The unexpected compliment caught her off guard. ‘Thanks for coming to help. What did you have in mind?’ asked Blythe.
‘I was kind of expecting you to tell me what you need,’ said Sam.
‘All tasks have been allocated. It’s really a recovery job at this stage. Talking of recovery, is that a tow truck?’ Blythe quickened her pace towards the van.
‘Sam, over here!’ called Greg, who was up a ladder holding on to the Grinch’s head while someone tried to shore it up.
‘Shall I?’ asked Sam, pointing to Greg.
‘Sure, just help wherever you can.’
Sam jogged off across the road. Blythe pulled her eyes away from him to focus on the van. Unfortunately, the white van was still on its side. Blythe went over to the two men who were standing in the bus shelter eating sausage rolls. And from the looks they were exchanging they were from Norman’s bakery. ‘What’s happening?’ she asked.
‘No cranes available but this vehicle has a winch so they’re hoping to right it and then cart it off to a garage,’ said the older one. ‘Once it’s loaded we’ll be off.’
It was terrific news but Blythe was in organiser mode and here were two idle people she could utilise. ‘Not so fast. I know it was an accident, but you very nearly wrecked our biggest night of the year. I’m thinking you’d like to be useful while you’re waiting…’ She paused long enough until eventually they both nodded. ‘Great. If you see the man in the red jacket you can help him to repair the fencing around the green.’
‘Fine,’ said the older one, popping in the last of his sausage roll and reluctantly leaving the cover of the bus shelter with his colleague in tow.
The sisters from Rock Cottage approached. ‘Blythe, what can we do to help?’ asked one.
‘We’ve got some embroidered bunting left over from the fayre,’ suggested the other.
‘Brilliant,’ said Blythe and the ladies looked delighted. ‘As soon as the elf house is reconstructed it needs decorating to cover up the broken bits so can I leave you to do that?’
‘It would be our pleasure,’ they said in unison.
The village was a hive of activity and Blythe felt like Queen Bee. She could see how easily Leonora had been carried away by it. As things were completed, Blythe called them through to Vicky and Eden, who ticked them off. By half past three the van had been removed, the elf house has been reconstructed, although this time it was a more rustic affair involving pallets, and the Grinch’s head was back in place, although sadly there was still an issue with his lighting.
‘I can’t get his sack to flash,’ said Greg. Phyllis chuckled naughtily as she rushed by. ‘But I’m working on it,’ added Greg.
‘Is Sam still helping you?’ asked Blythe, trying not to make it obvious as she scanned the green for a glimpse of him.
‘Went off about half an hour ago. Said he needed to make some calls.’
‘Typical,’ said Blythe.
‘Is it?’ asked Greg. ‘Because he’s done loads today and only had good things to say about you.’
Blythe couldn’t hide her surprise but before she could ask Greg more, Leonora was hurtling towards her. ‘Judges ETA twelve minutes.’
There began a frenzy of activity as things were hastily finished off and tidied away. Members of the Holly Cross brass band were assembling around the now upright Christmas tree, so they would have some music even if it wasn’t piped around the village as Leonora had planned. With about ten minutes to go, a white van came around the green at speed, making the ladies from Rock Cottage gasp.
‘Not another one,’ said Blythe, watching it pull up nearby. She wasn’t expecting to see Sam get out of the cab. She marched over. ‘Sam, the judges are arriving any minute—’
‘Ten minutes to judges!’ yelled Leonora.
Blythe pointed over her shoulder. ‘Obviously you can park here but it would be better if you didn’t. I think we’ve all seen enough white vans for one day. Any chance you could move it please?’
‘Trust me we’ll be five minutes and then it’ll be gone.’
She really didn’t have time to ask, she just wanted the van gone. ‘Okay.’
While villagers scurried in various directions and Leonora headed up to the village hall to greet the judges, Blythe spotted Sam and some other men carrying something across the green. She couldn’t worry about it now but she was curious.
The white van moved off as Vicky and Eden appeared. ‘Blimey, this looks good,’ she said, squinting across the green in the half light. ‘Do the lights work?’
‘We’ve only tested in batches. We’ll only know when Greg flicks the switch,’ said Blythe. ‘We’re waiting for Leonora to walk the judges down. Did you meet them?’
