“And do what? Even the Squad are going away, so I can’t even make cream teas for them. It’s okay,” I make myself smile, my best Cinderella-at-the-ball smile. “I have a film audition for the new James Bond Movie. It’s all very exciting.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Christmas Day. 12 noon
When the Squad arrive, the house is as Christmasy as it could be, considering all the building materials. The guys have cleared a safe path across the ballroom with hazard tape and tinsel. It’s not quite velvet rope and red carpet, but it’s good enough.
Llewellyn has rigged up his conferencing speakers everywhere, so Christmas carols play throughout the house. But as soon as the first vanload of guests arrive, Ricky puts his head round the kitchen door. “Leonie? You’re wanted outside.”
“Why?”
“Geries are here” he throws the answer at me and disappears before I can tell him not to say things like that.
So, I have to grab my coat and go outside. There’s nothing. Then I realise they’re all at the front not the side door.
Bill and Deniro anre talking to Alex, the professor and Evan while Vanessa and Shirley hover by the parked cars. Both look very glamourous in fur coats. They must be fake fur because Vanessa’s is white and far too fluffy around the collar. She’s also wearing a furry white hat with a pearl ornament pinned into it.
Shirley is in a black, floor-length coat with a purple fur collar that sets off her cascade of red hair. Even Philomena has knotted a gold and silver shawl around her shoulders. They all carry very elegant handbags.
Thank God for the pretty green dress and silk scarf hanging in my room. There’ll be little lull once we put the roasties in the oven; I can leave Meredith to hold the fort while I change and do my hair and make-up.
For now, I’m in faded jeans and a jumper worn inside-out to hide a smear of red berry sauce on my sleeve.
I hug Shirley, Philomena, then Vanesa, I see Gethin in his wheelchair. He’s wearing a three-piece suit and carrying a potted poinsettia on his knees. “For you, gorgeous.” He offers it. “But I need my hug first.”
Laughing I hug him and even kiss both his cheeks.
“You’re shameless.” Shirley tuts disapproving.
But the others don’t even notice me. All the men are clustered around a section of wall pointing at something and talking.
“You must have noticed the house tends to look pink from a distance. It’s only when you get close up it’s just grey stone.” Bill is saying.
“Isn’t it just a trick of the light?” Evan asks.
“That’s some trick,” Alex says. “You can see it much more clearly from the top of the hill, as if, I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Look here.” Bill points to something underneath one of the window frames.
When I walk closer, I see it’s a patch of reddish or perhaps pinkish rendering.
“Suffolk pink?” Evan asks, bending close to examine the section of wall.
“I knew it must be,” Bill says. “Has to be. It’s mostly eroded in the decades of neglect and weather damage. But there’s still a hint of colour in the walls. That’s why it seems pink from a distance.”
“Pink-washing was very common in the past.” My father has his professor voice on. “But it’s unusual in a stately home of this size.”
“Yes but this house was unusual in lots of ways. “Evan says. “They had architects and artists working on it. We don’t really know if it was all pink but it seems likely because if the cherry trees.”
“What cherry trees?” This is Alex again.
Evan turns to point towards the drive. That double line of trees, used to be an avenue. The trees are mostly dead, but they’re cherry trees.”
“You have to get this replaced,” I say, excited. Very excited.
They all turn towards me. “The cladding? It’ll cost a fortune on a house this size.” Evan says.
“Do it gradually.” Bill suggests. “One small section a year.”
