Page 30 of Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House (Ghosts of Rowan Vale #3)

The market was heaving that Saturday, despite the cloudy skies which held the threat of rain, and the strong gusts of wind that caused the fairy lights strung around and between the market huts to swing wildly at times.

Jack and I had arrived with three boys, but within a few moments we were left with just Declan and Freddie. Ashton refused to be accompanied by his parents and said he was meeting his mates, so could we just give him some money to spend instead?

‘I suppose we’re going to get a lot of this from now on,’ Jack said with a sigh, as we watched our eldest son running into the crowd, twenty pounds richer.

‘Now he’s turned twelve he’s not going to want to hang around with his mum and dad, is he?

Before you know it, Declan will be just the same.

We should really make the most of it while he doesn’t mind our company. ’

‘You should see him at school drop-off,’ I told him. ‘He already escapes from me the minute we arrive in case someone should spot him with his mother. Mind you, I can’t blame him. State of me!’

Jack put his arm around me. ‘You look beautiful,’ he said. ‘You’re blooming.’

‘Blooming awful,’ I replied.

He laughed. ‘You’re not going to believe me, no matter what I say, so I won’t bother arguing. I know I’m right and that’s all there is to it. Right now, I just want you and the boys to enjoy the market and get into the Christmas spirit.’

The Christmas spirit had been sadly lacking at home, it had to be said. We still hadn’t got the decorations down from the loft, and normally we’d have bought a tree by now. The boys were getting antsy about the whole thing, demanding to know why Christmas had been delayed this year.

The market was our way of both apologising and appeasing them, I suppose. We planned to take them round it, stuff them full of treats, then get some fish and chips on the way home. Maybe that would buy us some time, and we’d be able to sort out the Christmas decorations tomorrow.

‘There’s a stall selling Christmas trees over there,’ Jack whispered. ‘If they’re cheap enough, I’ll get one before we leave.’

‘Can you pay for it?’ I asked, hoping he wasn’t expecting me to dip into my purse. I was supposed to be getting the fish and chips and that was going to cost me a small fortune.

But Jack had just put down a deposit on a pram, and he’d already promised to pay for the treats at the market, as well as giving Ashton that twenty quid…

I sighed, wondering when our fortunes would change and if we’d ever be able to buy what we wanted, when we wanted, as some people seemed to.

He bit his lip, then nodded. ‘Of course. Er, you’re okay for money? If you need anything?—’

‘I’m fine,’ I said quickly. ‘It’s just the fish and chips. You know.’

That and the credit card bill that I’d received yesterday.

It was higher than I’d expected it to be, and the payments for the Christmas presents hadn’t even kicked in yet.

I wondered if we could look at a consolidating loan.

Or maybe we could get a nought per cent balance transfer credit card and move the debt over to that?

I’d almost shown the statement to Jack, but I didn’t want to burden him.

He had enough going on, putting up with me, and besides, it was my problem.

He earned the money, while I did nothing but spend it.

I needed to get my act together and start earning too, but how was I going to do that with a new baby about to arrive in a matter of weeks?

The thought of the financial mess that faced me in January made my head ache, and I’d abandoned the frantic calculations I’d made on the kitchen jotter to see how I was going to make even minimum payments and made up my mind to forget about it all and do as Jack wanted.

Just enjoy the market and get into the Christmas spirit. Or try, at least.

Freddie’s face was bright with excitement as he gripped my hand and stared in delight at what must seem to him to be a magical winter wonderland.

The village green had been transformed, with dozens of wooden huts dotted around, each selling enticing festive goods.

The smells that were coming from some of them were so divine they made my mouth water, and with the Christmas songs and carols playing over the speakers it was easy to dismiss my troubles and focus on my two youngest sons, who were clearly enchanted.

Declan even seemed to have forgotten about his games console for once.

There were some truly fabulous goods on display. One stall sold handcrafted glass baubles in all manner of shapes, sizes and colours, and I was really tempted to buy a couple for our tree until I saw the price. Bloody hell! The whole tree should cost less than those!

