Free Christmas in the Snow by Karen Swan Page A

‘But it’s lovely that
you’re
here. I know how busy you are. What are your plans for this evening?’
    She grimaced, already knowing the response she was going to get. ‘I’ve got to go back to the office. I’ve got some work to do.’
    ‘Allegra! It’s seven o’clock. You should be relaxing. You work long enough hours as it is.’
    ‘I know, but . . .’ It was pointless trying to explain. ‘You’re probably right. Maybe I’ll go to the gym.’
    Julia frowned. ‘Have you lost weight, darling?’
    Allegra looked down at her narrow thighs. ‘No. I don’t think so.’
    ‘You look thin.’
    ‘I’m just tired.’ Allegra squeezed her mother’s hand, touched by the maternal concern that so rarely surfaced these days.
    ‘You need to eat more. You can’t afford to be so thin once the snow comes. What if you got left outside?’
    Allegra smiled. ‘I can assure you I never leave my bag anywhere. My keys are on me at all times.’
    ‘It’s never warm enough in the stables, no matter how much straw you’ve got.’
    Allegra fell silent. ‘Well . . . I’ll try to remember that,’ she said. What had it been today? Four minutes, if that? She took a deep breath, trying to pull her mother back,
before she drifted too far to reach again. ‘Listen, why don’t you show me around here? I’d love to see it properly. Isobel said there was a small shop. Perhaps we could get some
bits and make supper in your flat.’
    Julia looked at her with an unforgiving, hostile stare, a new opacity to her eyes that hadn’t been there before. ‘You’re not coming to my flat,’ she hissed ominously.
‘Why on earth would I go anywhere with you? I don’t know you.’
    ‘Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry.’ Allegra’s voice was quieter.
    ‘Why would you say that? Why would you want me to go outside in these conditions?’
    ‘I don’t. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—’
    ‘Who are you? How did you get in here?’ Julia’s voice was climbing, her hands beginning to grip the armrests.
    ‘I’m Allegra,’ Allegra said quietly, aware of heads beginning to turn, a murmur rustling through the tweeds.
    From the corner of her eye, she saw Barry running towards them, Julia’s favourite lilac cardigan slung over one burly arm, his rugby-player thighs chafing in his jeans. His eyes met
Allegra’s in silent communication and she got up out of the chair as he winked and swept past, crouching in front of Julia with kind eyes.
    ‘Come on, Julia. It’s time for your rest now. Can you stand for me?’ His Welsh accent was lilting, almost like he was singing to her.
    ‘Who are you?’ she demanded, her fury and aggression switching to him.
    ‘I’m Barry, you know that,’ he said in confident tones, a smile that came with double dimples spreading across his face, softening her scowl.
    ‘Have we met?’
    ‘Oh yes,’ Barry nodded, immediately beginning to sing the opening lines of ‘Delilah’ as he got his arm under Julia’s and lifted her easily from the chair. It
wasn’t her body that was weak. ‘I just went to get your cardigan for you. You were feeling a bit chilly. See? It’s your favourite one. You asked me to get it because you wanted to
look nice for your daughter.’
    ‘But I don’t have a daughter,’ she said, her face turned to him in bafflement as he scrunched up one arm of the cardigan.
    ‘Oh, well then, I must have misheard you – my mistake,’ he replied with an easy smile, sliding the sleeves over her arms and shooting Allegra an apologetic look as she remained
rooted to the spot. Slowly, he began to wheel her round towards the doors as he picked up the tune again.
    ‘Why’s
she
looking at me like that? Who is she?’ Julia demanded, never taking her eyes off Allegra as he led her away.
    ‘Come along, Julia, just sing with me,’ Barry said cheerfully, their voices retreating.
    Allegra watched in silence as her mother took up the lyrics and they disappeared from sight. The muscles in her