Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay: a heartwarming romantic comedy perfect for curling up with this Christmas for fans of Jill Mansell (Swallowtail Bay, Book 3)

by Katie Ginger

  ‘So, what can we do about that? Have you contacted the RNIB? There’s lots of things you can do to make life easier for yourself. Tracey’s helped me beyond measure.’ He sounded like an advert for visual impairment. ‘Actually, that gives me an idea.’

  ‘What?’ Tom asked, slightly concerned at what that idea might be. As long as it didn’t involve Nell, he’d probably be okay with it.

  ‘Tracey? Tracey?’

  ‘Oh, no, Grandad,’ Tom said quickly. He wasn’t quite ready to have everyone know yet, but Tracey was already bustling over. ‘Grandad, I don’t think I want to share the news with anyone else—’

  ‘Rubbish,’ he replied. The matter wasn’t up for discussion.

  ‘Yes, my lovely, what can I do for you?’

  ‘Now, Tracey.’ Nigel’s voice rang with sincerity and fondness. ‘You’ve helped me and lots of others with bad vision – or no vision – as is my case. What can we do to help our Tom here?’

  ‘Oh?’ Shocked, Tracey turned to face Tom. He sighed, scratched his head and then explained everything, swearing her to secrecy until he’d told the others closest to him: Cat, Nell and his parents. ‘Oh, Tom, I am sorry, love. But it’s not the end of the world, believe me. You can use magnifiers for your close-up work, we have those for some of our residents. You can get thin plastic ones that you carry around for reading things on the go and then there are quite high-tech ones for workstations that don’t move at all. I saw them on a video on YouTube once. We don’t really need those here, but you might want one for work. And you need to find ways of storing your tools, so you know exactly where everything is. Could you wear safety gloves to make sure you don’t hurt yourself? You do a lot of cutting with very sharp objects, don’t you? So that might be an idea. Make sure your walkways are clear and that your staff know not to put things there. You can get fabulous little stick-on lights now and you can put them everywhere so you can make sure anywhere you need extra light, you’ve got it.’

  Tom sat there silently marvelling at this wonderful lady. She went about her business everyday caring for people, probably unappreciated, but was like an encyclopaedia of helpful tips and she wasn’t even an expert. Hearing her talk, he felt his hopes rising and a pin prick of light rupture the dark future he’d pictured before him. Spying the Christmas tree in the corner – the one he and Nell had decorated – a little hope and joy of the season returned to him. Tracey continued, and Tom appreciated that her voice wasn’t sympathetic or pitying. It was strong, practical and professional. ‘I’d definitely get in contact with the RNIB and they can come and do a workplace assessment to help you.’

  ‘Thanks, Tracey. You’re amazing. I really appreciate your advice.’

  ‘No problem, Tom.’ Her gaze was soft and motherly. ‘Once you’ve got your bearings it won’t seem so grim. I promise. I’ve seen it time and time again, here.’ She motioned around her, and Tom saw only happy faces before him. Though they were a different age group to him, and many of their problems were the result of advancing years, he supposed it wouldn’t lessen the loss of freedom they felt, and yet, they were all content. He just had to make adjustments and if he did, he might even have years left. Janie would pass her driving test soon he was sure, and then she could do deliveries too. Maybe he could make her deputy manager? She was young but so full of ideas and he loved working with her. Suddenly there seemed to be any number of possibilities in front of him.

  ‘You’re a wonder, Tracey,’ Nigel commented.

  ‘Oh, stop that flattery, you. It doesn’t mean you’ve earned back your mince pies.’

  ‘Worth a try,’ Grandad mumbled.

  Tom knew of all her residents she was very fond of Nigel and his cheeky ways. ‘I’ve got to get back to the desk but if there’s anything I can do, Tom, just ask, won’t you?’

  ‘I will, Tracey. Thanks.’

  Nigel didn’t speak for a moment and then he asked the question Tom had been dreading. ‘So, what does Nell say about all this?’ When he didn’t reply, Nigel’s voice turned stern just as it had when Tom was a boy and he’d broken something in Grandad’s house from charging around playing pirates. ‘Tom?’

  ‘I haven’t told her yet.’

  ‘Why not?’ It was a good question, and one he’d avoided thinking about as much as possible.

