The room was still and silent, everyone already hooked, waiting for him to speak.
‘“Stave One, Marley’s Ghost”,’ he read out in a clear, deep voice that sent shivers down Hannah’s spine. ‘“Marley was dead: to begin with.”’
She sat back and, clutching Noah’s hand in hers, let Charles Dickens’s words, in Sam’s beautiful, resonant voice, captivate her. She decided that, as Christmases went, this might turn out to be her best one yet.
Porthgolow was sparkling like a Christmas bauble when Hannah and Noah left the hotel the following morning. Hannah loved the feel of his hand in hers, the way his fingers were both warm and strong, just like the rest of him. She had enjoyed sharing her bed with him – to put it mildly. Their desire for each other had quickly overcome any lingering nerves and, afterwards, she had lain there long after the moon had disappeared from view, the earth rotating away from it, and watched Noah sleep, his dark curls against the pillow, his breaths steady and even.
‘Wow,’ he said now, when the beach came fully into view, the vans and marquees of the food market bright in the winter sunshine, sounds of laughter and engines, voices and Christmas music reaching them halfway up the hill. ‘This is all Charlie’s doing?’
‘She started it, and the whole village has embraced it. Doesn’t it smell wonderful?’ Hannah swung their arms between them. ‘I can smell frying onions and curry spice – turmeric I think – and garlic, definitely. There’s something sweet, like candyfloss, and maybe cinnamon too – on hot doughnuts? Oh God, I want to eat it all!’
‘Even after last night?’
‘Of course! We’re going to eat our way round – it’s not like we haven’t worked up an appetite in the meantime.’ She gave him a sideways smile and he grinned at her.
He was completely relaxed, the Noah she had spent time with in Mousehole, rather than the reserved, sometimes snappy version she’d encountered during their first week together. She thought now of what he’d been going through, his separation from Beth raw and heartbreaking, and how he’d stayed professional – if not always cheerful – and made sure Hannah and the hotel were the focus of his attention.
‘Where first?’ he asked. ‘Did you say that Hugh has a stall?’
‘Charlie told me that he sells his own beer from a tent close to the pub. We should go and say hello.’
‘I can’t believe that, for all these years, you’ve been using Hugh’s fisherman’s pie recipe – and that work brought you here.’
‘Some people,’ Hannah said, as they stepped onto the sand, ‘might say it’s fate that I ended up here; that I recognized Reenie’s house in my photo and met Hugh again. Some people,’ she continued, ‘might even say that it was fate that you were assigned to this case, and that nobody else from head office was free to come. That everything’s worked out the way it has.’
Noah turned to her, halting their progress. ‘Some other people would say it was all down to you. You saw the job was in Cornwall, and a subconscious part of your brain knew you had history here; that there was a reason to come back. And as for me …’ He shook his head.
‘What?’ She laughed at his pained expression. ‘What is it?’
‘That was all you, too. As soon as you arrived, you turned my world on its head. Fate had nothing to do with it. It was all Hannah Swan.’
‘Oh, really? Well, so is this.’ She stretched up on tiptoes to kiss him, and he wrapped his arms around her, the fabric of his coat collar scratching her jaw. ‘Now,’ she said, once they’d broken apart, ‘let’s go and find some food.’
The Porthgolow food market was a mini Winter Wonderland without the rides. Competing festive soundtracks were enlivening rather than jarring, all the vendors and customers were smiling, laughing, offering and tasting, and once Noah and Hannah had picked up a takeaway coffee from Gertie – Lila helping Charlie serve on what was clearly a busy day – they wandered between the trucks, trying to narrow down their choices.
‘There’s something wrong about having a burger for breakfast,’ Noah said, as they passed Benji’s Burgers and Jonah waved at them.
‘It’s not that different from steak and eggs,’ Hannah said. ‘Besides, anything goes at Christmas. The number of times I’ve had chocolate for breakfast on Christmas Day.’ She shook her head.
‘Yes, but it’s only the twenty-third.’
‘You need to let go of the rules. It’s my opinion that post-mind-blowing-sex breakfast can be anything you want it to be, so that combined with it being two days from Christmas gives you free rein.’
‘Mind-blowing,’ Noah repeated.
