Page 52 of The Chalet Girl

‘God no, thanks. I need to get the kids back down, teatime, homework, piano, bath…’ she clunked over to the children in her godawfully uncomfortable boots, looking back to see what Tristan’s were like. Black, shiny, expensive. Less painful, she imagined. He was watching her walk and she scowled at him before turning back to the children.

They were giggling about something, licking hot chocolate off their top lips.

‘Come on, we need to get you two home.’

‘Hmmm, this is yummy!’ Bella said, as she swirled hers with a spoon and a little went on the table. ‘Try it!’

Emme stopped, touched. That was a nice offer from Bella, but the hot chocolate had melted marshmallows in it and looked pretty disgusting from this angle.

‘I’m OK lovely, but that’s very kind of you to offer, thank you.’

‘You’re not having any ofmine,’ said Harry with a smile.

‘Come on finish up…’

Emme felt very aware of Tristan, his huge presence, lingering behind her.

‘Can we ski with Tristan a bit longer?’ the children asked.

‘I’m afraid not, the slopes will be closing soon. And we need to get you home for your piano practice– your mother will be worried if we’re not back soon.’

Emme thought of the camera doorbell, knowing that Lexy would be aware of all their comings and goings on the BUZZ app on her phone.

‘Oh,’ they sulked.

‘TDK!’ bellowed a posh British man with a thick head and a large royal-blue ski suit. ‘Wondered when I’d bump into you!’ The man with the pink face guffawed and clunked his way over.

‘Lawrence! Long time no see my friend…’ Tristan said as the men gave each other a hearty embrace and patted each other on the back.

Urgh. Emme winced internally. Posh twats backslapping. The last thing she wanted to be around.

Emme took the kids by their hands and led them out to their skis.

‘Come on, you’ll see Tristan another day I’m sure…’ she said. If he was such a good friend of Mummy and Daddy, perhaps she would too.

Outside, Emme and the kids got their gloves and skis on, and looped their poles around their wrists.

Which way down?

Tristan was coming out, still chatting to his friend, who was lowering his goggles and about to set off.

‘You need a hand?’ he called. Emme looked over her shoulder to check he was talking to her.

‘We’ll be fine,’ she waved him away. What was it with this guy and why did he irk her so much? He hadn’t been bad to her. He had made a path for her when she tried to get to the bar. He had helped Cedric out and watched the kids. It looked like they had a great time learning from him too.

‘Right kids, can you show me the way back down to the ski train?’

Emme hadn’t expected to be going to the top of the mountain today, but she knew she had no choice but to ski back down to the mountain train stop she had come out of. If the kids could do it, she could remember how to, right?

Harry and Bella looked puzzled. Wasn’tshethe one to get them home safe? They said nothing. ‘That way I assume?’ she pointed to the slope.

‘Yes,’ Bella lisped, unsurely.

The kids lowered their ski goggles from the top of their helmets to their faces, reminding Emme to follow suit, then she watched them propel themselves, off the top of the slope.

‘Not too fast, don’t go off without me!’

Harry and Bella plopped down the slope, disappearingtemporarily while Emme edged herself to the precipice. She could not lose these children on the mountain on her first proper day in the job, but the bright red and fluoro pink coats of Harry and Bella reappeared like fluorescent dots in the distance, and they were getting smaller.