Rhys nodded.“I think your granddad would like to know you were here, at Langley Park.He’ll have questions for you, so I thought I’d show you where I lived when I was a boy, and that way you won’t mind his questions.”
“I won’t ever mind,” Olivia said stoutly.“He’s your dad.”
Rhys led them past a line of people waiting to pick up their tickets at will call, which was in the bottom of the cottage they were approaching.
“This was our cottage when I grew up,” he said.“It’s the cottage closest to the house and the old stable, and many years ago, before there were cars, horses and then later, horse drawn carriages, were how everyone got around, so horses were essential to the estate.When visitors would arrive, say in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, stable hands would take the horses from the guests, walk them to the stables where they’d rub them down, feed them, give them a place to rest until they were needed again.Horses were expensive and valuable, and it was the stable master’s job to ensure all horses under his care were cared for.There weren’t veterinarians then, no one to come and pay a house call.The stable master was expected to know how to heal a injured or sick horse, how to safely deliver a foal, as well as recognize prime horseflesh for breeding.Those skills were highly valued, and it wasn’t just a job, but an artform… rather like medicine.”
“Your dad could do all these things?”Olivia asked, dropping Cat’s hand to pull her cap off her head and rub at her hair elastic.
“He didn’t have to know medicine the way stable masters did one hundred years ago, but he did everything else.”
“How did he learn?”Jillian asked, clearly fascinated by everything Rhys was telling them.
“From his dad.My grandfather and great-grandfather were horse men too.But then, Wales is known for its horses and the people who understand them.”Rhys pushed open the door to the cottage, the downstairs now an office bustling with people.“Let’s go in.Mrs.Booth gave me permission to show you around.”Rhys looked at Cat, a hint of a smile at his lovely mouth.“Please join us.After all, this was your idea.”
Because there were people filling the downstairs, Rhys pointed to where the kitchen had been—and still was—as well as the sitting room that was very like the sitting room in their cottage down the road.They were allowed to go upstairs and look at the bedrooms—four bedrooms just like their cottage—but with only one bathroom, instead of the two at their place.
“The earl modernized the holiday cottages,” Rhys explained, “knowing that a big family on holiday won’t want to share just one bathroom.Mr.Trimble told me about all the work they’ve done here over the years to make the cottages comfortable for guests.”
*
They returned tothe cottage, and the girls showed their dad the Christmas cards they’d made that morning.There were cards for Mr.Trimble, Mrs.Booth and Mrs.Johnson.Cards for their mum—nothing for Roger who they had met but didn’t think much of—and cards for their dad, but they couldn’t show him.There were even two cards for Cat, but they hadn’t let her see those, either.
The kitchen table still had remnants of the card making, with colored paper, glue, scissors, glitter, colored pens, and colored pencils scattered everywhere while the cards dried.
Olivia returned to the table now and sat down, rifling through the stack of colored paper until she found silver-blue paper.“I’m going to make a card for Granddad,” she said, immediately getting to work.“If we’re going to see him, we need some cards and presents, because it’s not Christmas without at least a package or two.”
“Your grandfather will just be happy to see you,” Rhys said, sweeping up some of the glitter.“That will be the best gift of all.”He dumped the glitter into the rubbish bin and then washed his hands.“Where did you get all these art supplies?”
“In the village.Jillian bought them.”Olivia looked up at him, expression serious.“With her own money.”
“That was good of you, Jilly, but I am happy to pay for something like that.”
“I know, but I’m going to be thirteen soon and I have to start taking care of myself.”
Cat and Rhys exchanged swift glances, and Rhys went to his oldest, kissed her on the forehead.“Please don’t grow up too fast,” he murmured.“Your daddy loves you very much.”
Jillian said nothing, but she managed a small smile, and her shoulders seemed to ease.
“What if we go to Baslow and have dinner there?I don’t think you’ve been to Baslow.The village sits on the outskirts of Chatsworth, Chatsworth being one of England’s most famous country estates.It’s also the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, their family, the Cavendish family, have lived there for over five hundred years, which is unusual today in Britain.”
“We’re not going to have to go see the house, are we?”Jillian asked, sounding put out at the idea of another history house tour.
“No, we’d go visit the Chatsworth Christmas Market, they are open until six on weekends and then after we wander around, we could have dinner in Baslow and then come home.
“But if you’re too tired to go, Jilly, maybe Catriona would be willing to stay home with you, and I can just take Livy—”
“I never said,” Jillian snapped.“I just asked a question.”She looked over at Cat who was washing up the lunch plates from earlier.“Besides, it doesn’t seem very nice to Cat to just leave her here while we go out and have fun.It’s her holiday too.”
“I’m fine,” Cat said, giving Jillian a smile over her shoulder, but it was halfhearted at best.“I have plenty of work—”
“No, Cat.Come with us!”Olivia cried.“We’ll all go.Unless Cat is tired of us…” Her voice faded off uncertainly.“Are you?”she asked Cat’s back.
Cat turned all the way around and managed a bigger, steadier smile.“I could never be sick of you,” she said.“But do go with your father and have some family time.He misses you, and this is his chance to have you all to himself.”And then with a last reassuring smile, she dried off her hands and headed upstairs.
As soon as Cat was gone, both girls were talking at once, telling him that he’d hurt Cat’s feelings and that he should have been nicer to her.
“Go speak to her,” Olivia demanded.“Make sure she’s not sad.”