‘You think I’d still be here if it wasn’t?’ she asked innocently, then ran towards the water when he started chasing her, not that disappointed when he caught her easily and lifted her off the ground, all his running paying off, and silenced her laughter with a kiss.
In the end they chose Mexican breakfast boxes: spicy scrambled eggs with chilli wedges, sausage, and chunky, lime-infused guacamole. They found a space on one of the temporary picnic tables that had been set up on the edge of the market, and sat looking out at a sea which was, on this crisp, sunny day, sparkling like sequins. The sky was the palest blue, streaks of white cloud stretching up to the abyss. It was cold, but not achingly so, and Hannah’s cheeks were warm.
‘God,’ she said, unable to keep the emotion from her voice, ‘it’s so beautiful here.’
Noah didn’t reply. She glanced at him, but he was focused on his breakfast. ‘When are you going back?’ he asked eventually.
‘I’ve got a train booked on the twenty-eighth. It’s not going to take much longer than usual either, so – y’know. Happy days.’ She had booked it yesterday afternoon, before she’d got changed into Lila’s dress. Speaking to Hugh and then her mum had made her resolute, and she had finally stopped dithering. The whole thing had taken less than five minutes. And then, of course, Noah had shown up. But what could she do? Her life was in Edinburgh.
‘Your mum will be glad to have you back. And Gerald,’ Noah said.
‘His newest employee, who only got slightly sidetracked on her first job.’ She laughed, but there was no real humour behind it. ‘We can finish the Crystal Waters costings in the New Year, can’t we? Daniel’s OK with where we’re up to.’
‘He’s happy to get the final report in January, so we’ll pick it up as soon as the festivities are over. I do wonder, though, if it’s really what you want to do.’ Behind them, the jaunty notes of ‘Fairytale of New York’ filled the silence.
Hannah didn’t know how to respond, and Noah continued.
‘I think you know what I’m saying, because I’ve said it before. You were thorough and interested, you listened and you had ideas. You’re a great eco-consultant, Hannah. But are you passionate about it?’
‘I haven’t been doing it for long,’ she protested.
‘But last night with your meal, and this market,’ he continued. ‘You love being here. I can tell, because your whole face is alive with it. You recognize all the smells, you’re interested in the flavours and the processes – telling that guy he had the best guacamole you’d ever tasted, asking how he made it. That’s passion. And last night …’ he added, dropping his voice. ‘There was passion there, too.’
Hannah laughed, her cheeks colouring. ‘That’s completely different and you know it!’ She resisted the urge to throw a spicy wedge at him – they were too delicious to waste.
‘Of course it is.’ His smile dimpled his cheek, making him look impossibly gorgeous. ‘But there’s a difference between being passionate about something, and being conscientious and efficient – wanting to do a good job. You trained to be an eco-consultant because of your dad, because saving the planet is his passion.’
‘It was part of the reason. But I spent a long time getting that qualification.’
‘And while you were doing it, what did you enjoy more? Studying, or working at the Whisky Cellar?’
She narrowed her eyes. ‘You know wh
en you said that you liked how straightforward I was?’
‘You’re not enjoying being on the receiving end?’ he asked, then shrugged. ‘I’m not going to apologize for saying it, but I also know I can say it, because you’ll do what you want – listen to me or ignore me completely. You know all I want is for you to be happy.’
Hannah’s throat thickened. ‘At this moment I am very, very happy. Sitting here with you, my toes numb but my face warm, this view and this breakfast. I couldn’t be any happier, I don’t think. My future is …’ She sighed. ‘My future is a different thing altogether.’
‘Because I’m not wrong?’ Noah asked softly.
‘Because there are things that I want now that I didn’t want a few weeks ago, and I have to work out what to do about that.’ She smiled, but she had some tough decisions ahead of her. Now, however, two days before Christmas, she felt justified in putting them out of her mind. One step at a time, Hannah. ‘The most important thing,’ she said, ‘is how long do you think it’ll be before you’re ready to eat something else?’
He stared at her and held up his fork, on which was speared a potato wedge and a piece of sausage. ‘I haven’t even finished this breakfast. How many are you expecting us to fit in?’
