‘Oh, Al, I need a word actually,’ Joe said. ‘Did you get my call earlier?’
‘Nah, sorry mate, my phone’s been out of battery. Just recharging it now.’
‘Right, well, I was after the number for that band you had playing here back in the summer. They did the rock tribute stuff.’
‘Yeah, I know the ones. Rock Revival, I’m pretty sure that was their name. I’ll look them up for you and let you know.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Be good if we can get something organized for Dan and Lucy sooner rather than later,’ he added to Ellie, hopefully.
‘Yes. We’ll need some kind of music for the evening, and a band is so much better than just a disco. Going to be a challenge getting something decent just before Christmas mind. A lot of the better-known groups will be booked up already, I’m sure.’
‘Yeah, possibly, we’ll have to see. Let’s not worry just yet. Anyway, you did a great job today, Ellie, and we had so many positive comments from the guests. I think they’ll be spreading the word about the castle,’ Joe said.
‘That’s fab. It’ll be good if we can get some more regular events throughout the closed season. It needn’t just be weddings either, special birthdays, anniversaries … there are lots of things we could promote, now I’m getting more confident with the catering.’
‘Yeah, you did such a good job … Onwards and upwards, hey.’
Yes, she really hoped it would be. Not just for the castle events, but for them personally too.
They were sat side by side on a wooden bench seat, with the chatter and bustle of the pub around them. She slid her hand over his, felt his warmth, his quiet strength. She so needed to feel close to him again.
29
‘Whaaaaayyyyy!’
Who on earth was this at the end of the line?
‘I’m getting married … and I’m going to have a Christmas wedding!’
‘Lucy? Hi!’
‘Yay – he’s just told me. We’re at the top of the Baltic Gallery looking out over the River Tyne. We’ve just had a lovely lunch and he’s re-proposed.’
‘Aw, that’s just brilliant.’
‘I can’t quite believe it, after everything that’s happened. We’re finally getting our wedding day.’
‘Well, we’ve already been getting organized and making plans for you both.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard. You sneaky lot! Scheming behind my back … fancy that. But I love you guys for it too, though.’
‘Well, I’ve had a lovely chat with Wendy about winter blooms and displays, Joe is sorting a band out for you as your others were booked out, and I’m now officially head of catering.’
‘You are? Oh, that’s fab, Ellie, thank you so much. I was getting a bit panicky thinking I had so much to do in two weeks, but this all sounds brilliant.’
‘Great. We’ll chat some more about all the details soon. You get back to your lovely fiancé and enjoy your day.’
‘I will. I’m sooo happy. Dan knows how much I love Christmas time, so this will be extra special now. It’ll just be perfect … I hope it’ll be perfect for him, too. He’s been through so much, and I know he wanted to be more like his old self, but that will come in time. We’ll get there.’
‘You will. Okay, so we’ll have a meet-up soon, call me later and we’ll sort a time? I’d just like to check everything we’ve thought of so far suits you, and you’ll be happy with it.’
‘I’m sure I will be happy with it all, but yes, I’m planning on coming up. Tomorrow, if that’s okay with you? Got a half day off work, as I know my mind will be in full spin ‘til I can chat about the plans. And next, I need to try and rebook the hairdresser for me and the bridesmaids.’
‘It’ll all work out fine. We’ll make sure it’s special for you both … Aw, has it been a really romantic day? Where did you say you are?’
‘Well, this morning, two of his mates turned up on their motorbikes with sidecars on – hilarious. So we both got in, one of us in each, and his dad came along to meet us with Dan’s wheelchair. We were taken to the quayside. It’s been one of our special places. And the view from the gallery and the restaurant at the Baltic is just amazing. Wow, even more special now. It’s a gorgeous clear day here, blue skies, we’ve had lunch sat at a table that looks out along the river, so it’s been lovely. He couldn’t really get down on one knee again, bless him, but it’s been like a second proposal. The waiter came over with a bottle of champagne. Oh, and Dan was very formal, and asked if I would do him the honour of marrying him on December 23. I thought he meant next year. Then, when he said this December, I nearly exploded along with the champagne cork.’
