Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

Author:Jenny Colgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-08-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

The day of the Christmas fair dawned crisp and crackling. The village hall was absolutely heaving. People had come from miles around. Polly had been up for days on end making delicious gift baskets of gingerbread and clotted cream fudge and half a dozen small Christmas cakes that had been soaking in brandy for weeks now. Her stall was absolutely groaning, and, from the second the doors opened, totally mobbed. Selina was on her left-hand side with her lovely filigree jewelry that had taken hours upon hours of careful work.

“It’s brilliant,” said Samantha, bustling around the many little stalls. “This is going to raise so much money!”

“I’m getting all my Christmas shopping done!” said Mrs. Corning. “This is going to wrap it right up.” Polly and Selina tried not to think about how much money they would have made if people had done their Christmas shopping directly from them.

Flora was helping on the bakery stall, having brought a huge tray of her fabulous religieuses. Polly was paying her for being there. Well. At least Flora was a student. And it was Christmas. She should get into the spirit more.

“How’s Jayden?” she said cheerfully. Flora as usual simply shrugged.

“He’s all right,” she said.

“Polly, show this guy your ring,” called Selina from the next table, and she leaned over obediently and showed off her beautiful seaweed engagement ring.

“Oh yes,” said the man. “Something like that would be lovely.”

Selina beamed. “Ooh, maybe this exposure thing works after all,” she said, and Polly gave her a cross look.

“It is pretty,” ventured Flora, and Polly let her examine it, feeling proud.

“It’ll be you next,” she said, remembering the conversation she had had with Jayden.

“Ha, no way,” said Flora. “Don’t think so.”

Polly winced and pulled her hand back. Maybe she would have to have another word with Jayden.

“Have you seen Kerensa?” said Selina. “Only she’s gone really weird on me. I haven’t seen her for months.”

“Hmm,” said Polly, not quite trusting herself. “She’s just been really exhausted with the pregnancy and everything, I think. I’ve hardly seen her either.”

Selina gave her a penetrating look.

“When’s the baby due again?”

Polly looked at Selina and decided that the best thing under the circumstances was to tell her a big fat lie.

“End of February,” she said.

Mid-January was more like it. She could actually see Selina counting backward in her head.

“Oh, right,” said Selina. “She’s enormous.”

Samantha was annoyingly tapping the mike at the front of the hall.

“Hello, everyone!” she said brightly. There was a large crowd milling around. “Now, thank you so much to everyone who’s contributed to make the fair such a success . . .”

Selina and Polly swapped rueful looks.

“And now, I’d like to ask our town’s resident baker . . . the woman who feeds us all those naughty treats . . .”

Polly stiffened. She didn’t really like being referred to like some kind of drug dealer.

“. . . to come forward and judge the baking competition! Jayden said it would be fine.”

Samantha grinned widely at Polly, as if she had no doubt that there was nothing Polly would like better.

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