Free Starlight by Anne Douglas Page B

Adventures of Robin Hood , the Christmas attraction. He laughed. ‘Or is it a case of “Smoke gets in your Eyes”?’
    â€˜I don’t smoke,’ Jess retorted. ‘That’ll be one shilling, please.’
    Christmas Eve found the staff of the Princes gathering in Mr Hawthorne’s office, their eyes lighting up at the sight of bottles and glasses and a large, iced cake, flanked by plates of sandwiches and mince pies.
    â€˜Come in, come in!’ the manager cried genially, cigarette in hand. ‘Bit of a squash, but you won’t mind that. Daisy, my dear, pass the sandwiches, while I do the drinks.’
    Daisy Hawthorne, thin as a stick, with a lined little face and pale hair dressed in pin curls, fluttered around as people took plates.
    â€˜I’ve made cheese and tomato, egg and tomato, ham and mustard . . . oh dear, what else?’
    â€˜They’re all lovely, dear,’ Sally told her, as Edie Harrison, the secretary nodded approvingly. ‘But don’t I always say you shouldn’t go to so much trouble?’
    â€˜Come on, girls, what can I pass you?’ Ben Daniel was politely asking the usherettes, and nodding to Jess. ‘How about you, Jess? Ham and chutney?’
    Jess, who’d been carefully avoiding eye contact with Rusty standing nearby, turned with alacrity to help herself from the plate Ben was holding. How smart he was looking! So often seen in shirtsleeves, he’d obviously taken special trouble for the drinks and put on a dark jacket and tie. Seemed more than ever a second Henry Fonda.
    Rusty, too, had made an effort to dress smartly, but the way Jess felt at the moment, that was of no interest. Yet, when plump and cheerful Mrs Baxter came to him with a piled up plate, Jess felt absurdly relieved. She didn’t really want him to be alone and out of things, and after Mrs Baxter told him to take two of her sandwiches, and three would be better, Jess was glad he did. And that he smiled.
    â€˜Eat up, laddie, eat up! Put some weight on. My word, if you stand sideways, nobody can see you!’ Mrs Baxter laughed heartily. ‘No’ like me, eh?’
    â€˜Fred, what are you having?’ Mr Hawthorne cried. ‘I bet you’re ready for a top-up, eh?’
    â€˜Wouldnae say no, Mr Hawthorne, thanks,’ Fred said, allowing his glass to be refilled and swiping another sandwich from Mrs B’s plate as she moved on. ‘Och, it’s nice to think o’ having tomorrow off, eh? No’ everybody does, you ken. Some folks work Christmas and take Hogmanay.’ He grinned. ‘Me, I like both!’
    â€˜Rusty’s looking rather glum these days,’ Ben said in a low voice to Jess. ‘What have you been doing to him?’
    â€˜I told you there was nothing between us,’ she answered promptly, glad of this chance to make things clear again. ‘You didn’t believe me, but it’s true.’
    â€˜No wonder the poor devil’s so sad, then. Listen, are you ready for a mince pie? Or are you waiting for the cake?’
    â€˜Oh, the cake, I think.’ Jess’s heart was singing, as they moved to watch Daisy nervously wielding the knife on her handiwork. ‘Are you all set for Christmas, Ben? Going away or anything?’
    â€˜Just spending it with my dad. How about you?’
    â€˜Having a quiet time, with my mother and my sister.’
    â€˜This the one who’s coming to work in the cafe? That’ll be nice for you. Excuse me, if I just pass these pies around for Mrs H.’
    â€˜Last Christmas, Nancy was here,’ Pam murmured, as Jess moved to speak to her. ‘Funny to think of her on her honeymoon, eh? And now your sister’s got her job.’
    â€˜Marguerite’s looking forward to coming,’ Jess said quickly. ‘I’m sure she’ll fit in.’
    â€˜Aye, but she’s that good looking, eh? We were thinking she might’ve been married