‘Hah, that’s so lovely. I’m so pleased for you both.’
‘The lads are picking us up in fifteen minutes, so I’ll have to get away for now. But I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Yes that’s great. What time are you thinking?’
‘I’m working ‘til 12.30, so maybe 1.30, or soon after.’
‘Right, well, I’ll do us a late lunch. We can chat over a sandwich or something.’
‘Aw, that sounds lovely. You sure?’
‘’Course I am. Planning over paninis, sounds a good idea.’
‘See you tomorrow then, Ellie. I can’t wait to find out what plans you’ve all been making. Yay!’
Ellie couldn’t help but smile as she put down the phone.
‘Why the bloody hell have you agreed to have people traipsing around the castle just two days before Christmas, for heaven’s sake?’
Lord Henry caught up with Joe in the corridor on their way to a quickly arranged Monday Meeting; Joe had thought he’d better get the team organized and aware of for the new wedding arrangements. ‘And a bloody big wedding do at that, just when we’re meant to be relaxing a bit and enjoying the closed season. We can’t even get bloody Christmas off now.’
‘Morning, Henry.’ Joe tried to diffuse the tension, with a hint of sarcasm that his father hadn’t even bothered to say hello. He remained calm, ‘Henry, this is a couple who we get on really well with. They had a horrendous time with a major road accident earlier in the year, which meant they had to postpone their summer wedding they’d booked with us.’
‘Well, why couldn’t they have waited ‘til after New Year or something?’
‘Henry, you don’t even like Christmas time particularly.’
‘That’s not the point.’
‘They are friends of ours, and it’ll bring in a good income at a time when cash flow gets tight. You know what it’s usually like during the winter months.’ He didn’t want to sound money-grabbing, but they did have to think about the castle being a business, and financial arguments usually won Henry over.
‘Peaceful,’ Henry answered under his breath.
‘Poor,’ Joe countered.
‘Humph … Agh, no, are they staying overnight again, like that awful lot in September?’
‘Yes, we have booked out the guest rooms for the night of the wedding, and I think the bride and the bridesmaids are here in three rooms for the night before.’
‘Ach, so I’ll get all that chatter and noisy giggling again.’
‘Well, hopefully, if they’re enjoying themselves, yes.’
‘I hardly got a wink of sleep with that lot back in the summer. That bloody silly unicorn woman.’
‘They were a slightly different kettle of fish. But yes, it’ll be nice if there’s some laughter and chatter going on. Can’t have them coming to a wedding do on a vow of silence, now. And they’ll all be away by Christmas Eve lunchtime, I promise. So you’ll have your castle back then.’
‘Thank heavens for that, at least.’
‘Anyhow, talking about Christmas, we’ve been meaning to ask, would you like to come across and have Christmas dinner with us again this year? In our apartment?’
‘Well, yes … thank you, that’d be nice. Ellen does make an exceptionally good roast, I have to say.’ He seemed to mellow.
Joe didn’t li
ke to add that Ellie’s boisterous family would also be there too. He’d let Henry find that out a bit later. It’d be good for him to socialize a bit more anyhow. Get him out if his bear’s den of rooms in the west wing. Enforced frivolity. He might even find himself enjoying it!
‘Right, we’d better get in to this meeting, Henry. There’s a lot to get organized now.’
The team were briefed, and more than happy (other than Henry who was still trying to get his head around it) to come along and help with Lucy and Daniel’s wedding, knowing the background and the problems the couple had had to face to get this far.
Ellie had met with Lucy a few days ago, and discussed all the plans they had made so far. Lucy had literally jumped up and down, saying she ‘Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!’ The only change the bride-to-be had suggested was to the proposed dessert menu. Instead of the pavlova and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce options which Ellie had suggested, Lucy had mentioned that she had seen the most wonderful French wedding dessert – all made of profiteroles in a tall stack – and was there any way Ellie might be able to make that? Ellie rose to the challenge, knowing that Irene was a bit of a whizz at choux pastry, and said yes she’d have a go at making it and at least give it her best shot. She’d have to Google how exactly to make the profiterole tower stay standing and not collapse!
