Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage by Lucy Daniels

Author:Lucy Daniels [Lucy Daniels]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Published: 2017-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

‘That was the last one,’ Helen told Mandy as the final clients led their enthusiastic spaniel out into the darkness.

Mandy had returned from the Dillons’ feeling much more cheerful. Before evening surgery, she had seen to the donkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs in a whirl of energy, buoyed up by the possibility that Melon would soon have a new home. Despite all the worries, or perhaps because of them, it was important to feel that the work she was doing at Hope Meadows was making a difference in the right way.

When the waiting room door burst open, Mandy looked up, expecting to see a late-running client. She was pleased to see Seb Conway in the doorway, clutching two white plastic bags.

‘Surprise!’ he called out. Rubbing his feet on the mat, he strode across the room to kiss Helen. ‘Surgery finished?’ he asked, dumping the two bags on the counter.

‘It has,’ Helen replied. ‘What are you doing here?’ She looked confused. ‘You didn’t tell me you were coming.’

Seb looked sheepish. ‘I heard Emily wasn’t well. I thought you might be too busy to cook,’ he explained, looking at Mandy. ‘I hope you don’t mind. I brought enough for everyone, but if it’s inconvenient …’

‘It’s not,’ Mandy assured him. What a thoughtful guy. Lucky Helen. For a moment, the thought of Jimmy popped into her head. He hadn’t called yet. Mandy had been tempted to call him to tell him about Emily, but given his odd reaction to her news about the cottage on Monday, she had postponed it. Pushing that particular niggle aside, she sniffed the air. From the scent that was emanating from Seb’s bags, it seemed he had brought some of Roo Dhanjal’s wonderful food. Mandy invited him through into the kitchen.

‘I’ll set the table,’ Helen offered, following them.

‘Thanks,’ Mandy said. She was about to go up to check on her mum when to her surprise, Emily walked into the kitchen. Although Adam was hovering close behind her, she was looking much more herself, and she smiled when she saw Seb and Helen in the kitchen with Mandy.

‘What a lovely surprise,’ she said. With Adam still shadowing her, she made her way over to the table and lowered herself into her chair. Helen had already set out knives and forks and was opening the cupboard to pull out some plates.

‘What have you got in those bags, Seb?’ Adam was sniffing the air like a hungry Labrador. ‘I was about to make beans on toast, but that smells way better.’

Putting the two carrier bags on the table, Seb began to pull forth a series of plastic boxes. ‘They’re from the Dhanjals’ takeaway,’ he explained. ‘Actually, Roo gave me a call and suggested I could bring them round.’ He glanced at Mandy as he set the last of the containers on the table. ‘She said she wanted to help out.’

‘That’s really kind of her.’ Mandy hoped Seb wouldn’t say anything more. Emily didn’t know about the strange TripAdvisor listing and right now, Mandy didn’t want to tell her.

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