The Mistletoe Seller: A heartwarming, romantic novel for Christmas from the Sunday Times bestseller

At midday Dolly managed to take mouthfuls of chicken broth, and she nibbled some bread and butter. Having eaten reasonably well, she went back to sleep, and Angel took the tray downstairs accompanied by Thor, although Juno chose to remain on the bed, guarding her new friend. Angel left the dishes in the kitchen, Baines having refused her offer to wash up, and she was on her way upstairs when Thor left her and raced to the front door. A gust of icy air preceded Sir Adolphus as he strode into the house. He looked up and saw Angel, who was about to ascend the stairs.

‘Come into my study. I need to speak to you.’ He discarded his hat and greatcoat and walked off in the direction of his study.

Angel hurried after him. ‘Did you see Mr Galloway, sir?’

‘I managed to track him down eventually.’ Sir Adolphus went to stand by the fire, holding his hands to the heat. ‘A despicable person. I disliked him on sight.’

‘Did he say anything about Aunt Cordelia, sir? Is she well?’

Sir Adolphus turned slowly to face her, his expression grim. ‘I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears that your aunt went out walking in the rain and caught a chill. She succumbed to lung fever several weeks ago.’

Angel sank down on a chair. ‘She’s dead?’

‘I’m afraid so, but if it’s any comfort, she believed to the last that you were living with a family in Essex and that you were happy and well cared for.’

Too stunned for tears, Angel stared at him, unable to put her feelings into words.

‘I’m no good at this sort of thing, child. But there is someone here who might be able to offer you comfort. Apparently she’s been camped outside Galloway’s office, refusing to move on until he told her where you were. The wretched fellow was glad to be rid of her.’

Angel’s breath hitched in her throat. ‘Lumpy Lil?’

‘An apt description. I’ve never seen a woman who so resembled a badly stuffed sofa in all my life. I sent her round to the kitchen to help Baines, although heaven knows what he’ll think of her. He has no liking for the female of the species since his wife left him for another man. You may go downstairs and see your friend, Angel, but keep her away from me at all costs.’

Angel rose to her feet. Her head was spinning and she was too shocked to think clearly, but one thing was foremost in her mind. ‘What will happen now, sir?’

‘Nothing has changed as far as I’m concerned. You have no legal guardian and I have a use for a girl like you. As soon as your friend is well enough to travel I’m taking all three of you to Grantley Park. You will be looked after, never fear.’

‘Why, sir? Why would you take us in?’

‘I have my reasons. Now go and find your friend. Make sure she isn’t upsetting Baines. He’ll only take so much from a woman.’

Dazed by the sudden turn of events, Angel left the study and went downstairs to the kitchen where she found Lil and Baines in the middle of a fierce argument.

‘Lil,’ Angel cried. ‘Lil, I can’t believe you’re here.’

‘She’s here, all right,’ Baines said grimly. ‘It ain’t my lucky day, that’s for certain.’

‘Darling girl.’ Lil held out her arms and Angel ran to her, cuddling into the familiar curves of Lil’s ample body.

‘Oh, Lil. I thought I’d never see you again.’ The tears that Angel had been holding back flowed freely down her cheeks and she rested her head against Lil’s shoulder. ‘Is it true that Aunt Cordelia died?’

Baines cleared his throat. ‘I’ll make a brew. Once you women start piping your eyes there’s no stopping you.’

‘Can we go anywhere quiet, away from that ignorant man?’ Lil demanded angrily. ‘He’s rude and coarse and I don’t want nothing to do with the likes of him.’

‘Come upstairs to my room,’ Angel said hurriedly. ‘There’s so much I want to ask you about poor Aunt Cordelia.’ She took Lil by the hand and led her from the kitchen before she had a chance to continue her verbal battle with Baines.

‘I don’t think much of this place,’ Lil muttered as she followed Angel upstairs to the first floor. ‘It needs a good spring clean and I’d have all those carpets out on the line and beat the dust from them. Haven’t these men ever heard of soap and water and elbow grease?’ She stared at Dolly’s sleeping figure. ‘Who is that? And who said that hound could get on the bed? It’s not right. You’ll get fleas and such.’

‘It’s all right, Lil,’ Angel said hastily. ‘Juno is a good dog and very clean, and she’s keeping Dolly warm.’

Arms akimbo, Lil pursed her lips. ‘I’m going to sit by the fire and you can tell me exactly what’s been going on.’

Lil’s mobile features registered every emotion from shock and horror to indignation and anger as Angel relived the events that had brought her to Sir Adolphus Grantley’s house.

‘What I don’t understand,’ Lil said frowning, ‘is why a toff like him would take in two children, and why would he show such an interest in your past?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe he’s just a kind man who likes to help people.’

‘Hmm.’ Lil’s eyebrows knotted together in a frown. ‘In my experience men don’t do anything for nothing. There’s something in it for him.’

‘I don’t know what you mean, Lil.’