30
‘Come on, I thought we could pop and take a look at the Dickensian Christmas Market that’s on, over at Berwick-upon-Tweed.’ Joe wandered into the teashop kitchen. It was just gone 3 p.m., the following day.
‘What, right now? I’m still baking. I’m in the middle of another batch of gingerbread stars for the hampers.’
‘Yeah, why not. Well, say in fifteen, twenty minutes or so, when you’re wrapped up here. What do you think?’
‘Hmn, sounds nice … And, we might pick up some ideas for next year’s Christmas at the Castle Fayre.’ This year’s festive event had gone down so well, there would definitely have to be a second.
‘That was my ulterior motive, too. We can see what kind of stalls they have there. Apparently, the stallholders all dress up in Victorian-style outfits. It sounds like it might be fun.’
‘Hah, can you imagine us lot dressed up …? There’d be Malcolm and Derek in breeches and cravats.’
‘That won’t look too far off how they are now,’ Joe joked.
‘Oh, and Henry, he’d have to be Scrooge.’
‘Hah, absolutely! Bah humbug.’
‘Okay. It sounds good. Just give me ten minutes here to take the last batch of gingerbread out of the oven. Then, I’ll just have to pop it on the cooling racks.’
They drove the half-hour cross country to the market town of Berwick-upon Tweed, that sat right on the Scottish Borders, though was still part of England.
As they reached the town they drove on to a large stone road bridge that crossed the river. It was starting to get dark, being early December, 4 p.m.
‘Wow, it’s so pretty.’
The bridge’s old-fashioned lampposts were strewn with twinkling white lights in the shapes of shooting stars. They spanned the whole of the bridge’s length. The River Tweed flowed beneath them, opening out in to the North Sea to their right past the harbour walls. Other lights reflected down from the river sides, shimmering into the water. It looked stunning.
They parked up, and walked down to the High Street, with its imposing stone Town Hall building and its tall clock tower, below it was where many of the stalls were set up. It was chilly, late afternoon, and dusk was already starting to creep in. Ellie was glad of her woollen coat, and hat and scarf. It was a nice cold though, crisp, clear. Ellie smelt a host of festive aromas, cinnamon, orange and pine, roasted chestnuts. There was chatter and laughter; lots of people were gathered, drifting between the stalls. There was a huge decorated Christmas tree at the top of the Town Hall steps, beneath it was a choir singing traditional Christmas carols, and yes, as Ellie looked closer, they were all dressed in long gowns and bonnets, or waistcoats, top hats and breeches. You could almost feel you’d stepped back in time, if you didn’t look beyond the market area to the modern-day shopfronts behind.
‘This looks great,’ Joe said.
‘Yeah, there’ll be lots of inspiration for us here.’
As they wandered around, testing things, tasting things, looking for gifts and goodies, Joe managed to collect several of the stallholders’ business cards on the way. Many were interested in another venue for their Christmas wares. It would be wonderful for the castle to have even more stalls at their own Fayre next year. And these had such lovely things. Ellie picked up some pretty Christmas bath bombs for the two mums and some of her friends, a gorgeously scented candle ‘White Winter Spice’ as a treat for herself, a bag of marshmallows in Santa and Snowmen shapes that would be perfect for topping hot chocolate, and lots of fabulous stocking fillers.
‘You might want to think about setting up a stall here yourself, at this event, Ellie. The Teashop in the Castle stall. Your fudge, shortbread and gingerbread goodie bags would go down a treat. As well as all the hampers and Christmas cakes. Might be an idea to get some details from the organizers whilst we’re here.’
‘Yep. Why not? I think that’d be a great idea. I’d have a busy November/December, wouldn’t I? But, it’s when the teashop’s closed, anyhow. Hmm, good thinking, Batman.’ She smiled. It was a relief that they seemed to be chatting a little easier today.
They stopped for a warming drink; Joe chose a small spiced gluhwein, and Ellie a mulled cider, which was delicious and warming with flavours of apples, cloves and cinnamon.
