The Cornish Cream Tea Christmas

by Cressida McLaughlin

  Then it was gone. The air was still and smelt only of pine needles, her intense misery felt instantly ridiculous, and she wondered if she had imagined the whole thing. Or she would have done if it hadn’t been for Spirit, who had stepped over her lap and was standing with his front paws on the back of the sofa, his ears pricked and his tail wagging, staring out at the hotel gardens, looking intently at something, or someone, that Hannah couldn’t see.

  Chapter Six

  Coming into close contact with a ghost was bound to make sleep more difficult to come by, Hannah reasoned as she stared at the ceiling, shapes morphing out of the darkness as her eyes struggled to adjust. It also made her feel incredibly emotional about the prospect of Audrey’s cleansing spell. She didn’t understand why a waft of air – that any sceptic would explain away in a heartbeat – had made more of an impression on her than Audrey’s retelling of the tragic love story.

  When she made it upstairs the next morning Daniel and Audrey were standing close to the front desk, deep in conversation.

  ‘Good morning,’ she said.

  ‘Hi Hannah,’ Daniel looked up briefly then turned back to Audrey. His dark eyes were serious.

  ‘Oh Hannah, I was just telling Daniel that I’m ready to cleanse the hotel. I’ve had a long, enlightening discussion with my friend, and everything’s in place. We’ve agreed to do it this evening.’

  ‘Before your meal, Hannah, if that’s OK?’ Daniel said.

  ‘Sure.’ Hannah was proud of the menu she had planned, and felt a thrill of excitement at the day stretching ahead of her in the kitchen, getting everything prepared.

  ‘We can go outside as it gets dark,’ Audrey said. ‘At the liminal time.’

  Hannah pictured a small procession of them, slinking out of the snug, through the winding paths of the gardens and down to the outdoor swimming pool, all holding candles. They would look like a cult, or a witches’ coven. They only needed a couple of velvet cloaks for the effect to be complete – even a hoody might give the wrong impression. She could see why Daniel didn’t exactly look over the moon.

  ‘Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,’ Hannah said. Once Audrey had gone, she asked Daniel if he was OK.

  ‘I will be,’ he said. ‘Once this little chapter is finished and I can put all my effort into Christmas. I can’t have anything going wrong on Christmas Day, not this year. Not phantom guests or wily dogs or storms that threaten to take out all the power. It sounds myopic, but that’s my focus right now.’

  ‘If karma has anything to do with it, you should be all right,’ Hannah replied. ‘You’ve had enough disruption to last you the next five years, at least.’ She realized now was not the time to tell him about her experience the night before.

  ‘I’m not taking anything for granted. It has to be perfect.’ He was staring at his phone, full of nervous energy. It was so different to how he’d been when she first arrived – the coolest of cats, all charm and unwavering confidence. This wasn’t just about Christmas. A thought struck her then, and it seemed so obvious that she couldn’t help grinning.

  ‘If there’s anything I can do, Daniel, anything at all, please let me know.’

  He narrowed his eyes. ‘You’re going to be busy enough in the kitchen today.’

  She nodded. ‘It was so kind of Charlie to ask me to stay, and of you to let me take over your professional kitchen. And I loved spending yesterday on Charlie’s bus – she’s brilliant, isn’t she? You must be so proud of her.’

  He nodded, watching her closely. He opened his mouth, as if he was about to say something, then seemed to change his mind.

  ‘I’d better go and see Levi,’ she said. ‘I’ve got cod fillets to prep, dauphinoise potatoes to make.’ As she walked away, she knew he was still watching her. But he didn’t need to worry; even if she was right about what he was planning, his secret was safe with her.

  In the kitchen, Hannah forgot about everything else. Cooking was the perfect activity; it engaged all her senses and took over her thoughts. She prepared her cod fillets, seasoned them and arranged them. She peeled potatoes, and selected the best stems of purple sprouting broccoli. Her friends’ Christmas menu was never roast turkey, never anything too traditional, and being in Cornwall she had gone big on the fish: seared scallops and pancetta to start – a classic, but one of the best – and cod for the main course. There were vegetarian options for Lila, and she was making a version of her chocolate log with bitter cherry sauce for dessert.

