not going anywhere yet.’ He turned and went slowly up the stairs.

  Well done! Glenn told himself grimly as he closed the bedroom door behind him. What about the patience that you promised yourself, the promises to keep your distance? You’ve just shown yourself to be a man of his word, I don’t think!

  He turned at the sound of hurrying footsteps coming up the stairs and when he opened the door to her knock he found Anna with a plateful of the food he’d prepared. Before he could say anything she said awkwardly, ‘The steak is still warm and the salad crisp.’

  She saw him frown and said quickly, ‘Don’t refuse it, Glenn, or you’ll make me feel even worse than I do already.’ And thrusting the plate into his hand, she hurried back to where she’d come from.

  If it wasn’t so sad it would be funny, he thought as he looked down at the congealing meat. Anna following him with the remains of the meal, begging him to eat it, when right now he felt as if it would choke him.

  Anna lay in bed, unable to sleep. Despite the evening ending badly, it had shown her something that scared and thrilled her at the same time. The magic was still there and as strong as ever. That kind of kissing had always led to them making love in that other life when everything had been so simple. Now it was far from that, which was why she’d called a halt.

  Tomorrow James would be home again and then maybe they could get back into their safe, secure routine and Glenn would find better things to do with his time than spending it with her.

  For one thing, they wouldn’t be continually in each other’s space. She would be back next door and they would only meet up at the surgery.

  There was no sign of him when she got up on Saturday morning and his car wasn’t parked outside so she presumed he must have gone into the city to do some shopping. She decided that she and the children would do likewise, but in another direction.

  They would go for a Christmas tree to the place where her parents before her had always gone, to a farm high up on the road that led to the moors and the peaks beyond.

  ‘James’s young ’uns aren’t half shootin’ up, Anna,’ Bill Bradshaw, who owned the farm, said as he took them to select a tree. ‘It doesn’t seem long since he brought you home from the hospital with the babies one on either side of you. I remember the wife cried buckets.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ she told him. ‘Everyone was wonderful. Bringing food, taking the washing and bringing it back ironed, as well as lots of other kindnesses that showed how people here look out for each other.’

  ‘Aye,’ he agreed. ‘Everybody rallies round when one of our own is havin’ it rough. The bush telegraph does overtime. Gettin’ back to this tree that you’ve come for, I take it you want a big ’un.’

  ‘Yes, a big tree for a big room.’

  When she’d made her choice he said, ‘I’ll drop it off for you in a couple of hours if that’s all right. So what’s this I hear about a new doctor at the surgery? I hope James isn’t thinkin’ of leavin’ us.’

  ‘No, nothing like that,’ she assured him. ‘Glenn Hamilton has been working abroad and has come as locum for a while.’

  ‘I see,’ he said, and without batting an eyelid he added, ‘I was askin’ because I’ve got a man’s problem and I’d rather see that brother of yours or this new fellow than Georgina Adams, sweet girl though she is.’

  ‘You’ll be fine with either of them but, Bill, don’t wait too long to make an appointment. All things that worry us healthwise should be dealt with promptly, and if we are told there is no cause for alarm we can relax all the sooner. Or if it should turn out to be the opposite then there will have been no delay in getting treatment.’

  As they drove back down the hillside Anna saw that Glenn’s car was following them down and they pulled up outside the practice at the same time. There was an awkward pause as they faced each other and she broke the silence by saying stiltedly, ‘I thought you might have gone into town to shop.’

  He shook his head. ‘No. I’ve been for a drive around the surrounding countryside, getting my bearings, and have decided that it’s a bit bleak up there in winter. Do the doctors get called out much to those parts?’

  ‘Sometimes. My dad was once trapped up there overnight in a blizzard when he’d been to visit a patient. He had to stay in his car until the snow ploughs cleared the way for him the fo
llowing morning. The children and I would have taken you around the places that you need to get to know if you’d said,’ she informed him. ‘You had only to ask.’

  ‘What? After last night?’ he said dryly. ‘I don’t want to put my foot in it twice. By the way, where have you been?’

  Before she could reply Jolyon answered for her. ‘We’ve been to buy a Christmas tree from Mr Bradshaw’s farm, and when it comes we’re going to put little lights on it, aren’t we, Polly?’

