On Christmas Day Read online

  Lexi looked up blankly. How was she to know whether she agreed or not? It was all a mystery to her. She sat forward, trying to appear cool and business-like.

  ‘If you think we should sell, then we should, Mr McCann,’ she said, ‘And you have my full agreement.’

  Was this really her, Lexi Martin, speaking to Mr McCann? The man she had once been afraid of? But things seemed to have changed over the last year, especially since that ‘little incident’ which had occurred at the end of last year, and which she had never spoken of to anyone.

  ‘Very good,’ he said. He picked up a ledger in front of him and pushed it across the table for Lexi to inspect. ‘Take a look at those two columns,’ he said. ‘One shows the amount invested, the other what that amount has now become.’

  Lexi stared down, her eyes widening in disbelief. But … this was silly! Surely her money could not have increased by that much! She looked up at Reynard, then back at the ledger. Eventually she found her voice.

  ‘And, do you think that this is enough for me to buy a big house, Mr McCann?’ she said, and he smiled faintly.

  ‘Well, not quite, Miss Martin. You have some way to go, but you have made a very promising start. Now then,’ he adjusted his glasses on his nose. ‘We will sell in the morning, and the cash will be available shortly afterwards.’ He paused. ‘And what to do with it now, you may well ask?’

  Well don’t ask me, Lexi thought. To start with she was going to need more money boxes to hold that lot …

  ‘I will answer the question,’ Reynard said. ‘You must open a bank account where your money will be safe until you decide on your next move.’

  Open a bank account? Neither Lexi, nor her mother, had ever been inside a bank! She stared at Reynard as he went on.

  ‘Now, I bank at Lloyds in the High Street, and I will accompany you there in a few days and introduce you to the manager who will settle this matter.’ Reynard glanced at Lexi. ‘You are very young to open an account, but with my influence and the amount of money in question I am sure that things will go smoothly enough.’

  There was quite a long silence after that during which Lexi was only beginning to take in the fact that she and her family were becoming wealthy. And that she was to have a bank account! If so, what did that really mean, how did it work? She took a deep breath, trying to make sense of it all … but Mr McCann would show her, and Johnny would explain it all when he came home.

  After she’d thanked Mr McCann repeatedly, Lexi made her way home feeling as if she was walking on air. How was this all happening to someone like her? She’d already begun to picture their new house. It was going to have a bedroom each for her and Phoebe and Joe, and a large one for her parents, and a garden for Lucky to run about in, and a drive with a gate at the end …

  It was almost too much to take in and Lexi was actually aching inside at the thought of everything that was to come …

  In the dining room downstairs, Reynard went over to the book case and took down the magazine which had been delivered that week. He’d only had time to thumb through it before, but now he wanted to look at it again properly.

  Sitting down at the table, he smiled contentedly. This was proving to be a good week, and apart from the fact that wretched Thursday loomed again in a couple of days, he was feeling happier than he had for some time.

  By his own continuous surveillance and understanding of the stock market, he had made Miss Martin a considerable amount of money. And of course, some for himself because he had invested on his own behalf as well as hers. Financial success was like an aphrodisiac to Reynard McCann, stirring him and making him feel heady.

  Then his brow furrowed slightly. For so long now, he’d had his eye on that particular parcel of land in the town which no one was doing anything with and which never came up for sale. Why not? It was absurd to leave it there when – if he could get his hands on it – it would prove nothing short of a gold mine. He had approached the owners once or twice to try and persuade them to sell, upping his offer each time, but they weren’t budging. Reynard’s lip tightened. He could wait. That land would come on the market one day, he was sure of it, and he would be first in the queue. And he would win.

  But apart from all that, Reynard felt light-hearted because he was fetching the boys home tomorrow, and the end-of-term reports which he’d received in the post had been very encouraging. Particularly regarding Alfred. So far, his elder son had been slow to realize that if he was ever to run the family business as it had been run by his grandfather and now by his father, he just had to make more effort, and work harder. Alfred must understand that total commitment and dogged persistence were the essential commodities for success.

