‘Alright, you greedy lump, move back and I’ll give you the carrots.’ Merv huffed until I produced the goods, then took them one at a time, chomping merrily, as we chatted. ‘So that’s the bosses gone for a little while, and soon the chaosdescends. I’m not sure what they’ll be like, but from the twenty thousand emails I must have gotten from the event planner, I’m estimating a pain in the ass.’
After Merv finished his carrots, I poured hot water into his feed bucket and stirred in Ribena. Merv shoved me out of his way, his muzzle sinking into the bucket with all the enthusiasm of a granny having her first sherry of Christmas day.
‘Cheers,’ I said, lifting now cooling mug. ‘To surviving whatever madness descends when the millionaires arrive.’
As I locked the stable back up when Merv retreated to the rear wall instead of following me out, a bright yellow bobble hat appeared at the fence.
‘Morning, Henry!’
Lisa Baxter, or the bee lady as she’s known locally, gripped the top of the fence with matching yellow mittens as her face came into view. She was all pink cheeks and nose, giving her usual ethereal charm some cosiness. I liked Lisa, and we often chatted over the fence while she tended her bees and I looked after the expansive manor gardens. There was no denying she was a bit odd, with her quiet and somewhat disarmingly wide stare, her gangly frame and her largely isolated lifestyle, but I found it only added to her vibe. She was also kind and thoughtful, and the first to offer help if ever I needed it. Help and honey.
‘Morning yourself,’ I called. ‘How’s your aunt today?’
‘Same as yesterday, really. Got her all cosied up in bed with this cold snap setting in. It’s a little easier now that she has nurses in to help once a day. Takes a bit of the strain. Got to check the hives and make sure the girls are tucked up too.’
Lisa runs her apiary with a gentle touch. The bees are adored, not merely a part of her shop’s process, but the heart of the operation. Often, I could hear her voice lilting beyond the fence as she sang to them in a song that sounded older than the hillsthemselves. I’d never asked her the meaning of it in case it made her shy to know I could hear her singing. And I didn’t want to deprive the bees of that sweetness.
She nodded toward the stable. ‘Keeping Merv company, then?’
‘He’s keeping me company for my morning brew.’ I held up my mug and smiled.
‘So you’re holding the fort for a while?’
‘The Leadbetters have gone off to see their kids, so it’s just me until the paying guests and the organisational dragon arrives. Already dreading working with her. Hoping she’ll relegate me to the greenhouse.’
‘Brave soul.’
‘I’m being paid to babysit the manor and chat to a donkey. It could be worse.’
Her mouth twitched into a small smile. ‘Not heading home for the holidays, then?’
‘After Christmas,’ I said. ‘Family do for Betwixtmas. Easier once all my sisters have survived their in-law duties. How about you? Got anyone coming for the turkey?’
‘No. Just Aunt Lucy and me again this year. The rest of the family are older and it’s not so easy for them to travel up.’
She was an angel for the way she looked after her aunt. Returning her taking Lisa in as a child and bringing her up surrounded by bees, books and kindness. But it had to be hard. As far as I understood, her aunt was confined to bed and could barely communicate these days. Lisa spent hours reading to her and helping look after her, and never once complained.
‘I won’t be having dinner with the incoming family, but the staff will all grab something to eat together when the chaos settles on Christmas Day. If you can sneak away, you are more than welcome to join us.’
Lisa bit her lip as though it wasn’t just popping next door but some huge invite.‘That’s a lovely offer.’
‘Not just an offer,’ I said, smiling. ‘It’ll be great to chat without a fence between us, and we’ll have more food and drink here than we could hope to get through. Plus, that’s what friends are for.’
‘Friends?’ Lisa mouthed the word as though it were an alien concept. While we may not have hung out, ever, we spoke often in the years I’d worked at the manor.
‘I hope we’re friends.’
‘Thank you. I’ll see if I can sneak away for a little while in the evening. It would be nice to have a change of scenery.’
Merv brayed loudly, clearly agreeing.
‘See?’ I said. ‘He demands you come over and meet everyone properly.’
Lisa nodded. ‘Well, if Merv demanded it...’
‘He does. See you on the 25th, Lisa.’
She raised a gloved hand. ‘Not promising anything.’
