Snow is Falling, page 19
He felt more than saw Sadie glance up at him. ‘I thought he’d left the estate.’
‘I thought so too, but apparently he didn’t get any further than the pub car park. He didn’t say much, only that he hadn’t come to fight with anyone, he just wanted to help out. I had intended to keep an eye on him, but there was no need.’
‘At least he showed up. I suppose that has to count for something.’
‘I guess so, but it’ll take more than a morning shovelling snow to make up for what he’s done.’ Dylan sighed. ‘I wonder if he’ll show up again tonight.’
‘What will you do if he does?’
Dylan shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.’
The rest of the family were waiting for them at the top of the junction that led from the main drive towards the farmhouse. There was no sign of Monty and Dylan wasn’t sure whether he felt relieved or disappointed. There was no time to dwell on it as they got caught up in a whirlwind of hugs and introductions for those members of the family who hadn’t yet met Sadie. No one batted an eyelid about the two of them being together and he wondered which little bird had prebriefed them all – Rowena, he guessed from the approving way she was watching the two of them. He decided not to think about how the conversation might have gone. What were family for, after all, if not for gentle interfering? As they continued their walk towards the start of the trail, the kids moved off ahead. Avery was hand in hand with her grandmother and Theo was laughing with Ben and Amelia over something he was showing them on his phone. Ziggy and Daisy matched pace with him and Sadie and the two women soon fell into conversation.
‘Thanks for helping out earlier,’ Ziggy said, coming to stroll on his other side.
‘You don’t need to thank me.’
‘Well, I’m going to anyway, and while I’m on the subject I’m going to thank you for making such an effort with Mum. I’ve been a bit worried about her because of this impasse with Monty so it’s been great for her to have something positive to think about. She’s absolutely smitten with the kids, hasn’t stopped talking about them since she came back from helping out at the hotel earlier.’
‘I think it’s an entirely mutual thing,’ Dylan said, watching Avery cling to her grandmother’s hand as she chattered away like a little bird. ‘I hadn’t thought about how much being separated from you all might have been affecting them.’
‘Well, that’s not something you have to worry about any longer.’
‘True.’ They walked along a bit further. ‘What are we going to do about Monty?’
His brother sighed. ‘Is it too much to hope that what we said the other night had enough of an impact on him for him to change his ways?’
‘Probably.’
Ziggy half laughed, half groaned. ‘Parents, who’d bloody have them?’
The answer as to whether Monty really was determined to change was answered when they reached the brilliant-white tunnel of fairy lights that marked the entrance to the illuminated walk. Monty was standing there, clutching a bunch of yellow roses. He’d made some effort with his appearance – the familiar patchwork coat was still in evidence but he was wearing a collared shirt and a nice jumper beneath it and his face looked freshly shaved. Dylan even caught a whiff of aftershave as his father stepped forward and offered the bouquet to Alice. She looked at it for a long moment. ‘They’re the same as when we got married,’ Monty prompted.
‘I’m surprised you remembered.’
Monty looked genuinely wounded. ‘I’ll never forget what was one of the happiest days of my life.’
‘It’s going to take more than flowers, Monty,’ Dylan’s mother said, sounding tired.
‘I know, and I’m not asking for anything other than the chance to escort you around the walk.’ Monty shuffled his feet. ‘I miss you.’
Dylan felt Sadie’s hand grip his tighter as there was another drawn-out pause and he squeezed back, feeling helpless to do anything other than stand witness. This had to be Alice’s decision. She looked at Monty for a long moment before nodding once. ‘A walk.’ Monty’s smile was brighter than the lights overhead as he offered Alice his arm and the pair strolled forward together, Monty still clutching the bouquet she’d refused to accept.
There were several sighs of relief around the family as they watched them go. ‘Does this mean I’m going to have to forgive the old bastard?’ Dylan heard Rhys grumble as he took Tasha’s hand and they stepped into the tunnel of lights.
‘I wouldn’t go that far, son,’ Zap said over their laughter. ‘He’s still got plenty of time to muck things up.’
