Free Christmas at the Castle by Jenny Kane Page A

her usual aura of confidence was missing.
    â€˜Thank you, Charlie.’ Alice sat down in a wing-backed chair and picked up her drink.
    Resisting her uncharacteristic urge to make a big deal of the fact Alice had actually thanked her, Charlie said, ‘You’re welcome. Now, why has Cameron withdrawn Crathes? It makes no sense when he asked for the event to be held there in the first place. Without the location we will have to cancel, which isn’t going to do your reputation much good.’
    Charlie paused as a flicker of something that was either regret or fear crossed Alice’s face, and realisation dawned. ‘That’s what he’s threatened you with, isn’t it?’
    Alice stared into the crackling flames as they licked around the logs in the fireplace. ‘He said that the business was the only thing I cared about. That I’d forgotten how to be a real person and how real people feel.’
    There was a moment of silence, and then Alice said, ‘He’s right, isn’t he?’
    â€˜A little bit.’ Charlie leaned forward in her chair so she was closer to Alice. ‘Come on, Alice, what happened?’
    Kit wasn’t surprised to see lights on in the estate office when the taxi pulled onto the gravel drive. Standing in the serene magnificence of Crathes’ grounds, admiring the Christmas lanterns which adorned the gardens, tantalisingly leading the eye towards the woods, Kit had an urge to run into the trees and let Alice sort out her own mess.
    Phil had convinced Kit of what she knew anyway. If she didn’t sort out whatever muddle her fellow organisers had got themselves into, then there wouldn’t be a literary festival, and the romance panel – which she was so scared of doing, but was also, in her usual contradictory fashion, looking forward to – wouldn’t happen.
    Thinking back to all the muddles she’d sorted out for her friends back at Pickwicks as her feet crunched purposefully over the gravel to the estate office door, Kit took a deep breath and pushed it open without knocking.
    Cameron was sat with his feet on his desk next to an open bottle of whisky, a tumbler in his hand. He looked like a disillusioned detective from an American cop show.
    â€˜Kit? What are you doing here so late?’
    â€˜I could ask the same of you.’
    â€˜Ah.’ Cameron swung his feet to the floor, ‘Your tone suggests that you have encountered Alice.’
    â€˜She’s with Charlie. All I managed to learn was that a new venue for the Christmas at the Castle Literary Festival is required. Which, I’m sure you will agree, is going to be very difficult to arrange so close to Christmas. This is in real danger of becoming an Easter at the Castle Literary Festival.’
    â€˜That’s not funny.’
    â€˜I wasn’t joking.’ Kit pulled up a chair and sat on the other side of the desk. ‘So why do we need a new venue?’
    Cameron put his glass down on the desk. ‘It’s personal.’
    â€˜I’m sure it is, but this affects the whole town, and as I understand it, your future here rests on this being a success. Why jeopardise that because Alice can be a bit difficult sometimes?’
    â€˜A bit difficult?’ Cameron snorted as he refilled his glass, ‘Try totally baffling, try uncaring and emotionless. Try a pain in the bloody arse!’
    Alice took another sip of the smooth Glenmorangie. ‘We’ve been out for a few meals, and drinks. Cameron and me, I mean.’
    â€˜I know.’
    â€˜You do? How?’
    â€˜Oh come on, Alice! Banchory is a small town. I’ve seen you. Believe it or not, I go out sometimes as well. There aren’t that many places to eat here.’ Charlie mentally gritted her teeth as she asked, ‘So are you two an item again?’
    Alice put her head in her hands. ‘No. I made it clear from the beginning that we’re just friends, but I guess