‘I don’t know yet,’ Hannah said. ‘When we’re done, let’s walk the length of the beach and then decide what comes next. And there’s no hurry. We’ve got all day – just you and me.’ Those four words, in that order, were currently her favourite.
By the time they made it on board Gertie, their shoes and jeans were crusted with sea water, they were laden with bags from the fudge stall and the luxury Cornish chocolate stand, and Hannah had been sold a large tub of sweet and salty popcorn by the most persuasive salesman she had ever encountered.
‘Hannah, Noah,’ Lila said as they came on board. ‘This table has just become free, do you fancy a cream tea?’
Noah groaned, and Hannah gave her what she hoped was a placatory smile. ‘I’m not sure either of us could eat another thing right now. We just came to say hello.’
‘Hello!’ Charlie echoed, putting her chin on her cousin’s shoulder. ‘Fun day?’
‘The most.’ Hannah nodded.
‘I think I’m going to pop,’ Noah said. ‘Your food market is dangerous, Charlie.’
‘I’d guess that’s more the company you’re keeping,’ Charlie replied, laughing. ‘What are you going to do with all that popcorn?’
‘Film night?’ Hannah suggested. ‘Perhaps we can persuade Daniel to put on some Christmas films in the snug, if there isn’t any cricket.’
‘Die Hard,’ Lila said. ‘And Elf. And The Muppet Christmas Carol. I’d be up for that.’
‘Rhys is very persuasive, isn’t he?’ Charlie gave Hannah a pitying look.
‘It’s organic popcorn,’ she said defensively. ‘The sample was delicious.’ Noah wrapped an arm round her waist and she felt instantly mollified.
‘I told you, it’s dangerous. And not just because I’m here with Cornwall’s biggest foodie.’
‘Edinburgh’s biggest foodie,’ Hannah corrected, feeling suddenly forlorn. ‘I have no claims on Cornwall.’
‘You have a claim on Noah now,’ Charlie said, ‘and he’s as Cornish as they come. He’s got the accent, the fisherman dad, the belief in piskies and suchlike.’
‘And he’s a classic sexy surfer-boy behind those glasses and smart jumpers,’ Lila added. ‘He’s fooling nobody.’
‘Steady on,’ Noah said, but Hannah could see he was pleased with their assessment. ‘But you’re right about one thing.’ He hugged her closer and planted a swift, slightly self-conscious kiss on her head. ‘She’s claimed me completely.’
‘Oh, you guys,’ Lila cooed. ‘You’re adorable. You do realize you’re going to have to buy a plane, though.’
‘What?’ Hannah and Noah said in unison, Noah sounding especially horrified by the idea.
Lila shrugged. ‘Travelling between Edinburgh and Cornwall is going to take up a lot of time. Flying’s the only way it’s going to work.’
‘They can’t do that,’ Charlie said. ‘I mean, aside from your ridiculous notion of them buying their own plane – all this acting stuff has clearly gone to your head – they can’t even hop on the commercial flights between Edinburgh and Newquay, because it’s against everything they believe in.’
Lila stared blankly at Charlie and she rolled her eyes.
‘Because they’re eco-consultants, Delilah. The whole reason they’re in Porthgolow is because they’re trying to make Crystal Waters more environmentally friendly. They want to save the planet, not add to the pollution.’
‘But if the flights are going anyway,’ Lila said. ‘I mean – they can’t be apart for long periods of time. Look at them. They’re besotted with each other.’
‘We are actually here, guys.’ Hannah waved. ‘Hello.’
‘So what will you do?’ Lila turned towards them, her arms folded. ‘I can promise you it’s not much fun having hundreds of miles between you and the person you love, even for a few weeks.’
Hannah glanced up at Noah just as he looked down, a frown on his face. It was the one thing Hannah hadn’t wanted to think about, but even while she was hiding in her blissful bubble with Noah, she knew she couldn’t be in denial for ever.
And then Noah said, ‘I’d break the rules and clock up the air miles for you, Hannah. I don’t want us to be apart.’
The sincerity of his sentiment, the magnitude of what he was prepared to sacrifice for her, made her feel giddy, and when she tore her eyes away from his, she saw she wasn’t the only one who had been moved by his words. Both Charlie and Lila were blinking back tears.