Rowena hooked her arm through his. ‘What will be, will be. Right now we have a chance to make some good memories so let’s focus on that.’
‘Wise words, my love.’ Zap kissed her briefly and they walked beneath the tunnel, the rest of the family following in their wake.
‘Is everything okay with Grandma and Grandpa?’ Avery asked Dylan, looking pensive.
Dylan tucked an arm around her shoulders. ‘I don’t know, but it’s not something you need to worry about, Avie, okay?’
She nodded, but didn’t look convinced so Dylan turned her to face him. He’d always done his best to be honest with both the kids, but Avery had a tendency to want to fix things. He knew it came from him and Jen breaking up. As hard as they’d tried not to hurt them in the process, some things left a scar.
‘Grandma loves Monty very much but he’s caused a lot of hurt to everyone because of things that happened to him before you were born, before I was born even. Hopefully he’s going to try and come to terms with that and move forward as part of the family instead of always standing against us, but people can’t always find it in themselves to change, even when they want to. Your aunt, uncles and I have got Grandma’s back and we’ll support her however she needs, but that’s our job, not yours. All you have to do is keep being your sweet self, okay?’
Avery nodded. ‘I like Grandma a lot. Do you think she might like to come and visit us some time?’
Dylan pressed a kiss to the top of her head. ‘We can definitely ask her, but not tonight, okay?’
‘Okay.’
Dylan gave her another quick hug then released her. ‘Come on, let’s catch up with everyone.’
It didn’t take long for the lights to distract Avery and she soon had her phone out, filming little clips and taking photos to share with her friends. Dylan was content to let her explore on her own, though he made sure to keep her in sight. Sadie linked their arms together and leaned against him. ‘For what it’s worth, I think you handled that very well.’
‘Thanks. Sometimes it’s hard to know the best line to take with her. She’s growing up so fast, but she’s still my little girl and I want to protect her. She’s too old to be told not to worry about things though, so I have to give her enough information without dumping everything on her shoulders.’
‘Well, it’s clear she feels comfortable coming to you when something is troubling her so that’s more than half the battle right there.’
Dylan glanced down at her. ‘I get the impression you’re close to your kids as well?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, I’m very lucky that way. I did feel a bit guilty when they completely sided with me against their father, but they are old enough to make their own choice when it comes to him. If they decide in time to give him another chance, then I won’t interfere. He was always great with the grandchildren and I’m sure he misses them terribly.’
Once again Dylan was struck by what a fool her husband must be to have thrown everything away so easily. ‘Choices have consequences.’
Sadie smiled. ‘They certainly do. And now I am choosing to forget about everything else and simply enjoy myself for the rest of the evening.’
‘Now that’s a plan I can get behind.’
Hand in hand they wandered along the trail. The volunteers had done an amazing job, and the temporary walkways felt secure underfoot. They moved with the ebb and flow of the crowd, delighting in the reactions of the little ones around them as much as the lights themselves. Avery was like a butterfly, flitting backwards and forwards between them and other members of the family. As each lighted tunnel ended, the view opened up to reveal a new display. A field of multicoloured circular lights that pulsed in time to the music; a sparkling herd of deer grazing. The snow enhanced everything, reflecting and amplifying the lights until everything seemed to shimmer. The walkway and tunnels led them on a meandering loop through the grounds and eventually on to one of the walking trails in the woods. Spotlights turned the branches overhead green and red and purple and Christmas carols played from hidden speakers. As they turned a corner, the music changed to ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.
‘Oh, look!’ Sadie pointed to a clearing where an illuminated tree shone brightly. Golden pears sparkled against the green background and a silvery partridge nestled in the heart of the tree. The song led them along the path, each verse represented by a beautiful tableau set back in amongst the trees. Two turtle doves cooed at each other from opposite tree branches on either side of the trail. The three French hens pulsed from blue to white to red in the colours of the Tricolore. The four calling birds made them laugh as they shouted greetings to the people walking underneath.
