just in the midst of whisking the cream for the syllabub into soft peaks when I heard a knock at the door.
‘G’day!’ Belle came into the kitchen, closely followed by the twins, and gave me a big hug, thanking me for the Advent calendars I’d posted to the children. The twins, recently turned three, and looking adorable in their matching dresses, proceeded to ask lots of questions.
‘Where’s Grandpa?
‘Can I have a drink?’
‘Is Auntie Freja here?’
‘Here, I’ve got some cartons of juice,’ I said to them, grabbing the drinks from the fridge and then kneeling down for cuddles. ‘Take these through to the sitting room. Grandpa and Freja are in there by the fire, warming up after a long walk.’
The children ran off and I heaved myself up off the floor and gave Belle another hug. ‘Where’s Mikkel?’ I asked.
‘Oh, he’s just brushing crumbs out of the car,’ Belle said, rolling her eyes. ‘I gave the kids biscuits on the way here. Cardinal sin!’
I laughed. A moment later Mikkel came into the kitchen, his hands cupped and outstretched.
‘Hi Mum, let me just get rid of these. Can you open the bin for me? Thanks…’ He disposed of the offending crumbs, went to the sink to give his hands a thorough wash, and then turned to me. No hug, but he smiled. ‘You’re looking well,’ he said – for which I took him to mean ‘fatter’ but it didn’t bother me.
‘Do you need a hand with anything?’ offered Belle. She’s the nicest daughter-in-law: helpful, straightforward, and brilliant with Mikkel’s funny ways.
‘No, I’m good thanks. Go through and Magnus will get you drinks. I’m just going to finish off and then I’ll join you.’
It was a lovely Sunday lunch: Astrid turned up just in time, looking hungover (again) but happy, and the lack of occasion meant no pressure, which in turn meant everyone got along well and there were no ‘incidents’ as they’ve come to be known in our family. Does every family have them? Who knows? Probably the bigger the family, the more ‘incidents’ there are…
By pudding, the conversation had turned to Christmas.
‘When does Lucas get here?’ Mikkel asked.
‘The 22nd. Two weeks today! They could have come sooner as Heidi’s still on maternity leave, but they don’t want to leave her aunt in charge of the horses for too long.’
‘Is Lucas working?’ Mikkel asked and I felt sorry for a moment that he didn’t even know this about his brother. As children, they were close, but their differing personalities have made them more distant as adults. They get along perfectly well (it would be impossible not to get along with Lucas), but there isn’t that same bond.
‘No, he was doing some fencing work around and about but that seems to have dried up now that it’s winter. Perhaps it’s for the best: I think Heidi’s been in need of a bit of extra support.’
‘Still making a meal of it?’ asked Belle, not pulling any punches.
‘Maybe she’s depressed?’ suggested Astrid.
‘No, I think the health visitor was worried about that at first but she ended up deciding she was just a ‘very normal, anxious first-time parent.’ She’s always been such a high-achiever; it must be hard when you want to apply your usual perfectionism to a baby: an uphill struggle.’
‘She needs to chill out,’ Belle remarked and I wondered if sparks would fly when the two sisters-in-law got together. They had never really gelled. I was a little nervous about it but, mostly, in the warm glow of a Sunday afternoon in December, I just felt excited. Excited at the prospect of having all my family together, if only for a few days, for that most memorable time of the year.
Chapter Thirteen
February 1969
Susan
Mr Jenners still came into the shop every day, though it was dreadfully awkward. He was obviously sulking with me. He barely gave me the time of day, just picking up his bread and handing over his pennies. He stopped buying an extra iced bun for me, too. It was a relief, really, but I wished he could go to the other baker’s along the high street so I didn’t have to see him.
I hadn’t come across Robin since the day he’d taken me for the hot chocolate but then one Saturday in February I was walking towards Penny’s farm when I saw him coming along the street in the other direction.
‘Oh, hello there!’ I said as he approached, smiling at my knight, but he just scowled at me – like I’d