  ‘Yes,’ she cried excitedly, ‘and Father Christmas is coming soon. Will he be bringing presents for you, Dr Hamilton?’

  He smiled. ‘I’m not sure. And, Polly, my name is Glenn. Do you think I should send him a letter?’

  Two small fair heads nodded simultaneously and Polly said, ‘If he doesn’t bring you any, you can come and play with our toys, can’t he, Jolly?’

  ‘Yes, you can,’ he agreed solemnly.

  ‘I will remember that,’ he told them with the same degree of seriousness, and turned to Anna, who was keeping a low profile. ‘Is it a large tree?’

  ‘Yes,’ she replied, not sure to be glad or sorry at his cool dismissal of the previous night’s happenings.

  ‘Right, so when it’s delivered let me know if you have any trouble moving it to where you want it to stand. OK?’

  ‘Yes,’ she agreed weakly, and thought it would have to be really heavy for her to do that in the light of recent events.

  CHAPTER SIX

  IT WAS heavy. Bill brought the tree into the house for her and propped it up in the corner where she wanted it to stand, but she couldn’t lift it into the big bronze pot that was always brought down from the attic on such occasions, and as the children were eager to begin decorating it, Anna ended up going to find Glenn.

  She found him occupied in taking the black bag out of the waste bin in the kitchen, and right on top of the rubbish was the food from the night before. ‘So you didn’t eat it after all,’ she said regretfully. ‘What did you have?’

  ‘Nothing,’ he replied, and as she groaned he went on to say, ‘Another minute and I’d have had the bag tied up. But does it matter?’

  ‘No. I suppose not,’ she conceded hastily. ‘I’ve come about your offer to help with the tree. I could have waited until James gets back but the children are bursting for us to start decorating it and it might be past their bedtime when he arrives.’

  ‘Sure,’ he said easily. ‘I’ll wash my hands and be with you in a couple of seconds.’ And on that assurance she left him to follow.

  ‘That is some big tree,’ he said, when he’d positioned it in the pot and surrounded it with stones from the garden to keep it upright. He turned to Polly and Jolly, who were dancing around him excitedly. ‘What I want to know is who is going to put the fairy on the top. Do you know any giants?’

  They shook their heads, solemn for a moment, and then, realising that he was teasing, Polly squealed, ‘You can do it!’

  ‘All right, then,’ he agreed. Opening out the stepladder that Anna had got in readiness, he picked up the little tinsel fairy and climbed up with her in his hand. When he was high enough Glenn looked down at Anna’s upturned face and said, ‘I wasn’t intending to muscle in on the tree-decorating. I’ll make myself scarce once I’ve fixed the fairy.’

  ‘You don’t have to,’ she said in a low voice. ‘This is different from last night. It’s just family stuff.’

  ‘And what was last night?’

  ‘A moment of madness. I should have had more sense.’

  ‘Maybe we both should, but do we have to feel guilty over something that was innocent and above-board?’

  ‘The fairy, the fairy!’ the children were shouting, and remembering what he was up there for he reached over and placed her firmly where she could look down at them all.

  ‘You didn’t answer my question,’ he said when he was back at floor level.

  ‘It shouldn’t have happened,’ she said, keeping her voice low so the children couldn’t hear. ‘Let’s drop the subject and concentrate on decorating the tree.’

  He stared at her for a moment, then slowly nodded and began to fold up the ladder. ‘Well, I promised not to linger so I’ll let you get on.’

  She looked at him and sighed. ‘Glenn, let’s not spoil this. Why don’t you stay and help us?’

  ‘I’d be pleased to, but are you suggesting it because you’re thinking that there’s safety in numbers, by any chance?’

  ‘No, not at all,’ she said coolly. ‘It’s a big tree and some of the branches are quite high up.’

  He smiled and the tension broke. As they hung ornaments on the branches she said, ‘Some of these glass baubles are old. They were on the tree when James and I were small, and the rest are the usual plastic. Unbreakable but lacking the same delicacy.’

  It was a happy time, and Anna loved watching Glenn help the children carefully hang the decorations. Polly and Jolly were entranced as the bareness of the spruce gradually disappeared beneath the ornaments, tinsel and fairy-lights.