Five golden rings spun like Catherine wheels, drawing gasps of wonder, while the six geese rested on woven nests. The swans swam across a circle of blue lights, two proud parents followed by a little tail of five tiny cygnets. There were more sound effects from some very disgruntled cows that clearly objected to being milked, by the amount of mooing. Nine ladies danced in a circle around the base of a huge ancient oak while the ten lords leapt and pranced around in the branches overhead. The display ended with an illuminated guard of honour, first from the pipers who filled the air with the rousing squirl of their bagpipes and lastly by the twelve drummers, their arms moving up and down in time to a rat-a-tat beat.
‘That was spectacular,’ Sadie said as they weaved their way through the people who’d stopped to admire the drummers and into a quieter part of the woods. Dylan could see the end of the trail up ahead and he glanced around, not ready to let the moment end. He spied an illuminated decoration hanging from the branches of a tree and tugged Sadie off the path until they were standing beneath it. ‘What are you doing?’ Sadie asked as he gently backed her towards the trunk of the tree.
Dylan grinned as he clasped her waist in his hands. ‘Look up.’
She tilted her head and he watched as her eyes widened when she realised what she was looking at: a sparkling ball of mistletoe. Raising a hand, he cupped her cheek, drawing her attention back to him. ‘You know it’s the law that you have to kiss the person you stand under the mistletoe with, right?’
Sadie’s laugh was low and sultry and it tugged at things deep inside him. ‘I’m not sure it’s actually the law.’
Dylan grinned as he leaned closer. ‘Maybe not, but it’s the excuse I’ve been looking for.’ He touched his lips to hers, the softest of brushes to test the water. His other hand rested just over her hip, a gentle embrace she could break instantly free from if he’d misjudged the moment. He needn’t have worried because Sadie raised her arms to circle his neck, pressing into him as she returned the kiss. It was hard to feel anything with the thick layers of their clothing between them, but her enthusiasm was enough to light a fire in his veins. Her hands shifted from his nape to his shoulders, a gentle pressure but one to which he responded immediately. He pulled back to look at her. ‘Everything all right?’
She nodded, a rosy glow on her cheeks he was sure was from more than the cold. ‘Not here, not in front of everyone.’
‘Of course.’ He stepped back to give her room, holding out a hand, which she instantly took, and they quickly rejoined the happy flow of people wending their way towards the end of the trail.
25
There were many times over the next couple of days when Sadie found herself questioning her sanity. She felt giddy as a schoolgirl, unable to resist whenever Dylan persuaded her into a quiet corner so he could kiss her and hold her against the firm strong length of his body. Sensations long dormant shifted and stirred inside her until she didn’t know what to do with herself. Not that she was a passive partner in what was developing between them, not at all. Whenever they were together, Sadie found an excuse to touch him and more than once she caught herself scanning for a nook they could duck into and steal a private moment together. She knew she needed to be careful, to simply enjoy the moment and not let herself get carried away with fantastical thoughts of the future, but, oh, it was hard. Harder still to send him on his way when he walked her to her bedroom door every night.
As strong as the urge to be with him was, Sadie was also conscious of not monopolising all of his time with the kids. When they invited her on the treasure hunt to find the six golden goose eggs hidden around the hall, she demurred, saying she wanted to visit the Christmas market instead. It wasn’t an excuse and she spent a lovely couple of hours wandering the stalls and picking up little gifts for Dylan and the kids. At the workshops she found some beautiful jewellery for Katie and Rachel handmade by Carrie-Ann the silversmith, a new wallet for Liam at the leather workshop next door and a selection of flavoured gin miniatures, which she knew would be well appreciated by Jake.
The entertainment the following evening was an ice-skating show on the temporary rink with a Swan Lake-inspired theme. Sadie allowed herself to be persuaded to join Dylan and the kids and she enjoyed both their company and the show, though she drew the line at joining in when the rink opened back up for casual skating. Theo refused as well, opting to fetch hot chocolate for both himself and Sadie. Which left poor Dylan to accompany Avery onto the ice. Even with the penguin-shaped skating aids that were supposed to help with balance, they both took more than one tumble, and by the time Dylan had wobbled his way around half a dozen times with zero signs of improvement, it was clear he’d had enough. ‘I’ll be black and blue for a week,’ he grumbled as Sadie helped him over to the bench where he could remove his skates.
