Natasha stood up beside the piano as the children in the little orchestra and the Christmas play took their bows.
It had all gone surprisingly well all things considered.
Her mother, Jennifer Wagstaffe, stepped out onto the stage and raised her hands for quiet.
"I am sure you would all like me to thank everybody involved in this years production on your behalf." Her mother had promised to keep it short.
She looked up at the windows at the side of the hall. It was getting dark outside and it was beginning to rain again. At least they were being spared the snow. It was a couple of years since the last heavy snow before Christmas. She remembered something about Cleo, her half-sister from America getting stuck or lost in it or something.
There were some people outside. It was hard to make out their faces. One was a very tall man with broad shoulders. That looked like her father with him. There was a woman, no two. Ashley. Then that would be her parents. She didn't know they were coming over.
She heard her name being mentioned and turned to accept the applause from the audience for her part in staging the production.
That was it. The lights were going up and people were gathering up their children to leave.
She saw Ron, the vicar, approaching Jenny. They were smiling at one another.
"Hello Ron." She said as she joined them. "Mum, I just saw Ashley and Uncle Howie and Aunty Carole outside."
"You must be mistaken." Jenny said, moving a little closer to the vicar. "They are not coming over this year."
"Well I don't know who it is if it isn't them." Nat said, pointing to the far end of the hall.
"I must go Ron." Jenny smiled up at Ron. "Thanks for coming."
"Part of my pastoral duties." Ron smiled back. "I'll see you again soon."
"We thought we would surprise you this year," Carole said after the hugs and kisses were over.
"That's lovely," Jenny looked at Paul.
"I didn't know." Paul answered before being asked.
"How long are you staying for?" Jenny continued.
"Only two nights," Carole replied. "We are here to take my mother up north to see her sister. She's not been well."
"We haven't seen Dorothy in years," Jenny said. "I'm sorry she's not well."
"She's not been herself ever since David died," Carole said, adjusting the collar of Nat's blouse.
"I wished we'd been able to go to the funeral," Jenny said. "But Paul had business in Dallas and we couldn't get away. We weren't expecting you until next week Ashley."
"We came across on the company's jet. Too good a chance to miss," Ashley said looking towards where Ron was chatting to some of the parents. "You still have the same, old vicar I see."
"Less of the old," Jenny laughed. "He's only a little bit older than your father."
"I didn't realise he was that old," Ashley laughed and ducked to avoid the clip around her ear aimed at her by her father.
"Where are you staying?" Jenny asked.
"At the Castle Hotel," Carole replied. "Howie thinks we should buy it and add it to the chain."
"It wouldn't fit in with the corporate image and it would be a shame to change it," Howie said.
Nat followed his glance towards the door as the bottom of one of the mothers left the room.
"You wouldn't change it?" Jenny asked, shocked at the suggestion. "I love it there. Not that Paul takes me very often."
"Out of keeping for the head teacher of a village school," Paul said. "People would think you had been robbing the petty cash."
"Anyway," Howie said. "You'll all come to dinner tonight."
"Love to," Paul replied. "We are going to a drinks party tomorrow night at the Lucktail's. Shall I get you an invite to that?"
It was agreed it seemed to Nat as they walked out into the cold evening air. She didn't really want to go to the Castle and she was loosing enthusiasm for drinks at the Lucktails. Now that Ashley had come a few days early perhaps they could get away to London for a few days and stay in their apartment. See some shows and do some shopping. She felt certain Ashley would prefer that. A pity she couldn't get out of dinner that night at such short notice.
"We have David and Mari staying with us," She said as they began to separate and make for their cars.
"Bring them along," Howie said, waving a hand as he climbed into his hire car.
"Jenny," Nat turned at the sound of Ron's voice, "do you have five minutes before you go to go over the arrangements for the nativity play in the Church on Sunday?"
"I'm sorry," he continued, "I did mean to ask earlier."
"Of course." Jenny smiled at him. "Nat will you go home with your father? I'll be along shortly."
Nat sank into the front seat of her father's BMW convertible. It was the second he had owned like it, David having destroyed the first one two years before.
"How did it go?" Her father asked as they pulled into the main road through the village.
"It went very well."
Now was her chance to ask about the flat in London.
"Dad?" She asked. "Can Ashley and I go and stay in the flat?"
"What for?" He replied. "She's only just got here."
"Well I'm sure she will want to do some shopping. Then there are the show's and the lights."
"Are you saying there isn't enough around here for you to do?"
He turned from the main road into the lane that led to their house.
"What's your mother say?" He continued.
"I haven't spoken to her yet."
"Well. You are both big girls. If it's what you want. When are you thinking of going?"
"Sunday."
Paul pulled into the driveway and the car crunched over the gravel to a halt between Howie's hired Jaguar and David's Porsche. Nat felt her own little Mini looked out of place there somehow.
"Ok."
"Thanks Dad."
Inside the house the front lounge was becoming full. Nat drew Ashley to one side as her father supervised David in the pouring of the drinks.
"Fancy coming up to London on Sunday for a few days?" She asked.
"Oh yes," Ashley replied, "We can have some fun there."
Part 4.
Nat looked across the restaurant table at Ashley. The drive up had been good. They had made good time. Hudson, the old part-time caretaker and occupant of the ground floor flat had had some food and things delivered so all they had had to do was unpack, shower and change. Ashley was determined to go on to a nightclub and in the end she had agreed. But first they were to eat.
Surprisingly she had enjoyed the dinner in the hotel on the Friday the best. Howie had started talking about some of the adventures they had all shared in the seventies and eighties. Her father had tried to steer him away at first but as some of them were new to Mari and she wanted to hear them he gave up in the end. Howie could tell a good story. David had once told her it was because of the practice he had had lying to his wife about his many affairs. She hadn't believed him until Cleo had confirmed it once during a trip to Dallas.
Howie had made her father drink too much. Her mother and Carole had reminisced about old friends over a bottle of wine. Mari had felt tired so she and David had left as soon as the meal was over. That left her and Ashley to plan their three days in London. Ashley hadn't been interested in the shows and had been outlining her plans for the nightclubs. And men. They had figured high on her to do list.
Nat looked around the room. There were at least three pairs of eyes on them that she could see. And they were all accompanied. What was it with men?
"Hey, I liked that Jon." Ashley suddenly remarked, "and you say he will one day become a Lord?"
"Yes." Nat confirmed. "When his father dies."
"That won't be long the amount he drinks."
She was probably right. Jon was still single. Lady Natasha. She tried it out in her mind.
"Lady Ashley." Ashley spoke out loud.
"You don't know him." Natasha said.
"He knows most of me." Ashley replied. "He had hands everywhere last night. He even tried to get me to stay over."
