Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry by Caroline Roberts

Author:Caroline Roberts [Roberts, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008327675
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-10-30T18:30:00+00:00

23

A large cardboard box on legs was coming through the Pudding Pantry doors.

‘Can you give me a hand here, Rach? Think I’ve tried to carry too much at once.’ The stripy navy-and-white tights below the box belonged to Eve, who seemed to be carrying an absolute mountain of crafts.

‘On my way,’ Rachel called laughing. She dashed from behind the counter to help take the bulky box and place it on the floor. It was laden with wooden stars, hearts, table decorations and glass baubles, rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs, sheep – all of the soft toy variety, and much more.

‘My Christmas crafts for your dresser displays,’ Eve announced.

‘My, someone has been busy!’

‘Too right, I haven’t stopped for days – been burning the midnight oil making all these.’

Rachel pulled out the cutest felt black-and-white cow, which had the most gorgeous Christmas pudding jumper on. ‘Ah, I adore him. And that jumper! Do you think you could make me a big one. Wouldn’t that be ace here at the Pantry in the run up to Christmas – a real Christmas Pudding jumper?’

‘Of course I will!’

‘I’ll pay. I know just how busy you are.’

‘Maybe just enough to cover the materials. The rest you can pay in coffee and puddings, that’s only fair.’

‘Sounds a good deal to me. So, do you have time for a coffee now?’

‘Just a quick one, yeah. That’d be great. Then I’ll have to get back and make the most of the last couple of free hours before Amelia gets home. I’ve got a stack of orders to make up by the weekend.’

Rachel set the machine to go and the rich coffee aroma filled the air. ‘You know, I’ll always have Amelia if you need. You’ve helped me enough with Maisy over the years.’

‘Might well take you up on that some time, hun. Me and Ben are like ships in the night just now. I think he’s starting to get a bit cheesed off, in fact. Says I’m a victim of my own success. But whilst the orders keep coming in, then I have to keep making. I can’t let anyone down on their Christmas gifts, can I?’

‘Well, it’s brilliant you’re doing so well, but yes, I can understand that’d be hard, and it’s not as though anyone else can make them for you. It’s your craftmanship that makes them so special. You’re so talented, Eve.’

‘Thanks.’

Rachel passed her a cup of frothy flat white, no sugar, just as Eve liked. The Pantry was quiet and the two tables in were already served, so Rachel took a few minutes out to sit with her friend.

‘And everything okay with you and Tom?’

‘Mostly, yeah …’ Rachel’s voice trailed.

‘Come on spill, what is it?’

‘Again, a bit like you two, we’re finding it hard to get time to see each other these past couple of weeks. And he just seems … I don’t know, a little bit cooler. I can’t quite put my finger on it.’

‘Ah, don’t tell me your loved-up balloon is deflating? You two are the hottest things out.

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