“How long does pink wash last before it needs redoing?” DeNiro asks.
I huff loud enough to interrupt the engineering talk.
Honestly. Men!
“Not the walls,” I say. “The trees. Whoever you hire to restore the gardens must plant new cherry trees. An avenue will look gorgeous with pink blossoms every spring.”
“Shall we finish this discussion inside before it starts to snow?” The professor says.
“Oh my God. He’s here.” Shirley cries suddenly.
I look towards her but she’s not looking at any of us, she’s facing the other way towards the side entrance. A taxi has just pulled up. the passenger door opens and a tall figure steps out.
A tall figure with long hair and a beard.
There’s a shriek from somewhere. Only when everyone looks at me that I realise it came from me. By then I’m running, running, running until I’m in his arms.
And oh my God, how I’ve missed his strong warm embrace. The way he crushes me to him and envelopes me with his body.
“What are you doing here?” I ask but with my face pressed into his chest it just sounds like.Woffa loo wee ya.
He understands anyway. “We had two days off for Christmas.” His hand rubs the back of my head, lacing his fingers through my hair.
Eventually we have to move apart because too many others want to greet him.
The men shake his hand and clap him on the back. the women hug and kiss him.
“What time is lunch?” he asks at last.
“Not for two and a half hours.” I answer. “You’re all early. But if Raff will lend me a hand, I can rustle up some tea and gingerbread to keep you going.”
The ploy works.
“Let me take you inside. Evan starts to usher them towards the front entrance.
“Not in the orangery yet.” I call to him. “Not until everything is on the table.”
“Don’t worry.” He replies cryptically and leads them away. Where? It’s not as if we have lots of sitting rooms. In fact we have none.
Then Raff snakes an arm around my waist and I decided to let someone else worry about seating.
We escape to the kitchen.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were planning to come for Christmas?” I ask as we start to make tea.
“I wasn’t planning on it. Then when you told me about Jack.”
“You came because of Jack’s memorial?”
His eyes flick away slightly.
“What?” I ask
He makes himself busy pulling a chair over to sit down.
“Tell me.” I’m starting to worry.
“I also got an email from Evan yesterday.”