  ‘Because she’s got enough to worry about with Holly Lodge and the bad reviews and Cat’s wedding.’ It was the excuse he’d constantly told himself and it had worked well so far, but it didn’t convince Grandad.

  ‘Who have you told?’

  ‘Only you and Kieran.’

  ‘Interesting.’ Grandad Nigel paused. ‘And why did you feel you could tell us and not Nell?’

  ‘I don’t know. I just don’t want her feeling sorry for me.’

  ‘What? Utter rot. Because you’ve been too busy feeling sorry for yourself, you mean.’ Tom felt his mouth drop open. Nigel began patting his hand. ‘Enough of this silliness and self-pity. It’s time to start getting your life sorted out, Thomas.’ The use of his full name meant he was really in trouble. Grandad had always been this way. He was of a generation that had been forced to deal with and do so much, there wasn’t time for self-pity, and it was an attitude Tom admired. ‘Having someone empathise or even feel sorry that you’re going through something horrible, isn’t a terrible thing. It means people care and they want to be there for you. Don’t you think people want to be there for you, boy?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tom mumbled.

  ‘Speak up, lad.’

  ‘Yes,’ he replied more clearly.

  ‘So, now you’ve finished with the excuses, what’s the real reason you haven’t told Nell? Time for honesty now, lad.’

  Tom shrank from saying the words out loud. With everything he’d been brave enough to say already today it made him feel silly, but Grandad was right. It was time for honesty. ‘Because I love her, and I don’t want her being upset. And I really regret that I’ve never told her before now how I feel about her.’

  ‘Is the prospect of telling her really that scary? What’s the worst that can happen? If she says no standing to the side of you, you won’t even see her expression.’ Momentarily shocked into silence, Tom then erupted into laughter. ‘But seriously, lad, how would you feel if you don’t tell her before your sight fails? Don’t you want to see the look on her face when you tell her you love her, and she tells you the same?’

  Tom had never thought about it before, but Grandad was right. He did want to tell Nell, and if there was even the slightest chance she felt the same way, he had to try. Closing his eyes he made a Christmas wish that she might love him as much as he loved her. And there was only one way of finding out. He had to tell her before it was too late.

  ***

  Cat and Nell departed the café with hugs and a list of things for Nell to sort out so the hotel was ready for the wedding Cat and Kieran had originally wanted. Back at Holly Lodge, she’d begun ticking things off in an attempt to keep herself occupied and not think about the prospect of losing Mr Scrooge, or whatever his name really was.

  With Harry now gone after a quick, professional goodbye, the hotel was silent. Nell felt incredibly lonely and wanted more than anything for Tom to be there with her. Another bad review had landed and with it, the loss of any chance of securing some midweek bookings before the wedding. She’d tried calling Tom to talk to him about Cat and the crazy phone call this morning, but he hadn’t answered. Even with several voicemails, he hadn’t responded. He’d been so angry with her at the party. With a heavy heart, she heard someone enter through the open front door and a voice call from the hallway. Leaving her list, she went to see the man who had phoned about Mr Scrooge.

  He stood awkwardly, his hands in his coat pockets. The smaller Christmas trees she’d placed either side of the front door framed him but her festive cheer was absent.

  ‘Good afternoon,’ the man said.

  ‘Hi,’ Nell replied with professional friendliness. ‘You’re here for Mr Scroo
ge, aren’t you?’ She kept the tears from her eyes by plastering on a detached smile.

  ‘Mr Scrooge?’

  ‘Oh, sorry, that’s what I’ve been calling him. The black stray.’

  ‘Ah, yes. We called him Charcoal.’

  ‘Right.’ It was a nice name but somehow Mr Scrooge seemed to suit him better. ‘He’s in the lounge.’ Nell had kept him next to the fire, tempted by another large bowl of food. She loved seeing him there, curled up and purring. The man followed her, but Nell could scarcely breathe. He knelt down by Mr Scrooge who worryingly didn’t hiss or flinch as he had with almost everyone else. Did that mean he recognised the man and this was the moment he was taken away from her?

  ‘Hello, there,’ the man said stroking Mr Scrooge’s head. He gently caressed the cat’s ears and Mr Scrooge pushed himself into the man’s hand. After petting him he stood, a sad look on his face. ‘He’s lovely, but he’s not Charcoal.’