This was so nice, being together as a couple. Other than at the pub, the other night, it was the first time in ages she’d felt relaxed in Joe’s company, which was such a shame. The miscarriage, and then that row they’d had by the waterfall, had torn at their seams somehow.
They came upon a stall that had the most gorgeous wooden Christmas tree decorations. Ellie spotted the cutest rocking horse and teddy bear. They were made of natural wood, painted delicately; so clever.
‘I make them myself. Hand carved from beech.’ The man behind the stall commented.
‘They are lovely. Such detail.’ Ellie answered, handling the teddy bear. The bear fitted in the palm of her hand, he was traditional-looking like a Victorian toy might be, and carved and painted in such a lovely way.
The rocking horse and bear were hung on strings, and seemed the perfect thing for a young child to place on the Christmas tree at home. Ellie gave Joe a meaningful look. She’d love to buy one, but was that just tempting fate?
‘Go on,’ his voice was gentle. ‘Buy them. The teddy and the rocking horse. They can keep.’
And they both knew who they would be meant for … if it was ever meant to be.
‘Yes,’ Ellie smiled. ‘I’ll take these. Thank you.’
The stallholder wrapped them carefully in bubble wrap and popped them into a navy star-covered paper bag. Ellie took the package from him. It felt like hope, a promise in her hand.
They wandered round a few more stalls, and Ellie bought some red-and-white striped candy canes to take back with them, and a bag of roasted chestnuts to share. Then they stepped out from the crowds, taking a narrow cobbled lane and wound their way along a side street, away from the hustle and bustle. Ellie felt for Joe’s hand, her emotions still out of kilter with everything that had gone on recently, but seeking his warmth. They found themselves coming out by the road bridge they had crossed to come into the town, set high above the river.
They walked on to the bridge and paused to look at the view, finishing the last of the chestnuts. Below them to the harbour side was a low stone bridge, that looked extremely old, probably the original crossing to the town. To the opposite side, inland, there was another bridge, an impressive stone viaduct that spanned the River Tweed, its tall Victorian arches were softly lit with a purple hue. It was stunning.
‘The Royal Border Bridge,’ Joe commented. ‘Built by Robert S
tephenson, you know. The son of George Stephenson, “The Father of the Railways”. Rather beautiful, isn’t it. And, what an amazing feat of engineering.’
‘Hey, hark at you, Mr Historian. Where do you pick up all these facts?’
‘Not quite sure. I just find it interesting. And quite remarkable how they made this kind of stuff back then, with limited resources.’
‘I know. Really, how did they do it? Across such a wide river too.’
They both stood, leaning against the solid wall of the road bridge looking up at the vast stone-built viaduct. The star-shaped white Christmas lights that hung from the lamp-posts along the road bridge, twinkling above them.
‘Just amazing. Definitely built to last.’ Joe put his arm around Ellie’s shoulder.
She leaned into him, feeling his warmth and an immense sense of relief.
‘Definitely.’
31
It was a week before Christmas. Ellie had her row of twelve Christmas cakes lined up ready to ice for her hamper orders. There were two more of the rich fruit cakes that she was keeping back to make into Lucy and Dan’s wedding cake – she already had ideas for that creation.
She’d done the apricot glaze and marzipan layer a couple of days ago. She now wanted to make a snowy icing effect on the top of them, the same as her display cake at the Christmas Fayre. She whizzed up the royal icing, enough for two cakes at a time, so it didn’t thicken too soon and be hard to work with. She had Classic FM on the radio and was humming along, in her own merry little baking world. The mix seemed a little stiff, so she carefully added a half-tablespoon of water and whisked again with her electric mixer.
Once it seemed nicely aerated, she knew she had to work with it immediately to get the right effect. So, pallet knife in hand, she set to work making soft peaks on top of the cake. She’d already made a selection of coloured sugar-paste holly leaves, red berries and ivy, and had little silver balls to decorate the top with as well, once the icing had started to set.
The Cosy Christmas Teashop Page 19