It's the Worst Time of the Year : 12 Days of Christmas by Annee Jones

Author:Annee Jones [Jones, Annee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

BAILEY

I woke in a world of softness and quiet. Burrowed beneath a pile of quilts and blankets, I had to remind myself where I was: the third floor of Barrington Manor, tucked into a gigantic wrought-iron four-poster bed. I hadn’t slept so deeply in—I couldn’t even recall how long. No alarm blaring in my ear, no early-morning conference calls, no frantic rush to hail a cab or beat the traffic. Just warmth, hushed silence, and the gentle hush of wind outside the window.

I turned onto my side, inhaling the faint scent of lavender and something earthy in the linens. The heavy velvet curtains had been left half-open, and a pearly light filtered in, revealing that the snow was still coming down. Mother Nature had certainly decided to gift us with a frosted fortress—the drifts outside rose nearly to the windowsills, leaving nothing but ghostly shapes of hedges and trees beyond. There was definitely no going anywhere today. We were snowed in, well and truly. Yet somehow, the thought didn’t fill me with dread. Instead, it felt almost enchanting, as though we’d stumbled into a secret holiday hideaway sealed off from the rest of the world. If only we could all keep from killing each other, we might actually be able to enjoy ourselves a little. A rueful smile came to my face as I snuggled deeper under the covers and gazed at the swirling snowflakes outside the window.

Last night’s dinner replayed in my mind. After we’d discovered Edna’s hidden stash of supplies and coaxed the ancient generator to life, the four of us—Jacob, Theodore, Edna, and I—had ended up in the kitchen, cobbling together the stew. Edna had taken charge, and what a miracle-worker she proved to be: she turned a few root vegetables, a package of frozen beef tips, a tin of broth, and some dried herbs into the most mouthwatering stew I’d tasted in years. We’d devoured it at a makeshift dining arrangement in the parlor, not saying much because we’d all been worn out and ravenous. The meal had been unexpectedly comforting. Afterwards, Theodore’s grumblings had quieted, Jacob’s teasing had softened, and Edna had hummed a Christmas carol while tidying up. I’d helped her peel carrots and chop onions, enjoying the warmth of the kitchen and her cheerful chatter, feeling oddly at home despite the strangeness of the setting.

Later, we’d divided up the bedrooms. Theodore and Edna had chosen rooms on the second floor—he’d insisted on one with a view over the driveway, as if he expected a plow to appear at any moment—and Edna had settled into a chamber decorated with faded floral wallpaper. Jacob and I had ventured up to the third floor, following a corridor lit by a single string of Christmas lights plugged into a hallway socket. We’d found extra blankets, linens, and towels tucked neatly into old-fashioned armoires. My own room boasted an en-suite bathroom complete with a claw-foot tub, and I’d indulged in a long, hot soak, letting the stress of yesterday’s journey melt away.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.