Christmas at the Farmhouse - Rebecca Boxall Page 0,60

a baby, biting her lip as she clearly tried to keep her emotions in check.

‘I’d love to see more of these,’ she said.

‘Of course,’ Magnus told her. ‘I have albums of them. We can look at them together.’

‘What happened to Robin’s mum?’ I asked Susan, curious.

‘She died of cancer shortly before I met him.’

‘Did she know what her husband was like? You know, his thing about girls?’

‘Not until about six months before she died; she was going to leave him, take Robin with her. But back then it wasn’t that simple. She was a housewife and had no money of her own. She’d resigned herself to staying put when she found out about the cancer. Poor Robin, left behind with Mr Jenners.’

‘I just wish I could have met my father,’ Magnus said.

‘Me too,’ Susan replied, as her eyes filled with tears. ‘I’m so sorry.’ She took a deep breath. ‘But you’ve had a good life. That makes me feel happy now. Very happy. I feel like, after all, what happened wasn’t completely in vain.’

‘Well, Dad’s life’s not over yet,’ Lucas said, lightening the atmosphere with his jovial tone. ‘He’s only fifty!’ He looked at his watch. ‘It’s getting on, Mum. Do you want us to help get the party ready?’

‘Yes please!’ I said, feeling a bit flustered. ‘Everyone’ll be turning up at twelve.’

All of a sudden Freja looked at her phone and frowned. ‘That’s unexpected!’ she said.

‘What’s that?’ I asked.

‘It says on Facebook that there’s snow forecast for tonight and once it sets in it’s going to be really heavy!’

I frowned. ‘Snow? Are you sure? I know they’ve had it in parts of the UK. Have you had it?’ I asked Susan.

‘No, the South East hasn’t been hit so far but if Jersey gets struck then I expect we will be too. I wonder,’ she said, looking anxious. ‘I just wonder if I should change my flight. It’s tomorrow morning but perhaps I could try to get one this afternoon?’

‘So soon?’ Magnus said, looking disappointed.

‘I don’t want to overstay my welcome so early on in our relationship,’ Susan said, smiling. ‘I’d far rather you came over to stay with me for a few days once the dust has settled. And I only managed to get my cat booked into the cattery for three nights so I need to get back if there’s any danger of snow.’

‘We could ring the cattery?’ I suggested. ‘And we really don’t mind how long you stay for!’ I hoped I didn’t sound too desperate.

‘That’s kind, but honestly…’ Susan replied.

Magnus sighed lightly. ‘Then if you can get me your flight details I’ll go and call the airline; see if we can change it. At least you’ll be here for the party.’

‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ Susan said, heading out of the kitchen with Magnus while I hastily tapped out a message on my phone.

There followed a frenzy of activity, as all the children helped me to move tables, chill bottles of fizz and start food preparations. With only half an hour to spare I dashed upstairs to put on my party dress – a leopard-print chiffon number that Astrid had lent me, telling me it was ‘forgiving enough’ to fit me. I hoped I didn’t look like mutton dressed as lamb in it, but as I cast a glance at myself in the bedroom mirror I realised that the new hair was allowing me to get away with it. I didn’t look trashy. I looked sophisticated and perhaps not too dissimilar to Liz the hairdresser. And having seen how attractive and youthful Susan was managing to look in her late sixties I was determined to make more effort: I was only fifty after all. A spring chicken in these current times.

***

At exactly midday the first of our party guests arrived. Lucas stood at the door, greeting everyone like the best sort of maître d’, Mikkel offered round drinks, and the girls made a great effort at speaking to all our friends, even though it must have been boring for them. They particularly seemed to enjoy introducing Susan to everyone, repeating the story to incredulous faces, while Xav and Sunny happily looked after the children.

For Magnus and I it was just as we like it to be every year: a chance to catch up with our friends in a warm, festive atmosphere but without it dragging on too long. The guests were gone by two and we all sat round for a late lunch of