  When the last bauble had been hung and the last piece of tinsel draped across the fresh green branches, he said, ‘What about your tree, Anna? Did you ask the farmer to deliver a tree for you at the same time? By the way, I still haven’t been invited to your place. You haven’t got a guilty secret to hide, have you?’

  The joking comment hit a nerve, even though it had been made in all innocence. He saw her flinch and wondered why.

  But she managed another smile and told him, ‘I’ve hardly been in my own home since you arrived, but I’ll be going back once James is with us again, so feel free to call if you want. As for the tree, I have a small artificial one that I bring out each year. Maybe not the most atmospheric of things but it looks all right once I’ve decorated it, which is usually at the last minute on Christmas Eve. It has one snag, though. I miss the lovely woodland smell that a real spruce brings with it.’

  When James arrived home the children were waiting for him on the doorstep dressed in pyjamas and dressing-gowns, and as he came up the path they called to him to close his eyes. He obeyed and they led him inside in high glee to where the tree stood in the sitting room, lights twinkling.

  ‘Now you can open them, Daddy,’ they cried, and as Anna and Glenn looked on smilingly he did as he was told and expressed his delight and amazement.

  ‘How on earth did you manage to get such a large tree in position?’ he said when Glenn had tactfully left the four of them together and gone up to his room.

  ‘Bill Bradshaw delivered it as usual and Glenn lifted it into the pot.’

  ‘You must have been glad to have him around. I do hope he’s going to enjoy Christmas in Willowmere.’

  ‘He says he’s looking forward to joining us as he hasn’t had much experience of a family Christmas, but he doesn’t want to be in the way.’

  ‘What did you say to that?’

  ‘I assured him that he wouldn’t be.’

  ‘And I’m sure that you meant it. Though you’ve never said how you feel about him. Are you in love with the guy, Anna?’

  It was not a moment for the truth, she decided but James was waiting for an answer, so avoiding the issues that being honest would bring she said lightly, ‘The only male who pulls at my heart strings is there in his pyjamas, and I think it’s time he and his sister were tucked up for the night. Do you want to do the bedtime-story bit, or shall I? It’s been a long day for you.’

  ‘Not so long that I would want to miss my time with the children,’ he replied, and with a smile for her added, ‘Anna, just for the record, I can tell when I’m being sidetracked.’

  She returned to the annexe later in the evening, just as she’d told Glenn she would, and as her small but tasteful home welcomed her back into quietness she wondered when he would come, but Sunday passed and he didn’t appear.

  When she arrived at the surgery on Monday morning, after seeing the children safely to school, it was already a hive of activity, with stragglers who’d l
eft it rather late for their flu jabs waiting outside the nurses’ rooms in company with those who’d come for the usual blood tests and so on.

  She’d seen Glenn briefly at breakfast-time. He and James had been about to go to the surgery as she’d arrived to get the children dressed and ready for school, and they’d just exchanged brief greetings. Now that she was here, there was no sign of him. The door to his consulting room was shut, indicating that he was with a patient, and at that moment Bill Bradshaw came out, looking rather red-faced.

  When he saw her he said, ‘I did what you told me to do, made an appointment to see one of the doctors, and he’s sendin’ me fer tests.’

  She nodded approvingly. ‘Good thinking. I’m sure that Betty must have thought so.’

  ‘Aye, she did. The wife has been on at me for weeks to do something about it, and talkin’ to you when you came for the tree spurred me on.’

  He jerked his thumb towards the room he’d just left. ‘Seems to know what he’s on about, yon fellow, even though he is a southerner.’

  ‘Get away with you,’ she said laughingly. ‘A lot of the top-rankers of the medical profession are based in the southern counties.’

  ‘Really? Well, it’s fellows like your father that I prefer to see. The old-style country doctor kind, if you get what I mean.’

  ‘James, Georgina and Glenn are all excellent doctors,’ she protested mildly.

  ‘Maybe, but I reckon they wouldn’t recognise a bottle of castor oil if it jumped up and bit ’em.’

  She was laughing again. ‘Maybe not, and thanks be for that!’ And with her glance on those waiting to see a nurse, she left him to amble off with his home-spun philosophies.

  Young Josh was one of those waiting to be seen and she was pleased to see that the infection had cleared and the sore spot had healed.

  ‘Do you know that my mother is going to have a baby, Anna?’ he asked when he was ready to go.