Christmas at Wynter House

by Emily Harvale

  'What? The village has flooded? Are you OK? Was anyone hurt?'

  'We're all fine. The water was surprisingly calm, which was odd seeing as the river is a raging torrent. It just sort of crept over the bank and trickled into the village like an incoming tide on a summer's day. It was a really weird experience to say the least. But also a bit frightening because although the flow was gentle, the water was rising pretty fast.'

  'Where are you now then? Are you at your parents'?'

  'No. Adam told us all to come to Wynter House and Rafe reluctantly agreed even though he didn't seem happy about it. But that was odd too, because when we got here, Rafe had already instructed the butler and other staff to prepare rooms for us all and to light fires etc.'

  'Butler? Staff? It sounds like Downton Abbey. Is it as grand as it looks in the photos?'

  'It's magnificent. The photos don't do it justice. I've met Olivia Wynter, who I think could give Charmaine a run for her money. I've spent a couple of hours in a bed that dates back to Tudor times, but sadly, alone. I've been served breakfast by the staff and I'm currently sitting on a window seat in the library where I've been reading a copy of Wives and Daughters that I think has actually been signed by Mrs Gaskell herself. Oh, and I think, but I'm not entirely sure, that Rafe Wynter may have just told me that he thinks he could easily be in danger of falling in love with me.'

  'W-what? He said that? When? Why? What were you doing at the time? Tell me everything. Wait. You said “danger”. I know you're a bit of a weirdo sometimes, but why would falling in love with you be a danger?'

  'Because he doesn't want to fall in love ever again, it seems. He was married when he was twenty and it was a big mistake. She had an affair soon after, and left. They got divorced but some people think he killed her. Don't ask. It's all rather silly. But anyway, marriage is definitely not on his radar.'

  'Wow! That's so romantic.'

  'Romantic? What's romantic about him not wanting to fall in love and get married? I think it's rather sad.'

  'It is sad. But that's what makes it romantic. He's fighting his feelings. But he'll be overcome and he'll pull you into his arms and kiss you passionately and tell you that he can't live without you and beg you to be his wife and have his children and live happily ever after.'

  'Yeah, right. I don't think so. Besides, I'm not sure he's the passionate type. Or romantic. Angry? Yes. Rude? Yes. Passionate and romantic? Hmm. I'm not so sure. Although he did say he fell in love with his wife pretty fast. But he also said it was a mistake and one he won't make again.'

  'He sounds like he's putting up barriers. Like he's trying to be tough and he doesn't want to risk getting hurt again. Maybe deep down there's a soft side to him.'

  'He did tell me things I think he later wished he hadn't. I assumed he'd had a fantastic childhood, living here in the lap of luxury. It seems he didn't. I may be wrong, but I think he's very sad. And lonely in a way. I had no idea how hard it is to keep a place like this going and he's burdened with so many responsibilities that, in my opinion, are crushing him. I'm not sure he knows how to just have fun. He spends his days and probably his nights, worrying about this place and I hadn't realised, but it must be awful to have to open your home, no matter how huge it may be, to paying guests when you clearly don't want to. Anyway, my problem is I'm not interested in him. It's Adam I fancy. Although there's something about Rafe that makes me think he'd be bloody fantastic in bed. But if Rafe really was saying he likes me, and I now go and jump in bed with his younger brother, which I will given half a chance, that's only going to make Rafe even sadder.'

  'I hate to break this to you, Neva, but I don't think that's your problem. From what you've just told me, your problem is that there's a very real possibility you might be falling in love with the other brother. And I don't mean Adam.'

  'Rafe? Are you suggesting I might be falling for Rafe? You're crazy, Jo. I can assure you I'm not.'

  'Can you? I wouldn't be so sure.'

  'Well, I am sure. But it doesn't make much difference because as Rafe wants us to leave, I won't get a chance to do anything with either brother, let alone fall in love.'

  'So you're leaving?'

  'Once the rain eventually stops and providing the roads are OK, we'll be leaving later today.'

  'Oh no. I hope you don't. I hope you get to stay. I believe that you going to Wyntersleap might be the best thing that's ever happened. And after a few more days, I think Rafe Wynter will feel the same.'

