Christmas at Lilac Cottage - Holly Martin Page 0,123

as they were all going to be closed for the night anyway due to the ball. They were all donating bottles of wine and soft drinks too. Someone had an iPod and excellent speakers they often used for parties with a huge range of music, mostly light pop stuff that everyone could sing along to. There was a small digging team already down in the town that were digging out the main roads and the side roads leading up to the marquee. Thankfully most of the main roads in the town had been gritted the night before, even if the roads leading into the town hadn’t been, so they didn’t have mountains of the stuff to get rid of.

She quickly typed a reply, including everyone who had texted her and the five people on her part of the telephone tree. She explained that food was covered, asked if anyone willing to help with the digging could go down to the town with a spade and if anyone had access to a big van that could go round and collect all the tables and chairs. She also asked if anyone could donate some tablecloths and candles too. She waited a moment to see if she got any replies and, within a few minutes, several texts had come in with whole families agreeing to be part of the digging team, two people with large vans had offered their help with collecting the tables and several people had said they would bring tablecloths and candles to the marquee.

Although it wasn’t anything like what Maggie had planned, the ball could at least go ahead in one way or another.

She called her friend back.

‘Maggie, I have food planned, sandwiches and cake, and people are bringing their own drinks and…’

‘People have paid forty pounds for these tickets and we’re going to give them sandwiches? They’ll be asking for their money back.’

‘No, they won’t, it’s for charity and the people in this town care about the ball. No one will give a shit whether they are eating sandwiches or some chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese. And sandwiches is better than no food at all, now stop being so moany and listen to what I’ve sorted out.’

Maggie was silent for a moment. ‘OK,’ she said, quietly, obviously suitably chastised.

Penny explained the plan and that she was going to get down to the marquee to help set up as things started to arrive. Maggie agreed to meet her there as soon as she could get through the town.

Penny hung up.

That would be a problem for her too. Her little car was no match for the amount of snow that was sitting on her driveway and the freezer van was too old and weak to make it through either. Once she got to the main road she would probably be OK, but her drive was so long it would take the next three or four hours to dig her car out. Henry’s Range Rover might be able to get out and the Christmas ball needed all the help it could get at the moment.

She pulled her coat, hat and gloves on and ran downstairs. She hovered for a moment outside the connecting door. It was silent on the other side; had they perhaps killed each other the night before?

She knocked tentatively on the door and a huge shadow loomed near the window for a second before it was opened. Henry smiled briefly at her before the smile faded and vanished. He looked tired and unbelievably sad. Behind him, Penny could see Daisy reading on the sofa, studiously ignoring both of them.

‘Henry, I need your help. The snow has caused massive problems for the ball, no one can get to the town to deliver the tables and chairs and food. I have a plan forming but I need to get down to the town to help.’

‘You want me to take you down?’

‘Yes, sorry.’ She glanced at Daisy. ‘I know this isn’t the best time but my car just won’t make it.’

Henry grabbed his coat and shoes straight away, not even questioning it, but to Penny’s great surprise Daisy was getting into her coat and shoes too.

Henry glanced at Penny and shrugged subtly. He wasn’t about to argue.

Between them they managed to dig the wheels out and they bundled into the car. It had stopped snowing and the sun was now trying to make an appearance.

Henry manoeuvred the car slowly down the drive. The car was struggling but at least they