Chapter Eight
Hannah woke on Christmas morning, the other side of the bed empty. She would be seeing Noah later, but he’d told her that if he didn’t have Christmas lunch with his parents then they might refuse to speak to him ever again. Hannah knew how close he was to his family, and wasn’t about to get in the way of something so precious. He had asked her if she wanted to come, and while Hannah was tempted, she felt that it was too much of an imposition – too much too soon. They had been together all of two and a half days. Besides, Hannah had accepted Charlie and Lila’s kind invitation, and she wasn’t going to change her mind again.
Noah had gone back to Mousehole the evening before, and would be driving to Porthgolow later that afternoon.
‘You’ll be able to do the route between Porthgolow and Mousehole with your eyes closed soon,’ Hannah had said, as they stood next to his car.
‘Not something I’d ever attempt, even if I felt confident enough. But I don’t mind the drive.’ He’d patted his expensive Land Rover, and Hannah had been reminded of the luxury-tinged awkwardness of that first night, when she’d climbed into the passenger seat and attempted to spark up a conversation. ‘What are you grinning about?’ he’d asked and, as she reached up to kiss him, she had wondered whether to be honest.
‘I was thinking how much more I like you now than I did the night we met.’
Noah had rolled his eyes. ‘You don’t need to remind me how much of an idiot I was. I remember.’
‘I know,’ she’d replied, brushing away his frown with her thumb, ‘but it made it all the more surprising, and welcome, when it turned out you were actually a good guy. An amazing guy, in fact.’ She’d shown him just how much her opinion of him had changed, kissing him until Lila had whooped at them from the doorway and they’d broken apart, embarrassed.
Hannah snapped back to the present – she couldn’t stay in bed daydreaming about Noah. It was Christmas Day, after all. She showered and dressed, phoned her mum and Mike to wish them Happy Christmas, then took Spirit and walked down the hill.
She strolled the full length of the beach with him, while the waves crunched against the sand and scribbles of white danced across a blue winter sky. She lost herself to the sights, sounds and smells of Cornwall, and let her thoughts drift through her mind like the c
louds.
She had been worried about what to do with her morning, while everyone else was with their loved ones, opening presents and stockings. Hannah had made the choice to be here, and she had known she would be alone for some of the day. Audrey had checked out of the hotel the morning after their meal, in the same flurry of colourful chaos with which she’d arrived. She’d said warm goodbyes, swapped contact details with Hannah, and assured Daniel she would run her chapter by him before the book went anywhere near publication. He’d nodded and smiled and not completely hidden his relief at her departure.
Hannah had asked Levi if she could help in the kitchen on Christmas morning, to pay him back for his generosity, but Daniel had vetoed it, saying she’d done enough work. So instead she spent the morning with the Cornish landscape, and with the little dog that seemed perfectly content, despite not knowing quite where he fitted in the world. Hannah wished it was so easy not to care, but as she let her toes sink into the sand – the sensation pleasant after the initial shock of cold against her bare skin – she realized that her wants and desires were making their way to the front of her mind, refusing to be ignored. She just didn’t know if she had the confidence to act on them.
The Christmas dinner Hannah attended was served, late afternoon, in the restaurant. Daniel had overseen the earlier meal held for the guests, checking they had everything they needed, and now, while they slept or relaxed or walked off their turkey and roast potatoes in the village, it was the turn of the Porthgolow residents.
Hannah sat at a table with Charlie and Daniel, Lila and Sam, Reenie and Hugh. The Kerr family, of which the prank-playing Jonah was a member, were at another table, and Myrtle was there with her friends, Rose and Frank. Charlie explained that her best friend Juliette and her new husband Lawrence, who Hannah hadn’t met, were in France with Juliette’s family, but that she hoped she’d be able to introduce them to Hannah next time she visited.
The restaurant was the most decorated area of the hotel, as if Daniel had allowed a full Christmas explosion in this room alone: The large Christmas tree in one corner had no discernible colour scheme, the decorations a riot of different shades; silver and blue garlands hung from the ceiling, and there was even some tinsel – superior tinsel, she was sure Daniel would say – draped over the frames of the pictures adorning the walls. Each table had a candle in a shimmering silver candlestick in the centre, along with a holly sprig, the berries a pop of red. Crackers sat at each place setting, waiting to be pulled.
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