  'Adam Wynter, Jo. Adam's the one I like. Not Rafe. Rafe's nice in his way, but he's not the man for me.'

  'OK. You keep telling yourself that. Oh hell. Charmaine is on her way. She's like a bloody guided missile and she's definitely got me permanently in her sights. Call me again tomorrow or tonight if you do have to go home. I need to know what's happening. And Neva?'

  'Yes, Jo.'

  'I know you think you fancy Adam. But sometimes we fall in love with the last person we ever thought we would. Plus, lust and love are two completely different things. Remember that. As you've always asked my advice, even if you don't always take it, listen to this piece of Jo's dating wisdom. Give poor Rafe a chance. He sounds like he could do with a woman like you, and from the way you talk about him, he could well be the man for you.'

  Chapter Seventeen

  By 1.p.m. the temperature had dropped and the torrential rain had turned to hailstones. Lumps of ice the size of golf balls pelted the windows and bounced on the lawns. Within the space of half an hour, the ground was covered with a layer of lumpy white ice.

  'Ah, there you are, sweetheart,' Dennis said, as Neva gingerly came down the stairs into the hall.

  Since speaking to Jo she had hidden herself in the bedroom she'd had earlier. She hadn't wanted to bump into Rafe again and she didn't know where else to go.

  'Hi, Dad. Have you seen the weather? It sounds like a herd of reindeer are stampeding around the grounds.'

  'I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. But I do have one bit of good news. I saw Rafe a short time ago and, due to the worsening weather, he thinks it's best if we stay. At least for tonight. Although he didn't look as if the prospect pleased him.'

  Neva's stomach did an odd little flip. It was probably because she was hungry.

  'I don't suppose it did. Um. Did you offer to pay extra?'

  Dennis frowned. 'I did. But that seemed to make him even more irritable and he said the strangest thing.'

  Her stomach flipped again. 'Oh.' She cleared her throat. 'What was that?'

  'That he didn't know what you had told me, but he didn't take advantage of people just because he could. What do you think he meant by that?'

  Neva flushed and her heart thumped in her chest. Oh great. Now the bloody man thought she'd run off and told her family everything he had said.

  'I have no idea. Where're Mum and the others?'

  'In the dining room. Apparently there's soup and fresh bread for lunch. Although it doesn't seem five minutes since we all sat down to breakfast.'

  'Tell my tummy that. It's doing the strangest things. Aren't you having any?'

  'Yes. I came out to look for Sasha. Have you seen her?'

  'Not since shortly after breakfast. She was here, searching for the secret panel the last time I saw her.'

  'Oh dear. I wonder what mischief she's getting up to now. At least she doesn't have Tempest with her.'

  'Where's Tempest then?'

  Dennis grinned. 'Having puppy training. You remember that man George we saw this morning?'

  'The one who'd turned Persephone from a hissing, spitting, wild thing into a ball of contented fluff?'

  Dennis laughed. 'That's the one. It seems he has a way with animals. We were chatting to him earlier and he offered to give Tempest some training. It was far too good an opportunity to miss.'

  'Wow.' Neva nudged his arm. 'Maybe he can do something with Sasha too. I wonder where she is then?'

  'At least we know she's nowhere near the river. She w
on't have gone outside because of the weather. This house is huge. She must be wandering the corridors.'

  'She'll come back when she smells food, or when she gets hungry. I wouldn't worry about her. I don't think she can come to much harm here.'

  'It's not her I'm worried about. It's the house. Some of these antiques are priceless.'

  Neva laughed. 'Should we send out a search party then?'

  Dennis glanced along the hall and then towards the dining room. 'If she was going to do any damage, she probably would've done it by now. You're right. She'll come back when she gets hungry. Besides,' Dennis added, with a laugh, 'she's not my child. Rowan and Nigel can foot the bill.'

  'That's the spirit, Dad.'

  They walked arm in arm into the dining room and joined the rest of the family who were seated across from one another on the chairs closest to the door. Nigel sat opposite Rowan and Dawn, so Neva sat beside her sister and Dennis sat next to Nigel.

