Merry & Bright by Joanna Chambers

Author:Joanna Chambers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joanna Chambers Books

The End

REST AND BE THANKFUL

CHAPTER ONE

Monday, 29th December

“You’re going to have to replace it, I’m afraid.”

Cam stared at the back of the plumber’s head, glad the man’s attention was still on the ancient boiler. Glad he wasn’t watching as Cam visibly swallowed against the hard lump that had materialised in his throat at this news.

“How much’ll that cost?” Cam asked.

He’d waited three days before he’d called Alan Glenn, a near neighbour and the only plumber for miles around, hoping beyond hope the heating might spontaneously come on again. It was only with this unexpected cold snap that he’d finally given in, worried by the prospect of burst pipes.

Alan looked at Cam over his shoulder. He was one of those men whose hair went white early, but his skin was smooth and unlined and his bushy eyebrows were black, making his age difficult to judge. Those startling eyebrows drew closer together as he totted up the cost in his head. “It’s an old system,” he said at last. “I reckon you’re looking at fourteen, fifteen hundred, all in.”

Cam pressed his lips together and gave a short nod. He’d been praying the problem would turn out to be something minor and cheap to fix. No such luck.

Luck wasn’t something he’d had much of lately.

“It looks like it’s had a good innings though,” Alan added as though that should somehow cheer Cam up. “How long have you had it?”

“All I know is, it’s been in the cottage since my folks bought the place,” Cam replied. “That was twenty-odd years ago.”

“Yeah, well they don’t make them like this anymore,” Alan said in a regretful tone, turning his head back to look into the depths of the understairs cupboard. “The new ones don’t last the same.”

For a moment, they both contemplated the clunked-out boiler. Its once-white exterior had a greyish tinge now, betraying its advanced years, and a rash of rust crept down the seam of the casing, spreading over the bottom corners of the unit like patches of eczema.

Why couldn’t it have kept going just a little bit longer? Cam couldn’t afford to replace it right now. He just couldn’t. He pressed his lips together, determined not to let Alan see how devastated he was by such ordinary news. The thought of Alan gossiping to the other villagers about him made his gut clench with sick resentment. He could just imagine what they’d say about him.

Apparently he can’t even scrape together a couple of grand for a new boiler. That business of his can’t be doing too well…

Cam cleared his throat. “So, there’s nothing you can do to fix it, is that what you’re telling me?” The words came out wrong. In his head, they were a plea. On his lips, they sounded sort of…disbelieving. That certainly seemed to be how Alan took them anyway, judging by the faintly affronted look he cast Cam’s way.

“Yes,” the plumber said tautly. “That’s what anyone’ll tell you.”

Great. Now he thought Cam had been questioning his honesty.

Cam considered admitting that he just couldn’t afford any repairs.

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