  Now, Reynard opened the magazine to the turned-down corner of the page he particularly wanted to read and gazed down at the distinctive set-up of the piece, at the background picture accompanying the text. Then his mouth lifted to an almost beatific smile as his eyes traced the bold letters which almost jumped off the page.

  The title was simple enough, but it was what followed that made Reynard’s heart swell with pride.

  BARRA. THE MAGICAL LAND OF FARAWAY

  By Johnny McCann

  Chapter Eighteen

  On Wednesday evening at 7 o’clock Reynard came down from his study and took his place at the head of the dining room table. He smiled. The boys were home again, and the girl was here too, sitting between Alfred and Johnny, her presence reminding him just what he had achieved for her.

  Anna came in then, bearing a succulent leg of pinkly-roasted pork, its crackling crisp and sparkling, the gravy around it brown and not too thick, more a sauce, just as Reynard liked it. She placed the joint in front of him.

  ‘There, that’s everything.’ She glanced around the table. ‘There are more vegetables if these are not enough.’

  Reynard looked up. ‘Are you not joining us for the meal, Anna?’ he enquired.

  ‘No thank you – I have the puddings to attend to,’ she replied. And with that she left the room, rolling her eyes as she went. When had she ever eaten her meal up here? She’d never been asked before. The kitchen was her domain and it was where she preferred to be. As did the boys – she knew that – and Mr McCann himself very occasionally graced them with his presence down there, for a cup of tea or coffee. But for some reason, today he had actually invited his housekeeper to eat upstairs with them. Well – his recent good mood seemed to be holding up …

  After she’d gone, Reynard picked up the carving knife and fork and began slicing the meat. It was so tender it almost fell off the blade, and Alfred said –

  ‘Don’t hold back on my portion. I’m starving!’

  Reynard continued carving, and soon, after everyone had helped themselves to vegetables, the room fell silent for a few moments. Lexi, very aware of the privilege in dining here, ate slowly, taking her time. Then Reynard said casually –

  ‘There was a most interesting piece in one of my magazines this month,’ He poured more water into his glass before going on. ‘The artwork on the page immediately attracted me, but I was even more intrigued when I saw the name of the writer beneath it.’

  Alfred cut in. ‘Oh, I know what you’re talking about,’ he said at once. ‘It’s that little thing my brother wrote about Barra!’ He nudged Johnny’s foot under the table. ‘What a clever little thing you are, Johnny boy!’ Alfred turned to grin at Lexi. ‘He had to stand up in front of the whole college and receive a round of applause! Wasn’t that sweet!’

  Lexi refused to even look at Alfred. She was probably the only other person in the world who knew that writing was what Johnny would really like to do with the rest of his life. And she also knew that he wouldn’t have said anything to Reynard about the possible article in case his father might be annoyed that he was spending time on things which were hardly connected with the building industry. She touched Johnny’s ankle with her toe.

  ‘I would love to have been there to join in the applause, Johnny,’ she murmured.<
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  ‘Well if you had, you’d have seen him go as red as a beetroot!’ Alfred said. ‘I thought he was going to burst into flames!’

  Reynard shot Alfred a look of distaste before saying – ‘I have to say that I was very impressed with your writing, Johnny. And it certainly convinced me that the money spent on that trip was worth paying.’

  Lexi spoke up. ‘I would love to read Johnny’s article, Mr McCann,’ she said, ‘if you would lend me the magazine after you have finished with it.’

  Reynard nodded. ‘You may take it home with you later, Miss Martin,’ he said. He turned to Alfred. ‘And when might we see something written by you? Do you have it in you to create something which you might actually be paid for?’ He half-smiled. ‘It takes time and concentration to produce something of quality.’

  Alfred speared another roast potato on to his plate. ‘I have no idea whether I have it in me or not,’ he said bluntly. ‘But – hey – I wouldn’t want to steal my brother’s thunder by competing with him. And anyway, scribbling away at something quite irrelevant to the course seemed a waste of time to me.’ He glanced at Reynard before adding – ‘Besides, the summer exams will be on us soon, so I’ll be revising for those, won’t I. I wouldn’t want my results to disappoint everyone.’