  That was the only part where she faltered. She could picture Noah’s face when she’d described it to him, the way he’d looked at her so intently, flirted so obviously. And she hadn’t responded instinctively because of Beth – Beth, who he hadn’t been with then, but was with now. The irony was almost too much.

  ‘Looking great, Hannah,’ Levi said, nodding his approval. He had a sprig of holly in his chef’s hat, and Hannah couldn’t help grinning.

  ‘It’s going OK so far.’ She wiped her hands on a tea towel and moved to a different work station. ‘I want to marinate these for a bit longer, and add more mint to the pea purée. What do you think?’ She held out her spoon and waited while Levi tasted it, his eyes closing briefly.

  ‘Magnificent. Where is it you work again?’

  ‘Green Futures,’ she said, staring at her purée. ‘I prefer this sort of green, though.’ She gestured to the pan, to the fresh mint leaves and broccoli. ‘Do you ever get bored of creating delicious food for willing customers?’

  Levi laughed. ‘Not for a moment.’

  ‘No,’ Hannah said. ‘I didn’t think so.’

  Levi went back to preparing the restaurant’s standard menu, leaving Hannah to her work. Noah would be there tonight, because she had invited him and he still seemed willing. Would he bring Beth with him? She couldn’t imagine he would do that without asking her first, to check it was OK numbers-wise, if nothing else, but it was a possibility.

  She had sent him another message that morning, letting him know Audrey’s spell was happening before dinner, suggesting he come earlier if he wanted to be there, but she hadn’t looked at her phone since. She didn’t know what she would say when she saw him, or how she should behave. But she couldn’t think about that now: she had scallops to clean.

  She was finished in time to freshen up before Audrey’s gathering, and Levi had said he would oversee everything from that point onwards.

  ‘I can’t ask you to do that,’ she said, undoing her apron. ‘The scallops and cod need to be cooked last minute, and you’ve got your own menu to deal with. I’ll be back soon.’

  ‘And who’s going to host your dinner?’ he asked, folding his arms over his chest. ‘You’ve been working all day, and it’ll still be your cooking, your meal, if you leave the rest to me and my team.’

  ‘I’m not worried about that,’ she said, brushing a strand of damp hair out of her eyes. ‘I’m worried about lumping a load of work on you when you’ve got enough to do.’

  ‘So, accept this as my Christmas present to you. Go and say goodbye to your ghosts, then change into a sparkly dress and host your dinner party.’

  Hannah grinned. ‘I don’t have a sparkly dress.’

  ‘I’m sure you have something,’ he said. ‘Regardless. Your time here is done. Over. You’re banished.’

  ‘From my own menu,’ Hannah protested, as Levi turned her round by her shoulders.

  ‘At least you’re getting it now,’ he said, and pushed her gently through the door.

  Before she went back to her room, Hannah stepped outside and took in large gulps of cold air. Working in a kitchen was always hot, sweaty work, as good a workout as one of Noah’s runs, or fifty lengths in the swimming pool. She rubbed her eyes and blinked. The sun was the colour of apricots, hovering above a gunmetal sea, and when Hannah tipped her head back she could see the first stars winking in the indigo expanse above.

  Crystal Waters was lit up like a beacon, the bay tree lollipops either side of the front
door draped in pinprick fairy lights. Excitement twisted low in her stomach at the thought of the next few days: Audrey’s cleansing spell followed by her own event, the last festive food market tomorrow, then Christmas Eve and Christmas Day spent in this beautiful location, with Porthgolow Bay just beyond the glass. She had been so caught up with thoughts of Noah, worrying about her mum and the photographs, that somehow the reality of where she was had passed her by.

  ‘Hannah!’

  She peered around the nearest car to see Lila and Sam, laden down with bags. They had obviously been Christmas shopping, but Lila looked immaculate in jeans and a leather jacket, her dark hair falling around her shoulders.

  ‘Wow, you look like you’ve been busy,’ Lila said.

  ‘I look a wreck,’ she laughed, glad she couldn’t see herself next to Lila’s effortless glossiness. ‘But I’m on my way to get changed. Levi’s very kindly going to oversee things in the kitchen while we’re saying goodbye to Anna and her fisherman.’