  'Where's everyone else?' Neva asked.

  'They've already eaten,' Nigel said. 'We're the last ones.'

  Rowan beamed at Neva. 'Have you heard the good news?'

  'Yes. Tempest is being trained. And we've lost Sasha.'

  'Oh very funny.' Rowan rolled her eyes. 'We can stay.'

  'Oh that. Yes. Can life get any better?'

  'What's up with you?'

  'Sorry. I'm a bit out of sorts. Nothing a Baileys or three won't cure, but I suppose it's a bit early for that.' She looked at her family in mock horror. 'Please tell me we saved the Baileys from the flood.'

  'Now who sounds like an alcoholic?' Dennis said.

  'It's wonderful though, isn't it?' Dawn ladled soup into bowls for Dennis and Neva, from the large tureen sitting on a hot plate on the table. 'That we can stay here, I mean. Even if it's only for tonight. You should see this place, sweetheart. Why didn't you want to take a look around? It's most unlike you not to want to take advantage of such an opportunity.'

  Neva shrugged. 'I just wanted some time alone.'

  'I think you spend far too much time alone. What you need is to find yourself a nice young man.'

  Rowan laughed. 'Men aren't the answer to everything, you know, Mum. Although she has got her eyes on the delectable Adam. And if she's plays her cards right, she could be staying here for more than just one-'

  'Rafe!' Dennis leapt to his feet, his face redder than the tomato soup in the bowl his wife held out to him. 'Anything we can help you with?'

  Neva closed her eyes, praying the ground would open up and swallow her. He might not have been there long but knowing her luck, he probably heard every word of Rowan's comment. She could imagine the expression on his face.

  'I think you already have.' His voice held a cold, hard, sarcastic note. 'I wanted to check that you have everything you need because we're going to the village, so there won't be anyone around to assist you.'

  'No. We're fine, thanks. There's nothing we need. But you said you're going to the village? In this weather? Is that to move more of people's belongings?'

  'No. We've finished moving those. At least as many as we can. That's been going on all morning. Now, despite these hailstones, we're going to move the remaining stock from Roger's shop and the barrels from Sean's pub. We were hoping the water wouldn't reach that far, but it's almost there, so I've got to dash. Please make yourselves at home.'

  'We can help,' Dennis offered.

  'Yeah.' Nigel got up. 'I'll grab my coat.'

  'I can't expect you to do that. This weather's horrendous and the barrels are heavy.'

  'We're builders,' Nigel said. 'We're used to bad weather and lifting heavy things. It's the least we can do after what you've done for us.'

  'Grab my coat too please, Nigel,' Neva said, getting to her feet. 'There's room in my car. I can't fit a barrel in it but I can help with the stock from the shop. Although not fresh food because I've got chemicals in my boot.'

  Rafe gave her an odd look as he was turning to leave.

  'I'm a hairdresser,' she added.

  'I know.' He looked away. 'I think it's best if you stay here.'

  'Why? I'm a builder's daughter. I'm stronger than I look.'

  'I don't doubt it.' He didn't turn to check.

  'Me too,' said Rowan. 'And here's a newsflash, Rafe. Women are just as capable as men.'

  'True. Then join us when you're ready.' He was halfway to the door. 'But please be careful, and make sure you each take one of our umbrellas. They're heavy but they're made from stronger fabric.'

  Dawn got to her feet but Rowan shook her head. 'Will you stay here please, Mum? I don't want Sasha to panic when she finally reappears and finds we're not around.'

  'Of course. And perhaps I'd better go and see if I can find her.'

  Neva suggested that Rowan should go with her, as they would both be helping at the shop and they, together with Dennis and Nigel in their cars, weren't far behind Rafe and the rest of the vehicles returning to the village.

  The water had risen, but not as much as Neva had expected, although it was creeping along the street and trickling into the cottages and, as Rafe had said, getting very close to the pub. If the barrels were in a cellar, surely it would be too late? But perhaps the pub didn't have a cellar. They wouldn't be trying to save them unless they thought they could.

  'Aren't barrels sealed?' Rowan asked as they pulled up in front of the shop.

