Page 86 of The Merry Christmas Project

There at the centre of the action stood our enormous Christmas tree. Even without its lights on, it shimmered majestically in the glow of the streetlamps. A stage had been set up close to the base of the tree behind the cordon. Huge speakers stood like bookends at either end of it, and Christmas music blasted out across the square. As I got closer I could see Nigel on stage behind a set of decks, one hand clamped to his headphones and the other raised, pointing a finger as if he was setting Ibiza’s dancefloors alight instead of cranking up Slade’s golden oldie from the seventies. Front and centre on the stage was a table on which sat a tinsel-covered plunger device that Hester Smart would be using to turn on the lights.

I stepped over the cables which had been taped neatly across the cobbles leading to the door of the old bank ; I’d lent my keys to Nigel this morning who’d supervised the electricians in their preparations. It struck me as quite odd that the tree lights were plugged in inside the old bank. I knew it had always been the case, ever since Benny had been the bank manager. But what was to stop someone inadvertently turning the lights off and plunging the tree into darkness? I pushed the thought aside ; it wasn’t my problem, all I had to do tonight was to make sure our celebrity was looked after. I was sure the event would go smoothly. It all looked very professional and I felt a dart of pride for what the committee and I had managed to organise.

‘MERRY ! Cooeee !’

At the sound of my name, I searched the crowd and spotted Nell waving at me. Olek was beside her, buying a bag of roast chestnuts. I waved back and went to join them. There were a number of stalls which had opened up around the edge of the market especially for the lights switch-on, mostly selling refreshments and toys, and I made a mental note that if we were going to repeat this next year, we ought to make more of the shopping opportunity and perhaps run a one-off night-time market to accompany the event. I’d met plenty of stallholders at the school fair today who might be interested.

‘Where have all these people come from ?’ Nell cried, looping her arm through mine. ‘Last year’s crowd mainly consisted of all the old ladies who had a crush on Benny Dunford.’

‘No idea, I’ve never been before, I assumed it was something aimed at kids,’ I said, pulling up the collar of my coat to keep out the cold. I’d forgotten my scarf in my haste and could feel a draught around my neck.

‘It is,’ said Nell, nodding at her husband wearing a Santa hat. ‘But some kids are bigger than others.’

Olek offered round a bag of piping hot roast chestnuts. ‘It is sad that a TV personality has a bigger fan base even than Mr Dunford, God bless him. He was the best of men. The Dowmunt family owe him a lot. You know when my father came over from Warsaw, he went to several banks but Mr Dunford was the only one who would listen to him about his plans and lent him money to start his business.’

Nell took one and blew it before peeling. ‘True.’

‘I’ve never met a celebrity before,’ I admitted, taking a chestnut and peeling it. I bit into it and instantly regretted it. It was dry and crumbly and seemed to remove any trace of moisture from my mouth. ‘I’m quite nervous.’

‘I have,’ Olek said. ‘An actor. He lost the keys to his holiday cottage while walking up Wysedale Peak. I had to let him back in. He paid me one hundred pounds in cash on top of my fee to keep quiet.’

Nell gasped. ‘You never told me that before. Who was it ?’

Olek grinned and shook his head. ‘I am a man who keeps his word.’

‘Sometimes I hate that you’re so honourable,’ she grumbled.

‘Why did he want to keep it secret ?’ I asked.

Olek shrugged. ‘Usual reason. I think the lady with him was not his wife.’

‘That story just goes to prove that nothing good ever happens on Wysedale Peak,’ I said darkly, remembering the scene of my disastrous marriage proposal.

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ mumbled Nell, burning her mouth and dropping the hot kernel back into her hand. Olek handed her a bottle of water. ‘I think these things happen for a reason.’

I thought about it for a moment and realised that she did have a point. The relationship Daniel and I had now felt right. Plus, if I’d still been with him I might never have got to know Cole. And that would have been a shame.

‘Do you know what ?’ I said, still trying to swallow the crumbs of chestnut, ‘I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. And now my children will have a lovely Uncle Daniel, so all’s well that ends well.’

Nell choked on her water. ‘Children, an uncle ? Have I missed something ?’

I laughed and was about to explain but Olek let out a low whistle.

‘Wow.’ He stared over our shoulders, his mouth open. ‘I think I understand the number of fans now.’

Nell and I turned in unison and my heart did a little skip.

Striding towards the stage, and us, was Cole. He was easy to spot because he was a head taller than most people. He looked snug in a down jacket and woolly hat and he had his hand protectively on the shoulder of a slim woman in the most amazing red cape and long strawberry blonde hair. Her resemblance to Cole was unmistakable ; Hester was every bit as striking as her brother.

‘Stunning !’ Nell gasped. She tugged Olek’s arm. ‘I know I said I didn’t want anything for Christmas but that cape is to die for. Merry, find out where she got it.’

The crowd parted for Hester like the zip on my jeans after one too many slices of Astrid’s Stollen. Progress was slow ; Hester greeted everyone with a wave or a smile, signed one or two autographs and posed for selfies here and there.

‘Merry !’ Nell gave me a shove. ‘Stop fangirling and go and do your thing !’

‘What ? Yes. Right.’ I snapped back to attention and took a swig of Nell’s water to wet my whistle. ‘See you later, wish me luck.’

‘Yeah, good luck,’ Nell held up her crossed fingers and added in a lower voice, ‘under the mistletoe with her big brother.’