The Christmas Surprise
Page 14

Rosie’s brow furrowed.
‘Okay, lime and soda, please.’
‘Ssssh, we’re only teasing,’ said Moray, going to the bar. He came back with a bottle of the pub’s very indifferent wine for Rosie and Tina, and pints of Derbyshire Gold for himself and Stephen and Jake.
Rosie hadn’t been out for so long, she had forgotten how jolly it could be. Everyone came over to say hello, pleased to see them out and about. It was time, she decided. Time to embrace what lay ahead.
There was the thought running at the back of her head that she still hadn’t told Stephen about her other health problems.
Later, she told herself fiercely, taking another sip of the wine.
Later, they were staggering up the road when Stephen stopped suddenly and pointed out a star overhead.
‘I see two stars,’ said Rosie.
‘Ssssh,’ said Stephen, as they both started laughing. ‘Put one hand over your eye.’
She did so, falling about with the giggles.
‘That’s Polaris,’ said Stephen. ‘You can see it from Africa. It feels about a billion times closer, like you could touch it.’
He pulled her to him.
‘I’d love to show you Africa.’
‘Would you?’ Rosie was under his coat to keep warm, and her voice came out slightly muffled, but still doubtful. ‘I thought you never wanted to go back.’
‘Well Diane thinks it would be good for me.’
‘That’s because Diane secretly wants to do kissy kissy with you. It’s totally obvious. She’ll want to come with you and be all like, “Oh, here I am in Africa, KISSY KISSY, it’s totally therapeutic.”’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘I am not being ridiculous, I can always tell.’
Rosie popped her head out and looked up at the sky.
‘We can’t afford it.’
‘I know.’
She looked at him.
‘Except …’
‘What?’
It shot across her: what could be better than getting away, having a trip, taking some time out? This was just what she needed. To do something a bit different for a bit.
‘We could use my plane ticket to Australia.’
Stephen had forgotten all about that. Rosie’s mother and brother had given it to her for Christmas.
‘It’s open, it cost a fortune. I bet we could change it.’
‘I thought you needed to keep it for when you wanted to run away from your evil fiancé,’ teased Stephen.
‘There is that,’ said Rosie. ‘But wow. It would be … it would be an adventure, wouldn’t it? And we could take lots of pictures and show the village kids where the fund-raising is going, and …’
She looked at Stephen looking at her.
‘What? What is it?’
‘You are some woman, Rosie Hopkins.’
Rosie woke up with a groan and a headache.
‘Tell me I didn’t just agree to go halfway across the world with you to somewhere without any luxury swimming pools.’
‘Nooo,’ said Stephen, rolling over and taking her in his arms.
‘Oh good,’ she said, snuggling down again under the covers.
There was a pause.
‘Shit, I did.’
‘You can go back on your word,’ said Stephen sleepily.
‘I don’t want to go to Africa! What about all the lions and tigers?’
‘Well, there’s no tigers for starters. They don’t live in Africa.’
‘Not even if they marry lions?’
Stephen cleared his throat.
‘I release you from your promise.’
‘See, this is exactly what will get me eaten in Africa.’
Chapter Five
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, thou little tiny Child,
Bye, bye, lully, lullay.
‘I still can’t believe you’re going,’ said Lilian, stirring her tea crossly.
Rosie felt a bit annoyed at this. Lilian had been to London three times in her life, and Cherbourg once (which she had absolutely adored, talking about the French ever since as the ultimate arbiters of taste and style), with her younger brother Gordon. Rosie wanted her to say ‘Wow, that’s amazing, how wonderful,’ rather than ‘You’re completely crazy, what are you thinking?’
‘What about when you’re being held hostage?’
‘Lilian, stop being racist.’
‘I’m not being racist. There’s loads of places where people get held hostage – Cumbria, for instance – and I don’t want you going to any of them.’
‘People don’t get held hostage in Cumbria!’
Lilian furrowed her brow.
‘A lot of mysterious things happen in Cumbria.’
‘Well anyway. The charity is going to let us ride along with them, we’ll be perfectly safe.’
Lilian sighed.
‘It all sounds very fishy to me. Are you sure you can’t just send them a postal order?’
Rosie shook her head.
‘Stephen wants to go. He feels committed, from before. It’s his duty to the family to make sure the girl is well taken care of.’
Lilian pouted.
‘That’s a given, if he’s taking you.’
‘I think they’ve got plenty of medical staff there,’ said Rosie. It hadn’t actually occurred to her that her skills might be needed.
‘And where does it end?’ said Lilian. ‘Are you sure you won’t make things worse rather than better?’
‘You can never be sure,’ said Rosie. ‘About anything.’
‘Hmph, I suppose that’s true,’ said Lilian. ‘Well, come back safe and never leave the village again. That’s all I ask.’
Planning the trip had been, in retrospect, wonderful for Rosie. She couldn’t forget what had happened, of course, not entirely, but there were vaccinations to arrange, routes to plot. They’d booked their flights – Angie had not been exactly happy to know they weren’t coming out to Australia, but had heard the spark of life back in her daughter’s voice and that had been almost enough – and Faustine was going to let them camp with them, so all their money could pay for Célestine’s trip to the mission hospital. They’d also sent vitamins, supplements, nappies and baby clothes on ahead.