‘I believe, madam, I can carry a few boxes to the kitchen area and erect a few chairs,’ Malcolm says with dignity. Although the same thought had been going through his mind. He is very glad he’s worn his most comfortable walking boots. It looks like he will need them too, to get home through the snow.
‘Hmmph,’ is the only response he gets from Mrs Appleby.
He waits in silence for what is coming next.
She appears to be studying him consideringly.
She then says the most extraordinary thing.
‘Like a bit of Elvis?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘You ’eard. Find it helps me move a bit quicker with the King singing.’ And as she fishes her phone from her pocket and selects a track, she adds with what is close to a smile. ‘And Christmas be the time for kings, all said and done.’
Which is how Malcolm comes to be dancing with Mrs Appleby around the small church kitchenette to the strains of ‘Hound Dog’ at 1.12 a.m. on Christmas Day. He can’t deny he is enjoying himself. Although he feels Mrs Appleby joins in with a little too much gusto when the song refers to him not being able to catch a rabbit and not being a friend of hers. He is sure he could catch a rabbit if he really put his mind to it. But by then both of them are laughing.They shimmy together back into the church and collapse onto the chairs that are now erected ready. The table is also up, but pushed to the side. Neither can speak for a moment and Malcolm, trying to catch his breath, counts the chairs.
‘Ah, I think we have one too many,’ he declares, trying to regain some hold on normality.
‘Twelve, that’s the job,’ Mrs Appleby counters, her belligerency reemerging.
‘I think perhaps there are eleven of us,’ Malcolm suggests mildly. ‘Ruth and myself, Padam …’ he likes the sound of that name on his tongue. ‘Your good self, Yana and Max, the Three Disgraces, Polly Poole, and Jim from the Royal Yorkshires. I believe Jim has told Rev. Ruth that Roddy wouldn’t eat at the table. That he hates that sort of thing and would want to sit in a pew at the back.’
‘I know all about that,’ Mrs Appleby counters. She pulls the place cards towards her that are lying on the table and lays them out in front of Malcolm. They really are very attractively done and have a pattern of holly, mistletoe and robins around them.
‘My goodness, how lovely,’ he says, trying to regain some of the camaraderie he had felt earlier in the kitchen, when ‘Jailhouse Rock’ had first got both their feet tapping.
‘Ta, very much,’ Mrs Appleby says shortly.
‘But there are eleven cards, why the twelve chairs?’
‘That’s the vicar’s call. She says you ’ave to have one empty chair at the table for …’
‘Jesus?’ Malcolm suggests.
‘That’s the one. Although she said summat about always being ready for the unexpected guest.’
Well, this evening had certainly been unexpected. Malcolm hauls himself to his feet and politely wishes Mrs Appleby a good evening.
‘Good morning, more like.’
‘Indeed.’
‘May I escort you home?’ he enquires politely.
‘No, you’re grand, my son’s just finished his shift on the ambulance and he’s coming to get me. I’ll wait here.’
‘If you’re certain,’ he says, pulling on his coat and taking his torch out of his pocket.
She surprises him by adding grudgingly, ‘You’re not so bad for a mop-headed southerner.’ And she grins at him. It really is a most attractive smile. Malcolm thinks he may be warming to Jean Appleby. However, he still thinks this is probably not the time to tell her that she has spelt Polly Poole’s name wrong on her place card.
‘Good night then, my dear,’ he says, bowing his head.
Outside the snow has stopped falling, but it has settled in gentle folds, and his feet sink into it with a soft crunch. He is dreadfully weary, and he thinks most of his bones ache, but Malcolm is uplifted by the day, the evening, and now this strange episode with Mrs Appleby. And tomorrow, he will be having lunch as part of what he now believes will be a happy gathering. Even if the unknown Roddy chooses to sit in the pews. Perhaps Rev. Ruth has the twelfth chair in mind for the reluctant Roddy?
And Padam will be there.
What is he going to do about that?