  Relief flooded through Nell, then guilt because the poor man still hadn’t found his cat. ‘Have you tried looking on the Swallowtail Bay Facebook group for lost pets? There was another black cat on there when I checked to see if anyone had lost Mr Scrooge.’

  ‘No, I haven’t. I’ll do that,’ he replied, a little cheered. ‘Charcoal does like to disappear for days at a time. It’s just never been this long before.’

  ‘I’ll keep my eyes and ears open and if I hear anything, I’ll give you a call. I’ve got your number.’

  ‘Thanks, I’d appreciate it.’

  The man left and Nell sat down next to Mr Scrooge, stroking him in relief, listening to his serene slow purr. She was going to keep him. Brenda might have suggested she give him to the RSPCA but there was no doing that now. She loved the little thing and wasn’t going to let him go. When Mr Scrooge had first entered her life, she’d imagined a tall, handsome stranger coming to claim him and falling instantly in love, but when the man had called, her imagination hadn’t fired once. She was changing and for the better, she was sure.

  An image of Tom’s face came to her, and with it a determination to tell him how she felt filled her once more with hope.

  Chapter 23

  The day of the wedding finally arrived but Nell hadn’t yet changed into her bridesmaid’s dress. She’d been around the hotel three times making sure everything was perfect. This was her final pass through before she spent time with Cat who was using her flat to get ready. Holly Lodge was booked out with wedding guests and the whole place was wonderfully busy. If only she could get at least a couple of weddings a year it would make such a difference to her future. Another bad review had come in and it had ramped up in intensity compared to the others. This time, some of the descriptions could only have been of her hotel but she still couldn’t place the guests or their concerns.

  As she checked everything one last time, she saw Tom’s wreath on the front door. He’d been absent all week, and Nell still hadn’t had the chance to tell him that she loved him. That she felt the same way about him as he supposedly did her. They’d never spent this much time apart and absence was certainly making the heart grow fonder in her case. She’d texted and though his messages had been friendly enough, he’d claimed being busy with work which she could understand given the time of year, but there’d been an emptiness to his words that she hadn’t read before.

  Shaking off the worry because she’d see him later, Nell concentrated on the matter in hand. She had a wedding to host today as well as bridesmaid duties to fulfil and she wanted to make sure everything was perfect, especially as only a week ago the wedding didn’t look like it was going to happen at all. It had been made slightly easier by Cat cancelling the bridesmaid dress Brenda had chosen for Nell and telling her to wear whatever she liked. She’d gone for another maxi dress, plain dusky-pink this time with a pretty sequin pattern on the top half.

  The ceremony was to be held in the lounge. The comfy armchairs had been cleared out and normal chairs lined up for the small number of guests. Cat and Kieran were going to be married next to the twinkling Christmas tree, in front of a roaring log fire with Tom’s beautiful willow garland decorating the mantelpiece. Despite Brenda’s protests, Mr Scrooge had been allowed to stay and was asleep on the hearth. As the cat was now officially hers, Nell had popped a collar on him with a giant red bow tie. He looked smashing, getting fatter and healthier with every meal and his fur was becoming soft and fluffy.

  In the dining room, the tables were put together in two small rows and covered in bright white cloths. A whole team of waiters and waitresses hired by Niall, were laying them up with sparkling glasses and gleaming cutlery. All the chairs had thick silver-blue ribbons tied around them, fastened into bows at the back. That was the original colour Cat had chosen then changed her mind. In the centre of each table stood a small Christmas wreath made from fir, holly with red berries, and a single cream pillar candle in the middle, ready to be lit. Around the edge of the room, strings of fairy lights sparkled and silver and blue balloons bobbed in the air. In the evening, when everyone had been ushered into the conservatory, tempted with mulled wine and mini mince pies, or relaxing in the lounge, the dining-room tables would be cleared so everyone could dance. They’d planned it down to the last detail and Niall was going to brief his staff. Taking a leaf out of Hetty the event planner’s book, Nell had created a timetable and assigned jobs to people, so everyone knew what they had to do and when. This was definitely something she’d do for all the weddings she hosted. There was no way she’d rely on her memory to make everything perfect.