  ‘What are you wearing?’ Lila asked as Sam put his bags down and stretched his arms above his head.

  ‘I have this black skirt and quite a nice polka-dot blouse …’ Hannah stopped when Lila shook her head at her. ‘I was only meant to be here for a week,’ she added. ‘And with no parties on the itinerary.’

  ‘It’s a good thing I’ve packed for lots of parties then, isn’t it? Come with me.’

  Hannah let herself be led back into the hotel by Lila, Sam grinning behind them.

  ‘Now, I don’t need you to do anything other than focus on what I’m saying and, if it’s amenable to you all, hold hands in a circle. We can sort that out once we’re down there.’ Audrey gave the gathered group a warm smile. The room was thick with anticipation, the guests having a pre-dinner drink in the snug looking on with interest. Audrey was wearing a black blouse with gold embroidered detail, her tightly curled hair as wild as ever, her lips red. Hannah didn’t know whether the effort was for her spell, or the dinner afterwards.

  She felt unexpectedly glamorous herself in the navy dress Lila had lent her: it had shimmering silver thread detail on the bodice that winked in the light, and she’d complemented it with eyeliner and a bold pink lipstick that she’d brought with her on a whim and had never expected to use.

  ‘Don’t we need to chant along with you?’ Lila asked. She was wearing a cream jumpsuit with dusky pink flowers on it, and even though her heels were low – probably due to their impending trip out into the dark hotel gardens – she looked red-carpet ready.

  ‘Chanting?’ Reenie said. ‘Good lord! There won’t be any of that, will there?’

  ‘No chanting,’ Audrey confirmed. ‘I’ll just be reading out some words from this book.’ She held up her trusty notebook, and Hannah wished she could take a look at all the stories it held; what other places she’d visited, chasing the shadows and ghostly trails that her friend had left for her to follow. ‘It’s not a ritual, as such. We’re simply opening up a channel for Anna and Henry to walk through, so they can be at peace.’

  Hannah thought she heard Reenie snort, though it could have been a cough. She realized she hadn’t told anyone about her experience in reception. After tonight, would it all be gone? Had she had the last ever paranormal experience at Crystal Waters? She was desperate to tell Noah about it, but he hadn’t responded to her message, and he hadn’t appeared. Perhaps now that he was back with Beth, he wouldn’t turn up at all.

  ‘Shall we get going?’ Daniel asked, glancing at his other guests. ‘Best to do it before the temperature drops too much more.’ He gestured to the doorway and, after a flurry of everyone putting their coats on over their finery, Audrey led the way, the others following, Lila whispering excitedly to Sam.

  Outside, the cold was all-pervasive. The sun had taken the last of the warmth with it, and Hannah zipped her coat up to the neck, heard the rustle of others tightening scarves and pulling on gloves. She still hadn’t found her rainbow scarf, and wondered if she’d left it on board Gertie – she would have to remember to ask Charlie later.

  Spotlights at the edges of the path marked their way through the gardens, and ahead of them the moon was startlingly white, reflected on water that was, for once, almost as flat as glass. Stars sparkled above them, bolder than they ever were in Edinburgh, and Hannah was awed by it. It felt as if this was a special night; the perfect time for Audrey to set Anna and Henry free.

  She followed the others down the steps that led to the outdoor swimming pool. The tiles surrounding it gave them ample space to stand in a circle, next to where Spirit had found the graffiti’d stone.

  ‘I can’t hold hands,’ Audrey said, ‘as I need to hold my notebook open, but I’ll still be part of the circle. If you could all join hands please.’

  Hannah took hers out of her pockets. She had Charlie on her right, and Reenie’s thin, bony grasp on her left. The hotel was behind Charlie, the sea beyond Reenie, and the covered pool ahead of her, past Lila and Sam. Audrey had her back to the sea with Daniel next to her, his eyes cast downwards. Hannah thought he must be relieved that it was almost over, so he could get back to his celebratory plans. She dropped her head too, hiding her smile.

  Audrey cleared her throat twice, and then spoke: ‘Anna Purser, Henry Medlin, we are here tonight to release you to the other side. To bring you peace, to take away the guilt and fear, the regret and blame that leaves you here, in the space between life and death.’