  Reynard smiled across. Despite all his misgivings about his older son, it did look as if Alfred was beginning to take life seriously.

  But he could not help admitting that seeing the name “McCann” at the foot of that long, beautifully crafted article had puffed him up with enormous pride. The distinguished magazine would only ever print things of quality, and that it should have been written by Johnny, Johnny McCann, was extraordinary. It was odd, Reynard thought briefly, that he’d had no idea that Johnny was capable of such a thing.

  Presently, Anna returned to clear away the dishes and Lexi stood up to help her.

  ‘That was really lovely, Anna,’ Lexi said as she followed the housekeeper downstairs to the kitchen. ‘What did I do to deserve a place at the family table today?’

  ‘As far as I am concerned, you are one of the family,’ Anna said firmly. ‘But apart from that, Mr McCann is in a very light hearted mood at the moment, so something has obviously pleased him.’

  Lexi smiled, wondering whether Anna knew that Mr McCann had made Lexi a great deal of money. Or whether Anna had been told about Johnny’s article yet. Anyway, it wasn’t Lexi’s place to say anything about that – that was Johnny’s exciting news, not hers nor anyone else’s. Her expression darkened as she thought of Alfred’s remarks. He was so jealous of Johnny, always had been, and enjoyed trying to make his younger brother look small. But to Lexi, Johnny never looked small. In her eyes he towered above Alfred in every possible way.

  Now, Anna and Lexi went up to the dining room, Anna carrying the huge dish of bread and butter pudding, followed by Lexi who was holding the apple charlotte and cream, and the cheese board.

  ‘Do you think this will all be eaten?’ Lexi said. ‘There are only four of us!’

  Anna smiled happily. ‘You wait and see. There’s seldom much left over for the birds! And anyway,’ she added, nudging open the dining room door with her shoulder, ‘I like to spoil the boys when they’re home. We don’t see them nearly often enough.’

  On Good Friday evening after Lexi and Johnny had collected the rents, they wandered back to the cottage, Lexi averting her eyes as they passed the sweet shop. Although it was sold, it was still unoccupied and boarded up, and no one seemed to know when it would start trading again.

  Johnny glanced down, squeezing Lexi’s hand tightly. ‘Don’t look so sad, Lexi,’ he murmured, and she shook her head.

  ‘I can’t help it, Johnny,’ she said, ‘I feel as if part of my world has died.’

  ‘Well, it hasn’t,’ he said firmly. ‘I am sure you will soon find somewhere just as nice to work. And anyway – with all that money you’ve made on the shares, why worry – at least for now?’

  ‘Oh, I’m not dipping into any of that!’ Lexi said. ‘And you know very well what it’s going to be used for! But I must keep adding to it … I must!’

  ‘What does your mama think about how your savings have grown?’ Johnny said, and Lexi made a face.

  ‘I haven’t told her yet – because, well, she doesn’t like me talking about working, and money, all the time. But I will tell her, of course, when I find the right moment.’

  Johnny slipped his arm around her waist. Despite the success with her shares, he knew very well how low Lexi was feeling. To lose the sweet shop, and now her contract at the Pump Room as well, did seem hard.

  ‘Well, don’t let either of us think about work for the next few days, Lexi,’ he said. ‘I know, we’ll go to Bert’s Place and polish off all the cakes he’s got left, after we’ve called in at the cottage.’ Cecilia had asked them to do that because she hadn’t seen either of the boys since they’d come home. But she’d read Johnny’s article in the magazine which Lexi had brought from Grey Gables, and wanted to congratulate him. She was in the sitting room doing some mending when the two arrived, and she looked up and smiled.

  ‘Well, Johnny McCann,’ she said, ‘I didn’t know we had a famous writer in our midst!’

  ‘Oh, that article doesn’t make me famous, Mrs Martin,’ he said. ‘When I first heard that the magazine had accepted it, I thought they’d made a mistake and mixed me up with someone else!’

  ‘Well, there was no mistake in your descriptions, Johnny,’ Cecilia said. ‘Of course, I have never been to such a place myself, nor am I ever likely to, and although it is obviously very beautiful it does sound very isolated and rather threatening. Did it feel like that when you were there?’

