The Christmas Card: The perfect heartwarming novel for Christmas from the Sunday Times bestseller. Dilly CourtЧитать онлайн книгу.
knew exactly where the decorations were stored. She led Alice to an attic room at the far end of the corridor where the servants slept. Cabin trunks and other items of luggage were piled from floor to sloping ceiling. Oddments of furniture, oil lamps and a couple of crinoline cages were littered about the room, together with tea chests spilling over with unwanted items.
With a cry of delight Flora pounced on a wooden box. ‘There it is. I knew it was here.’ She lifted the lid and pulled out a strand of tinsel, holding it so that the silver threads danced in rays of sunlight that filtered through the grime on the small windowpanes. ‘Isn’t it beautiful?’
‘Yes, it’s lovely.’ Alice glanced anxiously at the cobwebs that festooned the rafters, but to her relief there was no evidence of the creatures that had made them. She knew that for a grown woman to be afraid of spiders was irrational, but like Flora she had been at the mercy of a nanny who was addicted to drink and laudanum. The gruesome tales of giant arachnids that came in the night to punish naughty children had been told to subdue and scare her. The nightmares had ceased, but the fear remained. She closed the lid. ‘Let’s take them downstairs to the drawing room, Flora.’
‘And I want to put the star on top of the tree.’
‘I want doesn’t get,’ Alice said automatically, and for a moment she thought she was about to witness another tantrum, but Flora’s angry look melted into a smile.
‘May I put the star on top of the tree, please, Alice?’
‘Of course you may.’ Alice picked up the box. ‘You see how easy it is to get along with people when you speak to them nicely?’
‘I think I’m beginning to.’ Flora held out her hand. ‘Let me help you.’
Together they transported the heavy box to the drawing room and set about decorating the tree, stopping briefly at midday when Nettie summoned them to the morning room where, as a special treat, luncheon had been laid on a table in the window.
‘I feel like a grown-up,’ Flora said happily. ‘I’m not usually allowed to have my meals anywhere but in the nursery.’
‘We’re very busy below stairs, Miss Flora.’ Nettie placed a jug of gravy on the table next to the mutton pie with a glistening golden crust and a tempting aroma. ‘Mrs Upton said it would be easier if you and Miss Radcliffe ate here.’
Alice took her seat at table opposite Flora. ‘It looks and smells delicious, Nettie. Thank you.’
‘There’s boiled cabbage to come, miss. I’ll fetch it now.’
‘Ugh,’ Flora said, pulling a face. ‘I hate cabbage.’
‘It’s good for you.’ Alice cut into the pie. ‘But perhaps on this occasion we’ll just have the pie, Nettie. Miss Flora will forgo dessert and have an apple instead.’
Flora’s eyes opened wide and her bottom lip trembled. ‘No, it’s all right. I’ll eat my cabbage, but only if I can have pudding. What is it, Nettie?’
‘Jam roly-poly, miss.’
‘And custard?’
‘Of course, miss. Cook wouldn’t serve pudding without custard.’ Nettie bobbed a curtsey and left the room, returning minutes later with a dish of boiled cabbage. Flora wrinkled her nose, but ate hers without further complaint. Alice smiled to herself and said nothing.
The pudding, as usual, was delicious and very filling. Flora ate all hers, scraping the dish with her spoon to get the last drop of custard, which made Alice laugh. ‘I’m sure there’s plenty more in the kitchen, if you’re still hungry.’
Flora licked her lips. ‘No, that would be greedy, and I’m full.’ She sighed. ‘But I would like to go outside and play snowballs. The sun’s shining on the snow and it looks so pretty.’
Alice had also eaten her fill, mindful of the austerity she would face that evening, and she sympathised with Flora, but she did not dare go against Mrs Dearborn’s wishes. She rose from the table. ‘I think we’d better finish the tree, don’t you? I’m sure it will please your mama to see it looking so lovely.’
Alice had to lift Flora up in an attempt to place the star on the topmost branch of the tree, but it was still out of reach and Flora was heavier than she looked. They tried again and toppled over, ending up in a giggling heap on the floor with a tangle of booted feet and frilled petticoats. Alice was struggling to rise when the door opened and Rory Dearborn strolled into the room. He came to a halt, staring at them in surprise, and a slow smile curved his lips.
‘Well now, what happened? Has there been an earthquake?’
Flora leaped up and ran to give him a hug. ‘You’ve come just in time, Uncle Rory. Alice was trying to lift me high enough to put the star on the tree.’ She held it up for his inspection.
Alice rose to her feet with as much dignity as she could muster, and as she shook out her crumpled skirts she found herself wishing that she had something prettier to wear than the severe black cotton uniform provided by Mrs Upton. She adjusted her white cap, which had slipped over one eye in the fall. ‘Good afternoon, sir.’ She turned away, avoiding his amused gaze as she felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment.
‘Let me help.’ He lifted Flora as easily as if she were a toddler, and held her until she had fastened the slightly bent and battered star in place. ‘That looks splendid, Flora. You and Miss Radcliffe have done an excellent job.’
Alice murmured an acknowledgement, but was still unable to look him in the face. For a gentleman to see a lady’s unmentionables was shocking even to someone who considered herself to be a modern young woman. Flora, however, did not seem to be worry about such niceties and she clung to her uncle’s hand.
‘Have you brought me a present?’
‘Need you ask?’
‘What is it? May I see it now?’
He shook his head. ‘You will have to wait until tomorrow, so there’s no need for you to put on that sulky face, Flora.’
‘But I want—’ Flora broke off, shooting a sideways glance at Alice. ‘I mean, I would like just to see it and feel it so that I can imagine what it might be. Please, Uncle Rory.’
He stood back, holding his hand to his heart with an exaggerated look of astonishment. ‘Who is this polite child? What have you done with Flora, Miss Radcliffe? Where is my niece?’
His laugh was infectious and Alice forgot her moment of chagrin. ‘Flora is standing beside you, sir. She is a reformed character.’
He bent down to ruffle Flora’s curls. ‘In that case I think I might allow her to fetch the present and put it under the tree.’
‘Yes, please.’ Flora tugged at his hand. ‘Where is it?’
‘I left it outside the door. Hoskins told me you were in here.’ He watched her with a smile on his lips as she raced from the room. ‘Such excitement,’ he said, turning to Alice. ‘I almost wish I were a child again at this time of the year.’
‘You’ve made her very happy.’ Alice folded her hands in front of her, not knowing quite how to behave in the presence of her employer’s brother. It was hard to remember that she was a servant. Her father had always treated her as an equal, as had his intellectual friends and acquaintances, but her lowly situation put her at a distinct disadvantage.
‘And you’ve wrought an astonishing change in her,’ he said in an undertone as Flora returned, carrying a large package tied with red ribbon.
‘It’s quite heavy,’ Flora said thoughtfully. ‘Is it a book?’
He shook his head. ‘I’m not giving you any clues. You’ll have to be like everyone else and wait until the morning. I suggest you place it beneath the tree.’
Flora shook the package, holding it close to her ear.