Claude's Christmas Adventure by Sophie Pembroke

Author:Sophie Pembroke [Sophie Pembroke]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-08-19T04:00:00+00:00

Her new outdoor lights wouldn’t arrive until the next morning, and Holly didn’t want to put the icicles back up before they came in case Mrs Templeton came over to complain again. Far better to spring the whole display on her at once, Holly had decided. But she did want to decorate something, and with the tree already up, and every room made suitably festive, that only left Perdita.

Perdita was not enjoying the experience, Holly could tell.

Finally, once she’d wrestled the cat into her Christmas jumper, set a tiny Santa hat on her head, and taken a few photos for her blog, Holly gave up.

‘Oh, okay. Go find a nice warm radiator to curl up on, then,’ Holly said, and Perdita took her chance at escape, the Santa hat toppling off as she darted up the stairs.

Holly looked around at her living room. The tree was lit with beautiful bright white lights, and decorated in a perfect red and white colour scheme. A green garland rested on the mantlepiece, and a cinnamon-scented candle burned on the side table. She had a glass of mulled wine, and Christmas music playing through the telly. What else could she possibly need?

She sighed. She needed something to do. Something to make her feel useful, and wanted and part of something. Something to make her feel less alone.

Something to distract her from the fact that she’d spent most of this year expecting to be preparing for her wedding tomorrow.

She couldn’t help but think about it. Even knowing she was well rid of Sebastian, she couldn’t help but visualise her wedding dress hanging on the back of the door: snowy white lace and a beautiful chiffon skirt, adorned with tiny diamond-like jewels that sparkled in the candlelight. She’d have been sipping prosecco with her friends, her mother and Sebastian’s sisters. Her engagement ring would still be heavy on her left hand, and she’d be feeling relaxed from the pampering day that Sebastian would have given her as a treat.

They’d probably have been doing all the last tiny touches tonight – tying ribbons on the handmade menus and the Order of Service handout she’d designed, finishing off the individual favours she’d made. It would all have been personal and crafty and perfect – and what world was she living in, exactly?

Holly took another swig of mulled wine, and forced herself to face reality.

Sebastian would have insisted on ordering all the wedding stationery and favours and stuff from John Lewis, and he’d never have thought to book her a pampering day in a million years. Her mother would be sick with nerves, Sebastian’s sisters would never have spent the evening here, and she didn’t even like prosecco all that much.

Most importantly, she’d have been making a huge mistake.

With Sebastian out of her life, she got to be herself again. To focus on the things she loved – her craft business, Christmas, Perdita.

And she got to do it all alone.

Holly sighed. At least there was the prospect of seeing

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