Part 9 (2/2)
I decided to broach the subject of the couple of days in Settle with Christine that very evening. I had agreed to go with her to the Christmas production at Winnery Nook Junior School and was due to pick her up from her parents' house at seven o'clock.
”Please come with me,” Christine had pleaded earlier that week, 'and give me some moral support with the insufferable Mr. Logan.”
To say that Christine did not get on with the self-opinionated Headteacher of the Junior School would be something of an understatement. Mr. Logan was a large man with pale watery-blue eyes and heavy jowls. He had the irritating habit of waving his fat freckled hands in front of him as if conducting some invisible orchestra and he spoke at such a speed and in such a strident tone of voice that his listeners were eventually harangued into silence. He was hard-working and managed an excellent staff but it was his patronising att.i.tude to early education which infuriated Christine. For Mr. Logan, the Infant School was where 'the little ones' were 'occupied' and 'taught a few basic skills'. It was only when they reached him in the Juniors that the really rigorous work began.
I arrived at Christine's house a little before half-past six. Drops of rain began to fall as I drove up the curved gravel drive leading to the stone-built house. Christine's mother opened the door to me with a warm smile and I was ushered down the long hallway and into the sitting-room.
”What an evening,” she said. ”Come along in, Gervase, Christine won't be long. She arrived back late from school as usual, so she's still getting ready.”
It was a charming, elegant room and about as different as it possibly could be from my dark little flat above The Rumbling Turn cafe. A large Christmas tree in the corner sparkled with silver tinsel and tiny lights, the mantelpiece was lined with cards, red and gold decorations hung from the walls and a small crib had pride of place on an occasional table. I sat in front of a welcoming log fire which crackled brightly in the grate.
”The room looks splendid,” I said.
”Oh, I just love Christmas,” she replied, echoing Sidney's words. ”It seems to put everyone in such a friendly mood. People smile at one another in the street and strangers talk to you. It really brings out the best in people, don't you think?”
”So you are all prepared for Christmas?” I asked.
”Just about. I told Christine that you would be very welcome to join us but she said you had already agreed to go to your brother's.”
”That's right,” I replied. ”I'm collecting my parents and my sister is coming down and we'll have a family Christmas in Retford. But thank you very much for inviting me.”
”Well, perhaps next year,” she said smiling.
Let's hope I will still be on the scene next year, I thought.
”Ours will be a quiet affair,” Mrs. Bentley continued. ”We never see a great deal of Christine at Christmas, to be truthful. She goes off on Boxing Day and'
”Goes off?” I interrupted.
”Skiing, you know. She's gone skiing every Christmas since she left college. Didn't she tell you?”
”No,” I replied, crestfallen, 'she never mentioned it.”
”Oh dear,” said Mrs. Bentley. ”I hope I haven't put my foot in it.”
”You never told me you were going skiing after Christmas,” I remarked as I drove towards Winnery Nook Junior School a short while later.
”Oh didn't I?” she replied innocently.
”No, you didn't.” I realised my voice had a rather petulant edge to it.
”Well, I knew that you were off to your big family get-together in Retford.” When I didn't reply, she continued. ”You didn't want to come, did you?”
”I might have done.”
Christine chuckled and put her hand on my arm. ”But you don't ski, Gervase.”
”I could have watched. Anyway, who are you going with?”
”Oh, just a friend,” she replied, clearly enjoying this little exchange.
”What friend?” I could feel my heart thumping in my chest.
”Someone you don't know.”
”Not Miles, is it?”
”Of course not. I've not seen Miles for ages. Anyway, you know him.”
”Who then?”
”This is getting like the third degree.”
”I think you might have told me.”
”Are you jealous?”
”No,” I said peevishly. ”Well, yes, I am as a matter of fact.”
”Alex. I'm going with Alex, an old college friend. So there. Now you know.”
”And what's this Alex like?”
”Tall, slim, attractive.” She paused and chuckled. ”She's very nice.”
”Oh, it's a she then?” I cried, vastly relieved.
”Of course, it's a she, silly. I'm not likely to be going off skiing with another man, am I?” She moved closer. ”I'm not that sort of woman.”
”Oh well, that's different,” I said. ”I just thought that we might have spent a couple of days together over the Christmas break the last weekend before schools start again. There's a really nice hotel that David recommended and '
”I'm only going for a week, and will be back on the second,” said Christine quickly.
”So you'll come?”
”I'd love to.”
”Right then, that's great!” I said, sounding pretty pleased with myself.
”But won't hotels be full up at this time of year?”
”I booked a couple of months ago,” I told her. ”I wanted to surprise you.”
”You were pretty sure of yourself, Gervase Phinn,” she said. ”And where is this hotel?”
”Well, it's not Barbados, Nice, St. Tropez or Paris, I'm afraid. It's near Settle.”
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