  ‘Not a bit,’ Johnny said at once. ‘Of course, it is very open, but to stroll along those vast beaches and drink in the pure air was an unforgettable experience. I would love to go back there again and again.’

  Cecilia smiled briefly. She was sure that both of Mr McCann’s sons would have whatever they wanted out of life.

  Lexi said casually – ‘Mama, we thought we’d look in at Bert’s Place – if he’s still open. We won’t be long.’

  There was a pause. ‘Oh, all right,’ Cecilia said, darting a glance at them both, at their undeniable closeness. ‘But perhaps you’d take Lucky with you, for her last walk.’ Cecilia got up and went into the kitchen for the dog’s lead – which was a signal for Lucky to jump straight up from her basket, wagging her tail in anticipation. And as Lexi and Johnny followed her outside, Cecilia said – ‘Don’t be late will you – it’s nearly dark already.’

  Cecilia smiled as she watched them walk away, the dog pulling ahead excitedly.

  Lucky could be a very useful interruption under certain circumstances.

  But what Cecilia would never know was that, later, Mr Bakewell had been only too pleased to take care of the dog while Johnny and Lexi wandered into the approaching darkness for a few minutes to be alone. To be just the two of them. As one day, Johnny had said they would be, forever.

  On Easter Monday, they were just about to sit down to tea at the cottage when, unannounced as usual, Albert arrived home. And immediately the children – and the dog – jumped up to greet him.

  ‘Well now, it’s lovely that you are all so pleased to see me, so it is!’ he cried heartily, slipping his arm around Lexi’s waist, and winking over at Cecilia – who’d remained in her place at the table. But now she stood up slowly and waited for her turn to be embraced.

  ‘How are you, Albert?’ Cecilia said quietly.

  ‘I am well, thank you, Cissy,’ he said jovially, ‘and I am sorry that I didn’t get home for Christmas, but I have exciting things to tell you! Work has been going very well and I have good money for you, Cissy, very good money indeed.’ He looked down into her eyes. ‘This good money is for my beautiful wife. For my beautiful children.’

  After they’d all finished hugging and kissing, Cecilia laid another place at the table, and over their scrambled eggs
and toast and sponge cake Albert Martin told them of the luck he’d had this time with his buying and selling tactics in his home country.

  ‘Sure, and it’s easier in the Emerald Isle than it is over here,’ he explained eagerly. ‘Perhaps it always was, and I never realized it before. But it’s true, Cissy, as true as I’m sitting here, and it made me think that that’s where we should all be living, all of us! You and my babbies, Cissy, we should clear out of England altogether. Then I shouldn’t have to stay away like I do, I could come home in the evenings – well, some evenings anyway.’

  Cecilia stood up to refill the tea cups. ‘Oh, really Albert? And where would we live may I ask? If business is so easy in Ireland, is it also easy to find accommodation, good accommodation, like this?’

  ‘Now, now, I’m coming to that!’ Albert said heartily. ‘See, the thing is, Cissy, my five brothers and I have bought a good piece of land – there’s enough for several cottages – and we’re going to build our own places! Think of that, Cissy, we’re going to actually build our own home.’ Albert slurped from his cup. ‘I know you’ve never met my brothers and their wives and kids, but they’re all easygoing and you’d like them, and wouldn’t it be the best thing in the world for all our families to live near each other, help each other out, things like that, Cissy? And it would be good for our babbies to grow up there! Clean air and freedom and open spaces for them to run around! I’ve always wanted to take you to Ireland, you know that – and we would all be really happy, I ‘m sure we would!’

  Cecilia sat back and folded her arms. ‘But we are really happy here, Albert,’ she said firmly. ‘We have everything we could possibly need, right here. We do not need to travel miles away across the water to find freedom and open spaces. We have the fields and the meadows and the river.’ She pursed her lips. ‘Anyway, I would not want to disrupt the children. They are happy at school and with their friends, and I have work and many customers here who regularly require my help, so there’s always money for our needs.’