  Feeling satisfied, Nell went downstairs to see Cat. Passing through the kitchen, she recognised the waitress from the Langdon Mansion Hotel and the Welcome to Christmas carol service. Frowning, Nell hung back while Niall briefed everyone, running through the order of play and the amazing level of service he expected. When he’d dismissed them, Nell nipped over. ‘Niall, who was that young girl with the dark hair in a high ponytail?’ He looked nonplussed. Clearly hair descriptions weren’t his thing. ‘The really tall girl, pretty but looked absolutely terrified.’

  ‘Tallulah?’

  Nell thought back to that horrible night at the Langdon Mansion Hotel, she was sure the maître d’ had named the waitress who’d shown them to their table. She ran through the memory again and nodded. ‘Yes Tallulah. Did you employ her?’

  Niall shook his head. ‘Not exactly. Philip, my business partner organises the staffing. She’s not one we’ve had before but don’t worry, I don’t take anyone slacking, and no one will let you down.’

  ‘Thanks.’ But as she left the kitchen, she couldn’t help feeling a little disconcerted. Perhaps the poor girl had left the Langdon Mansion. It hadn’t seemed the nicest place to work. Putting the matter to the back of her mind, Nell went into her flat.

  The dress fitted Cat like a glove with only a slight adjustment on the bust. There was absolutely no need for painful underwear and Cat surveyed herself in the mirror.

  ‘Happy?’ Nell asked.

  ‘So happy,’ Cat replied. She twisted left and right letting the skirt and pastel-pink petticoat that matched her hair, move around her. Her eyes were sparkling and dreamy just as Nell had hoped they would be. She quickly changed into her own wedding outfit and strappy shoes. She wasn’t sure how well her feet were going to cope with the day ahead but wearing flats wasn’t an option until later. Cat called over her shoulder. ‘Let’s see you then.’

  Nell gave a twirl. ‘Ta da!’

  ‘You look gorgeous. Much better than your normal ugly jumpers.’

  ‘My jumpers might be ugly, but they are very warm. I’ve turned the heating up full whack and the fire’s blazing in the lounge so we shouldn’t get cold in our flimsy dresses.’

  An unexpected knock at the door made them jump and Cat hid behind the full-length mirror. ‘If it’s Kieran, tell him to go away, he can’t see me before the wedding.’

  ‘Calm down,’ Nell replied, laughing. ‘It’s probably just Janie delivering the bouquet.’
Nell opened the door and stood back. ‘Oh, hello, Brenda.’

  ‘Nell. Am I allowed to see my daughter?’

  Glancing over her arm at Cat who had now come out from behind the mirror, she nodded and let her arm drop. Brenda walked slowly inside in her lilac, mother-of-the-bride dress and enormous hat. All the joy had been sucked from the atmosphere and in the small basement flat the air felt thick, heavy with Brenda’s perfume. When Brenda’s eyes fell on her daughter clad in the vintage dress, complete with a pink petticoat and tiny pillbox hat perched jauntily on her head, Brenda’s mouth fell to the floor. ‘Catherine, you look beautiful.’

  ‘Thanks, Mum,’ Cat replied uncertainly.

  ‘I just wanted to say …’ Brenda needed a minute and perched on the edge of Nell’s bed. She was pleased she’d made it for once, instead of leaving it all rumpled. Caressing a tissue in her hands, Brenda looked up. ‘I’m sorry if I made you miserable, darling. I really was only trying to help. I didn’t realise I was making you so unhappy. I didn’t mean to take over. I just got a bit carried away. Your dad has told me to stop being such a goose and come and make it up to you before you actually walk down the aisle.’

  Cat softened at this uncharacteristic show of emotion. ‘I know this isn’t exactly what you had in mind for me, Mum. I know it isn’t the Langdon Mansion Hotel, but it’s where I want to get married.’

  ‘I know.’ She nodded. ‘And Nell?’

  ‘Yes?’ Nell prepared herself for the firing line.

  ‘It looks beautiful upstairs. You’ve done a wonderful job and everyone who’s staying here says how lovely it is.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Nell said. ‘Now, if you guys aren’t going to murder each other, I’ll leave you to it. I need to check everyone knows what they’re doing, and the celebrant should be arriving soon.’

  Brenda stood up and walked towards Nell who now feared she’d pushed her luck a bit too far and the ferocious Brenda was going to smack her legs, but instead Brenda hugged her and kissed her cheek. ‘Thank you, Nell, for being there for Cat.’ Nell hugged her in return and left them to begin her role as host.