relationship between them.
“We’ll try a few, and give them good advertising. We have one or two very discriminating customers who might appreciate the unusual.”
“Are you going to advertise them at your next cocktail party?” asked Sylvia.
“That’s being held in the New Year,” Stephanie told her, “so you might not be here for it. We don’t want to disturb our stock until after Christmas and it does involve a lot of organising, and ensuring the safety of our stock.”
“Oh, but I expect I will be here,” said Sylvia sweetly. “Merry says I must consider Beau Ness as much my home as hers, and we’re such good company for one another.”
Merry felt her cheeks flush, and inwardly she tightened with anger against Sylvia for placing her in such an impossible position. She didn’t really want Sylvia all that long, yet how could she fail to accept the situation in front of everyone?
Nigel, however, was looking delighted and making no secret of it, while Benjamin stood by quietly, an impassive look on his face.
“I am staying, aren’t I, darling?” Sylvia was asking.
“If you want to,” said Merry, and hoped her voice didn’t sound as grudging as she felt. Sylvia seemed to have a disrupting influence on her life, but she could hardly throw her out, selfishly.
“Good, then I hope I can come to the party,” said Sylvia, looking appealingly at Nigel.
“Of course you can,” he told her, and Merry caught Stephanie looking at her sardonically. She smiled a little sadly, feeling suddenly out of things and a little tired. She didn’t join in when Nigel began to make suggestions for having a small party at Christmas, and was glad when it was finally time to go home.
CHAPTER 6
A WEEK before Christmas, Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle George arrived to stay, and Merry welcomed them with mixed feelings. Christmas was a time for families to be together, but she’d never felt too much a part of their family.
“Will it be too much for you, Mrs. Cameron?” she asked anxiously. “I don’t expect they’ll stay long, because Uncle George still takes an active part in his investment business. He’s only semi-retired, really.”
“They’ll maybe not find things as luxurious as they’re used to, Miss Merry,” said Mrs. Cameron, “but you know I’ll do my best to make them comfortable. It’s the first time I ever remember them stopping more than an hour or two. I don’t think Miss Ellen ever found them bosom companions.”
“They’re all the family I’ve got,” Merry said quietly.
“I know, Miss Merry. As a matter of fact, this house needs a wee bit of warmin’ up noo and again. If they can take good plain service, then we might have a good Christmas.”
“I’ll help all I can,” Merry assured her, and went to settle in her aunt and uncle. Sylvia had treated them casually at first, but was now eager to tell them all about Nigel and Rossie House.
“They’ve got fabulous jewellery, Mummy,” she enthused. “In fact, I should just love one of their pieces for Christmas.”
“No doubt,” said her father dryly, “but for once, young lady, you’ll have to set your sights a little lower. Neilson’s is going through a bad patch at the moment That’s why I thought I’d like to come here for a quiet Christmas, and take up Merry’s invitation.”
In the end, it was one of the busiest Christmases Merry had ever known, as Mrs. Cameron took some time off to go and see her sister, and found both the Campbells feeling under the weather. Even the aspirin and cups of tea she made for them failed to make them feel better, and in the end they had to go to bed with ’flu. Mrs. Cameron ran home to Beau Ness.
“Whatever will I do, Miss Merry?” she asked. “I just can’t leave you with all this on your hands, yet they’re both in bed. Fair bad, they are—helpless. Isa’s temperature was a hundred and three and the doctor said I’ll need to keep an eye on her. I really shouldna hae left
“We’ll try a few, and give them good advertising. We have one or two very discriminating customers who might appreciate the unusual.”
“Are you going to advertise them at your next cocktail party?” asked Sylvia.
“That’s being held in the New Year,” Stephanie told her, “so you might not be here for it. We don’t want to disturb our stock until after Christmas and it does involve a lot of organising, and ensuring the safety of our stock.”
“Oh, but I expect I will be here,” said Sylvia sweetly. “Merry says I must consider Beau Ness as much my home as hers, and we’re such good company for one another.”
Merry felt her cheeks flush, and inwardly she tightened with anger against Sylvia for placing her in such an impossible position. She didn’t really want Sylvia all that long, yet how could she fail to accept the situation in front of everyone?
Nigel, however, was looking delighted and making no secret of it, while Benjamin stood by quietly, an impassive look on his face.
“I am staying, aren’t I, darling?” Sylvia was asking.
“If you want to,” said Merry, and hoped her voice didn’t sound as grudging as she felt. Sylvia seemed to have a disrupting influence on her life, but she could hardly throw her out, selfishly.
“Good, then I hope I can come to the party,” said Sylvia, looking appealingly at Nigel.
“Of course you can,” he told her, and Merry caught Stephanie looking at her sardonically. She smiled a little sadly, feeling suddenly out of things and a little tired. She didn’t join in when Nigel began to make suggestions for having a small party at Christmas, and was glad when it was finally time to go home.
CHAPTER 6
A WEEK before Christmas, Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle George arrived to stay, and Merry welcomed them with mixed feelings. Christmas was a time for families to be together, but she’d never felt too much a part of their family.
“Will it be too much for you, Mrs. Cameron?” she asked anxiously. “I don’t expect they’ll stay long, because Uncle George still takes an active part in his investment business. He’s only semi-retired, really.”
“They’ll maybe not find things as luxurious as they’re used to, Miss Merry,” said Mrs. Cameron, “but you know I’ll do my best to make them comfortable. It’s the first time I ever remember them stopping more than an hour or two. I don’t think Miss Ellen ever found them bosom companions.”
“They’re all the family I’ve got,” Merry said quietly.
“I know, Miss Merry. As a matter of fact, this house needs a wee bit of warmin’ up noo and again. If they can take good plain service, then we might have a good Christmas.”
“I’ll help all I can,” Merry assured her, and went to settle in her aunt and uncle. Sylvia had treated them casually at first, but was now eager to tell them all about Nigel and Rossie House.
“They’ve got fabulous jewellery, Mummy,” she enthused. “In fact, I should just love one of their pieces for Christmas.”
“No doubt,” said her father dryly, “but for once, young lady, you’ll have to set your sights a little lower. Neilson’s is going through a bad patch at the moment That’s why I thought I’d like to come here for a quiet Christmas, and take up Merry’s invitation.”
In the end, it was one of the busiest Christmases Merry had ever known, as Mrs. Cameron took some time off to go and see her sister, and found both the Campbells feeling under the weather. Even the aspirin and cups of tea she made for them failed to make them feel better, and in the end they had to go to bed with ’flu. Mrs. Cameron ran home to Beau Ness.
“Whatever will I do, Miss Merry?” she asked. “I just can’t leave you with all this on your hands, yet they’re both in bed. Fair bad, they are—helpless. Isa’s temperature was a hundred and three and the doctor said I’ll need to keep an eye on her. I really shouldna hae left
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