‘Of course you don’t, my little innocent. I’m here to protect you now. I nursed you as if you was my own babe, and heaven help anyone who tries to lay a finger on you.’

‘Sir Adolphus is a good man, Lil. He was a colonel in the army and Baines was his sergeant. They’re brave soldiers.’

‘That lot are often the worst.’ Lil raised herself from the chair with a groan. ‘This weather affects my rheumatics something shocking.’ She hobbled across the room. ‘Where does this door lead?’

‘It’s a small room, like Aunt Cordelia’s dressing room.’ Angel’s eyes filled with tears and her throat constricted. ‘You haven’t told me what happened to her, Lil.’

Lil opened the door and peered inside. ‘This will do. I’ll sleep in here so that I’m close to you girls. I’ll need a bed and some linen.’ She paused, slanting a worried look in Angel’s direction. ‘Your aunt didn’t suffer, love. It was pneumonia, the doctor said, and she went very quick. She weren’t in pain, but the last thing she said was, “Find Angel, Lil. Make sure my baby girl is well and happy.”’ She cleared her throat noisily. ‘I’ll go downstairs now, and tell that windbag Baines what I need to make meself comfortable.’

Baines and Lil were never going to get along – that was clear from the start – and during the next few days Angel found herself acting as peacemaker. Sir Adolphus was rarely at home to witness the spats that occurred between his sergeant and Angel’s former nursemaid, but two days before Christmas he sent Baines to find Angel with instructions to send her to his study.

She hurried downstairs wondering what could be so urgent. Baines had been uncommunicative, but that could have been due to the fact that both Lil and Juno were growling at him like angry guard dogs.

‘You sent for me, sir?’ Angel stood with her hands clasped tightly behind her back.

Sir Adolphus was seated behind his desk. He stopped writing and put his pen down on the silver inkstand. ‘We’ll be leaving for Grantley Park tomorrow. I take it that your young friend is well enough to travel, and she’s welcome to come with us, but she’ll have to earn her keep. My housekeeper will find work for her and your aunt’s servant too, if she chooses to accompany us.’

‘I can’t speak for the others, sir.’

‘Then you must talk it over with them, Angel. I’m not a charity, but I feel somewhat responsible for the flower girl, and your servant has a mind of her own. Galloway would vouch for that, I’m certain. He did his best to poison my mind against Miss Heavitree, but I’m a man who likes to use his own judgement.’

‘Might we know where we’re going, sir?’

‘Grantley Park has been in my family for two hundred years. It’s a Tudor house in its own grounds, on the edge of Low Leyton marsh. There, does that satisfy your curiosity?’

‘A little,’ Angel said doubtfully. ‘Is it far from London, sir?’

‘About seven miles, which is far enough to be away from the stench and corruption of the city.’

She did not know whether to question him further, but he had picked up his pen and it was clear that she had lost his attention. She realised that she had been dismissed and went to find Dolly, who was now out of bed and dressed in garments they had discovered in the clothes press. Lil had had to make some alterations in order to make them fit, but Dolly was thrilled with her acquisitions and even more delighted when they found a pair of boots that were too small for Angel but fitted Dolly to perfection.

She was in the middle of a twirl when Angel burst into the bedroom.

‘See how fine I look,’ Dolly said delightedly. ‘I ain’t never had nothing so grand in me whole life. I shall be a young lady like you, Angel.’

‘I think Sir Adolphus has other plans, Dolly. He said you would have to earn your keep when we go to his country house.’

‘I suppose it’s only to be expected,’ Dolly said philosophically. ‘I was just dreaming. I suppose I’d better take these clothes off then.’

‘No, certainly not. They were left to the moths so obviously they weren’t wanted. It’s a crime to leave them to rot. You look splendid, Dolly. I won’t let them turn you into a slavey. If it isn’t nice where we’re going, we’ll leave and set off on our own. We’ve earned our living before, and we can do it again. Now all I have to do is convince Lil that it is for the best.’

Starting out early on Christmas Eve, Angel, Dolly and Lil travelled in Sir Adolphus’ barouche, with Thor and Juno. Baines sat on the box next to the coachman and Sir Adolphus rode his chestnut stallion, Caesar. It had stopped snowing but the going was slow and difficult. At times it seemed that they would have to turn back, but Sir Adolphus was determined to reach Grantley Park. The bricks that Baines had heated on the kitchen range and placed on the floor to keep their feet warm had cooled, and despite their layers of clothing and woollen blankets the cold was insidious, creeping into their bones and chilling them to the marrow.

Angel peered out of the window at the vast white expanse of the marshes, with tufts of bleached grasses poking through the snow and steel-grey pools of frozen water reflecting the leaden sky. Dolly had fallen asleep with Juno resting against her, and Thor settled down at Angel’s feet, sharing her warmth. Lil sat with her arms folded and her head nodding, but each time she felt herself overcome by the desire to sleep she jerked herself back to consciousness.

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