Free A Proper Family Christmas by Jane Gordon - Cumming

you’re Tobias’s new nanny. What was the name? Frances. Splendid.” He gripped her hand in a brief, professional handshake.
    â€œHello, Tony.”
    Frances gaped. Surely that soft-voiced greeting didn’t emanate from Lesley Shirburn? Good God, the pale eyelashes were almost fluttering! She watched Tony leave two bright patches of flame as he kissed his sister-in-law on both cheeks, and found it hard to suppress a grin.
    Her speculations were interrupted by the return of Posy, who, having discovered that Scratch lived up to his name, was seeking more reliable sport.
    â€œWhere’s Tobias?”
    â€œI’m afraid he’s asleep.”
    â€œI’ll go and wake him.” She started up the stairs.
    â€œNo, don’t do that!”
    â€œWhere’s his room?”
    â€œDon’t be a naughty girl, Pose,” said the owner of the tight skirt wearily. Her top was tight too, but she wore a severe jacket over it, giving the overall impression of a business-like tart. “Hi, I’m Shelley.”
    She looked round her with a shudder. “This is a bit creepy, isn’t it? - Sort of Frankenstein’s castle. …With Posy’s Grandad as Frankenstein!” she added in a whisper. “Oo-er! I don’t think he’s very pleased about us coming!”
    Frances felt a sudden irrational desire to defend Haseley and William. “He’s a bit old for so many visitors - and the house is really interesting when you get used to it.”
    Posy had gone to badger her aunt. “Where’s Tobias sleeping, Lesley?”
    â€œHello, dear. How you’ve grown!”
    â€œThey do at this age. Isn’t it awful? The little monster eats us out of house and home.”
    â€œDo you know where Tobias is, Uncle Stephen?”
    â€œYou could get lost in a place like this, couldn’t you?” Shelley went on. “Go along to the lav in the middle of the night and never find your way back. …There’s that pussy again! Oi - Pose! There’s the pussy!”
    Curiosity had got the better of Scratch, who had incautiously poked his head out from under the table, thinking the heat was off. William startled everyone by seizing his cat and disappearing unceremoniously into the sitting-room.
    â€œOh - I say!” said Stephen, who now that politenesses had been exchanged, didn’t really want to be trapped in the hall with his sister’s family.
    Lesley too looked rather embarrassed. “Well - er - I hope you won’t be too uncomfortable,” she said. “Unfortunately William forgot to tell Mrs. Arncott you were going to be here. …Well, he forgot to tell anybody, in fact. Until we arrived this morning, we were fully expecting to have Haseley to ourselves, weren’t we, Stephen?” She gave her tight smile. “I suppose you did know that Aunt Margery and Hilary are coming, and some man…”
    â€œOh yes. Daddy told me all that on the phone last night,” said Julia blithely. “Poor darling! He was really fed up about it. I thought we’d better come to cheer him up.”
    â€œWell, we’ll leave you to settle in, then,” said Lesley, obviously feeling she had done her duty. “No, Posy, don’t disturb Grandpa. Come on, Stephen.”
    They disappeared into the sitting-room to disturb Grandpa themselves.
    Frances suddenly found everyone looking at her, and realised with alarm that, as the only menial on the premises, she was expected to show the others to their rooms. As it happened, she did know where Kath had put Tony and Julia, in a cramped little room not far from the one she was sharing with Shelley, but she resented being the one to break the news.
    â€œCome on, Nanny!” said Tony briskly. “Lead and we’ll follow. No one’s to go empty-handed, though. If I know William, he’ll have put us all the way up in the attics!”
    William dropped the cat and slumped down