‘Well, at least Avery is enjoying herself,’ Sadie said, glancing over his shoulder to keep an eye on her, and she was rewarded with a cheery wave as the teen swooped past as if she’d been skating all her life, not less than half an hour. Oh, for the fearlessness of youth! ‘Here, Theo’s got something that will make you feel better.’ She’d despatched him back to the drinks stall to collect the cup of spiced apple warmer she’d already paid for. There was a hot chocolate waiting for Avery when she’d finished too.
By the time they’d walked back to the hall they were all cold and tired and ready for an early night. Dylan was limping noticeably as they ascended the stairs, but he insisted it was fine as he escorted Sadie along the corridor to her room. ‘I can find my own way,’ she protested. ‘You should go and have a hot shower.’
‘There’s a shower in your room,’ Dylan said with a wicked grin as they reached her door. ‘You could help me massage the stiffness away.’
‘Dylan Travers!’
‘What?’ The look he gave her was all wide-eyed innocence apart from a telltale gleam in his eye. ‘I was talking about my sore leg.’
‘Of course you were.’ She put a hand on his chest and gave him a gentle push. ‘It’s time for bed.’
‘No massage?’
She laughed. ‘’Fraid not. You’ll have to settle for a kiss instead.’ In the end he settled for a dozen kisses, leaving her breathless and more than a little weak at the knees. ‘Will you be all right for tomorrow?’ There would be more than eight maids a-milking as the family had arranged a visit to the estate farm for those who were interested. Sadie could’ve taken or left it, but the kids had begged her to come with them and she was finding it harder to stick to her resolution of not intruding on their family time. It wasn’t just the chance to be with Dylan, either – she was growing increasingly fond of Theo and Avery and she would miss them as much as she missed their father.
The time had flown past so quickly and there was less than a week before they’d all be going their separate ways. While it had done her the world of good to get out of her sad little bubble and into the world again, the extravagant décor and warm welcome she’d received at the hall were going to make her little house seem even more pokey and depressing. She pushed the thought away. Her time at Juniper Meadows was all about living in the moment. No need to spoil what was left of it by worrying about what would happen once she was back home again.
The visit to the farm was much more fun than she’d anticipated. Tara and Jon had spoken to Stevie and arranged permission for their son-in-law, daughter and grandchildren to join them on the visit and the little ones had a whale of a time. Rhys was a fountain of knowledge. His passion for his project to use the farm to preserve rare breeds shone through, as did his dedication to his animals. Theo had a go at milking a cow, while Avery preferred to spend time helping Hope groom her horses.
The younger ones helped where they could, putting out fresh straw for bedding and helping to fill water troughs with little buckets. ‘This takes me back years to when I used to take my children to a local farm park when they were this age. They used to spend hours petting the rabbits and guinea pigs,’ Sadie said to Rhys as they watched the children spill more water than they managed to get in the troughs.
‘We try to discourage rabbits on the farm, not give them homes,’ Rhys said, wryly.
‘Oh, not that kind of rabbits, these were specialist breeds with big lop-ears. There was a whole barn dedicated to child-friendly animals.’ A memory came back to her and she laughed. ‘Well, the miniature goat that butted my ex-husband in the bottom wasn’t that friendly.’
‘An animal with good instincts,’ Dylan said with a laugh as he came to join them. ‘Can I borrow you a minute? There’s something I wanted to show you.’
Sadie excused herself from Rhys, who barely acknowledged their departure, his attention on the children and a deep frown creasing his brow. Dylan led her by the hand into a stall in the far corner of the barn and closed the half-door behind them. ‘What did you want to show—?’ The rest of her question was cut off by his mouth. With a sigh, Sadie sank into the now familiar warmth of him. How was it possible she’d grown so used to this in just a few short days? They emerged some time later to find the visit almost over. As they hurried to join the others out in the yard, Sadie reached out and hastily brushed away some straw that had stuck to the back of Dylan’s fleecy jacket.