There were some beautiful wreaths on sale, too, and I wished I had the spare cash to buy one for our front door. I could see Amelia and Tully eyeing one up, and I was sorely tempted to do the same, but right now I just wanted to treat the boys. Today was supposed to be about them.

‘What are they ?’ Freddie enquired, pointing to a stall selling snow globes – some of them huge.

Jack lifted him up to show him, and the woman behind the counter grinned and shook one for him, making his eyes widen as the flakes of snow drifted down over the little cottages and people inside the globe.

‘Can I have one?’ he begged immediately.

I saw Jack glance at the price and give the woman a sheepish look as he lowered Freddie to the ground. ‘Maybe on our way back,’ he fudged. ‘Don’t want to drop it and break it in the market, do we?’

The woman gave him a wry smile, as if she’d heard that one many times before, but luckily her attention was drawn to another customer – hopefully one who intended to buy something.

There was a strong Christmassy smell as we passed a stall selling scented candles. I got a distinct whiff of cinnamon and cloves and closed my eyes, breathing it in and feeling a sudden uplift in my mood.

‘Christmas cards!’ Declan cried suddenly. ‘ Please can you get me some? Everyone else brought theirs to school for the postbox ages ago.’

‘ I want some Christmas cards,’ Freddie pleaded.

The cards weren’t a bad price, surprisingly.

In fact, they were cheaper than the ones in the card shops I’d visited in Kingsford Wold, so I bought a couple of packs each for the boys and a couple of packs to send to our friends and neighbours.

I’d get the special ones from the card shop during the week.

Declan looked highly relieved and insisted on carrying the bag. I felt awful, and realised I’d been promising to buy him some for ages now. I’d never been so disorganised and felt bitterly ashamed.

‘Ooh, mulled wine,’ Jack said as we approached a drinks stall. ‘I could just fancy a glass of that. Or a paper cup of it,’ he added, grinning.

‘Lucky you,’ I said. ‘No alcohol for me.’ Better late than never, anyway . ‘But,’ I added, ‘don’t let that stop you. Go ahead.’

‘No, I won’t bother.’ He tucked his arm in mine and hurried on past the stall.

‘Honestly,’ I told him. ‘I don’t mind.’

‘I do! Did you see how much they were charging? We could get a whole bottle of it from the supermarket for the price of one of those servings.’

‘Oh, Jack.’ I sighed, feeling fed up all over again. ‘It’s Christmas. We shouldn’t be worrying about the price of a glass of mulled wine at Christmas.’

‘A cup,’ he reminded me. ‘Anyway, I’m not worrying. I’m just too tight to pay it.’

He pressed his forehead against mine, smiling, and I smiled back, knowing he was just trying to make me feel better and loving him for it.

‘Anyway,’ he said, ‘never mind mulled wine. I think we should all have a hot chocolate, don’t you?’

‘Ooh, yes please!’ Declan said happily.

‘ I want a hot chocolate,’ Freddie announced.

‘You want everything,’ Jack told him. ‘You’re a waste disposal unit on legs.’ He ruffled Freddie’s hair. ‘As if I’d leave you out, anyway.’

To be honest, when we found a stall selling hot chocolate, it wasn’t much cheaper than the mulled wine, especially as Jack insisted that we all have one, including the full works: whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and tiny marshmallows.

To my relief, they did kid-sized cups with lids – a lot safer and easier for the boys to carry round. Jack held on to Freddie’s until it had cooled off sufficiently, which didn’t please our youngest at all, so we distracted him by buying him a Father Christmas cookie to munch on in the meantime.

I wondered what the experts would say about our so-called parenting skills.

We stayed at the market for a couple of hours, but by then my back was starting to ache, and I was feeling pretty tired.

‘Right,’ Jack said, seeing I was struggling, ‘time for home. Let’s go back to that stall and see how much the Christmas trees are, and if they’re not too extortionate I’ll buy one. Then I’ll drop it at home before I go and get the fish and chips.’

‘We were all going to go to the chippy,’ I reminded him.