  Her voice rang out clearly, and there was something about the way she spoke that reached Hannah’s heart. Audrey cared about these people who had died all those years ago; she wanted their story to be known, the details of how they had lived and died as important as the possibility of a haunting. She was interested in their history. Perhaps she thought that cloaking it in spectral footsteps and unexplained cold spots would make more people pay attention.

  Hannah closed her eyes and let Audrey’s words wash over her, her thoughts returning to the strange breeze, the strong smell of lavender she’d experienced the night before.

  ‘Use our energies,’ Audrey said. ‘Take strength from us one final time. Be at peace. Be free.’ She fell silent, and Reenie strengthened her grip on Hannah’s hand, as if afraid Anna or Henry would whisk her away when they went, carrying her out to sea. The quiet remained, and in it Hannah heard distant sounds; the shushing of the waves, a dog barking somewhere, raised voices and laughter from inside the hotel.

  ‘Are we done?’ Lila whispered.

  ‘That’s it, everyone,’ Audrey said. ‘Thank you.’

  Hannah lifted her head just as Spirit barrelled into the centre of the circle, jumping up at each of them, his tail wagging frenziedly.

  ‘Aw, he’s gutted he missed it,’ Lila said, trying to catch hold of him.

  ‘Do you think it worked?’ Sam asked Audrey.

  She looked at him with clear eyes and said, ‘I honestly have no idea.’

  Daniel clapped his hands together. ‘But it’s done. It’s over. Thank you, Audrey, for taking the time and effort to finish it properly. I suggest we all go inside while we can still feel our fingers.’

  ‘Hang on, what’s this?’ Lila had finally got hold of Spirit and was on her knees, unwrapping something from around his throat.

  ‘Has he got tangled up?’ Sam asked, crouching beside her.

  ‘No, I don’t think so. It was tied in a bow. It’s a—’

  ‘Scarf,’ Hannah finished. ‘My scarf.’ Her rainbow scarf that had gone missing. Had Spirit taken it, like he had Audrey’s pen and Daniel’s stapler? It was brightly coloured, after all.

  ‘How on earth did it get round the dog’s neck?’ Reenie said. ‘I know you all think he’s got hidden talents, but bow-tying is taking things to extremes.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Hannah murmured, reaching her hand out. When Lila handed her the scarf she turned and ran up the steps, not prepared to stop and explain in case her sudden inkling was wrong, or she was going mad, or only imagining that one place she definit
ely remembered seeing it before she’d lost it was on the hook in Noah’s parents’ house. She broke into a slow jog, winding her way through the gardens to the door at the back of reception. She burst through it, her eyes scanning the empty space, and her heart sank.

  Not, then, as she’d thought. He wasn’t coming. She closed the door, trying to get her breath back.

  ‘Hannah.’

  He was standing in the entrance to the snug, jeans and a grey-blue jumper setting his eyes alight, his hair untamed. His gaze found hers.

  ‘Noah, hi.’

  ‘How did Audrey’s cleansing spell go?’

  ‘OK, I think. I mean, who knows if it worked? But Audrey seemed pleased, so maybe the ghosts are gone. You don’t seem that upset to have missed it.’ She stepped towards him. ‘But you still came for dinner? I wasn’t sure you would.’

  He moved closer too, until they were next to the tall, twinkling Christmas tree. He lifted the scarf out of her hands and wrapped it around his own. ‘I wanted Spirit to lead me to you,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t sure where Audrey had taken you all. I tied the scarf round his neck, then Chloe started talking to me and by the time I turned around, he’d gone. I didn’t see which direction he’d headed in, so I couldn’t follow. I hadn’t meant this to be quite so cloak-and-dagger.’ His lips flickered into a smile.

  Hannah’s pulse refused to settle, even though her breathing had returned to normal. ‘It’s a night for cloak-and-dagger, though, so I’ll allow it. Except – what do you mean, you hadn’t meant this to be cloak-and-dagger? My Christmas meal?’

  ‘Why did you think I wasn’t coming tonight?’

  ‘Because …’ She didn’t know where to start. With her assumptions, with Noah’s mum, or with the fact she’d seen Noah and Beth on the doorstep together?