Still, all’s fair in love and war isn’t it!” The pang of jealousy burned more fiercely. I gulped and thought frantically of what I could say. As I still didn’t answer, Ann looked at her watch and frowned. “Ooh, look at the time, come on Nicky, hurry up. Is this your dress? Oh it’s sweet and such a pretty colour!” She struggled to pull the back of my dress together and began to fasten the hooks and eyes. “God, it’s going to be a bit tight. Have you put on some weight?” We entered the hall together but Ann soon spotted someone she wanted to talk to and disappeared. The hall was crowded and hot; it looked as if most people were there already. It was all looking really festive. On the previous evening a team of us had worked long into the night in order to decorate it. In an effort to disguise the wall-bars we had wound red, green and white paper chains around them. I’d added lengths of ivy at the last moment and thankfully it still looked fresh. Along one side of the hall Mona had set up the trestle tables and had covered them with pristine white cloth. They were groaning with food and drink and were prettily edged with holly and mistletoe. As the band struck up a lively rendition of ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ I began to relax a little. There were times when I’d thought the end of this term would never come. With a shudder I thought back to the horrendous training day back in September. I remembered the hostility I’d encountered from some of the staff and a warm glow enveloped me as I realised how accepted I now was. And with Mum and Dad expecting Andy and Inez over for the holidays, life was good. Mostly. Jack stood by the stairs talking to Ann. His back was to me, so I couldn’t see his expression but they looked to be having an animated conversation. In common with many here tonight, my opinion of him had changed radically. He had won us over with determination, sheer hard work and his unique brand of abrupt charm. And I’d certainly seen him in a different light recently. A roller coaster travelled up and down my spine as I remembered how jaw-droppingly gorgeous he’d looked coming out of the wet room. I sighed lustily. But, as I saw Ann take Jack’s arm and lead him onto the dance floor, the lust was quashed. I frowned. I couldn’t figure out what he felt for me at all. Sometimes I felt the flash of his attraction but at other times he seemed to be deliberately backing off from having any contact with me. Had I really misunderstood the signs; those longing looks and the heated silences which flared between us so often? Or was it Ann he was truly interested in after all? Her comments earlier had stunned me and I resented feeling so jealous. I was beginning to accept just how attracted I was to him but I couldn’t bear to make the first move. What if I did? He was my boss – and my landlord now after all. I closed my eyes briefly in horror as I contemplated the potential awkwardness and embarrassment. It didn’t bear thinking about if I had read the situation wrongly. I shook my head to clear it a little and distracted myself by studying my dress. While it wasn’t as elaborate as Ann’s I was still pleased with it. Mum had tried really hard to adapt it and she had done a skilled job. In the end she hadn’t found enough material to add a frill as well as put something around the low neckline so had concentrated on adding length. Like Ann I swished my petticoats experimentally. I hardly ever wore a skirt, let alone a long one like this and I felt newly feminine. I did however, have some concerns about the neckline. I tugged self-consciously at the plain bodice. It was excruciatingly tight and very low cut and I was worried that it was far too revealing. Oh well, I giggled, I would just have to remember not to eat anything. Or bend over! “Nicky!” called a voice. “Nicky, you’re looking gorgeous tonight!” It was Rupert. He was grinning hugely. He took my arms, held them out wide