‘You’re worn out, love. I can see it in your face. You stay at home and put your feet up, and I’ll take the boys with me.’

‘Really?’ I hugged him gratefully. ‘You’re a star.’

‘Not really,’ he said with a shrug. ‘I’m just trying to get on Santa’s nice list.’

‘ I want to be on Santa’s nice list,’ Freddie said.

‘Of course you do.’ Jack shook his head, amusement in his eyes. ‘I think I’m going to change your name to Veruca Salt.’

‘From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory !’ Declan let out a cackle of laughter.

‘I don’t want to be called Veruca Salt!’ Freddie cried in dismay. ‘I’m Freddie.’

‘Hallelujah,’ I said. ‘We’ve finally found something he doesn’t want.’

‘Having fun?’

We looked round, and I gave an embarrassed greeting to Brodie and Callie, who were with Immi. It was the first time I’d seen Brodie since my little tantrum.

‘We were just about to leave, actually,’ Jack said. He sounded strangely awkward. ‘We’ve been here a while now and we’re all shopped out.’

‘Jack’s just going to buy a Christmas tree,’ I added.

‘We were just looking at those,’ Brodie said. ‘We thought we might order a few for the Hall. We’ve got the big one for the entrance hall coming in a couple of days, but it would be nice to put a smaller tree up in some of the other rooms.’

‘Did you buy anything interesting?’ Callie asked, glancing at our carrier bags. ‘Did you get some of those handmade chocolates? Every time I pass that stall, I think I’ll treat myself. Maybe I will today.’

‘No,’ I said. ‘I didn’t see those.’

I had seen them, but they were way out of my price range. Sadly, I just couldn’t justify it.

‘We got Christmas cards for school,’ Declan said, swinging his carrier bag at her. ‘And hot chocolate.’

‘And Father Christmas cookies,’ Freddie added. ‘And a nutcracker.’

‘A nutcracker? Whoa, that sounds amazing,’ Brodie said.

‘It’s a shoulder really,’ Freddie told him, having given up trying to pronounce soldier.

‘We’re going to put him on the mantelpiece, aren’t we, Mummy?

We’re getting the tree up tomorrow,’ he added, his eyes shining.

‘And all the decorations. And our stockings are going to be hanged up on the fireplace.’

‘That sounds smashing,’ Brodie agreed. ‘Not long to go now, so it’s best to be prepared.’

‘Would it be okay if we popped round later?’ Callie asked. ‘We’ve something we’d like to talk to you about.’

Jack and I looked at each other. Last time they’d come round to talk to us it hadn’t ended well. Still, that was hardly their fault, and they were our friends.

‘Sure,’ Jack said. ‘Look, we’re heading home now and we’re getting some fish and chips for dinner. Do you all want to join us? My treat.’

I gaped at him. Was he off his head? We’d been saying no to ourselves and the boys this entire visit to save money, and he was offering to buy them fish and chips?

‘No, no! You have your dinner in peace,’ Brodie said, to my relief. ‘We’re going to have a quick look around the market, make sure everyone’s happy and it’s all going as it should, then we’re taking Immi and Florrie to The Quicken Tree for tea.’

‘Florrie’s here?’ I swallowed, wondering if anything had been said at Harling Hall about my secret. Not that Florrie could have spilled the beans to Jack, but even so…

‘Yes, and she’s really excited to be going to the pub, aren’t you, Florrie?’ Callie said fondly.

As Declan and Freddie began to bombard this invisible girl with questions, receiving answers via Immi, Callie pulled me aside and whispered, ‘I won’t say anything to Jack, don’t worry.’

‘Does Brodie know?’ I asked urgently.

‘Yes, but he knows not to say anything. Look, we really need to talk to you so?—’

‘After dinner is fine,’ I said. ‘If you can make it after nine the boys will all be in bed and we’ll get some peace.’

‘Brilliant,’ she said. ‘Not that I don’t want to see the boys, naturally, but this is important.’

I nodded, feeling a bit sick. Clearly, they weren’t going to mention Aubrey in front of Jack, so what was this about?

I guessed I’d find out soon enough.