  'Yes. But I think they need to be kept at a certain temperature and I expect there're probably regulations that state if barrels are submerged in water the beer can't be drunk, or some such ludicrous thing.'

  A tall man, possibly in his fifties and holding an umbrella, came out from the shop doorway to meet them. Once they were all inside the rather bijou shop, he smiled.

  'You must be Neva. And Rowan. Rafe's just told me you've offered to lend a hand. I'm Roger. Penny's husband. You might have met her earlier. She's the cook up at the house.'

  'I saw her, I think,' Neva said. 'But we weren't introduced. Sorry we're meeting under such circumstances, Roger. What can we do to help?'

  'I've packed up most of the boxes and got as many as I can in my car, so it's just ferrying the remaining ones to yours, if that's OK.'

  Neva explained about the chemicals and he said that it was just as well he'd taken all the perishables first. It was only tinned foods left.

  They took it in turns for one of them to hold the umbrella over another who carried a box out to the car, while the other moved the remaining boxes nearer to the door. It took less than half an hour to clear the entire shop. But that was only because Roger, and no doubt some of the others, had cleared so many boxes earlier.

  'I'll be back in a second,' Neva said, grabbing one of the umbrellas they'd brought with them from Wynter House, and dashing back to their rental cottage, splashing through a couple of inches of water on the way. The door was still unlocked and when she pushed it open, the beautiful wood floors were beneath an inch or so of water too, but to her surprise the thing that she was looking for, had gone.

  'If you're looking for your tree,' a voice said from behind her, 'we took it earlier.'

  She turned and smiled at Adam. 'You did? In all the rush, we completely forgot about it. I came and unplugged the lights and I meant to come back and pack the decorations. Some of them are old and have a sentimental value.'

  'That's what we thought.' He returned her smile. 'We went through all the properties just after breakfast to see what else could be moved out of harm's way. We managed to save a few more items of furniture for Ethel and Queenie and one or two of the others, and also a few Christmas trees. Although I'm not sure we know whose is whose.'

  'Dad picked up the tree from B&Q on his way here, so we're not attached to that. It's really just the decorations, and we'll recognise those as soon as we see them. But did you really stand here and take them all off?'

  He nodded. 'We did. And nothing was broken, you'll be pleased to hear.'

  'We? You had some help? Please say thank you
to whoever it was. It was really very kind.'

  'I shall. But unless there's anything else here we missed, I think we should get back.'

  'There's nothing else.'

  He stood aside to let her pass and she reopened her umbrella and held it over both of them as Adam locked the door.

  'I don't think we need to worry about vandalism here in Wyntersleap, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Now that we've moved everything we possibly can, I don't think we'll be back until the water eventually recedes. If this weather continues, that may not be for some time.'

  'I can't believe these hailstones.'

  'I know. But at least one good thing has come out of it.' He carefully took the umbrella from her, making sure it sheltered her the entire time. Then he linked her arm through his and smiled down at her. 'It means you're going to be staying. And I'm very pleased about that.'

  He wasn't the only one.

  Chapter Eighteen

  'We can't find Sasha anywhere.' Dawn looked terrified as Neva and Rowan carried boxes into the hall. 'We know she can't have gone far, but we have no idea where else to look.' She glanced at Judith, and the woman and teenage girl, Neva had seen at breakfast.

  'Well, she must be somewhere.' Rowan dumped her boxes on the floor and hurried over to Dawn. 'She definitely didn't go out. The house is huge. Perhaps you just kept missing her. You know, while she was in one corridor, you were in another.'

  'That's what we thought, but we've called and called. George even brought Tempest in to see if she could sniff her out, but all she wanted to do was chase around in here and scratch at the wood panelling. And we couldn't let her do that, so he's taken her into the staff sitting room with Boris and Duchess.'

  'Mum. You're rambling,' Rowan said.

  'You're right, sweetheart. I'm sorry. I'm all of a dither today.'

  Judith stepped forward and smiled. 'I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. We'll find her very soon, you'll see. And now that all the others are returning, we can enlist their help. I know it's easy for me to say, but please try not to panic. She can't come to serious harm here.'