Christmas Day

25th December
Dear Cousin Edith
Well, here we are on Christmas Day. My but it was cold in the church last night, but such a lovely service. The vicar is probably about Alfred's age, quite a small man but with a good voice that is easy to listen to, and a thought provoking sermon which I found very uplifting. The big surprise, however, was that Paul was singing in the choir. I was vaguely aware of the fact that he had disappeared when we got to the church and, rather uncharitably, thought he had played truant and gone back to his cottage.
The walk back to the house was just as it should be, a bright moon, crisp snow that was crunchy and not slippery and not much conversation, just being quiet and thoughtful. Harriet was clearly very happy to have Jane's company, and they walked along with Mr and Mrs Davey and then, as so often happens, the rest of us women walked together and the men lagged behind. Mary had the hot mince pies and mulled wine ready and waiting for us and I quite envied Paul his solitary walk in the snow back to his cottage afterwards.
Although I woke feeling very refreshed this morning I did have a very odd dream last night, all tied up with that den under the tree that I told you about, and Paul and John and Harriet and feeling that there was something wrong but not knowing what it was.
I wore my new dress - the one that is the unusual weave in dark red and black, and the new dark red shoes that I bought to go with it. I felt very elegant and Rosamund was kind enough to compliment me on it. She looked wonderful as usual in a dark blue silk. We had a leisurely breakfast and Jane brought the children down at about 10 and we all went into the drawing room so that they could open their presents. As you can imagine there was much excitement and noise. They all very politely said thank you to each of us and I found myself sharing a chair with Lavinia's youngest, Ellen, who is 3, while she told me all about her new doll. The other children went out with Henry and Alistair to try out a sledge that the oldest boy had received and I saw Paul helping them later. Harriet and Jane cleared up the wrappings and tidied up and the others dispersed until lunchtime. That was fun - the children and Jane and Mr and Mrs Davey and Mary and Mrs Davey's sister all joined together in the dining room which had been set up so that everybody had a seat somewhere, if not at the dining table then at another table that had been brought in. Mrs Davey and Mary served up the main course and her sister served the sweet so that each of them had some time to relax. That is, if it is possible to relax amidst such a hubbub. The idea was to give the children and staff their Christmas meal and for the rest of us to have a light lunch as we were to have our proper Christmas dinner in the evening.
After lunch I went out for a walk on my own and was glad of a little peace and quiet. I took the opposite route to the one we had taken yesterday and found myself remembering odd things about the times I had spent here as a child. I think I mentioned to you that I came here about 8 years ago too. It was for Alfred's 50th birthday party and Rosamund had asked me to stay for a few days. I didn't want to come because I was courting then but things were not sufficiently settled between Frederick and me to have been able to ask for him to be invited too. Henry and Elouise were here then, and Elizabeth (it was before she married Alistair) and Paul, I seem to remember, was engaged, although I can't remember anything about his fiancée. Geraldine had not been married long and her first baby was on the way.
I think I told you that we are to go to a party at Geraldine's house on Tuesday. She and her husband, Pierre, inherited a great deal of money from Rosamund's brother, as did Rosamund and Alfred, and they had a house built in the most modernistic style on a plot of land very near here which R and A had given them as a wedding present. I have seen the house from a distance and I am so looking forward to going there.
As I came back towards the house I saw John and Harriet heading towards me, out for a walk of their own. When I got back inside Rosamund seemed a bit put out by this and I am beginning to think that she has a plan to try and get Harriet and Paul together. This is backed up by the fact that when we did sit down to dinner she had set out place cards so that everyone was sitting away from their own spouse but she had put Paul and Harriet opposite one another. It may just have been the way it worked out.
Rosamund asked us to change for dinner a little earlier than usual so that we could open our presents before we ate. I wore my peach with the black jacket. Harriet looked very pretty in a cream dress which I later found out Rosamund had lent her.
I was really quite surprised at the number of parcels under the tree with my name on them. The little presents that Rosamund organised all went down very well. I received a three lace trimmed white handkerchiefs from Elouise, Henry and John, a box of chocolates from Lavinia and Brian with a note to say that they were to be kept and enjoyed in my room! There was a brocade bound diary and pencil from Harriet and some rather exotic bath salts from Elizabeth and Alistair. From Rosamund and Alfred I unwrapped a small box and to my amazement found inside the very brooch that I had noticed and commented on to you from the shop where I bought the cocktail shaker that I gave to them. But even more surprising was the gift from Paul, not least, the message with it. It was a string of red beads, not just plain beads but lots of different ones, some Chinese lacquer, some cloisonné, two that I could not identify, and some glass with iridescent gold swirls. I was quite taken aback by it but even more so by the card that was inside the box, which read “One of these is your cyanide pill, Happy Christmas from Agent Black” How strange that he should have remembered. I looked up and saw that he was watching me and could not help the big smile and laugh that came to my face. He sort of nodded, meaning “do you remember?” and I nodded back “Yes”. You know, Edith, it has quite unsettled me and I’m not sure why.
When we went into the dining room we saw what it was that had been occupying Rosamund for so much of the afternoon. The room had been decorated with swags of holly and pine and red ribbon and the table sparkled with crystal glasses and the best silver and a beautiful centrepiece with candles and gold tinsel. The place cards were held by little gilt angels. I found myself opposite Henry, on .the end of the table next to Alfred and with Alistair on my right hand side.
The meal was everything I had expected. We had goose for the main course with roast and mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon, carrots cooked with a little sugar and orange juice - I can't remember what the proper name for that is - braised celery, peas and a garnish of fried apple rings as well as apple sauce. A huge Christmas pudding followed with cream and custard and brandy sauce. By the time we finished it was nearly 10 o'clock so the planned game of bridge was postponed.
We took our coffee and liqueurs in the drawing room and Rosamund made a joke of saying that we were now allowed to sit with who we chose. I think her plans for P and H will come to naught. H went to sit with John. Paul didn't seem too disappointed and soon asked if anyone wanted to walk with him back to his cottage for a breath of fresh air so Henry and Elizabeth and I went along. It was grand to walk again in that crisp bright winter moonlight and I said as much. Paul said that the walk in the morning is just as magical and he sometimes takes a detour through the woods when he comes to the house in the morning and sees deer there. It was very late so we didn’t stop but came straight back and most of the others had gone to bed. I took a small brandy by way of a night cap up to my room and am sipping it now as I write.
I do hope you and Laura had a good day and that you had plenty of visitors, as you had wished. I do feel so sorry that you are still not able to get out but hope that as the New Year approaches it will bring new health and vigour to you
My very best wishes
Freda